One Night In Wildcat Woods

By Amanda Innes

1989. The woods behind Wyland High School enclose over a century of local lore. When ex best friends Drew and Rayze become lost there, a new legend is added to the history of Wildcat Woods.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amanda Innes
• Release date: Aug 14, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005973131

Amanda Innes

Amanda Innes has been a production assistant on film sets, a dogsbody for community theaters, a performer of Shakespeare, an instructor for summer camps, and worked for major publishing houses before turning her attention to her own writing. She grew up in Texas, went to graduate school in Massachusetts, and now lives in Northern California.

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one night in wildcat woods

Amanda Innes

MPL Books MPL Books

contents

One Night in Wildcat Woods

one night in wildcat woods

1989.

Perfect, just perfect, muttered Drew as the pewter sky broke open over them. "Now we’ll be lost and wet."

You’re the one who threw the Frisbee, Rayze told him. Drew had a difficult time thinking of him as Rayze, though; he’d been Todd from childhood and throughout their freshman year. But Todd had turned up for the first day of their sophomore year sporting long hair, ripped jeans, and a t-shirt for a band Drew didn’t know. At that particular moment, Drew envied Rayze his motorcycle boots as they tromped through the trees behind the high school.

It can’t possibly have flown this far, Drew argued. He glanced over his shoulder, but the building had been lost to view. The bell is going to ring.

Rayze had stopped walking and was turning one way then the other as he scanned the underbrush. The Frisbee was bright red and should have been easy to spot in the deep greens and browns that surrounded them. If we lose it, Coach Tam will probably give us detention.

You maybe, said Drew, not me. He needs me for the swim meet. A detention meant disqualification from extracurriculars for a week.

You swim and you’re complaining about rain?

I don’t want to sit through math soaking wet. Drew glanced up, thankful that the tree cover acted as a decent umbrella. Still, he could feel his letter sweater taking on moisture; if he didn’t get inside soon, it would start to stretch.

The faster you find the Frisbee, the drier we’ll both be, said Rayze.

Why do I have to be the one to find it?

You’re the jock and you threw it.

And you’re the one who failed to catch it. But Drew continued to look anyway, kicking at shrubs and sticks. It can’t have gone this far, he said again.

You always used to brag about your arm. Rayze took a few more steps forward, head and hair swinging as he sought the plastic disc.

A spike of panic shot up Drew’s throat and he hurried to catch up. When had Todd’s—Rayze’s—legs gotten so long?

They’d been friends in grade school, but merely friendly in middle school, and by the end of eighth grade, they hardly spoke at all. Drew felt guilty about it without really understanding why. People drifted apart, after all. They changed over time.

Well, he hadn’t changed as much as Rayze clearly had. Looking at him, Drew sometimes struggled to remember the freckled nerd he’d played video games with.

Do you smoke? Drew blurted.

Rayze turned with a frown, his brow furrowed. Why? You want one?

No! I just wondered.

Rayze glanced up at the leaden light that barely made it through the trees. Wouldn’t stay lit in this rain anyway.

They trudged onward, every step away from the school making Drew increasingly uneasy. We should just go back.

Rayze shrugged and turned around. As long as you tell Tam—

In the distance, the bell rang. It sounded farther away than it should have been.

Shit, said Rayze, and Drew privately agreed. But then Rayze strode purposefully in the direction of the sound, and ostensibly the school, and Drew followed.

They walked for five minutes until the warning bell rang, and it sounded no closer than before. The trees didn’t seem to be getting any thinner, and Drew could catch no glimpse of the school between the trunks. We’re going to be tardy.

We may have bigger problems. Rayze stopped and turned in a circle.

We’re lost?! Drew’s voice cracked.

Rayze only frowned at the trees around them. Maybe it’s true.

"Maybe what’s true?"

The Wildcat Woods rearrange themselves to keep people in.

Drew stared hard at his once friend. He would have known immediately whether Todd was joking, but he couldn’t read Rayze’s expression at all. That’s not funny, he finally said.

I didn’t think it was. But Rayze also did not sound at all worried about being lost in the woods on a rainy afternoon.

They’ll think we’re skipping. Then we really will get detention.

And if you don’t swim, I’m sure the team will lose. There was no denying the sarcasm that time, but Rayze seemed distracted as he continued to look around. We came from that way, he said and started walking again.

Drew scrambled to keep up. It was low-key infuriating how fast and confident Rayze was given he wasn’t an athlete, nor was he popular. Why Rayze? Drew asked abruptly.

Huh? Rayze barely spared a glance over his shoulder.

Did someone give you that nickname or did you just choose it?

Why did you drop Andy and start going by Drew? Rayze countered.

The question felt like a slap. Rather than confront it, Drew tossed it aside. "Yeah, well, ‘Andy’ and ‘Drew’ both come from my name, but ‘Rayze’ doesn’t come