Chapter 44: The Snare
They reached Pinecrest in the late afternoon. Prudence drove past the bank to make sure Samantha and Joseph hadn’t already attempted to rob it. A part of Prudence kept hoping they would find Samantha—the old Samantha—standing on the sidewalk, waving to them. She would apologize for everything and they would tearfully make up before going back to Eternity. “They wouldn’t rob the place in broad daylight,” Wendell said. “They’ll wait until it gets dark and everyone’s gone home.”
“So what do we do?” Prudence asked.
“Let’s go back to the bank. I think I have an idea.” She parked the truck at the restaurant on the corner, not daring to try parallel parking on the street like the other cars. The scent of fried meat tickled Prudence’s nose as she got out of the truck, her stomach rumbling to remind her she hadn’t eaten in almost a day. No, she couldn’t let her gut interfere; they had better things to do at the moment.
Wendell stood in front of the bank, his face twitching as though solving a complicated equation. Prudence couldn’t help staring at him with admiration. If only she could be so smart, but she only knew how to make clothes. “I think I’ve got it,” he said. He took her arm, leading her around the side of the building to the back. He stared up at the roof and then nodded.
She listened as he explained his plan for trapping Samantha and Joseph. If they show up, Prudence reminded herself. For all they knew, Samantha and Joseph could be hundreds of miles away in the wilderness of this strange country. She didn’t say as much to Wendell, knowing he would only try to reassure her that Samantha and Joseph would be here.
They went back to the restaurant to move the truck. “We have to stay hidden,” Wendell said. “If they see us before we’re ready, they’ll run.”
Prudence didn’t know where they could hide until it was time. She kept following the road, deeper into the forest until trees blocked out the sun on either side. Wendell said nothing. She wondered if he were doing more calculations. Perhaps calculating the astronomical odds of their plan succeeding.
The road started to wind upwards into the hills. Prudence gripped the steering wheel tighter along the curves, willing the truck not to crash over the guardrails. The road continued winding along until Prudence could see the hills, forests, and even the sea below. She imagined Seabrooke far to the east and beyond that, the
Her eyes started to mist up until she had to pull the truck off to the side of the road. “Don’t cry, Prudence. Everything will be fine. We’ll find Samantha—”
“It’s not that,” Prudence said. “I was thinking about home. I miss Eternity. My shop and Rebecca and Molly and even
“We’ll make it,” Wendell said. “You’ll be back to your shop and we can go see Molly and Becky at the cabin.”
This brought another thought to Prudence’s mind. “If we get back, what about you and I?” She could already hear Helena and Phyllis making fun of Fat Prudence and Little Wendell sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G.
“It doesn’t matter what they think,” Wendell said.
“I know, but I don’t want them to come between us.”
“They won’t.” Wendell patted her on the shoulder. “Come on, let’s go back. It’s almost time.”
She wiped her eyes and took one last look towards the east, hoping to catch sight of Eternity. She saw only darkness on the horizon. She might find it someday, but even if she did, it wouldn’t be the same. She wouldn’t be the same.
They hid Mr. Pryde’s truck behind the bank, next to a giant metal bin filled with trash. To get onto the roof, Prudence and Wendell removed the lobster traps and tackle boxes from the truck, piling them up behind the bank to form a wobbly set of stairs. Wendell went first, scrambling up the traps and boxes to the top of the roof. Prudence tossed one of the fishing nets up to him and then attempted to scale the stairs. She moved quickly, not lingering long enough for any of the objects to give under her weight. Wendell took her hand before she reached the top, grunting as he helped pull her up.
Prudence crawled along with Wendell to the front of the bank, where they waited with the net spread between them. Neither of them said anything as they waited, afraid someone would hear them. She’s not coming, Prudence kept thinking. She’s gone somewhere else. We’ll never find her.
Hours went by without anyone appearing. Then a car came around the corner to park alongside of the building. Prudence scrambled to the edge, peeking over to see a girl who looked like an older version of
Samantha and Joseph went around to the front of the building. He hung back near a box of snow while she went up to the front door. Prudence took hold of the net, ready to drop it on Samantha, but Wendell stopped her. “We have to wait until they’re together,” Wendell whispered into her ear. She nodded.
Prudence’s hand tightened on the netting as she watched Samantha pick the lock on the front door. The sight of this cheered Prudence. At least some part of the old Samantha remained intact, even if it that part was being used for evil.
Samantha opened the door and Wendell signaled for Prudence to get ready. At last Joseph trotted up to Samantha so they could enter the bank. The net fell onto them before they got in the doorway. “We got them!” Wendell said.
Prudence tried to follow him down the makeshift stairs, but he rushed ahead of her and disappeared around the corner before she made it down the first step. “Wendell, come back!”
She stepped onto a lobster trap that this time snapped beneath her weight. She threw out her arms as she fell to grab onto something, her fingers catching the handle of a tackle box. She hung in the air a moment before the box tipped over, dumping her the rest of the way to the ground, landing on her stomach.
A sharp pain stabbed her in the ribs with every step she took as she made her way around the bank. Before she got there, she knew something had gone wrong. She heard Wendell cry out followed by a thump, like a body hitting the ground.
“Wendell?” she said as she rounded the corner. She saw him laying on the sidewalk, unconscious, a gash on his forehead. Samantha stood over him with a pair of blunt-headed scissors, slashed remains of netting lying at her feet. Joseph remained snared in the net, struggling like a wild animal to get free.
“He can’t hear you now,” Samantha said. She held up the scissors. “Time to die, piggy.” Prudence ran.
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