Part 26 (1/2)
Chapter 14.
Annja stepped out onto the well-worn asphalt of the main road. Small puddles of water from the overnight storm acted like moats between the woods and civilization. Annja glanced one way and then the other before looking at Jenny.
”What do you think?”
”About what?”
”Which way do we go? Left or right?”
Jenny looked right and then left. ”I think left. That was the direction we headed initially when we drove in.”
Annja nodded. Her gut instinct was to head left, as well. What had Joey said in the darkness? That the distance was a few miles? They could cover that in under an hour if they were lucky.
”Let's go.”
Jenny fell in step beside her. ”I should apologize.”
”For what?”
”Getting you involved in all of this. I never meant for it to be such a headache. I just wanted you to see what David had promised to show me.”
Annja smiled. ”You dragged me out here without even knowing what it was first?”
”I guess so.” Jenny shook her head. ”I wasn't thinking very clearly. So am I forgiven?”
Annja shrugged, listening to her boots roll over bits of loose stone on the road. ”You show me some definitive proof that big foot exists and I might think about it.”
Jenny smiled. ”I knew you were a closet believer.”
”I never said that.”
”Didn't have to. I know you'd be thrilled if it turns out that David has something truly amazing to show us. Who wouldn't be?”
”Of course I would, but I'm still skeptical as h.e.l.l. I just can't accept the idea that something like a Sasquatch could survive in the wilderness what with all our technology and encroachment.”
”Joey disappeared on us when we were less than ten feet away from him.”
”We were distracted.”
”He built those cairns without us even realizing it. I'd say that was pretty impressive.”
”So what? You think that makes him a relative to the Sasquatch or something?” Annja frowned. ”That's crazy.”
”I'm not suggesting that at all. I'm simply saying that if Joey can be that stealthy with us so close and we knew he was there, then why is it so difficult for you to consider the possibility that a creature who knows these woods like the back of his hand could evade any attempt to find him?”
”Because a Sasquatch isn't a Joey.”
”How do you know how intelligent they are? They could be more evolved than us. You never know.”
Annja sighed. She had to admit that for a moment before she saw Cheehawk clawing at their structure, she had briefly wondered whether they were being attacked by the likes of big foot or not. She'd stood, fully expecting to be confronted by a giant ape-man covered in long coa.r.s.e hair and fur.