Free Wild Fire by Linda I. Shands Page A

“Actually, He hasn’t been around much at all since He let my mother die. And you know what? I really don’t care!” She swiped at the tears flooding her eyes, then spun around and walked quickly up the footpath that led around the lake .
    The path twisted and climbed. She stumbled over a tree root, caught herself, then stopped to catch her breath. Yes, you do care, and you know it . Her conscience nagged. And anyway, it’s not Anne’s fault. She asks you one simple question and you explode .
    â€œWhat’s wrong with me?” she whispered. “I’ve been acting like a total jerk. And I don’t even know why.”
    The wind picked up, raining pine needles over her shoulders and hair. Thunder boomed in the distance. She broke into a jog just as lightning flashed across the darkening sky. When she reached the spot where she’d left Anne, the woman wasn’t there.
    For a moment Kara panicked. Would Anne go off and leave her?
    Lily whinnied. Kara climbed the steep bank and found Anne waiting. She had stored the gear and was already on Dakota’s back, holding Lily’s reins.
    Rain dripped in big, fat drops down the back of her shirt. Once again she let Dakota take the lead. He set a fast pace, but by the time they got home she was soaked to the skin .
    For the rest of the day, she felt as snarly as a bear in a bees’ nest. She helped clean a dozen plump rainbow trout, brushed and fed Lily, then dragged herself up the hill to the lodge. She was supposed to change and set the tables for dinner, but by the time she got to the kitchen her stomach was doing flips .
    It didn’t help when she caught Ryan sneaking out of the storage room. “Hold it, Kiddo.” He tried to make a run for it, but she stepped in front of him. “What were you doing in there? If you were messing with that radio again, Dad’s going to have your hide.”
    He glared at her. “Dad showed me how. I was just practicing.”
    â€œWho did you call?” she demanded.
    â€œNobody.” His eyes watered. “Let me go, or I’ll tell Dad you’re being mean.”
    He pushed past her, head high, fists clenched at his sides. Kara watched him march out of the room and felt like crying herself.
    What’s going on around here? Everything’s falling apart . Ryan had been more than a pest lately. He’d been a total pain, and she didn’t know what to do about it. Dad had enough problems without having to deal with a bratty six-year-old.That was supposed to be her responsibility, but lately it was like nothing she did was right.
    Anne came in with a dishpan full of fish from the freezer. “We will grill trout tonight. With what we caught today, there is enough.”
    Just the thought of fish made Kara’s stomach churn. She dashed through the kitchen door and into the bath shed. When she returned, she was shaking all over.
    Anne felt her forehead. “Ouch! You are hotter than my oven. Can you walk to your room?”
    Kara nodded, but she wasn’t at all sure she could make it without being sick again.
    When she finally lay down, the room began to spin. Someone laid a cool cloth across her head. She opened her eyes. Anne was there with an empty pail and a pan of water. The woman lifted her head gently and slid another damp cloth behind her neck.
    â€œSleep now. I will be back.”
    This time the dream was more frightening than ever.
    Mom was running through the smoke, heading back into the fire, but this time Kara followed. She ran and ran, calling out until she thought her lungs would burst from the heat and smoke. Mom had disappeared. Kara dropped to her knees. The ground beneath her turned to soggy ashes. From a distance she could hear Mom calling her, but when she tried to move she just sank deeper into the mire .
    â€œWakara.” Not Mom’s voice. “Wakara, wake up now.”
    Anne. Kara opened her eyes. And Dad. To her relief, the