Olive had once been used to getting up early for work, but since shifting her job to full-time writer her schedule had taken a drastic shift. So when she was woken by the 4 am alarm she seriously considered rolling over and going back to sleep, but the nagging voice at the back of her mind reminded her of the young boy who was working a rather dangerous profession with no permanent address.

By 5:30 she was begrudgingly ready, dressed for what she assumed might be a bit of a hike with Sim’s old flannel jacket layered on top of her workout gear, she hoped maybe it would bring some luck with the situation. Dalex picked her up from the driveway in some fancy SUV with tinted windows and off-roading capability, it looked more like a military vehicle than it did a car. Fi had apparently gotten her coffee and she enjoyed and appreciated it immensely.

The drive was long taking about 45 minutes on the highway and then another 20 through the woods and towards the mountainscape that surrounded Grand Valley. The woods were so green and lush there, it was almost unbelievable, and she felt like she was absolutely embarrassing herself when she leaned forward to just appreciate the greenery and the connection, she felt to it. The drive had been rather quiet, peaceful, and comfortable in a way she hadn’t expected a drive with strangers to be. When someone talked it was most often Fi, telling Olive about her experiences and they were amusing as much as they were a little concerning. Some of them were tall tales about monsters and creatures they encountered in their work and Dalex mostly laughed them off and let the girl ramble with her imagination.

The facility they were approaching appeared to be a watchtower of some sort, with storage underneath containing ATVs for easy travel. Dalex parked the car inside there and brought out a could of the smaller off-road vehicles. “Have you ever driven one of these before?” he seemed genuinely curious, as Fi settled on one that was just her size, looking geared up to go.

“I can’t say that I’ve ever had the opportunity.” The admission felt a little more embarrassing than she had expected when he patted the seat behind him on the second one, obviously inviting her to ride with him. Quietly she moved in behind him, hoping and praying that this was not the part where the whole situation turned into true crime.

She settled behind him, a little awkward as she wrapped her arms around his waist, forcing herself to lean her face against the back of his shoulder. He smelled warm, earthy with a deep herby undertone, despite his stringy stature he had a fair bit of muscle underneath, something about it all made him a very relaxing presence in a very surprising way. “Hold on tight, and enjoy the view, I think it might help with that writer's block.” He touched her arm where it was wrapped around him almost like he was hugging it back before he started up the vehicle. He was so young, but he moved with so much authority and confidence that she’d almost believe he’d been doing this for twenty years, not that he was barely into his twenties.

The woods they drove through were well maintained, the underbrush trimmed back to prevent forest fires, and to create clear paths through the thicket. She contemplated the way the steams of sun came down through the canopy to shower the lower greenery with more dispersed light, the way she felt like she was one of the little leaves reaching for that warmth. When they entered this big clearing she was almost awed by it, there was a fire pit in the middle with benches around it and a tent she assumed must have been Jack’s tucked into the edge. It was an odd little tent, she thought it must have only been big enough on the bottom for a queen-sized bed but it was nearly 7 feet high, it was simple black with brightly coloured tapestries of artwork strung up on the sides. The only tapestry she could make out was the on the side closest to them and consisted of a big bear carrying a baby on it’s back, it was such an odd depiction but the way it was laid out made her wonder if it was some sort of religious image. “Is that where he sleeps?” she couldn’t keep the concern out of her voice, and she hoped it didn’t offend Dalex, biting her lip as she turned to read the softness in his eyes as he studied her face. “What?” she realized that sounded rather offended or bothered by his gaze, but really she was just confused as to why he would look at her of all people, like that.

“It’s just sweet, how much you care.” He went quiet as he turned back to look at Fi who had already abandoned her ATV at the edge of the trees to run into the start of the gentle shower coming from the dark clouds above. “We all have those tents, I promise they’re very sturdy.” She was skeptical of even his reassuring, a pang of worry for he and Fi, an unexpected but not unpleasant feeling as they made their way over to join her.

Despite the cool rain she still felt quite warm there as the two of them settled onto one of the benches as the precipitation began to fall harder. “Should we find shelter? Do you think there'll be lightening?” She felt a little silly worrying when he clearly didn't have a care in the world.

“We’re safe here, the way this clearing is set up the lightning cannot strike inside of it.” It felt like there was more to that statement than he was sharing with her, but she wasn’t sure she really had the right to ask any further questions.

Dalex let her sit there in quiet contemplation as the rain began to pick up. Despite the cool rain, she didn’t feel overly soaked or cold, and the way the rain bounced off the leaves of the nearby trees kept her distracted from any discomfort. The early spring weather had been so warm the last few years, but today it almost felt like a summer shower. There was a roll of thunder that startled her, and she subconsciously shifted against Dalex’s side, trying not to feel bad when he wrapped an arm around her for silent comfort. Fi seemed none the wiser, of them or the thunder, as she did her own little rain dance, having ditched her shoes to touch the mud with her bare toes as she twisted and turned through the wet grass. Olive burst out laughing in surprise and fear as the lightning cracked nearby, splitting the horizon beyond them in half as it found the easiest route to the ground. The way the sky was lit, and the rain glistening in the grey morning light, falling to roll off the greenery, it all had her mesmerized.

The roll of thunder that followed it almost covered the sound of the young boy crashing into the clearing, his eyes wild as they searched. He clasped at his stomach, vivid red pouring from between his fingers at an alarming rate as he stumbled to the ground. She wasn’t sure who was moving first, but the panic of her and Dalex both rushing forward was cut short by the distinct crack of trees splitting, the whole world seemed to shake with the force of something hitting the ground as it grew closer with what alarmingly sounded like giant footsteps.