What Lies Between by Charlena Miller

morning departure left us gazing like stoners at the rock-studded landscape. I began to see animal shapes and human faces in the hills, the rocks, the curves of the road. The strangeness of the island mesmerized me until the crackle of the speakers jolted me alert and woke up those who had fallen asleep.
    “The place we are heading to may prove to be the highlight of your trip,” Ben said. “There is nothing like it anywhere else.”
    He pulled the van to a stop and turned to address us. “The wee people live here in the Faerie Glen and this ground is sacred to them. You need to take it seriously. Cross the faeries and you’ll ensure a terrible fate for yourself.” Ben flashed a wicked grin. “And don’t touch the tree on the ground just there. If you do, you’ll be followed by bad luck for the rest of your life.”
    Bill turned toward Li and me, rolling his eyes, before turning partway back to the front and producing a bright smile. “Do you believe that, Ben, or is it tourist fare?”
    “Take it lightly at your own risk,” Ben replied, his patented get-out-of-jail-free smile gracing his face. “You have time to create your own circle from stones, have a wee dance in it, and invite the faeries to join in. You never know, they might come out of hiding and join you.”
    Bill laughed. “I don’t think I’ll be dancing, but the circles interest me.”
    Li touched Bill’s arm to get his attention; his body blocked the van’s door and our way out.
    “On you go. We have an hour here,” Ben said.
    “Ben, hon, can I lean on you to get up this tiny hill here? I didn’t think and brought the worst shoes,” Shayne said.
    I stared at her feet, trying to guess her size. “Maybe I can help,” I said sweetly. “I have a pair of wellies in the back. I’m betting they’ll fit.”
    Her eyes bore into me, a saccharine smile finding its way to her face. “Well, thank you. That’s kind of you, but I’m fine.”
    “It’s no trouble. You need decent shoes . . . obviously.”
    I opened the rear of the van and pulled the rubber boots out of the plastic sack. Shayne snatched them from my hands, pretending to struggle getting them on. I glimpsed her size on the shoe she took off. The wellies were a size too big, not too small.
    “I don’t think these are going to fit,” she moaned with false disappointment and held the boots out to me.
    “Oh my goodness, Shayne, are you a size ten?” My face hurt from my overstretched fake smile. “I could have sworn your feet were smaller.”
    “I am most definitely not a size ten.” Her eyes narrowed with indignation, and she lowered her voice to a hiss that no one could hear but me. “I’m an eight.”
    I amped up the volume of my voice. “Well that’s fantastic! These boots are the equivalent of a US size nine. Maybe something is stuck in the toe, but they should be big enough. In fact, I pulled a pair of thick socks out of my pack because I thought your feet were wee things,” I said, feigning a Scottish accent for some inexplicable reason, “but seeing as they’re not, you won’t be needing them.”
    Shayne’s cheeks flushed from the anger practically steaming out of her oversized hair. “I’m sure I can make these work.”
    She teetered on one leg to pull the boot on her other foot, and my hand itched to push her shoulder oh so slightly and watch her topple over. I resisted.
    “How lucky for you I had these boots! They fit you fine. You’ll be able to make it around on your own today.”
    She scowled at me, her eyes warning I’d better be careful or I’d find a knife etched with her claw marks sticking out of my back.
    Disregarding Ben’s admonition not to touch it, Todd headed straight for the fallen tree and tossed himself down on its trunk, defying the curse.
    “Hey Ellie, take my picture,” Todd hollered and held out his camera.
    “No way am I getting near that tree.” I had no desire to tempt fate or the curse; this place was weird and anything