Haunted (Wolf Lake) Read Free Page A

getting dark. She’d slept for longer than she ’d intended. 
    She switched on a nearby lamp and noticed goose bumps all over her slender arms.  She shivered.  The cabin had really cooled down while she was sleeping and she was clad only in underwear.  No wonder she was cold.
    Amelia picked up her car keys and peeked out the front window.  Satisfied that no one was around, she dashed out to her car to retrieve the backpack she’d forgotten in the trunk.  At least she’d remembered to pack a change of clothes, she thought wryly as she slung the bag over her shoulder.  Then she returned to the cabin for a quick shower.
    ****
    In Amelia’s experience, small towns could be notorious for having unusual business hours.  As she drove down the narrow, winding road, she wondered if anything would even be open.  Either every place would be closed early for the long weekend or they’d all be open for business in the hope of attracting a bunch of cottagers.
    Thankfully, it was the latter.
    The small town was bustling with tourists – well, as much as a tiny place like that can bustle.  Amelia parked her car in the center of Main Street.  It was the only place to park in town and, as a matter of fact, Main Street was the town’s only street. 
    But it had everything she needed.
    Amelia stopped at the lone fast food joint.  It boasted a walk-up window and a small patio area.  She bought a burger and sat at one of the umbrella-topped tables, savoring the juices from the beef patty and sliced tomato as they ran over her tongue and dribbled down her chin.  She was eating like a pig but she didn’t care. 
    The famished young woman swiped her hand across her mouth and looked around.  
    Directly in front of her was a family of four.  The parents were quietly arguing as they looked over a map.  The two young children, meanwhile, were devouring ice cream cones that were nearly as tall as them. 
    The little girl noticed Amelia looking.  Amelia offered a smile.  The cute pigtailed child grinned back, proudly showing off her missing front tooth.  It appeared she was getting just as much ice cream on herself as she was eating.  Amelia had to stifle a laugh.
    Then Amelia noticed the wind was getting up, seemingly with no warning whatsoever.  It whipped Amelia’s fiery hair wildly around her face and threatened to topple the children’s ice cream cones.  Their parents put the map away and ushered the kids to the car, warning them not to get the interior of the vehicle sticky with ice cream.
    Amelia knew they would.  After all, that’s what kids do, right?
    She fumbled in her purse in search of a hair tie.  She usually kept one in there for those days when her shoulder length red hair had too much volume for its own good.  She located the black elastic and quickly pulled her windblown locks back into a messy ponytail.
    She stood and threw the wrapper from her burger in the garbage.  She wished she’d worn something different.  The strapless yellow sundress she’d put on after her shower would be the perfect attire for a hot summer day.  But tonight it just looked silly as its skirt whipped around violently in the strong wind, threatening to blow up right there on Main Street.
    Holding her dress in place as best she could, Amelia dashed across the street and into the town’s grocery store.  It sold the basics – milk, bread, hot dogs and marshmallows – and not much more.  But that was okay.  With options being so limited, it made grocery shopping a breeze.  Amelia quickly loaded up a basket with enough food to get her through the next few days.
    “We’re gonna get a nasty storm tonight,” the middle aged man behind the cash register predicted as he made change.  “We’re in for a real doozy.”
    Amelia peered out the window.  The evening sky was full of black, ominous clouds and big, heavy raindrops were beginning to fall.  The street, which had been crawling with tourists only moments earlier,