Free Raven Stole the Moon by Garth Stein

an absurd thought. Who would abduct her? Could it be possible?
    “Robert, why don’t you call the police and find out how to report a missing person, then call us back.”
    “But she’s not missing. She called and said she was getting away for a few days. That’s not missing. She knows where she is; she’s not telling anyone.”
    There was silence. Then Myron.
    “Robert, call the police.”
    Robert hung up. Kidnapped? Crazy. But then again, every other possible explanation was equally crazy, so who knows? He picked up the phone and dialed the police.

Chapter 11
    W HEN F ERGUSON WOKE UP, IT WAS STILL DARK OUT AND THE fire had died down to glowing embers. Livingstone was nowhere to be seen. Fergie thought it was odd that David had left without telling him. Maybe he had gone out for some air.
    Outside, it was pouring. Fergie stood in the doorway listening to the rain clap against the leaves in the trees. He tried to see through the darkness to the water, to check if David’s boat was still there, but it was too dark. So he cursed, put on his windbreaker, grabbed the flashlight, and went down to see if Livingstone had quit.
    The boat was still tied to the dock, so Livingstone hadn’t left for good. He was probably wandering around in the woods looking for spirits or something. Fergie started back up the hill feeling uneasy, as if somebody or something was watching him. It was dark in the rain, and the batteries in his flashlight were weak, so he didn’t have much light. Fergie had grown up in the wilderness where there was no room for fear of the dark. But still, now, he was a little afraid. David was gone. That left Ferguson all alone, miles from the nearest town. No food, no telephone. He thought about firing up one of the gasoline generators so he could have some light, but then he remembered how vehement David had been against electricity. Only fire. So Ferguson hurried back to the community house and slid the bolt on the door behind him. He piled more logs on the fire and decided not to sleep the rest of the night.
    I N THE MORNING, the crews came ready to work, and the first place they went was the community house. Normally, the community house was where the workers assembled, took their breaks, and got out of the rain. But Ferguson was waiting for them. He told them they weren’t allowed in today because a specialist was making some very important modifications. The workers were not thrilled, but there was little they could do. Ferguson was the general contractor, after all, so they waited in the rain for the foremen to arrive and give out other assignments.
    For the rest of the day Ferguson dutifully tended the fire and awaited David’s return. He would give David twenty-four hours, he thought. If he didn’t show up by the next morning, Ferguson would have to contact the authorities and start a search party. As he lit another cigarette, he congratulated himself on always keeping a carton of Kents in his plane. At least there would be plenty of tobacco for another night with cold feet. He had begged a tuna fish sandwich off one of the workers, which staved off his hunger temporarily, but he didn’t know how long he could last without a substantial meal.
    Even though Ferguson had little contact with the workers, he was comforted by their presence. He didn’t really want to spend another night alone by the fire, and so he was very sorry to hear the air horn that signaled the end of the workday.
    It was evening, and Ferguson silently sat before the fire and the rains continued outside. As night came, the sky seemed to get not darker but richer, and Ferguson thought he was beginning to hallucinate from lack of food. By midnight, he felt as though shadows outside the windows were moving. Shapes seemed to hover in the woods. And, at one point, he was sure he saw a pair of eyes looking in at him. He felt as if he were being stalked by someone, and he tried to chase away his fear by doing what he had seen David do,