Kiss Me, Kill Me

by Allison Brennan

  DANGER!

  ABANDONED MINE

  KELLEY MINING CO.

  Sean clicked a picture with his digital camera, then pocketed it and helped Lucy free the sign.

  “I didn’t know there were mines right around here,” she said. “Didn’t Abel say they were on the other side of town?”

  They’d chatted with Abel Hendricks, the inn owner, when they’d first arrived.

  Sean scanned the area. “They could come out this far, I suppose. It’s not my area of expertise.”

  Lucy feigned surprise. “You mean there’s something you don’t know?”

  “Is that a challenge? Because I could spend the next three days learning about mining and earth science if you want.”

  “I like you ignorant,” she teased, knowing Sean prided himself on being smart.

  “Them’s fighting words.” He reached out and tickled her with his free hand.

  She yelped and jumped back. “We should put the sign upright. It’s here for a reason. We don’t want someone wandering off the path if they might get hurt.”

  Sean looked around the immediate area. “I don’t see where it’s supposed to be. It looks like it’s been lying here awhile.” He set down the sign and took out his cell phone.

  “You have reception?” she asked.

  “Barely, but I’m just marking the coordinates so we can inform the Forestry Department, or whoever takes care of these things. It probably fell in a storm.”

  He pocketed his phone, then picked up the sign again. The soil on the path was too hard to get the stake deep enough to keep the sign upright, so he moved off the trail and tested the ground.

  “Here’s good,” he said. He pushed down on the top of the sign as hard as he could, and the stake went in a good ten or so inches. “We’ll find out who to talk to when we get back to the inn. I wouldn’t mind learning—”

  A sharp cracking sound cut through the field. Lucy watched in horror as Sean’s legs buckled and he disappeared from view, his startled cry echoing in her head.

  “Sean!”

  Lucy started to run to where he’d fallen, then stopped.

  Abandoned mines.

  She dropped her backpack and got down on her hands and knees. She felt around the damp soil, taking care with each inch forward. “Sean? Answer me!” she called.

  Silence.

  She moved to the edge of the hole Sean had fallen in. She quickly pulled off the leaves and dirt and plants that had accumulated on the top of a boarded-up mine shaft. The boards were rotted and broken, and a hole in the middle showed where Sean had fallen.

  “Sean!” she called into the hole. “Answer me! Tell me you’re okay!”

  All Lucy heard in response was the echo of her own voice.