Dark Woods by Steve Voake Read Free Book Online Page A

hours’ drive ain’t exactly convenient.’
    ‘I guess not,’ said Eden. She took a shifty look at the gun and Cal began to understand what Jefferson had meant about not trying any funny stuff. He tried to catch her eye, but she was too busy looking at Jefferson.
    ‘You said you had something to show me,’ she said as Cal reached for a sandwich and perched on the arm of the sofa. ‘Something to prove you’re not a freak, remember?’
    Cal could see she was still angry, that she was deliberately pushing Jefferson, trying to goad him into an anger that would match her own. But Jefferson didn’t seem to notice. Instead he simply said, ‘That’s right,’ and disappeared into the bedroom. When he returned, Cal saw that he was holding something behind his back.
    ‘Shut your eyes,’ he said, grinning like it was some kind of birthday surprise. ‘Shut your eyes and hold out your hands.’
    Eden glanced at Cal and he nodded, so she did as Jefferson had asked. When her eyes were closed, Jefferson produced the teddy bear from behind his back and placed it in her hands with a flourish.
    ‘There,’ he said proudly. ‘What do you think of that?’
    Eden opened her eyes and stared at the teddy bear.
    ‘What’s this?’ she asked.
    ‘I should have thought that was obvious,’ said Jefferson. ‘It’s a teddy bear. Or rather, I should say, it’s your teddy bear.’
    Eden turned it over in her hands and Cal watched as her fingers stroked the worn patch of fur, touching the frayed threads where the glass eye used to be.
    ‘Where did you get this?’ she whispered.
    Jefferson smiled.
    ‘From inside your head,’ he said.

Seventeen
    ‘Do you think I’m stupid?’ There was a hard edge to Eden’s voice now, like water turning to ice. ‘This whole thing you told Cal about turning dreams into reality. You might have talked him into believing it, but if you think you’re going to get me to go along with it then you’re even crazier than you look. And that’s saying something.’
    Jefferson clenched his jaw so tight that Cal could see the tendons in his neck.
    ‘So how do you explain this?’ he asked, snatching the teddy bear from her hand and shaking it angrily. ‘How do you explain it? Hmm?’ He was shouting now but it felt like only the beginning, the first gasping breaths of a toddler before the tantrum.
    ‘How do I explain it?’ replied Eden. ‘Well, let’s see. Maybe the kind of guy who’s willing to hang around a campground and drug people is also the kind of guy who is going to wait around outside a person’s house and steal their stuff.’ She glared at Jefferson. ‘That’s it, isn’t it? You broke into my house and took it, just so you could live out your weird fantasy about making dreams come true. Well, I’ve got news for you, buddy. I don’t believe a word of it. Like I said before, you’re crazy. A crazy freak.’
    ‘What did you say?’
    ‘You heard me.’
    Jefferson dropped the teddy bear and clenched his fists.
    ‘You think I’m crazy?’ he said. ‘Well maybe I’ll just show you some of the other things I found in that twisted brain of yours. Then we’ll see who the crazy one really is.’
    Cal was still trying to work out what he meant when Eden leapt across the room, grabbed the shotgun from the table and pointed it at Jefferson’s head.
    ‘All right,’ she said. ‘Give me the keys to the van.’
    Cal looked at her incredulously.
    ‘Eden, what are you doing? You can’t even drive.’
    ‘Oh yeah? Just watch me.’
    ‘Don’t be a fool,’ said Jefferson, holding out his hand. ‘Give it to me.’
    ‘Oh, I’ll give it to you all right,’ said Eden, holding the shotgun level and backing towards the door. ‘Come any closer and I’ll give you both barrels.’
    Jefferson didn’t seem to hear her. Or if he did, he didn’t take any notice. Tight-lipped with anger, he strode across the floor and closed his hand around the end of the gun.
    ‘Now what are you going to