"They were probably out in one of the other cabins smoking dope or something."

"Alice?" Bill called.

"Yeah?"

"Come here."

His voice sounded strange. She ran over to where he stood bending down over Brenda's bed. He pulled back the covers. There was a bloody axe on the pillow. Bill picked it up and turned to look at Alice.

"What is going on?" She said.

"Come on," said Bill.

They ran out the door, heading toward Jack and Ned's cabin.

"Jack!" shouted Bill.

He hammered on the door.

"Jack! Open the door!"

"Where are they?" Alice cried.

"I don't know," said Bill, "Come on."

They ran down to the latrine cabin. Alice turned on the light as they came through the door.

"Brenda? Marcie?"

"Jack?" said Bill.

There was no response.

The bathroom seemed empty.

"Neddie?" Alice said.

Bill bent down and picked up Marcie's flashlight.

"You know," Alice said uneasily, "I think we should call someone."

"If this is a joke, I'm gonna brain 'em."

"I'm serious," Alice said, "I really think we should call someone.

They ran to the office. It seemed as if they were the only ones left in the camp.

"Sucker's locked," said Bill, pulling on the door and rattling it, kicking at it in frustration.

"Where's the key?"

"I don't know. Wait a minute. Watch out."

With her elbow protected by the rubberized sleeve of the slicker, she smashed one of the glass panes in the door then reached in and opened the lock from the inside.

"Careful," said Bill as she pulled her hand out through the broken glass. She opened the door and went inside. "Get the light," said Bill.

She flicked on the light while he ran for the phone and picked it up. A second later, he slammed the receiver back down.

"What's wrong?" she said.

"It's dead. Try the payphone."

"Do you have a dime or a quarter?" Alice asked.

"No. Check the desk."

She rummaged around until she found a small metal strongbox containing petty cash and one of the lower drawers. She signed in relief when she saw it wasn't locked. She took some change and ran back to the phone. She dropped the coins in.

"Hello? Hell-o?" Oh, this damn thing's dead too."

"Relax," said Bill.

Alice was starting to get all worked up and there was no reason for it. Yet.

There had to be an explanation. The phones were dead because the line was down somewhere. It was the storm. That was the only possible explanation, but it wasn't. One explanation that did not occur to him was that the line might have been cut. In this case, chopped with a machete.

Alice slammed the phone back on the cradle and ran out of the cabin.