Chapter 126

They'd made it to the middle of the lake. If everything went smoothly, they'd be on the other side in about thirty minutes.

Lucie was already prepping-she dug out a box for collecting pigments, slipped on her gloves, and got her tools ready.

Elio shot her a curious look. "Lucie, what are you up to?"

“Nothing,” she replied, totally casual.

***

Half an hour later, they reached the opposite shore. Climbing out of the kayak, Lucie headed straight for a patch of woods, like she'd done this a hundred times before.

Elio trailed after her, swatting at the swarm of mosquitoes buzzing around his arms. "Wow, Lucie, there are so many bugs out here!"

Lucie handed him a bottle of bug spray. "You can just wait for me by the lake. I can do this alone."

"No way. What if something happens?" Elio insisted, sticking close.

They walked another ten minutes or so, finally ducking into a dense thicket. Lucie made a beeline for a rotting tree, took out a small axe, and pried open a big knot on the trunk.

Inside, a cluster of peanut-sized insects wriggled around.

Lucie grabbed her tweezers and started picking them out one by one, dropping each into a glass jar. Once they shed their shells, she could grind them up for a rare, natural pigment.

"Ew, come on-"

"Seriously?!" Elio only took a quick glance before his scalp started tingling. He shrank behind a tree, shaking like a leaf, refusing to get any closer. He was fearless when it came to most things. Tigers? He'd stand his ground. But if someone put a caterpillar on him, he'd be traumatized for days.

"This is so gross. Lucie, why are you collecting all these bugs? Seriously, it's disgusting!"

Lucie didn't bother answering, just kept working, quick and focused. The jar filled up fast.

She packed it away and pulled out a plastic container, getting ready for her next pigment.

"Are we done yet? Can we go?" Elio asked, sounding desperate.

"Hang on." Lucie crouched down, scanning the ground for a specific type of dried bird droppings.

Elio stared, horrified. "What is that even supposed to be?"

"It's dried bird poop. Once it's powdered, it makes a beautiful teal pigment."

Elio stared at her, speechless. How could someone who looked so delicate be into this kind of weird stuff?

Lucie stood up. "All done. It's getting dark-let's get out of here."

"Oh, thank

God." Elio let out

sigh of relief, more than ready

from this nightmare of a

fores

huge

Gontent

Lucie turned to leave, but suddenly her eyes locked on something near his foot.

"Don't move."

"...What's wrong?" Elio froze, completely stiff.

Lucie walked over calmly, reached into her backpack, and pulled out a collapsible pole. In one smooth motion, she snapped the clamp down content

Click.

She lifted the pole, and a meter-long snake dangled from it, twisting and hissing.

"There was a snake by your foot," she said.

Elio looked down and just about lost it. "No way-"

"Oh my god! Why is there a snake?!" He jumped back, like he wished he could teleport straight out of there.

"It's just a snake. Nothing to freak out about Lucie said, carrying it a few steps away. She tossed it into the brush, then sprayed some repellent in its direction for good" measure.