Page 24 of Camp Bliss
“Here—” Zach is thrusting his water bottle into my face. I take it, rinse my mouth, and spit again.
I straighten up—at least I do until the horizon tilts and Zach grabs me by the arm.
“Hey—”
The water bottle is yanked from my grip, and .2 seconds later, icy spray hits the back of my neck.
“Whatthefuck!”
“You’re overheated,” Zach says through this assault.
“I just need to sit down,” I mumble, dropping into a squat. But before I sink to the ground, Zach tosses the empty bottle aside and hooks an arm around my dripping back.
“You need to get inside.” Then he’s lugging me toward the truck. “C’mon, Greta,” he barks like I’m dragging my feet. “Russell, get into the truck!”
You don’t have to yell.I think I say the words, but maybe I don’t. Why is the truck so far away?
“Dammit!” he grits out.
The next thing I know, Zach has scooped me up in a cradle hold. Russell leaps up, jumping higher than I thought he could, and whining with worry. I want to tell him it’s okay, but is it? There’s a dim part of my brain that tells me this should embarrass the hell out of me, but I’m really just glad not to be walking anymore. We’ll get to the truck a lot faster this way.
Except the inside of the truck is way, way hotter.
After Zach yanks the door open and plops me on the front seat, it’s like being stuffed in a broiler. I actually whimper. He heaves Russell into the truck at my feet, cursing again.
Then he sprints around the hood and climbs in, fires up the engine, blasts the AC on high—though all that does is force hot air onto both of us. And we’re off, bouncing over ruts and roots, and roasting like we are in an air fryer.
And now that I’m in the truck, it feels like I’m sinking through the seat. Like my muscles have melted off.
“You with me?” Zach yells over the AC.
I swallow the pooling saliva in my mouth. “Mmm.”
“Shit—” We bounce hard over something and my head tags the window. “Sorry,” he mutters.
And then the window disappears. I realize Zach is lowering all of them, which is good because the AC is still just blowing hot air.
I shut my eyes so I don’t have to see the pitching and rolling out of the windshield. Who would have thought that the first time I’d ever get seasick would be on land. In a truck.
When the lodge comes into view, I’m so relieved, I let out a shaky sigh.
Zach sprays gravel as he pulls right up to the porch.
“Josh!” He shouts as he comes around. My door opens, and I go to slide out, but Zach has got me again. “Hey, Josh!”
We’re up the steps and through the door. The cool air inside is a full-body shock.
Zach dumps me on the couch like I’m on fire, and maybe I am.
“Josh?” His voice echoes over the cement floors. Russell is circling the couch, making high-pitched cries of confusion and concern. The next thing I hear is the grating of ice in the freezer. And then water running.
“Here.” Zach leans over me, frowning, a wadded up and dripping dish towel in his hands. He slides one big hand under my shoulders and tucks the icy wrap behind my neck.
I hiss a sigh. It’s so cold, but the rest of my body seems to be boiling over now. Fumbling my feet together, I try to toe off my sneakers with no luck..
And then Zach’s grips my left ankle. He pries off one shoe before the other. It’s only when he starts to peel off my socks that it registers that they are completely sweat-soaked.
When his eyes lock with mine, I’m fully prepared to see unchecked disgust. But he just looks worried.
