The Vivisectionist Read Online Free Page B

shape anymore, Jack turned back to Ben. He was surprised to see Ben’s eyes wide open, although he was still breathing deep and slow, as if he were asleep.
    “Did you see that?” whispered Jack.
    Ben nodded and mouthed “Yes.”
    They sat looking at each other without speaking for an eternity.
     
    **********
     
    In the morning, Jack didn’t even think about the night’s visitor until he exited the tent. The cooler of food they had carefully lifted into the tree was lying on it’s side a dozen yards from the tent. What remained of their food was strewn about their site. Jack followed the rope from the cooler back to the big maple tree. The rope ended with a frayed end, as if it had been gnawed through. Jack picked up the garbage while Ben remained asleep in the tent.
    Jack took the bag of trash into the garage, and met his mom on his way to the bathroom.
    “How is roughing it treating you?” she asked.
    “Great! Everything is perfect,” he replied.
    “Your dad wanted me to remind you that you had an agreement about keeping a clean campground,” she chided. “He said there was a bit of a mess this morning?”
    “I’m sorry. It’s all cleaned up now. Don’t worry—it won’t happen again. I guess we were just a little excited last night.”
    His mom studied his face. Jack looked away and then continued to the bathroom.
    “Don’t forget about dinner on Friday, and you have to take a shower at least every other day.”
    “Okay. I remember,” Jack called as he walked away.
     
    **********
     
    The boys ate a quick meal of Pop Tarts and half a carton of chocolate milk. The milk had a puncture in its side and leaked as they drank. They organized their site, put on their hiking gear, and decided to head for the quarry. They talked only of the mechanics of the trip—no idle conversation, or discussion of the previous night’s events.
    Jack was able to navigate them out of the neighborhood through vacant lots and undeveloped strips of woods. Although they passed close to several houses, they ignored the buildings and pretended they were in the wilderness—far away from civilization. Where the path was ill-defined, they took time to cut back brush and make it passable. They dragged thick branches to lay across the creek to make rudimentary bridges where they needed to cross. In places where the path split, they back-tracked and stomped down the wrong path to throw off imagined stalkers.
    After a couple of miles, their path broke out of the woods and followed a power-line cut. Central Maine Power had cut a neat strip through the woods about fifty yards wide. The path they followed meandered through this strip, back-and-forth, under the power lines. Their pace increased as they didn’t have to do any maintenance on the trail.
    “Hold up—I think it’s around here,” said Jack.
    “What’s around here?”
    “There’s a little side trail that goes over to the quarry. I think it’s right around here,” replied Jack.
    “Is that it?” Ben pointed back down the trail a few yards.
    There was a small break in the blueberry bushes that looked like it was once a path.
    “Could be. Let’s find out,” said Jack.
    They followed the modest path back into the woods where it soon petered out.
    “I don’t think this is anything,” said Jack.
    “Boy, you give up too easy—look,” pointed Ben.
    Following Ben’s outstretched arm Jack saw what Ben saw: there was a tiny amount of sunlight coming from between the trees.
    “Try to keep up,” said Ben as he worked his way through the woods.
    When navigating the close branches Jack was at a significant disadvantage with only one working arm. He ducked and dodged, trying to to keep up with Ben. Overhead they could see blue sky between the branches, suggesting a clearing up ahead. At their level, even Ben had a hard time pushing through the dense underbrush.
    “Hey, I think I… Whoa!” yelled Ben.
    Jack saw Ben overbalanced and disappearing quickly through a gap