Verity

Day one of Gold Rush Revenge and I was already regretting my life choices. Was my tour's survival worth being led by a conman through the backwoods of Northern California, roughing it for days so he could lead us to a fake gold stash? Not only that, but we were also expected to play along with a convoluted storyline the entire time. I'd dragged my father along, as well as Flora and Macy. While my dad seemed reticent, to my great horror, my friends both appeared completely engaged.

"So, Buckshot Barney, stole gold from prospectors, got rich, kept stealing, and then was killed in a saloon shoot out?" Flora asked Alek. She'd read every word of the brochure he'd given us before we left LA and had done additional research online.

"You've got it, Flora." Alek replied. We came to a fork in the trail, two miles from the camp site that marked the trailhead and, after consulting the worn-out map I doubt he needed, he motioned us to the right. "Can anyone tell me what happened to his most recent score prior to his untimely demise? Verity?"

Earbuds in, I'd been listening to music in the hopes that I could avoid this conversation. I glanced his way in feigned surprise and paused Beyoncé's most recent single. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"

"I know the answer to that!" Macy held her hand up like she was gunning to become valedictorian of the school of Alek.

"I'm not surprised," Alek said. "Tell Verity so she'll remember this later on when I quiz her."

"Right, well Buckshot Barney, real name William Barnett, was carrying his loot down the mountain pass on a couple of pack mules when a torrential rain began. It turned the ground to mud and delayed them. He was going to be late to meet up with his business partner, so he lightened their load by burying over half the gold up on the mountain. This would have been fine, only he died before he could go back for it or tell anyone where it was."

"Gold star for Macy!"

Macy batted her eyelashes. "Well, gold is our theme!"

I made a gagging gesture to Flora, who stifled a laugh. Surely, this would be the transformative healing experience Janene had promised before excusing herself from having to partake in it.

Meanwhile, the air stank like pine scented floor cleaner. Too many trees, each one aiming its aroma at my nostrils. I covered my mouth with the inside of my elbow as I let out a sharp cough. It would be all Alek's fault if all the nature I was inhaling made me go into anaphylactic shock. Or heatstroke. The sun had already identified me as a person inclined to air conditioning; it wasn't long before it had mocked me for it, causing rivulets of sweat to drip down the back of my neck.

"Are we there yet?"

Alek turned to meet my juvenile question and for a moment, his cute boy dimples disappeared. Façade gone, he let a second of scowl shadow his face before returning to the carefree expression he wore with such ironic care. He hated me, and for my part, I was doing everything I could to keep it that way.

"Not even close," he said with his chipper adventure guide voice. You can walk the rest of the way, Verity. Buckshot Barney and his crew did!"

"No, they didn't. They rode mules."

"So, you have been paying attention! Guess you get a gold star too."

"Awesome. I'll put it next to my Grammy."

My father chuckled as Alek continued unabated.

"It's only four more miles to the spot where Barney made camp after burying his treasure. It's not likely we'll find anything of value there, of course, but it's a good stopping point for the night."

I kept my mouth shut as we trudged on, pretending that the punishing sun, too-pungent smells, and piercing bird calls weren't making me want to vomit. I hung back with my father while my friends sucked up to Alek, trading tidbits they'd picked up about the Trinity mountains and the outlaw legends that had originated here.

"I'm not thrilled we're here either, Verity," my father said. He slowed his pace to give us more distance from the happy campers.

"If that's true, why didn't you try to stop Janene from agreeing to this asshole's obvious ploy to rake in more of my money?"

He waved a fly away from his face with his hat. Seeing him as miserable as me gave me a petty satisfaction I almost felt guilty about. "Janene said a trip away from the city and the tour had been advised and I agreed that sounded like a good idea. She said she'd make the arrangements. I should have pressed her harder for details." He smacked a mosquito that had landed on his arm. "I won't make that mistake again."

"So, you didn't know I'd be subjected to a wilderness survival experience like I'm a delinquent youth who can only be set straight using tough love?"

"I didn't know I'd be subjected to this either. Here we are though. And look around, Verity. If you can get past the bugs and sweat, it is beautiful."

"I get that it's fucking gorgeous, okay? But the smell here. Don't you find it overwhelming? And the birds. Why the hell do they have to be as loud as a yodeler at close range?"

My father stopped walking. "Is that what it's like for you?"

"Why are you looking at me like all my hair just fell out? Everything's just so much... more out here. Can't you feel that?"

He stared at me until I reached up and felt my hair just in case what I'd said had been prophetic.

He turned back to the rest of the group and began moving forward again. "We better not get too far behind."

Four miserable miles later, we came to the historic camping site of Buckshot Barney and his worthless compatriots, who had scattered like the wind after Barney's death and somehow never bothered to come back for the treasure or reveal its location. This legend had plot holes, as far as I was concerned, but no one else seemed to notice.

It was almost nightfall by now. Alek assigned tasks, including setting up the tents and gathering firewood. I was on team firewood, and wouldn't you know it, he'd assigned himself to that team as well. And no one else.

We moved one hundred or so yards away from the clearing into the woods and I tried to say as little as possible to him as he showed me which sticks would make the best kindling. After several failed attempts at conversation, he started to get perturbed. "I'm just trying to check in with you."

"Is that in your capacity as my incompetent bodyguard or as my conman tour guide?"

"I'm not a conman! People get the experience they pay for. It's a fair deal."

"Whatever lets you sleep at night." I added another stick to my pile. "I'm not looking for a debate. Let's just get back to camp so we can make diner. I'm starved."

An owl hooted from a nearby tree like it was heralding the death of a monarch. Nearly knocking me off my feet, the sticks I'd been carrying crashed to the ground as I lost control over my limbs.

"Whoa, are you okay?" Alek's hand gripped my arm. "Talk to me."

"I'm..." I pulled away from him and lowered myself to the ground. "I'm not used to all of these smells and sounds."

"What's wrong with them?"

I pressed my hands over my ears as another nocturnal creature I couldn't identify woke up and declared itself to the mountainside with a series of high-pitched barks.

"That's just a ringtail. They look like adorable cartoon creatures. You don't have to be afraid of them."

"Really? But what about the things we should be worried about? Bears or mountain lions or... oh my God, are there any wolves here?"

"There are coyotes." He held out his hand and helped me stand, then pulled away. "As for wolves, if they're here, we'll know soon enough."

"Not super reassuring."

"It's not meant to be."

We gathered our kindling and headed back to camp, only to discover our fellow adventurers in a state of panic.

Flora ran up to me, her face blotchy. "I'm so glad you're both back. I don't believe this. We came all this way to be free from that sort of crap!"

I put my hands on her shoulders and gave her a gentle shake. "What are you talking about?"

My father pulled Alek aside and whispered something alarming enough to make Alek's eyes bug out. He dove into the tent Macy had erected for him and came out a moment later strapping what looked very much like a gun to his side.

"What the fuck is that?" I asked him. "And why do you have one on my five-day platinum wellness bullshit adventure?"

"Stay here," he said to me and then scanned the rest of the group. "I'm sure it's fine."

As he disappeared down the trail, I shook my best friend again, this time not so gently. "Why does Alek think he needs a gun. What's going on?"

"I saw someone," Flora said. "We're being followed."

Something clicked. This contrived, buggy treasure hunt. A dangerous element introduced just when we should have been winding down for the day. Alek, the worst bodyguard ever, suddenly acting the part.

"This is probably a planned element of the package we paid for. A little thrill to add to the mystery. The person following us is probably being paid by Alek to do it."

Flora shook her head so hard I feared it would pop off like a plastic doll's. "No, Verity. I saw him. He's not an actor." She brought me in for a hug as though that would protect us from whatever danger lurked.

"What is he then?"

She pulled away just enough to meet my gaze. "He's a stalker, Verity. It's Chip!"

___

Author's Note: You remember Chip, right? He's the guy who found out where Verity and her dad's homes were and kept calling her his mate. So... what's he doing out in the second largest wilderness region in California? Isn't he supposed to be in jail? Or is Verity right that it's not Chip but a paid actor?

Find out in chapter 10! Until then, thanks for your support and don't forget to add this story to your reading list and, if you really like it, promote it on social media. You can also retweet my tweets about it! I'm on the bird app as amberkbryant. 

Until next time, CHEERS!