Free The Letting by Cathrine Goldstein

my attention and like a shot, I am on my feet. Lulu watches me, as does Raven, but Lilly and Violet are oblivious to any change in me. Lulu and Raven watch me watching the woods.
    “Ronnie?” Lulu asks.
    “Shh,” I quiet her. Lilly and Violet join the other two girls, and the four of them huddle together, knee deep in the lake. I strain my eyes and my ears to see what or who is out there, but I see nothing. But I can’t shake this feeling there’s something…
    One thing is certain, whoever or whatever it is would be unwelcome. There is no reason for Phoenix and his group to show themselves to these girls, so it may be a wild animal, or another small faction of rebels. I’m not taking any chances.
    “Girls,” I speak in a hushed voice. “Let’s go up the hill. We’re changing our plan for today.” No matter how upbeat I try to sound, they know better.
    Quickly, the four of them wrap themselves in towels and scurry up the hill as fast as possible. I am right behind, rushing them, but there is no way they can move fast enough to make me happy. My long legs would have me to the top of the hill in less than five minutes, but as a group, it will take us nearly fifteen.
    Fifteen minutes is plenty long enough for a band of rebels to come and snatch up any one of these girls to sell her on the black market for private blood donations. I never really worried about it before. I was always careful, but I figured my girls were safe in my camp. Were safe with me. But since learning Phoenix and his gang are out there, so close to us, it’s feasible to think another group may be as well. And since I’ve learned I’m the biggest danger these girls face, well then, nothing is as I thought it was.
    I scan the woods with every step I take, listening for a snap of a twig or the stomp of a footstep. I push my girls a bit harder. “Come on, girls. Let’s get that blood pumping.”
    I’m trying not to scare them, but they are already terrified. The huddled mass that walks in front of me proves that. Looking at them, I think of Gretchen and me, all those years ago. How I thought we would always be lifelong best friends. How I could never have imagined she would become a traitor.
    We make it to the top of the hill, and I have never been so happy to see our cabins. I exhale, a sense of peace finally winning out over panic.
    “Okay, girls, how about a rest time?” Their limbs are still shaking, and I can tell they are genuinely frightened. I need to fix this.
    “Girls,” I say, trying to regain control. “There is nothing to be scared of. Do you remember last night, when I told you to be quiet in case Margaret was nearby?”
    Three of them nod. Raven just stares.
    “Well, I thought I heard her today, too.” I know it’s a pitiful lie, but it’s all I have. “And if she has special orders for me, today, the day before your”—I stop myself midsentence—“our Letting, I need to hear them. That’s all.”
    I speak as soothingly as possible. I hope at least a couple of them buy my excuse. I know Raven won’t, but I’m hopeful for the other three. “So, what do you think of some playtime in the cabin?”
    The girls nod and head off to their cabin. I would love nothing more than to crawl into my own cabin and hide, maybe even fall asleep, but I know my adrenaline would never allow it. Besides, I can still feel something. Someone. And I need to get to the bottom of it. If we’re going to be attacked and raided, I had better be prepared.
    I look around the campgrounds for a weapon of any kind, but I find we are abysmally unprepared. If Phoenix and his gang or an even more unscrupulous bunch were to come our way, I would have no way to stop them. In the past, I’ve lit fires to scare the rebels off, and none ever infiltrated our camp. But this is different. This time someone is on our turf. After more searching, I decide on a poker from an old, nonworking fireplace in the mess hall.
    Armed with that, I begin to walk to the