The Undermountain Saga

Prologue

An inhuman shriek , high and piercing, drifted to Harvin McTavish's ears. It came from somewhere north of them.

An answering cry followed a moment later, this one from the south.

It confirmed what Harvin already knew. They were being hunted.

Harvin swiped a calloused hand across his face and glanced at the sun. It stood high above the mountains to the west, an angry ball of orange in a pure blue sky. Even this deep into summer snow still capped the highest peaks in white.

The kids were struggling now. He’d pushed them hard to get to this far, but he hadn’t told them about the danger. The last thing he needed was a group of city kids panicking fifty miles from civilization.

Kids. Teenagers, actually. Six of them in this outing, all from the States. Not a bad group. All of them were in desperate need of fresh air, exercise, and ten days away from their damn screens.

Kids. He let out a slight laugh. Harvin couldn’t think of anyone under 40 as anything but a kid. This bunch was all fifteen through eighteen. And they were strung out on the path behind Harvin, bent forward under the weight of their backpacks.

Six days of back country hiking had sucked the sass right out of them. It made for quieter days, which Harvin would have enjoyed under different circumstances. As an expedition guide for teenagers, he'd certainly heard more than his share of mindless chatter.

But now their stillness worried him.

They were being hunted. And when the time came for them to run, he worried they wouldn't have anything left in the tank.

Come on, Bronson, Harvin shouted to a straggler. You can breathe when you get to the top of this rise.

Harvin didn’t wait to see if the kid started walking again before marching forward. He kept his eyes on the path. This section had grown rocky, the footing unsure. If he fell . . .

Well, someone might find all their bones someday.

But probably not.

1

Camp Six

Despite the physical strain of climbing up rocky trails all day, Danny Michaelson had never been happier. After months of pleading, his mom had finally allowed him to join this excursion into the Canadian wilderness.

Of course, the next thing he knew, Mom had signed Em up for it too. Your sister can make sure you don’t get into any trouble, honey.

Whatever.

He could tolerate his sister. The fact that Mom’s boyfriend, Vincent, had ponied up the cash for the trip irritated him more. But since Danny turned sixteen in a few days, he considered the trip his birthday present.

He pushed Vincent out of his mind and took a deep breath of mountain air. Being here—six days into a ten-day hike in the backcountry of the Canadian Rockies—that was the important thing. Harvin, their grizzled old guide, said the nearest town lay over fifty miles away.

The small troupe of six teenagers and one old man came to the top of a rise. They were rewarded with tremendous views in all directions. Harvin put his hands on his hips and gazed around like a conquering general. Welcome to Camp Six, ladies. You’ve accomplished in six days what I usually do in two.

Danny dropped his pack and flopped to the ground, wincing as he wriggled blistered toes in his boots.

Harvin clicked his tongue. No lounging, boy. Get your chores taken care of. Then you can laze around all you want.

Danny got to work gathering firewood and helping Wa set up their tent.

Wa’s real name was Joachim Martin, but at their first roll call, Harvin had pronounced it JO-a-KIM.

No, no, no, Joachim had said, making a disgusted face. It’s Wa-KEEM. It starts with a ‘Wa’ sound. Wa. Wa.

Naturally, Harvin had started called him Wa.

To his credit, Wa embraced his new nickname. It wasn’t as if he could make the old man call him anything else. He was too short to intimidate anyone.

Wa and Danny had become good friends, though they were opposites in most ways. Where Danny was tall with a mop of brown hair, Wa’s raven head barely reached Danny’s chin.

Their chores complete, Danny and Wa climbed a huge granite slab above the camp and gazed out over the valley. The sun cast golden light over the conifers below, and mountain peaks stood shoulder to shoulder across the valley, jagged and silent.

Danny took a seat on the cold stone and sighed. A faint breeze, smelling of pine and earth, wafted through his hair. It doesn’t get any better than this.

Em’s voice snapped the stillness like a firecracker. Crap! Her language had been deteriorating a little every day, and she continued with several more colorful curses.

Danny looked back to find her climbing toward him. She held her phone over her head, waving it from side to side.

She sniffed in dissatisfaction and plopped down next to him. Still no signal. I thought I’d pick up at least one bar once we got up this high.

Danny rolled his eyes. We’re supposed to be roughing it, remember? He turned to Wa. I told you she wasn’t cut out for this kind of thing. The only time she’s ever camped out was to be first in line for a new iPhone.

Wa shrugged. I did the same thing with my brother last year.

Em flashed a smile at Wa and raised a smug eyebrow at Danny. She continued waving her phone. Come on, just one bar.

Danny pointed at the expansive vista before them. Why don’t you look at the scenery for once?

Em rolled her eyes then made a show of deliberately looking at the mountains, rotating her head back and forth like one of Vincent’s security cameras.

Her breath caught and she blinked. This really is beautiful.

Her phone came up again, but this time to take a picture. I wish I could send this to Mom, she said sadly and tucked the phone into a pocket. I wish I could call and see how she’s doing. You know how strange she was acting before we left.

Danny shrugged. I think she’s been acting strange since she started dating Vincent.

You should give them a chance. They needed some time alone together.

Leave it to Em to throw cold water on the fun.

Danny! Breyona waved at him from below. Even from far away her smile made him a little light-headed. The old man says we have to go with him to get water.

Danny’s sour mood vanished. He stood and waved back, smiling like an idiot. All the beautiful scenery in the world couldn’t compete with Breyona Lewis. The sun shone golden on her black skin and gilded the ends of her loosely spiraled hair. Danny often found himself frozen and tongue tied around her.

Breyona motioned him down with both hands. Are you coming or not?

He snapped out of his reverie and started down to the camp.

Later, Danny, Wa said. He slid closer to Em. And good luck!

Breyona greeted Danny with a friendly smile and an armful of empty bottles. Together, they headed down the trail to catch up to Harvin.

2

You Call This a Creek?

The sun sank toward the western peaks as Harvin led Danny and Breyona from the camp ridge. The old mountaineer’s long strides forced them to hustle to keep up.

Danny clutched his bundle of empty water bottles and canteens and gasped for breath. Not only had the day’s hike exhausted him, but the air was thin ten thousand feet above sea level. He opened his mouth to complain, but clamped it shut when he noticed that Breyona wasn’t breathing hard.

In fact, she was humming.

The tune sounded sad. She’d returned to it again and again over the past few days. Danny had wracked his brain trying to remember the name of the familiar melody. He wanted to impress her by mentioning it, but so far he’d come up blank.

The mournful notes were at odds with Breyona’s personality. Always singing and laughing, she was cheerfulness itself. Danny often found himself grinning just because Breyona smiled.

Well, he grinned for other reasons too. Everything about her radiated beauty. Her mane of black spirals defied gravity, shooting in all directions. Her brown eyes sparkled. Her rich, black skin glowed in the sun and turned golden by firelight. She smelled good too, like flowers and soap.

It’s gonna suck carrying all these bottles back up to the camp, he said, trying to get a conversation going. They’ll weigh a ton after we fill them.

Don’t worry. I’m sure we can handle it. She continued humming.

Great, he thought. Now she thinks I’m a wuss. I didn’t mean it like that. I was just saying . . .

Shush. Do you hear that?

A continuous low rumble came from the trees ahead of them. A minute later they found Harvin surveying a wide, tumbling mountain stream.

The old mountaineer didn’t look at them. The water in this creek comes from snow melting off the mountain peaks. It’s cold and fresh. Fill the bottles.

You call this a creek? Breyona asked.

Harvin smiled, but as usual, the long scar on his cheek pulled his upper lip into a snarl. The good news is you don’t have to cross ‘til tomorrow.

Danny eyed the stream doubtfully. White foam kicked up from partially submerged boulders, sending mist high into the air. And though many rocks stood well out of the rushing water, a misstep could be fatal. Won’t that be a little dangerous?

His question prompted another humorless smile from Harvin. You wanted excitement, didn’t you? That’s what Mommy and Daddy paid for, isn’t it?

My dad had nothing to do with—

Harvin jerked up a gnarled hand, cutting Danny off. Frosty blue eyes darted toward the trees across the stream. I thought I heard . . .

Danny couldn’t hear anything over the roar of the water and his own angry thoughts. His mom wasn’t rich. She was a nurse. Vincent had paid for the excursion. Like he’d been paying for everything recently.

There it is again!

I didn’t hear anything, Danny said.

The old mountaineer held up a finger and scowled at him.

Danny raised a questioning eyebrow at Breyona. She answered with a shrug and rolled her eyes.

Harvin started across the raging stream, picking his way from rock to rock, nimble for a man his age.

Wait! Where are you going?

Stay here and fill up the bottles, he said over his shoulder. I’m just gonna . . . The rumbling creek masked the rest.

Breyona laughed. Dude is crazy.

He’s something, all right, Danny said, then mumbled a few choice curses at the man’s back.

Breyona studied the stream and raised an eyebrow. I bet you a pack of dried beans that Shiv falls in this creek. She laughed at the thought, eyes squinting, perfect teeth flashing.

Just like that, Danny’s irritation with Harvin disappeared, banished by Breyona’s humor. We’d better get these bottles filled before Harvin comes back.

She nodded, and they set about unscrewing lids and submerging bottles in the frigid mountain water. Harvin still hadn’t returned when they finished.

With nothing else to do, they hiked upstream to where three massive granite slabs, stacked one atop the other like steps, stretched the width of the stream. The rushing water cascaded from one to the next in five-foot drops and swirled in a roiling pool before continuing its course down the mountain.

They found a dry patch of ground to sit on. Low rays of sun sparkled through the mist thrown up by the falls, igniting a brilliant rainbow that hovered over the pool.

Breyona leaned back on her elbows. This was worth the whole trip. She took a deep breath, then lay on her back and sighed. The whole trip was worth the whole trip. Laughter bubbled out of her. That doesn’t even make sense, does it? Her eyes beamed up at Danny.

I totally get what you’re saying. He lowered himself next to her, his fingers just happening to brush hers.

She didn’t pull away, so he left his hand there, enjoying the contact, which seemed to make his whole body grow warm. As if somehow she sent heat into him.

They stared up into the sky for a long while, listening to the soothing rush of falling water.

3

What a Mess

Danny’s eyelids fluttered open as a high keening noise—like a hawk shriek—sounded in the distance.

Breyona sat up blinking. What the hell was that?

The shriek came again, a bit louder. Its echo sent a chill across Danny’s arms. I think it’s in the woods behind us. Must be a bird or something. It sounds like a hawk. Again the shriek, this time followed by two shorter calls.

That’s too loud to be a bird, Breyona said. She scrambled to her feet then offered Danny a hand to pull him up. Another shriek tore the air. An instinctive impulse backed them away from the trees and toward the stream. What’s keeping the old man? Breyona watched the trees and rubbed her elbows.

Danny checked the far bank. No Harvin.

Crashing sounds thundered from the forest. Another shriek, this time loud enough to make the hair stand up on Danny’s neck. Breyona moved close to him, and they stood frozen, listening to the approaching racket.

Shriek. Crash. Shriek. Then a deep growl. Danny grabbed Breyona’s hand. I think we should cross over to Harvin’s side. That sounded like a bear.

Breyona nodded. Maybe it’s chasing something. They scrambled back to the spot the old mountaineer had crossed. A dozen birds took flight, startled by another piercing call.

Danny followed on Breyona’s heels as she started across, stepping from rock to rock. The stream swirled and roiled below him, sending up icy splashes that soaked his boots. Halfway across, his foot slipped from a stone, sinking him knee-deep in the water. The force of the stream knocked him sideways, and he started to topple.

Breyona caught his flailing arm and steadied him. I said Shiv was going to fall in, not you!

Danny tried to step back up onto the rock, but his waterlogged boots couldn’t get traction.

Another shriek.

The icy water had already numbed his leg below the knee. Breyona pulled, and he managed to get one foot up.

She adjusted her feet to get better leverage. Come on, Danny. Time to get out of the kiddie pool.

A roar froze him. He looked upstream, then gasped. Holy crap!

His expression got Breyona’s attention, and she followed his gaze. Oh my God!

Silhouetted against the blue sky, two strange creatures sloshed across the top tier of the cascade, kicking plumes of water behind them.

The first creature shrieked again and again as it splashed across. Its two, long-snouted heads sat atop sinuous necks, which sprouted at the top of a tall, upright torso. The body stood upon four spindly legs that ended in sharp points; the tips glistened with every step.

Two heads?

Behind it loped an enormous man-beast, tall and fur-covered. Its arms swung in long arcs as it ran.

Bigfoot!

Both creatures struggled against the rush of water. The shrieker thrashed its way ashore, then disappeared in a blur of speed. The bigfoot paused, seeming to catching its breath, before it too dashed from view.

Danny stared, slack-jawed, then looked at Breyona. Her eyes were as wide as one of Vincent’s poker chips. What the . . .?

A splash and a growl came from behind Danny. Breyona screamed and let go of his arm. He fell back into the stream. A bone-crushing chill engulfed him. His head cracked into a rock, sending a lightning bolt of pain through his skull. He kicked and clawed for the surface. He fought to get his feet under him, desperate for air.

Huge hands grabbed and lifted him. He took shivering gulps of air as the water suddenly fell away below. An arm, strong as steel, clamped around his middle. His vision was blurry from the stinging water.

Harvin? he asked, half choking.

No answer.

His hands went to the arm wrapped around his ribs.

Fur.

He cried out and kicked his legs. He beat at the arm until it released him, and he fell, scraping his hands and knees on rocky ground. Pain and fear told him to run, but he could do nothing but cough, gasp, and tremble. He turned his eyes just enough to see a giant, fur-covered foot next to him.

Breyona! he called.

She didn’t answer.

Breyona!

What had this thing done to her?

He looked up. An eight-foot tall creature towered over him. Black hair covered every inch of its body, shaggy on the limbs but shorter and smoother at the bear-like neck and head. Massive muscular legs and arms dripped with water from the stream. The monster watched him, head tilted to one side like a curious dog. Its wide, unblinking eyes, green as emeralds, pinned Danny where he stood. A scream built in his chest, but only a raspy moan came out.

He ordered his arms to push, demanded that his legs straighten so he could stand. His stomach churned with molten panic. He cast about for Breyona, but couldn’t find her.

What did you do to her? His voice quavered, as loose and uncertain as his knees.

The bigfoot held up huge, fur-covered paws. No. They were hands. Four fingers and a thumb. Its lips curled back, exposing sharp teeth, and it uttered a long rumbling growl. Danny’s head spun. Something in those rough, guttural noises sounded like words.

Danny backed away, step by slow, uncoordinated step. He darted a look at the trees, thinking he might be able to hide among them, or maybe climb to safety, if he could get to them fast enough.

The bigfoot watched him with its green eyes. Still holding its hands out, it lowered itself into a crouch. Danny’s heart jolted, sure the monster was about to pounce. He took another step back, remembering Harvin’s admonishment not to run if they encountered a bear. Stay calm. Back away slowly. If it charges, hold your ground.

But this wasn’t a bear.

A low roar sounded in the distance. The bigfoot spun and looked upstream.

Seeing his chance, Danny ran.

Or tried to.

Despite the desperate fear that fueled him, his leaden legs refused to obey, and he stumbled over the rocky ground. He fell, scraping hands and knees again. Behind him came a low woofing sound, loud and fierce. He ran. At the tree line, he tripped over an exposed root and fell flat. His breath puffed out of his lungs like a popped paper lunch bag.

Danny! Over here.

Spots filled his vision as he fought for air. Breyona huddled behind a large pine, knees to her chin. He looked back, expecting the beast to be on top of him, about to scoop him up. But it lurked near the stream, pacing back and forth.

Breyona crept to him and helped him crawl deeper among the trees. He collapsed and fought to control his trembling body.

What the hell? Breyona said. I think it’s talking to itself.

Danny propped himself against a tree trunk. The bigfoot paced by the stream fifty yards away. Breyona was right. It talked to itself, pacing and gesticulating with one hand. It kept the other hand close to its mouth; sunlight glanced off a small object in its fingers.

Is that a phone? Danny asked in a whisper.

The bigfoot stopped and looked right at where they were hiding. It seemed to sigh, then shook its head and started toward them.

Danny grabbed Breyona’s hand and began scrambling deeper into the trees. Heavy footfalls pursued them, louder and louder, and Danny realized they would never outrun it. He snatched up a heavy stick and turned to fight.

The bigfoot lumbered forward. Again it raised its hands and uttered a deep growl that sounded like words.

Danny got into his batting stance, intending to give some good bruises before the end. Fear and anger coursed in his blood, giving him the energy of a thousand Red Bulls.

A shriek echoed in the distance. The bigfoot’s bear-like ears turned slightly, and its eyes squinted in irritation.

In a low voice it said, What a mess.

In three long strides it disappeared among the pines. Shortly after, its footfalls faded, masked by the sound of the rushing stream and a chill breeze that whipped through the forest.

Danny stared after the bigfoot, mouth agape. Oh my God. Oh my God. His legs gave way, and he collapsed onto his back. The stick fell by his side with a thud. The cold he’d been ignoring rushed into his bones.

Breyona’s eyes flashed nervously toward the trees, and her lips quivered. I thought it was gonna kill us.

Danny closed his eyes. His body felt distant. The cold that had made him tremble moments before seemed to have a hot edge to it now. His limbs no longer shook. In fact, he didn’t seem to have arms or legs at all anymore. It felt nice.

Danny, your lips are blue.

Maybe it would be good to go to sleep.

Danny!

Maybe he’d been asleep all along. Bigfoot didn’t exist.

Danny!

Strong hands lifted him. Open your eyes, son. That was Harvin’s voice. That’s it. Keep your eyes open.

Is he gonna be okay?

Get my pack, and find the thermal blanket. Gotta get him out of these wet clothes. Hypothermia.

Harvin manhandled Danny’s numb limbs out of sleeves and pants, then began vigorously rubbing Danny’s arms and legs.

That hurts, Danny said. Why couldn’t the old man let him rest?

Good.

He began to feel cold again. Painfully cold. Stop. That hurts.

Harvin said nothing, but he left off rubbing and covered Danny with a shiny thermal blanket. Don’t be shy, girl, give him some body heat. He set about starting a fire nearby.

Breyona got down behind Danny and curled her arms around him, pressing her body close, legs stretched to either side of his.

As feeling returned to his arms and legs, his body began to tremble. Waves of nausea came and went. The last thing he wanted was to throw up in front of Breyona.

As he dried, the worst of the shaking subsided. Harvin’s small fire helped a lot. After a while he became aware of Breyona’s warm body against his. He decided getting dunked had been totally worth the pain. Her head rested on his back, and she hummed that sad song again.

Wh-what’s that s-song?

You should know. It’s ‘O Danny Boy.’

Of course. His mom had sung that to him when he was little. I c-can’t believe you know th-that sssong. They both chuckled, but Danny’s laughter cut off as a terrible thought occurred to him.

Breyona saw me naked!

A few desperate seconds feeling around under the blanket brought immense relief. His briefs were still on. But his face went hot as he realized he wore the bright red ones his mom had given him for Christmas.

4

I Told You So

Breyona listened closely for more shrieks or growls, but she heard only the rushing creek, the screech of a hawk, and Harvin’s grumbles.

Her eyelids grew heavy. She always crashed after excitement, though she’d never had an experience like this before.

Bigfoot. The word kept repeating in her head.

But that’s impossible.

She shivered and snuggled closer to Danny. His bony shoulder blades didn’t provide much comfort, though.

Definitely not a bigfoot. Bigfoot and two-headed . . . things . . . don’t exist.

Someone had gone to a lot of trouble to play such an elaborate joke on them. Wa might do something like that, but costumes that big would never fit in his backpack. Besides, no one was tall enough to fit that bigfoot outfit, not even Bronson. And the shrieker? She had no idea how that costume worked.

Harvin stopped to check on Danny again, felt his pulse and looked into his eyes for signs of sickness, shock, or hypothermia. He gave a grunt and left without saying anything.

A minute later, he returned with Danny’s clothes. These rags aren’t exactly dry, but he’ll warm up quick once we get moving. Now get off him so he can put his pants on.

Breyona disentangled herself. It felt good to stretch her arms and legs after sitting so long. But relief came with regret. She’d enjoyed warming Danny more than she probably should have. This was certainly no time to get attached. They’d only be on the hike for a few more days, and she’d never see him again. That irritated her though.

She watched him try to keep himself covered with the blanket while pulling on his wet jeans. There was a lot of hopping and hunching and hiking up of the blanket.

Breyona laughed. That’s exactly how my Aunty Debbie dances.

Danny gave a snort and gave up on modesty, letting the blanket drop. No wonder he’d been so cold. He didn’t have an ounce of fat on him. He caught her watching and turned his back to her, which suited her fine. The red briefs were still very damp.

She started to comment on the briefs, but Harvin interrupted. Let’s get going, he said and started toward the stream. "To keep dry, stay on the rocks. Pay attention to how I do it."

Danny rolled his eyes and waved for Breyona to go across.

No. I’ll follow in case I need to pull your ass out again.

His face turned red, which was funny and kind of cute. He went slowly but made it across without incident. Breyona followed close behind him. She hadn’t been joking about being ready to pull him out.

They’d barely stepped on dry land when Harvin started in again. Don’t just stand around picking your noses. Grab the water supplies and move out.

They collected the bottles and followed Harvin, who had already started up the trail. Before long, Danny’s breath grew short and sweat sprouted on his forehead. Though his color had returned, he kept his jaw clenched tight.

A hawk screeched and flapped out of a nearby tree, making them both jump.

Crap, Danny said. His dark eyebrows came together, and he looked back over his shoulder. We’ve gotta warn the others when we get back.

About what? Breyona said. She did her best to keep her voice even.

Are you serious?

You mean the guy in the gorilla suit? She forced a laugh and put as much conviction into her words as she could muster. That was just someone playing a joke on us.

What about the two-headed, shrieker thing? That wasn’t a costume.

Breyona shrugged. It was pretty far away. Probably an optical illusion. Maybe a couple of deer, side by side. That would explain the heads. She prayed that’s all it had been.

Danny cast an eye at Harvin and lowered his voice. I don’t know. The legs were too skinny, even for deer. And there were only four legs, not eight. And the bigfoot . . . Its head looked more like a bear, not a gorilla.

Listen to what you’re saying. Would you believe any of that if you heard it from someone else?

He didn’t answer. Did Harvin see anything?

No. He showed up a minute after the . . . thing ran into the woods and you passed out. All he knows is you fell in the stream and got a bad case of the chills.

Maybe I should ask him about it. He heard the shrieking. He even seemed to recognize the sound, remember? Danny turned uphill and started toward camp.

Breyona grabbed his elbow. Do you want him laughing at you?

I’ll risk it. Those things are dangerous.

He really didn’t get it. Even if what they’d seen was real, nobody would believe them. Look, you go ahead and tell your little fairy tale. Just don’t drag me into it.

But—

Breyona held up a hand and walked away.

Damn fool boys. They never listened.

Breyona still didn’t know what she’d seen by the stream. But there had to be a rational explanation. The more she thought about it, the more she hoped someone had played a trick on them.

Still . . .

A tickle of fear chilled her as she walked toward camp. The feeling brought back unwelcome reminders of why she’d signed up for this trip in the first place. Memories she hoped to escape. At least with the bigfoot, she hadn’t actually been attacked.

The image of Dack Nelson’s face came back to her. He’d been a substitute janitor at school, filling in for Mr. Murphy who’d been out for heart surgery. All the girls had complained about Dack’s roving eyes.

Breyona had stayed late for a make-up chemistry lab. She took her usual shortcut down the south stairwell to save a couple of minutes. And that’s where Dack found her, on the landing. You have pretty eyes.

Thanks. She tried to squeeze past him.

He stepped sideways into her, pressing her against the wall. His face came close to hers; his breath stank of coffee and fish. Easy. Easy, he said, as if he was talking to a skittish horse. He lifted her chin and said it was nice to see a black girl in the school. His hand wandered down her arm, then to her hip.

She pushed him away and tried to run, but he grabbed her arm and yanked her back. Her textbook fell from her hand and hit the floor with a bang that echoed like a gunshot. Dack was big, like Bronson.

Anger flared in her, and she slapped him hard across the cheek. He didn’t let go of her arm though. He just gripped it tighter and swore at her and called her the worst names in the world. He pressed his body against hers and put his nose to her ear. She fought, but his hand seized her throat and squeezed. Not enough to cut off her air, but very tight. His other hand lifted the skirt of her uniform.

Breyona shook her head to erase the image of his smirk and his squinting eyes. The memory never ended any differently.

It could have been worse.

That’s what she always told herself.

She’d never told anyone about it, and she’d never regretted the decision. Talking about it would have destroyed her world, her mother’s world. Everyone’s world.

She did her best to forget that poor Mr. Murphy had died on the operating table and that Dack would still be there, sweeping the hallways next year.

She gave her head another shake to clear it and walked the last few steps into camp. She found everyone sitting around a cozy fire.

Bronson leaned against a log, whittling a point onto a stick. His round head, carpeted with stiff, reddish-brown hair, was punctuated by small eyes that lingered on her chest.

Breyona ignored him.

Shiv sat cross-legged, studying his animal tracks book. His skin was nearly as dark as Breyona’s, and in the light of the fire, his face turned golden. He looked up from beneath thick black eyebrows. He always looked sad, even when he laughed. He blinked at her, not really seeing her, then went back to reading.

Em smiled and took a water bottle. She looked like a model from an L.L. Bean catalog. Not a bit of dirt on her clothes, not a lock of hair out of place. She had dark, intense eyes like Danny’s, but larger, like a Disney princess.

Danny trudged into the camp and dropped his water bottles in a pile.

Wa looked up from the marshmallows he was roasting and grinned. You guys were off by yourselves for a long time. His tone suggested all kinds of things that hadn’t happened.

Danny flopped next to Wa and stared at the fire. His clothes were still damp. We had a problem.

A problem, huh? Wa said. Harvin said you fell in the creek. He pulled a gooey marshmallow off the stick. I think you could use one of these. Danny took the marshmallow gratefully and stuffed it in his mouth.

He continued to watch the flames as he chewed but threw a few glances at Breyona. More than once she thought he’d decided to tell everyone about what they’d seen. But each time he opened his mouth, about to say something, he snapped it shut.

Wa eyed Breyona and smiled evilly at Danny. Anything else happen while you two were drying off?

Leave it to Wa to go there.

Yeah, Wa, Danny said, smiling. Breyona and I saw a bigfoot. He was talking on the phone.

Em gave a wry laugh. How does he get a signal out here?

Wa snorted, spitting out bits of marshmallow goo.

Breyona gave Danny an I-told-you-so shake of the head. He returned it with a tight-lipped smile.

That should settle it. Despite their usual behavior, boys didn’t really want to make idiots out of themselves. And as for what they’d seen? Breyona knew it wasn’t what it seemed. It couldn’t be.

Could it?

5

Bipedal

At dawn the next morning , the group started crossing the mountain stream. Danny studied the tree line and listened for shrieks or growls. Breyona didn’t seem bothered at all. He turned to watch as she called encouragement to Shiv.

"Careful on that next step, Shiv. To the left . . . No, your other left. Careful. Your left foot. Hurry up, Wa is catching up to you."

Shiv made the mistake of looking back at Wa, causing him to lose his balance. His arms windmilled, but Wa caught a strap on his backpack and pulled him upright. Relief washed across Shiv’s face, and he took the last leap toward dry land.

And fell short, splashing waist deep into the icy water. He let out a shrill, falsetto whoop.

Danny grimaced. He knew exactly what Shiv was experiencing.

Oh, oh, oh! This water is frigid.

Breyona bent double with laughter.

Please. I need help. Shiv couldn’t get a grip on the pebbly riverbank to pull himself out. The fifty pounds of books in his backpack certainly didn’t help.

Danny and Breyona each grabbed one of Shiv’s hands and hauled him clear. Breyona wiped tears from her eyes. I told you he’d fall in.

Shiv frowned. I’m happy you find my distress amusing.

Sarcasm sounded strange coming from Shiv, and it produced more spasms of laughter from Breyona. Her mood lightened Danny’s anxiety a little, and he found himself laughing too.

Shiv sighed and patted Danny’s shoulder. I recognize that you, Danny, have experienced worse terror, having been completely submerged in that stream. My little experience gives me great appreciation for what you must have endured.

Breyona collapsed, holding her sides. But Danny’s laughter faded as he realized Shiv wasn’t being sarcastic. No, I’m sorry. We shouldn’t laugh, but you say the funniest things. And yesterday Breyona predicted you’d fall in.

Shiv smiled at Danny and rolled his eyes. Did she predict the sun would rise as well? Breyona’s laughs became desperate gasps. Shiv walked off, pulling a soggy handkerchief from a pocket.

He just made a joke, Danny said in wonder.

Breyona waved a hand weakly. I can’t breathe.

Soon the rest of their party had navigated the crossing, all dry, except for Bronson. He’d gotten soaked to his knees because he’d tried to take a safer route.

Wa ambled from rock to rock with no more concern than he’d have crossing the street.

Harvin allowed them a minute to take pictures of the stream and waterfall. Em wanted a group shot, but Shiv already crouched on the bank above the falls, sketching something in his journal. The entire trip he’d been juggling several field guides, attempting to identify every bird, tree, plant, and pile of animal poop he could find.

After several minutes of Em’s bossy nagging, Shiv came back down to pose for the picture. Wa and Bronson obediently did her bidding, wearing warm smiles, only to glare at each other when she wasn’t looking. Danny knew his sister was pretty, but he never understood how she got guys stumbling over each other, doing whatever she wanted.

Let’s move out, Harvin said.

Wait, I have a question, Shiv said.

Make it quick.

I’ve discovered an odd animal print up there. He pointed to the spot where he’d been sketching. I can’t find a match in my field guide. You see? He showed Harvin the sketch he’d made. The real print is much larger than my depiction here.

Danny peered over Shiv’s shoulder and had to stifle a gasp. Shiv had drawn a footprint. A very big one.

Harvin’s eyes widened. Show me where.

Shiv led Harvin upslope to the top of the falls where he’d found the print. The exact spot where Danny had seen the two-headed shrieker chased by the bigfoot.

Danny grabbed Breyona’s hand and started pulling her up the stream bank toward Shiv and Harvin. Shiv found a bigfoot print.

She followed Danny, but her eyes narrowed. Have you ever watched the Discovery channel? Do you know how many times people think they’ve found bigfoot’s tracks? It’s always fake.

But you know this one isn’t fake, he said, louder than he intended. Did the girl think he was an idiot? Maybe she did. After all, he’d fallen into the stream, not her.

No. I don’t know that.

Harvin and Shiv crouched over a huge print sunk deep into a sandy patch at the edge of the stream.

Danny exchanged glances with Breyona. She looked a little ill. What do you think it was? he asked Harvin.

The mountaineer started; he must not have heard them approach. He squinted at them both, as if trying to read something written on their foreheads, then looked down at the print.

Twenty inches from heel to toe, seven inches wide, the footprint looked almost cartoonish in its immensity. The toe impressions weren’t very distinct, but Danny thought it looked pretty much like a human footprint. A huge, human footprint.

Harvin spat. This is a bear track. A grizzly.

Shiv blinked and tilted his head to one side. But . . . it does not match the photos in the field guide.

See here? The grizzly dragged her hind foot forward through the sand. That’s why it looks longer than it should.

Shiv started to protest, pointing out details of the toes and pads.

Harvin cut him off. I told you it’s a grizzly print. I’ve been in these mountains forty years, and I’ve seen everything. He pointed to the scar on his face. See this? A grizzly gave me this little memento four years ago, not far from here. I know what a grizzly print looks like. Now let’s go. We’ve got a lot of miles ahead of us.

Shiv watched Harvin march downstream. But— He looked from the footprint to his guidebook. But it doesn’t match.

Danny took Breyona aside. That was the proof we needed. But Harvin screwed it up saying it’s a grizzly print.

Breyona looked at her feet. Her voice became cool and quiet. It was getting dark. Maybe what you saw last night was a bear.

What I saw? You were right there with me.

She looked up at him with fierce eyes. If Harvin says it’s a grizzly print, then as far as the rest of the world is concerned, it’s a grizzly print. Nothing you say will change that.

He couldn’t argue with her reasoning. But it didn’t change the fact that they were all in danger. One bigfoot could kill us all, he said, flatly. Who knows what one of those shriekers can do.

Wa jumped out from behind a tree, scaring yelps from both of them. I hate to break up your little lovers’ quarrel, but Harvin says to get the lead out. He ran down the trail toward where Em stood waiting.

Danny felt his face flush. Lovers’ quarrel?

A glimmer of something, fear maybe, flashed in Breyona’s eyes, and she pulled her hand out of his. I’m not gonna have everyone laughing at me, so leave me out of it. She followed Wa, and Danny watched her go, confused. Was being laughed at worse than walking deeper into bigfoot territory? Girls made no sense.

I would like to chat with you about women, Shiv said when he drew near.

I don’t have much to say on that subject. Danny started up the trail.

But you are doing quite well with Breyona, I think. Surely you can offer some insights into what a woman wants from a man and how to make them fall in love with you.

Danny avoided Shiv’s questioning look. Yeah, maybe later. Um . . . hey . . . do you really think that print you found was a grizzly’s?

Shiv grunted. No, I do not.

Maybe he’d been doing better with Breyona than he’d realized. And now he’d gone and screwed it up. She’d made it clear last night that she didn’t want to talk about bigfoot. But there he was, dragging her into it again this morning.

Shiv studied the sketch in his journal while they walked, tripping over every rock in the trail. Harvin’s explanation is not satisfactory. The print looked humanoid. He snapped his journal shut. But surely no one has feet that large.

Danny hoped he could patch things up with Breyona, get her smiling again. She’d probably be walking and laughing with him right now if he hadn’t pressed the bigfoot thing. Now that he thought about it, she laughed at him a lot. That couldn’t be good.

It appeared to be bipedal . . . perhaps it was a person wearing some footwear that left behind an exaggerated impression.

She had hummed O Danny Boy to him. Where had she learned that song?

Danny stopped. Wait a second. How do you know it was bipedal?

From the other prints, of course. And while a grizzly can walk upright, there are distinct differences between that and a true biped. For example . . . He went on, but Danny tuned him out.

Bipedal. That settled it. Not that he’d had any doubts.

Still puzzling, Shiv said, I think I’ll question Mr. Harvin about it again.

Danny nodded and pushed a branch out of the path, holding it so Shiv could pass. Yeah, you should do that. I’d like to hear what he says.

6

Cryptozoology

D on’t scratch it , Em said. You’ll just make it worse.

Danny lowered his hand and gritted his teeth. He had an epic lump on his head from when he’d fallen in the stream. Harvin didn’t think he had a concussion, but the lump itched like the world’s worst mosquito bite.

The sweat made the itch worse. It seemed Harvin had decided to make the day’s hike more strenuous than usual. They’d spent the morning hiking uphill through a fragrant pine forest, angling across the foot of a rocky mountain. Twice they’d come into wide, exposed areas where dead trees lay flattened like bowling pins. Harvin explained that winter avalanches caused the devastation. Rock slides are all we have to worry about today. I doubt we’ll be killed.

They’d continued their hike through the trees and up and down rocky ridges for several hours before arriving in a pretty, little meadow filled with wildflowers and butterflies.

All we need now is a double rainbow and a couple of kissing unicorns, Breyona said. Her mood had been improving all morning. Danny met her eyes and smiled. She returned it, so he hoped things were still cool between them.

Harvin announced lunchtime, and the group spread out in a loose circle, each sighing with relief as they unbuckled and dropped their heavy packs.

Danny took a seat near Breyona. She laughed with Em about something. They’d been whispering the whole morning. Danny hoped it wasn’t about him. Em knew details about his life he’d rather not have shared with anyone, and particularly not with Breyona.

He dug a couple of granola bars out of his pack and offered one to her. She gave him a tight-lipped smile and shook her head.

Shiv collapsed next to him with a groan. He wore what he called technical pants. In addition to eight pockets, they featured zippers around the knees that allowed him to remove the bottom part of the pant legs. He’d wisely removed them after getting them soaked in the stream, but his boots still squished with every step. I fear my feet will never recover from this ordeal, he said with a sigh.

Harvin stood apart from them, looking up the mountainside. He seemed more agitated than usual, which was saying something. He paced and gnawed on a strip of the tough beef jerky he favored.

So Danny, I saw your bigfoot this morning, Wa said.

Breyona’s head snapped up.

Danny suppressed his reaction, remembering that this was Wa talking. Really? Where?

Wa gave a sidelong glance at Bronson. Right here. What size shoes do you wear anyway, Bronson?

Bronson made a rude gesture. Sixteen, Wee-Wee.

Wa whistled. Wow. That is a big foot. Amazing you can still fit it in your mouth.

Bronson swore and threw a hard punch at Wa’s arm, which Wa easily dodged.

Shiv cleared his throat. What is this bigfoot you were talking about?

Everyone stared at him. You’re kidding, right? Wa said.

Shiv looked at Danny, face questioning.

Danny chewed dramatically and pointed to his mouth, indicating his mouth was full. He really wanted someone else to answer this question. Plus, he could feel Breyona’s warning stare.

Shiv really doesn’t know, Wa said, amazed. Bigfoot. Sasquatch. It’s a legendary, giant, hairy, ape-creature. Lots of people believe that it lives in these mountains, but no one has ever been able to prove it. Like with a body or anything.

My dad saw one when he was hunting in Idaho, Bronson said around a mouthful of chocolate bar. He shot it, but the bullet just bounced off. They’re immortal.

Em scowled at Bronson. Danny didn’t know if she glared because the big moron spoke with a full mouth or because of what he’d said. From the look on her face, probably both.

Bronson frowned back at her. What? He chewed a little more and swallowed. I’m just telling you what my dad told me. He looked thoughtful, which made his lips twist like he’d eaten a bug. "I don’t know. I can never tell when Dad’s pulling my leg. But my Uncle says it’s true, and he doesn’t usually lie."

It’s all a hoax, Breyona said brusquely. Bigfoot is just some idiot dressed in a gorilla suit. The pictures are never clear. It’s like the Loch Ness Monster.

She hadn’t changed her mind apparently. And now she pointedly ignored Danny’s raised eyebrow. He stopped himself.

Idiot. That’s how you upset her in the first place.

Ah, I’ve heard of the Loch Ness Monster, Shiv said. That’s cryptozoology, pseudoscience. His voice carried conviction, but he frowned down at his lunch, deep in thought. Danny knew what calculation traced through Shiv’s brain. Bigfoot equals big, bipedal footprints. Shiv shook his head and laughed to himself, then began to carefully unpack his lunch. Before long, though, the thoughtful frown returned.

Stifle your yackin’, and get your faces filled, Harvin said. I want to be out of here in five minutes.

The old mountaineer gave Shiv a searching look, then darted his eyes from Breyona to Danny. Had he overheard them talking about bigfoot? Did he know something?

Harvin’s reaction to the footprint hadn’t made sense. He’d been surprised by Shiv’s sketch, but then he’d dismissed the actual print. Maybe he did know about bigfoot. Maybe he wouldn’t say so because, like Breyona, he didn’t want to be laughed at.

But if he knew, Danny wondered, why would he lead them deeper into the wilderness?

7

Winsome Peak

Humming was impossible . Breyona wondered if Harvin intentionally took them along the most difficult path possible. Except they’d just passed another one of those green, reflective trail markers. Whoever had laid out this section of the trail needed to get her head checked.

They picked their way through an obstacle course of boulders. She got to a relatively flat rock and dropped her backpack. The midday sun and vigorous hiking made her sweat, despite the cool air. She peeled off her All Saints Academy hoodie and tied the sleeves around her waist.

Harvin chose to look back at that exact moment. When you’ve finished your nap, Princess, come join me on the excursion your parents paid for. He turned back and kept going.

What is wrong with that man? Breyona asked. The pictures on the website only showed friendly looking guides. How did we end up with this drill sergeant? No one had any answers, yet the others murmured in agreement.

I’d been hoping for that one girl guide with the blond hair and the tank top, Wa said. Bow chicka-wow-wow.

Breyona couldn’t help but snicker at that. From day one, Wa’s favorite scenery on this trip had been Em’s butt. He was fit enough to run back and forth on these rocks twice in the time it took Em to cross, but he’d crept along near her, always ready to offer her a hand. What a player. Cute guy, in a way, but too short for Breyona’s tastes.

She trudged along, pausing every few steps to catch her breath. Shiv and Bronson had it much worse; they squished in boots still soaked from the stream. Bronson’s round face turned red with exertion. For a varsity football player, he seemed pretty out of shape. And he whined like Breyona’s four-year-old niece.

Then there was Danny. He seemed to be acclimating to the altitude, but he’d gone all quiet since Shiv had brought up bigfoot. He kept looking around as if he expected one to jump out at any second, which made Breyona nervous.

The rock field ended at the edge of a pine forest. A ten-minute walk led them to a steep drop-off that overlooked a narrow valley cut by a wide, mostly dry streambed. They started south along the cliff’s edge.

A high, keening shriek sounded from far off, somewhere behind them. Breyona inhaled sharply. Harvin and Danny both looked back, startled.

No one else had noticed the sound. It had been distant and sounded kind of like a hawk.

She was just jumpy.

Except she knew it wasn’t a hawk. She couldn’t keep the image of the spindly legged, two-headed creature out her mind.

She avoided looking at Danny because she knew he’d just start pressuring her about telling everyone what they’d seen.

Maybe they should . . .

No. Without concrete proof, no one would believe them.

Harvin stopped abruptly and patted his pockets. I think I dropped something. I’ve got to backtrack. Keep following the green markers ‘til you reach the stream. Wait there. He brushed past Breyona and headed back through the pines.

Bronson puffed out his chest and took on a self-satisfied air. Okay people, you heard the man. Let’s move out. Em will follow me, then Danny, then—Wa! Where are you going?

I’ll catch up, Wa said. He stepped off the path and disappeared among the trees.

Wa! Get back here right now!

Wa did not reappear.

Let him go, Em said, throwing an irritated glance at Bronson. The more you shout, the longer he’ll be gone.

Bronson seemed to think Em was as disgusted with Wa as he was. He nodded sagely, smiling at her chest.

Clearly marking the trail, green reflectors flashed in the sun every few hundred feet from trees and rocks. Bronson made a great show of discovering them, each time leaning close to Em to point it out for her. Bronson didn’t notice Em’s complete lack of interest or how she inched away from him.

The trail became easier as it edged downhill, so Breyona started humming, trying to distract herself from the worry in her gut. Danny fell in step with her, and she sighed. Might as well get the conversation over with. You heard it, didn’t you? she said, voice low.

He smiled at her with his mouth but not his eyes. Heard what?

She squinted at him. He knew exactly what she meant. Was he letting her have her way, knowing she didn’t really want to talk about what they’d heard, or had he given up on her?

The second thought bothered her. And it surprised her how much. She tried to shake the feeling out of her head and reminded herself, yet again, that their relationship couldn’t go anywhere. In a few days they’d be heading home, him to Nashville and her to Chicago. And that would be that.

She decided to drop the subject because she really didn’t want to talk about it. She gave up trying to hum though. Her throat was too dry.

She followed Em and Bronson downhill into the valley, ears tuned for the high-pitched cry she hoped she would never hear again.

She tried to divert her attention by focusing on Bronson, who continued to act like an idiot, frequently pausing over a deer track or some random stone to inspect it. He kept his analysis to himself, only uttering a confident Yep or a concerned Hmm, before motioning for everyone to follow.

After the fifth display of Bronson’s arcane tracking skills, Breyona turned to Danny. For such a masterful woodsman, it’s amazing he hasn’t found Wa yet.

Oh, I’ve seen the little squirt’s tracks, Bronson said. Let him play his game, hiding behind trees. I won’t run after him and endanger the rest of the fellowship.

Breyona didn’t have to force a laugh. Fellowship? Who do you think you are? Freedo the hobbit?

It’s Frodo, he said over his shoulder. And if I was a character from L.O.T.R., I’d obviously be Strider. Shaking his head, he continued down the trail, mumbling obscenities.

What is L.O.T.R? Shiv asked. Who is this Freedo? Both questions brought exasperated sighs from Bronson. "It stands for Lord of the Rings. Don’t you ever see any movies?"

Weren’t they books before they were movies? Em asked.

They wrote them after, Bronson said.

Breyona winked at Danny. That Freedo was hot, she said loud enough for Bronson to hear. Even with those dumb-ass furry feet, he’s my kind of cute.

Bronson threw his hands up. Frodo. It’s Frodo. And he’s not hot!

How about you, Danny? Breyona said. Which hobbit would you be?

Danny shook his head. He didn’t seem interested in the conversation. He kept looking over his shoulder. I don’t know. Maybe one of the elves. How about you?

She sighed and gave up. Let me get back to you on that. How did he get such long lashes? It wasn’t fair.

He turned them on her and frowned. I don’t think there were any girls in that movie pretty enough to be you. As soon as he finished, his cheeks flushed. He cleared his throat and looked away.

But Breyona kept her gaze on him. His eyes came back to hers as if drawn by a magnet. His brows drew together over his dark eyes, giving them an intensity that threatened to melt her insides.

Halt! Bronson said. He stood next to a shiny green marker attached to a boulder. We have arrived. Don’t go wandering off. He cupped his hands around his mouth and starting calling for Wa.

They’d trekked well into the valley, having stopped on a broad, flat outcrop, overlooking a dry riverbed. Only a tiny, trickling creek flowed there. Loose rocks and boulders covered the surrounding slopes. Stubby trees stood along the riverbank, and tall, brown grass grew in ragged clumps here and there. But the feature that drew everyone’s attention was the jagged mountain towering to the east. Its sheer rock face shot straight up to a bright white peak, as if a whole chunk of the mountainside had been sliced off with a knife.

What an impressive feature, Shiv said.

That’s Winsome Peak, Harvin said. Breyona spun. The old man was as sneaky as Wa. And it’s the tombstone for at least eight idiot climbers. Should be called Death Peak, if you ask me. Now gather ‘round. We’ve got a change in plans.

The group assembled and waited patiently as Harvin took a long swig from his canteen. He wiped a sleeve across his mouth. Where’s Wa?

Right here. Wa emerged from the trees, face dripping with sweat. Had to take a bio break.

Furious, Bronson tried to punch Wa’s arm again. He missed—again. You little—

Knock it off, boy, Harvin said. Pick on someone your own size.

But—

Settle down and listen up. We’re going to leave the marked trail. It’s time to get your daddies’ moneys’ worth. We’re going into the true backcountry.

The exhausted group managed a weak murmur, excitement mixed with skepticism. Is that really a good idea? Em asked.

No. It’s a terrible idea, in general. He smiled a humorless shark-smile. But with me guiding, you’ll probably be okay. Anyway, from the smell of you all, I think a bath is in order. Now move out. Harvin set off and didn’t look back.

Bath? Breyona mouthed, but everyone just shrugged. They were getting used to the old man’s eccentricities.

They followed Harvin north, deeper into the valley. Shiv soon straggled behind. He held a map and tried to walk while he studied it. Breyona and Danny waited for him to catch up.

Shiv frowned and waved at the map. I’ve found this valley on the map, but the direction Harvin is leading us does not reconnect with any trail at all. We’ll have to backtrack if we are to continue on the planned itinerary.

Breyona studied the map. It named many of the mountains, including Winsome Peak. A dashed line marked the trail they’d just left. As Shiv had said, the valley led due north, away from the trail. Nothing lay ahead of them. No towns, no roads, nothing, all the way to the white border of the map.

Breyona lifted her eyes to the valley ahead. In the far distance, jagged peaks stood shoulder-to-shoulder, beautiful and ominous. She couldn’t help but take one last look back at the shiny green trail marker shrinking behind them.

She didn’t know where Harvin led them, but if something happened, no one would know where to look.

8

I Didn’t See Anything

Danny crumpled the empty wrapper of his protein bar and stuffed it in his pants pocket, then rubbed his roiling stomach. A steady diet of anxiety and tension had made him queasy, but he’d forced down the protein bar anyway.

Breyona’s odd behavior didn’t help matters, the way she kept looking at him. No smiles now, just odd glances, as if she worried he might explode.

Maybe he would. He rubbed his stomach again and tried to force a burp.

Harvin had taken them along the dried up streambed for what seemed like forever. They’d just turned away from it, following a small trickle among a clump of leafy trees.

We didn’t cover as much ground as I would have liked, Harvin said. But we’ll camp here tonight.

The campsite sat among a copse of aspens right up against the foot of Winsome Peak. The trees provided little protection against the stiff, cold breeze slicing down the valley. They walked to a wide, shallow pool of steaming hot water that lay fifty feet from camp. A few trickles overflowed it, running in