Pine Hollow Eyes

Posted on Sun Nov 1st, 2026 @ 6:21pm by Pine Hollow Leader Amythyst & Deputy Leader John ("Dodger") Smith & Department Leader Eliza Moore & Department Leader Leah Miller

1,673 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Winter's hope
Timeline: October 21st - After 1pm

Leah had discovered something extremely annoying about being ordered to rest. Resting was boring. She had tried. She really had. For approximately fifteen minutes. Then she had stared at the ceiling for another five before deciding that Amy had said they *could* sleep, not that they *had* to sleep. There was a difference. At least, that was the argument Leah was prepared to make if anyone caught her. The crutches made sneaking somewhat difficult. *Clunk.* Step. *Clunk.* Step.

Eliza looked back at her. "You know everyone can hear you, right?"

"I'm not sneaking."

"You look like you're sneaking."

"I'm exploring."

"Quietly?"

"Yes."

Eliza grinned. Most of the lodge had settled into an unfamiliar afternoon calm. After the chaos of moving in, the silence felt almost strange. Somewhere upstairs, several of the younger children were asleep. Others had gone with Briar towards the fields and orchard. Eliza and Leah had stayed behind. There was still plenty of the lodge they hadn't properly looked through. During the morning they had checked rooms for walkers and people. Open door. Look inside. Make sure nothing wanted to eat them. Move on. That wasn't the same thing as actually exploring. They had already discovered a cupboard filled with board games, another containing enough cleaning supplies to make Leah wonder whether Elena had expected an army, and a small office with filing cabinets neither girl had bothered opening.

Then Eliza stopped. "What?"

Eliza pointed. At the end of the corridor was another door. "Was that open before?"

Leah frowned. "I don't think so."

They approached it. There was nothing particularly interesting about the door itself. No warning sign. No skull and crossbones. Nothing saying *SECRET ROOM — KEEP OUT.* Which, Leah thought, was disappointing. Eliza tried the handle. It opened. The room beyond was dark. Eliza turned on the light. It was the office.

Leah had already been inside the office once. Technically. That morning, inside had meant opening the door, checking behind the desk, making certain nothing dead was waiting to grab them and moving on to the next room. Nobody had exactly stopped to investigate. Now, with half of Pine Hollow asleep and the other half scattered between the lodge, fields and barns, she and Eliza had considerably more time. Leah lowered herself carefully into the chair behind the reception desk, resting her crutches against its side.

"I could get used to this."

Eliza looked over from the filing cabinets. "Doing what?"

"Being in charge."

"Amy would kill you."

"Then Briar would make a list about it."

Eliza snorted. The office was more interesting than either of them had expected. There were maps of Pine Hollow pinned to one wall. Filing cabinets. Property records. A radio desk. A safe neither of them had any idea how to open. Then Eliza walked around the far side of the desk. "Leah?"

"What?"

"Come look at this." Leah hauled herself back upright with an annoyed sigh and retrieved her crutches. "This had better be—" She stopped. Set into the office workstation were several dark screens. Beneath them was a control panel.

Eliza leaned closer. There were labels. MAIN GATE. LODGE NORTH. BARNYARD. ORCHARD. WORKSHOPS. CABIN 1. WATERFALL. SKI LIFT. SKI LODGE. More followed.

Leah's expression changed. "Those aren't computer monitors."

Eliza looked at her. "No."

Leah moved closer. "They're security cameras."

Neither girl spoke for a moment. They had spent the entire morning checking Pine Hollow to make sure nothing was hiding here. And apparently Pine Hollow had possessed a way to look outside the entire time. Eliza reached towards the controls, then hesitated. "Do you think they work?"

Leah pointed. A tiny red light was glowing on the equipment beneath the monitors. "Power does." That settled it.

Eliza found the switch. "Ready?"

Leah grinned. "Do it."

Eliza flipped it. For several seconds, nothing happened. Then one monitor flickered. Static rolled across it. Another came alive. Then another. And another. Leah's mouth dropped open.
"No way." Black-and-white pictures gradually resolved into colour. The main gate appeared on one screen, standing closed at the end of the road leading into Pine Hollow. Another showed the front of the lodge. And there they were. Their wagons. Parked right outside.

"That's us!" Eliza exclaimed.

"No kidding." A third screen showed the barnyard. Cattle grazed beyond the fence while several goats wandered around their new enclosure. Another showed the workshops.
Then the orchard appeared.

Eliza leaned forward. "Look!" Tiny figures were moving between the trees. Briar and the others.

Leah laughed. "We can see them!"

More feeds appeared as the system continued starting. A view across part of the lake. Another stretch of fencing. A track disappearing towards the trees. One showed nothing but static.
Another remained completely black. Leah tapped the desk beside that one. "Broken?"

"Maybe the camera is."

"Or something's covering it."

Eliza didn't particularly like that possibility. "Let's go with broken."

"Agreed."

There were more cameras than either girl had expected. Not enough to see every inch of Pine Hollow, but enough that someone sitting right here could watch the main approaches and several of the important buildings. Leah slowly lowered herself back into the chair. "This would have been useful this morning."

Eliza gave her a look. "Very."

Leah experimented with one of the controls. The picture on the main-gate camera moved. Both girls froze. Leah pushed it the other direction. The camera obediently swung across the road. "Oh."

Eliza's eyes widened. "Oh, that's cool."

Leah grinned. For the next minute, any sensible thoughts about fetching Amy disappeared entirely. They switched between cameras. Moved the ones that could move.
Found a view covering the paddocks. Another looking along one side of the lodge. One camera showed the area beyond the hidden gate. Then Eliza noticed something else.
A date sat in the corner of every screen. And beneath the monitors were controls marked with words she understood immediately. LIVE.

PLAYBACK.

SEARCH.

ARCHIVE.

Her smile faded. "Leah."

Leah followed her gaze. "Oh."

The cameras weren't only watching Pine Hollow. They had been recording it. Eliza looked back at the screens. If the recordings were still there, they might be able to see what had happened at Pine Hollow before they arrived. Who had been here. When Elena had last been here. Maybe even why the place had been left empty. Leah reached towards PLAYBACK.

Eliza caught her wrist. "Nope."

"What?"

"That we get Amy for."

Leah considered arguing. Then looked at the rows of screens. "...Yeah." For once, she didn't. She took a breath and said "Find Dodger. He might be able to help as well. I think he is still in the lodge."

Eliza nodded and headed out to find Dodger. "Dodger!" she called as she entered the dining area.

Dodger had been in the kitchen drinking a glass of water when he heard his name being called. Setting the glass down he exited the kitchen and saw Eliza. "Eliza, quiet down. I'm right here. What is it?"

Eliza grinned at him. "Come quick! You have to see this!" She headed back down the hall. She led him into the office. Leah was taping the keyboard and bringing up different views.

Dodger sighed but followed her dutifully and found Leah tapping at the keyboard. "Okay, you two. what do I have to see and what are you tapping at Leah?"

"Security cameras." Leah said. "This one shows the exterior Entrance. The hidden one. See its looking from beside the rockfall to the trees and the signal post." She pointed.

Dodger looked over her shoulder after a few moments he straightened up and looked at the girls. "This plays into a theory I have. I was going to talk to Amy about it." He saw the girls expectants faces wanting him to go on. "This place was left but not for us. Think of how well maintained everything is. Food in the freezer, solar batteries, tools all well maintained. These camera providing security for the entire place." He paused and the silence grew before he spoke again. "It was left for someone else but they never made it."

Leah looked at him. "We made it. Elena sent us here"

"Yes, We made it and yes Elena sent us. What I am saying is, look around, No dust, everything in pristine condition. Food, water, power. I'm thinking Elena sent us because whoever was supposed to be here, didn't make it. This place is too well stocked and maintained to be just a lodge." Dodger replied.

Leah swapped cameras. "Look this one is of the ski lift, up the top." It showed the mountain top and the view for miles around. "This will help with Watches."

Dodger looked at the images. "That's very good and you are right it will help with Watches as will putting someone in the ranger tower." He added.

The girls exchanged looks. "When can we go up there?" Eliza asked.

"Who said you two were going up there?" Dodger replied to the question then went on. "We'll talk to Amy and make a decision and if she says okay, I'll go and check it out."

They stared at him. Eliza crossed her arms. "Why you?" She knew why but she was a teenager and she wanted to go.

Dodger matched her stare. "Why not me?" He challenged and then added, "You aren't going."

Leah stood grabbed her crutches "Fine, we shall see. You, George, Briar and Amy cannot do it all you know."

Dodger sighed, "Leah, you are deliberately missing the point." He replied in an even tone.

"oh?" Leah asked curious.

"Yes. You are right, Amy, George, Briar and myself can't do it all. We need you and Eliza and all the others to help like you have been and sometimes you can't do what you want when you want like you going to the Ranger Tower. Doesn't mean you never can it just means let it get checked out first and make sure it is safe. Okay?'

Eliza and Leah exchanged looks then nodded slowly. "Okay."

 

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