Teeth in the Pines

The male park ranger radioed.

“I think there’s someone on the property.”

“Where?”

“I’m on Route Beehive.”

“Anyone there at the moment?”

He heard a scream from uphill.

“I heard a scream from uphill. I’m going to check it out.”

“Roger.”

He took a roundabout trail that connected to the uphill trail.

Meanwhile, Jayden calculates the situation.

"Cover your head, I'm going to spray."

Jayden moves in and presses the pepper spray button.

I tuck in my head.

The coyote whines and drops my jacket.

Jayden pulled me up and said, “C’mon, let’s go.”

We crossed out of the wilderness onto a trail.

The coyote whined and growled behind us.

We heard the soft paws picking up behind us.

Jayden’s cellphone flashlight illuminated the darkness.

I saw a long and thick branch and went to pick it up.

I turned back and raised the branch.

We glared at each other, the coyote and I.

The coyote rushed in, opened its long snout, and attempted to bite.

I swung the branch staff, smacked the side of the head, but the coyote was not deterred.

Jayden went to the pine shrubs and grabbed a couple of pinecones.

She threw at the coyote, missing three times, but the fourth throw hit the side of the body.

The coyote growled, showing us its fangs and foaming at the mouth.

It dashed at me.

I swung the tree branch to the left to keep it at a distance.

Now it closed in, and I swung back to the right and smacked the coyote.

Jayden threw a fifth pinecone and hit the injured coyote.

It picked itself up and jumped at me.

Sound of footsteps running around the corner from the darkness.

Suddenly, we heard a gunshot.

The coyote winced, fell, and bled.

“Hold right there!”

A male voice.

We looked in the direction of the voice.

He approached us cautiously and asked, “Are you hurt?”

“Are you girls injured by the coyote and need medical attention?”

“No, officer,” we said in unison

He took out a notepad and asked us to identify ourselves.

“I’m Kana.”

I lied.

“I’m Amanda,” Said Jayden

“You two understand the park is closed after sundown?”

I examine his name tag.

“Yes, Lance.”

“Do you girls have your IDs on you?”

“Neither.”

He steps away from us and radios his crew, “I have two women out after park hours and on the Winglet route. I shot a coyote attacking them.”

Lance asked, “Why are the two of you out here?”

“I came back for my favorite sweater near the cave entrance,” I replied.

“Why not tomorrow?”

“Why not tonight?” I shot back a question

“Park is closed, ma’am, after dark.”

“Lance?”

The radio interrupted our conversation.

He answered, “Copy, this is Lance.”

“Stay put with the two women. I'll send Amanda to pick them up in a golf cart.”

“Roger.”

Lance said, “You two are pretty lucky for a car ride out of here.”

“Y-yes, sir,” I said

“Mhm! Thank you,” said Jayden

We distanced ourselves from him.

He watched us.

I huddled with Jayden, and our backs turned on him.

“We’re stuck,” I whispered

“Should we call your mom?”

“No, she would be pissed off.”

“What now, Mainhia?”

“Your plan: separate and reunite at the Magician Cave.”

“Okay, but how?”

“I’m going to use the restroom.”

“Right now?! Of all the places and times?”

I let go of Jayden and walked to Ranger Lance.

“I really need to go pee.”

“You can hold it.”

“Let me go to the bushes right there.”

I pointed not far from him.

He crossed his arms and agreed, “Fine.”

I marched into the wilderness and out of view.

“Sucker.”

Several minutes later, Jayden’s cellphone vibrated in her jacket.

She pulled it out and read the text message.

“I’m out and going north to the Magician Cave.”

She turned off the screen and slid it back into her jacket pocket.

Lance shone the flashlight at her and waited for Mainhia.

“Lance, right?”

“Hm?”

“If you want, I can go look for my friend, Mainhia. She’s been out there quite some time.”

“No, you stay right there.”

“Alright then.”

Jayden stretches her hands to the night sky.

At that moment, I checked my map to make sure I was heading in the right direction.

I passed two intertwined trails and followed the directional arrows to Magician Cave.

I gazed at the full moon through dark clouds.

This night’s turn of events is so weird.

I continued onward, using my cellphone flashlight, and returned to a park trail. I knew the cave entrance had a trail leading out from a bridge.

Far in the distance, a coyote with drool dripping from its mouth.

The coyote crosses the bridge, goes downhill through the shrubs, and walks slowly.

Its mouth opens, spasming, and its eyes, with a dim light, are almost out.

Meanwhile, Lance babysits Jayden.

He radios an outgoing call, “I think one of the women is gone. She hasn’t returned from the restroom.”

“Did you check?” said a person on an incoming call

“Negative.”

“Check to confirm.”

“Checking.”

Lance walks to the nearby bush where Mainhia pointed earlier.

Here’s my chance, Jayden thought, watching him go to the bushes.

She steps back, slowly, and off the park trail.

Lance searched around the bushes and stepped in.

“Are you still in there?!”

No response.

“You’re going to be arrested for trespassing!!”

Then he heard rustling of bushes.

When he turned back, the other woman was gone.

“Crap!”

He pursued her.

He listened to her movement and panting breath.

Men are fast; even an overweight man can beat a woman on a quick burst of energy.

They ran out of the small wilderness section and onto a park trail.

“Stop!” He shouted and pointed his gun at her. “Before I shot you!”

Jayden stepped forward to Lance.

Quietly, a coyote came from a blind spot and lunged at Jayden.

She screamed and jumped to the side before the coyote could chop her leg.

The coyote growled and circled Jayden.

Lance pulled the trigger on the coyote but missed.

Jayden sidestepped away from the canine.

The coyote jumped at Jayden to attack.

Then Lance shot it in the head.

It fell.

Jayden took off running.

“Wait!”

It was useless; she was already out of sight.

“Add another body of coyote to the list.”

“What the heck, Lance?!”

“The coyote might have rabies, but we won’t know until lab results.”

“And the women?”

“Both escaped.”

“Amanda is coming through Beehive route.”

Lance scanned the surroundings and replied, “Roger. I think I’m on Grasshopper route.”

“Copy on location.”

Later, Jayden checked her location and pinged to Mainhia. She responded with her current location.

“I’m off course.”

Jayden moved around the pine trees, using her cellphone compass to navigate.

After a long while, someone emerged from the darkness.

I waved at Jayden.

She stepped out from the bushes and came out to the opening.

Then a large beam shone on her.

“Stay where you are.”

“Jayden! Jayden, hurry!” I shouted.

She and I ran inside the Magician’s Cave.