Renfaire Fantasy 2: The Forest for the Trees pt 2 (Patreon)

/// Merry Christmas everyone!!

“Is this it?” Stephanie asked with apparent doubt.

“That’s Rebecca’s car for sure, yeah,” Emily affirmed, scanning the woods around them. “So… should be?”

Each of them climbed out the car and stood beside their open doors, searching in confusion across the stretch of country road that was framed by trees for as far as they could see. Forest rose up on the left side of the mountain road at a steep incline—the grade was so severe that if Brian leaned and stretched from the gravel beside the road, he could just about reach out and touch ground that had risen up to shoulder-level. On the opposite side, ferns and trees plateaued for fifteen yards and then must have turned into a sharp drop into one of the many valleys, because visibility through the trees became an impenetrable mess of canopy cover.

Rebecca’s station wagon sat beside the road, as if abandoned there.

“There’s a bit of a car path going up that-a-way,” Kelly pointed towards a gap in the treeline that snaked upwards. “Maybe?”

“But, is that the address? If that was her uncle’s property, she woulda pulled up and parked up there,” Emily guessed. “Right?”

“Well, nah, this is how she intended for us to find her, probably,” Brian glanced around again. “There’s not exactly mailboxes or addresses anywhere along here.”

“GPS just has the road, yeah,” Stephanie nodded, checking her phone again. “Fox Den Road. No numbers for it.”

“Sooo, do we holler for her, or what?” Emily asked. “Does yellin’ out here ‘tract bears?”

“Sure will, darlin’,” Kelly teased. “Voice like honey, who could rightly resist?”

“Aw shucks, Kelly-Lou,” Emily drawled. “Y’all’re fixin’ to make me blush, uhhh, redder’n a fresh apple pie?”

Traveling the rest of the way had disabused them of the notion that the cabin Rebecca was holed up at out here was near Tionetta—if anything, Tionetta was more of a halfway point. The country road their directions led them to was a long one, and for several hours their GPS was barren of adjoining streets or other nearby routes. Fox Den Road was a single linear path on an otherwise empty navigation screen for the final leg of their trip, only on rare occasions intersecting with other back roads with increasingly rural names like Cow Creek Run and Deer Park Drive.

The expectation of being nearly there wore down into unease and impatience, and for the first hour after Tionetta they had been riding mostly in silence rather than exchanging banter as they had before. The tension was worse for Stephanie, since she was receiving everyone’s feelings about it, and with a nervous laugh she had finally asked if they could distract her. Kelly discovered a country classics radio station whose songs all featured twangy steel guitar, which she and Emily would sing along with as soon as they picked up on each song’s chorus—which then devolved into them attempting to out country gal each other with their phrases and accents.

Brian had an even better time. Since he was sharing the back seat with Stephanie, he was able to distract her with a hand in her lap and plucking kisses along her neck, and she giggled and squirmed and finally was forced to fight back with her own lips. Throughout the rest of the ride he discovered several more of Stephanie’s sensitive spots, as well as the fact that Steph was downright bad at attempting country accents. She would pause overlong trying to imagine something to say with an embarrassed smile, and then at best poorly copy some of the sayings Kelly or Emily had already thrown around.

The fact that she wasn’t good at that kind of wisecracking was somehow just as endearing as the way the two up front heckled each other back and forth, and Brian made sure to reward each of her blushes with more and more attention. By the time Emily had spotted Rebecca’s car on the roadside, Brian and Stephanie had been making out off and on for half an hour, stopping only to gasp for breath or burst into laughter, because by then Kelly and Emily had turned the radio down to background noise and were insisting back and forth that Steph and Brian were first cousins and that ‘them two better quit pawin’ at each other ‘fore momma catches wind of them sinful deeds.’

“Guess… we might as well head up and take a look?” Brian suggested, swinging his door closed. “She’s gotta be somewhere around here, right?”

“I hear banjo music start to play, I’m outta here,” Emily frowned. “S’creepy out here.”

“It’s nice,” Stephanie said, taking a deep breath of the fresh air. “It’s beautiful.”

“No way,” Emily shook her head. “Not this far out. We’re like, way way way out here away from everything. Anything could happen out here, and you’d be fucked. Wait, we have a spare tire, right?”

“I dunno, you were the last one in and out of my trunk,” Brian chuckled. “Do I?”

“Bow chika wow wow?” Kelly raised her eyebrows.

“Th-the tires are all fine!” Stephanie said, stepping around the vehicle to double check them. “Emily—what are you going on about?!”

“Yeah, but I mean like, what if,” Emily threw out her hands. “We’re way out in hillbilly territory. “Reckon we’s ‘bout ta—”

“Hey, hey, alright,” Brian held up a hand. “Ease up on messin’ around with all that country talk, okay? I don’t want Rebecca to think we’re making fun of her, or anything.”

“She won’t care,” Emily snorted. “She’s the one who’s—”

“Rebecca!” Stephanie called out, doing a little hop.

To Brian’s surprise, when Rebecca emerged from the trail leading up into the woods she turned out to be wearing a linen tunic. The simple attire didn’t seem out of place on her, either—they weren’t that too-clean and freshly laundered sort of look that made costumes in movies seem out of place sometimes, and they weren’t tattered and filthy, either. They were just her clothes, and they fit her so naturally here that it made their intruding group here seem like the ones who were out of place.

Once again he was struck by that strange wild beauty Rebecca possessed. She didn’t look like someone who was roughing it out here for months. Instead, she was simply living out here, some integral part of her belonged out here and had never quite completely fit in around the urban sprawl. While she appeared a little tired, she wasn’t frazzled—she seemed satisfied and at peace, and that steadfast serenity about her was incredibly attractive here when she was in her element.

“Hi guys,” Rebecca exchanged a small half-hug with Stephanie and then a crushing glomp of a hug and squeeze from Emily. “It’s great to see you all! Brian—you’re looking a lot better.”

“So I hear,” Brian couldn’t help but grin. “But hey, I—”

“No bite marks?” Emily carefully drew back Rebecca’s wild hair. “Right? I’ve gotta check.”

“No bite marks!” Rebecca gave her a smile and patted her shoulder. “No ticks or deer flies or… anything more serious. I’ve been careful!”

“Good,” Emily grunted. “So, uh, is she—?”

“She’s in a mood, today!” Rebecca informed them with a wry look. “She might not be happy to see you.”

“Christine, you mean?” Stephanie asked.

“I… don’t know that you should call her Christine,” Rebecca gave them a wince. “But. Yeah. Come on up! Do you guys have sleeping bags or stuff or anything? Were you all staying overnight?”

“If it’s not imposing,” Brian nodded. “But—yeah, I can grab all that stuff later. I think we should see her.”

“Hmm,” Rebecca gave him a long look but finally nodded in return. “You’re right. Let’s… let’s get that out of the way. This way. Watch your—Emily, watch your step.”

“I was watching, this stupid fuckin’ rock—”

“Language!” Rebecca admonished. “C’mon, just walk along the tire tracks. Follow Kelly!”

“Yeah, Emily’s mouth’s been awful lately,” Brian ribbed as he took Stephanie’s hand and started leading her up after the others. “She even has Stephanie swearing now.”

“Emily!”

“That’s totally not even true!” Emily protested. “She picked those words up from Kelly.”

“I think Steph’s been watching dirty videos,” Kelly deflected. “There’s no way I would use that kind of language.”

When Brian checked to gauge Stephanie’s expression, he saw that she wasn’t too put out by being the sole recipient of their teasing remarks once again. He gave her hand a squeeze anyways, so that she’d know he was thinking about her, and she returned with a squeeze of assurance back. The simple problem was, it was always too much fun to tease her, and because Stephanie wasn’t very aggressive with her responses, he sometimes worried that it would actually start to bother her, or make her feel like she was being singled out.

“It’s okay!” Stephanie promised him in a knowing whisper. “They’re all—everyone’s just nervous.”

“Yeah, hah,” Brian wanted to give her a long look but was forced to watch his footing as they trekked up between tire tracks that became deep ruts. “Just—like, let me know. If anything ever starts to bother you.”

“I do. I did!” Stephanie promised him, nearly stumbling herself as they climbed up the incline together. “I needed distraction in the car, and, and—you all went out of your way for me. I can feel the love.”

“Oi, what’re you lot whisperin’ ‘bout back there?” Emily called back. “What’s goin’ on—anything you’d like to share with the rest of the class?”

“Let them have their moment, geez,” Kelly scoffed.

“Actually wait,” Emily dropped into a low voice, pausing so she could turn towards Brian and Stephanie. “Steph—can you like, sense Chloe up there? Can you feel Rebecca?”

“I can’t, no,” Stephanie revealed. “However my sense works, they’re not connected to it, I don’t think.”

“Okay,” Emily stared for a moment as she processed that. “Rebecca—hey, Rebecca?”

“What?”

“You still have the charm, right?”

“I do! I have it safe in my little lockbox in my car,” Rebecca explained. “I haven’t touched it. Or—or at least, when I move it, I use my little cooking tongs. That doesn’t appear to effect me.”

“Okay,” Emily acknowledged. “Just. Yeah. We might need the charm.”

“I know,” Rebecca said. “I do want you to talk with her first, though.”

“Not just for her, either,” Emily chuckled. “For you, too. Remember what you said?”

“I-I said—” Rebecca actually sounded flustered for once, and when Brian looked in her direction he noticed Rebecca quickly looked away from him. “We’ll talk about that, too! Emily.”

“Alright, alright,” Emily grumbled. “Geez. I’m just sayin’.”

If nothing else, the climb up the hill towards the rickety-looking ‘cabin’ illustrated why Rebecca had parked down by the road—Brian wasn’t sure his car would make it up here either without getting stuck. The cabin itself was… humble. He didn’t know how else to describe it—it looked like a play fort young teens might have assembled out of stolen odds and ends, but it was scaled up for adults. Cinderblocks, exposed plywood, railroad ties, treated and untreated boards of different lengths in different hues—it appeared sturdy enough, but was absolutely not built with any consideration towards how it might look. In fact, all it was missing for that typical post-apocalyptic atompunk shantyhouse aesthetic was rusting sheet metal.

“Damn, sweet,” Emily remarked. “Did you build that yourself?!”

“My uncle did!” Rebecca answered. “The door and some of the roofing bits are new, he was working on it again just earlier this year.”

“She’s inside?” Kelly’s voice was blunt.

“I’ll bring her out, and um… calm her down,” Rebecca told them with a tight smile. “We can all sit around the fire.”

When the group arrived at the top of the incline the dilapidated shack had stolen their attention, but looking around Brian now saw that off to the side a fire pit was dug out and lined with smooth stones. A trio of logs were placed around the fire as seats, the squat wooden cylinders sporting smooth tops that showed chainsaw use. A thin tripod of blackened steel with a grill piece that hung down over the coals on chains was in place. The cooking set over the pit was ornately crafted and impressive ‘period’ equipment that must have been part of Rebecca’s medieval kit of stuff she took to LARP events; in contrast the large red plastic cooler chest beside one of the sitting logs appeared to be as mundane as it gets.

“Hey,” Emily remarked, getting Rebecca’s attention before the girl went into the cabin. “Were you uh, sharing the cabin with her? Out here? Or, where’s your tent and stuff?”

“Oh, it’s been nice out,” Rebecca gave Emily a smile. “But—you’re right, with all of us here, I should get it set up. Give me a minute first.”

“No, cool—cool, I was just askin’,” Emily shrugged. “Can we get a fire going, here? We brought hot dogs.”

“Um,” Rebecca paused. “Do you remember how to use my flint and steel? I have firestarting stuff right there beside the cooler—”

“Oh, heck naw,” Emily laughed. “Took me forever to get sparks, and my sparks never even caught. Brian’ll be able to get it going, though.”

“Sure, I’ll give it a shot,” Brian said. “Steph, you want to—”

“It’s okay,” Stephanie placed her hands on his shoulders and brought him to a stop to make sure she had his full attention. “Brian. We’re all here with you—it’s going to be okay.”

“I’m alright,” Brian lied, bringing her in to plant a kiss on her forehead. “I’m alright. Just—yeah, never thrilling to have to see your ex, right?”

He didn’t flinch as Rebecca hefted a shoulder against the cabin door to get it open, and none of them did more than glance that way as Rebecca slipped through the gap and into the dark interior. Dread and distaste had crept bit by bit into the pit of his stomach, but looking into Stephanie’s clear blue eyes helped dissolve that awful feeling. Together they turned away from the cabin and headed to pick a seat by the fire pit. To his surprise, Emily was just as agitated as he was, and Stephanie left his side to go speak with her in a quiet voice for a few long moments as Brian rummaged through stuff stacked up beside the cooler. Kelly chose another log to sit on and watched as Emily gave Stephanie reluctant nods and occasional monosyllabic answers they couldn’t quite hear.

Brian had used flint and steel before, as Michael had a modernized scout set that was like two rods that they used to light the bonfire at Aunt Mattie’s place. What he discovered here was a much more archaic fire striker, with the steel fashioned into an ornate flourish shape and the flint… well, Rebecca’s flint was an actual flinty chip of unprocessed rock. It threw sparks with surprising ease when struck, and there was a simplistic boyish satisfaction about simply squatting over and striking sparks into the little wad of firestarter fluff.

Not long afterward Emily joined him, crouching down nearby and feeding twigs to his small pile, fishing out nearby sticks and snapping them into smaller pieces in her hands just to pass them over. What would he say to Chloe, at this point? Despite agreeing to take the first possible trip out here, Brian hadn’t actually invested a lot of thought into what words he would exchange with his ex. Not at this point, not after everything that had happened between them. He very honestly didn’t know what to say to her anymore, and all of the times he should have been putting serious thought into this, it seemed like he had instead taken any and every opportunity to put his mind elsewhere.

A tiny curling band of smoke appeared from the firestarter fluff before Brian could think of anything.

Maybe that’s the whole point, Brian groused to himself. What the fuck would ANYONE say to Chloe, after everything she’s done. I want—I want an explanation, but that’s not something I can ever even expect from her. No. I know her too well for that. We need to I guess figure out where we go from here, but—yeah, I just have no fucking clue.

Kelly’s hands were massaging his back and shoulders before he even realized she’d risen from her seat and moved behind him, but Brian just leaned in to blow steadily on the smoke and a fluttering tiny flame appeared. That had been a lot easier than figuring out what he would say to Chloe would be. Almost disappointingly so; he’d wanted something here to frustrate and focus on, something that would eat up more of his attention right now.

I think, bottom line is, I just want nothing to do with her anymore, Brian decided. So. Whatever we can agree on that leads to that. Shouldn’t be that hard, right? Let’s just go our separate ways and, yeah, and put all of this behind us forever.

A familiar angry voice sounded out from somewhere within the cabin—Chloe and Rebecca were exchanging heated words in there, and although he couldn’t make out what was being said just hearing her voice had his hackles rising up. It was annoying, everything at once was suddenly annoying him. His life had become tangled up in love and supernatural secret stuff and he should have been ecstatic about it, but also Chloe was involved now, and not being able to trust her with any of it made him suddenly feel like the whole scenario was already a total bust.

It’s so fucking frustrating.

“Brian…” Stephanie’s concerned voice sounded out, and then her hands were on his back alongside Kelly’s.

“I’m alright, I’m alright,” Brian breathed out slowly, fighting the urge to shrug them off. She seemed to sense his intent anyway and Stephanie drew Kelly back away so as not to bother him. “Just… yeah. Sorry.”

“We don’t even have to kill her,” Emily muttered under her breath. “We can just take all the stuff and leave her out here. We’re way out here. Then it’s not like, murder, she just… I dunno. Becomes some missing person whacko who starved in the woods.”

“Hah,” Brian let out a humorless laugh, trying not to think about it. Trying not to think about anything. “Here.”

He nudged and pushed the small flame he had going into Emily’s pile of twigs, and she helped poke at it. They couldn’t just kill Chloe, and he refused to have her death on his conscience. All the same it was gratifying in some twisted way to hear someone else keep such a firm stance against his ex. It was a relief, it vented out dark, repressed things he never wanted to see himself vocalize or even think too much about articulating. Emily was on his side no matter what, and it made him feel better squatting beside the fire pit prodding at their little pile of burning sticks like a pair of cavemen together. He was allowed to be selfish or even childish when he was with Emily, and sometimes her putting on her surly immature act like this felt like she was intentionally trying to remind him that.

“Think we got it,” Emily said. “Push it into the pit?”

“Yeah,” Brian said. “Here—like this.”

One of the longer sticks was extending on out beneath their pile, and he grabbed it in his fingertips while Emily picked at one of the other bits poking out. Together they managed to carefully lift their starter fire in and place it down in the actual firepit—there, Emily immediately began feeding it more broken sticks, building up towards a larger fire. A quick glance over towards the shack showed a dark doorway, but Rebecca had not managed to coax Chloe out yet.

Maybe she WON’T come out, Brian thought. Dunno if that’d be a relief or not.

“I-I found a branch?” Stephanie said, offering it up. “Here.”

“Burn it,” Emily said, casting it into the fire. “Burn it all.”

“I guess our prima donna is feeling a little shy tonight,” Kelly remarked with audible disdain. “Should I go see?”

“No,” Brian swallowed. “She’s probably. I don’t know. Terrified. Furious. Past the end of her rope, I don’t know. We have uh, basically kept her here. And, after all the insane Masters shit. The stuff with the charm, our group. Magic. All of the shit that she did, all of the stuff she tried to do before. It’s—I don’t know. Don’t even… don’t even know what I’m going to say to her.”

Naturally, it was at that moment that Chloe stepped out.

Her features were contorted in rage, and unlike Rebecca living at ease out here, Chloe’s complexion looked greasy with oil and her hair appeared visibly unwashed and frizzy. She looked altogether terrible—like she’d lost a lot of weight in too short a period of time. There were bags under her eyes, and her eye sockets themselves were more sunken than he remembered, giving her face a gaunt look. Unlike her usual self that either dressed to impress or intimidate, baggy sweatpants and a sweatshirt made Chloe really seem like a prisoner out here, and as his eyes followed down, he saw that both of her hands were secured in athletics wrist braces. The skin he could see there around her fingers looked sallow and yellow as if still recovering from what must have been horrible bruising.

She looked terrible, and if he hadn’t been aware of her circumstances he might have guessed she had started getting into heroin or meth after their breakup. It was that bad, and worse yet, seeing her in this state didn’t make him feel any better. They were over with and broken up, but some stupid senseless base part of him still felt responsible for her well being, and that part of him rung with a stubborn guilt that he couldn’t silence. Chloe’s eyes shook when he met them, radiating absolute hatred and humiliation in a seething stare that made his blood run cold.

Fuck, she’s… fuck. Fucking hell.

“See?” Rebecca was encouraging Chloe in a whisper, patting her on the back and trying to push her out further into the open. “Everything’s fine—everything’s fine, and no one’s going to judge you. We’re just going to all sit down and talk. Okay? Let’s—Chloe if we do this, we can get all of this over with for good. Okay? Okay, Chloe?”

“Holy shit, she looks rough,” Emily said in a loud voice. “That’s Chloe? Wow.”

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