by Jim Goforth
"His name's Corey." Blaise told Raven helpfully. "Are your ears painted on?"
"Whatever. Like I care. You know what Corny?"
"No I don't. What?"
"I'll tell you what," Raven winked, still managing to effortlessly row. "Young Desiree is a real freak between the sheets. She's a hot wild kinky bitch who is into anything and everything. You better be ready to deliver."
"Shut up Raven!" Desiree snapped. "How the fuck would you know what I'm like, you silly dyke wench?"
Corey couldn't prevent his face from flushing bright scarlet. He felt it burning all the way to the tip of his ears and contemplated yanking his beanie right down over his entire visage.
His embarrassment only continued when Raven began to chant in a sing song voice.
"Corny and Desi fucking in a field. Desi bent over and said 'Corny, make me squeal. You can stick your…Ow!!"
The obscene song ended suddenly with a screech of pain as Desi smacked Raven hard in the back of the head with her hand, grabbing one of the oars from her before she dropped it overboard.
"Just row and shut the fuck up." Desiree ordered. "Or you are going in the lake."
"Touchy," muttered Raven, rubbing her abused cranium with her one now free hand.
Blaise merely sat back, puffing merrily on the joint, giggling constantly, apparently very amused by the duos incessant bickering.
To take his mind off of the lurid images conjured up in his brain by Raven's dirty little ditty as well as the close proximity of Blaise's breast, Corey entertained himself by wondering how Lee and Tim were faring in the other boat.
He was willing to bet Melissa and Rachel hadn't paired each other off with the boys and were singing ribald chants about fucking them in the field.
More than likely Melissa was probably continually rebuking Tim and warning him how close to getting a blade in his abdomen he was.
All was silent now but for occasional sporadic bursts of laughter from Blaise and the sloshing of water against the boat as the oars chopped through it.
Desiree and Raven were rowing in unison, Raven stony-faced but Desiree had something of a smirk on her features.
Corey tried not to make eye contact with her and stared out at the moonlit waters instead.
To his surprise he noticed that trees were springing up on either side of the craft and realised they'd entered some kind of river, or tributary feeding off the main body of the lake.
He could only just see the other boat slicing through the water a fair distance ahead of them.
"Where the hell are we going?" He couldn't prevent himself from blurting out.
"Our place Corny," Raven told him. "Our place."
"Shit, where do you live? On an island or something?"
"Yeah, something like that," Blaise said.
Corey sat back in bewilderment trying to envision their destination.
It all seemed rather peculiar and he felt nervous butterflies beginning to stir in the pit of his stomach again, crowding against the butterflies of excitement.
The bad old paranoid sensation was attempting to raise its ugly head again, trying to place disturbing thoughts in Corey's head.
It was all too easy to picture the quintet of women-never mind however many were at the 'camp'-taking their sharp blades to Corey and his mates, leaving a trio of corpses in the woods.
Maybe these ladies were feral Amazonian women who despised all men and as such had a wanton passion for brutally dispatching any of the simple creatures they happened to encounter.
Corey hated this emotional rollercoaster he was on; one minute fearful, the next overjoyed and expectant of some good times, then back to apprehensive.
The apprehensive feelings of dread seemed to be the more prevalent now and he longed for some little sign to indicate things would be okay.
'Fuck it,' he told himself resolutely. 'Nothing bad is going to happen. Raven and Melissa might be man-haters-well they hate us anyway-but the rest seem alright. Desiree wouldn't let anything happen to me anyway. Would she?'
He tossed a furtive glance at Desiree and she caught his eye, looking back at him, something he hadn't planned on.
She broke into a big radiant smile, designed for him alone and the fearful black clouds flooded out of his mind just like that.
"It's cool Corey," she reassured him "We're gonna have a good time."
He smiled back, determined not to let himself think the worst, though a nagging little voice in the very back of his mind continued to niggle.
'She's just the bait Corny, just the bait. You think a glamour babe like that is really gonna be interested in you? You're a fool if you do.
She is just playing a game, sucking you and your boys’ right into whatever mischief these gals have planned.
Melissa and Raven are the bad cops, she's the good cop trying to win you over and she's done that hasn't she?
Wasn't too hard was it? Hooked you right in hook line and sinker. You've got it bad for her but you better be on your guard son because I think you'll find that there's much more than meets the eye to our sweet little Desiree. Watch out Corny, watch out.'
Corey didn’t want to believe any of that but the thoughts were in his head all the same.
Naturally a pessimist, Corey was prone to believe the worst rather than looking for the silver lining and having a nasty little voice in his head calling him by the idiot name Raven bestowed upon him didn't help.
'Fuck it,' he told himself for the second time. 'Desiree says it’s gonna be good then it will be. These gals just want to party, nothing else.'
Finally having reassured himself of that fact Corey sat back and watched Desiree row, slight gusts of wind blowing dark strands of her hair in her face.
Dropping his gaze he stared inconspicuously at her bare legs, marveling at the smooth brown skin and sensationally shapely curves.
She was easily the most beautiful creation Corey Somerset had ever seen in his life and that included any one of the silicon enhanced strippers he'd watched on display tonight.
He refused to let himself believe she could ever have a hand in any devious plans which would result in a disastrous outcome for him and his friends.
Then they were there; they'd arrived at their destination.
CHAPTER 4
Blaise jumped out of the boat, splashing into knee-deep water and seized the side of it, steadying it.
"Get out and help her Corny," Raven said. "Make yourself useful."
Corey scrambled out in a far clumsier fashion than Blaise, catching his foot on the edge and headfirst he went into the water, all flailing arms and legs.
It was indeed a warm night, but the icy shock of the sudden encounter with the water punched the breath out of his body and left him gasping.
He surfaced, a bedraggled rat with his soaked beanie plastered to his head, spitting water and curses.
He was none too pleased to witness Raven in helpless fits of laughter, and even Desiree was chuckling though she tried to stifle it when his head broke the water.
"You okay?" She asked.
"Yeah, fine." Corey replied, his response short and brusque, and he was happy to see she looked a little contrite as if regretting laughing at his misfortune.
Raven on the other hand looked as if she might need a sedative to calm her down pretty shortly; she was guffawing so hard she could barely breathe.
"Fucking hilarious isn't it?" Corey commented to Blaise as he grabbed the other side of the boat with a wet hand and helped her to drag the craft up the shore.
Blaise was giggling too, but Corey took no offence to that considering the redhead had been in a state of amusement for most of the journey and he couldn’t specifically say whether she was actually laughing at him.
He supposed it must have been pretty funny for the spectators after all.
He knew for certain that he'd find it highly amusing to witness, had it been anybody else but him taking a disgraceful dive into the drink.
He didn�
��t think the outrageous displays of hilarity from Raven were necessary though, and by no means did he feel like laughing right now.
He was drenched and uncomfortable from head to toe, feeling like a complete idiot and Raven's mocking laughter raining horrendously in his dripping ears reminded him just how much of an imbecile he was.
On the journey over he'd been so careful not to get wet where possible, getting into the boat that he'd barely copped anything except for a few random splashes and water on the soles of his boots.
Now he was a waterlogged vision of misery as he trudged up onto the bank hauling the boat with Blaise, hearing Desiree and Raven also out, splashing in ankle deep water behind them.
He didn't think the solitary joint remaining in his jacket pocket would have fared particularly well during his impromptu duck dive in the lake, but he guessed the bottle of bourbon safely zipped in the internal cavity on the coats other side wouldn't have suffered any harm.
Once the boat was well out of the water Corey stopped dragging it and simply let go, stepping away from it, stumbling a little on the uneven ground surface in his sodden shoes.
Wrenching his drowned beanie from his head he shook showering droplets from his hair, trying in vain to wipe a dripping brow with equally dripping hands.
Blaise also relinquished her hold on the craft and before Corey realised what she was doing she'd unfastened her own wet to the thighs black jeans and pushed them down to her ankles, kicking them off and away up the bank.
Underneath she was wearing nothing but a dark red G-string pair of panties almost the same colour as the plait which hung down her back and eyes goggling in sheer astonishment Corey really had no choice but to stare directly at her bared buttocks though he tried hard not to.
With a grin full of maliciously mischievous intent back over her shoulder, Blaise hiked up the tail of her dangling leather jacket revealing her extremely curvaceous behind in its tiny thong strap to Corey's stupefied eyes.
She had some kind of red and black winged creature Corey supposed might have been a dragon of sorts tattooed on her right buttock which jiggled when she gave her shapely butt a nice little shake.
"Like my tatt Corey?" enquired Blaise, mischief lurking in her voice.
"Sure do," Corey surprised himself. "But I like your ass better."
A delighted laugh escaped Blaise and Corey immediately flung a guilty glance in the direction of Desiree, knowing he owed her no obligations whatsoever, but feeling instantly regretful for his comment to Blaise all the same.
He really need not have bothered for she was paying him no attention and if she'd heard his casual remark she gave no indication of it.
She and Raven were busy with the boat, completing its haul right up the bank of the canal to where trees hung low, branches almost scraping the sandy earth.
Corey stood miserable on the bank with his saturated beanie in his hands, staring up the inlet they'd travelled.
He could have wrung water out of his beanie like a dishcloth.
Water was everywhere; he was literally drowning in it, droplets streaming from his lank locks of hair, down his face, in his eyes.
It made its presence felt, trickling uncomfortably down his back and chest underneath his clinging shirt, it made his feet clammy in sodden socks.
Even the elastic of his underpants dug wet bands of discomfort around his waist.
He would have stripped off like Blaise had it not been for the barrier of his inhibitions standing firmly in the way.
So instead he stood like a drowned rat in a daydream, disconsolate and cursing he and his mates’ rash decision to accompany the ladies by boat.
Presently he turned back around to face up into the wooded area above the sandy bank and realised that the other crew consisting of Tim, Melissa, Lee and Rachel were standing there, a little higher up the slope, half obscured by a thick stand of trees.
He trudged slowly up to where they waited, water sluicing off him with every woeful step.
Melissa, who was smoking a cigarette, raised one curious eyebrow at his pitiful appearance as he approached, but neglected to add further comment.
Lee however could not suppress a disbelieving snort of laughter.
"Jesus Corey!" he exclaimed. "What the hell happened to you boy? Couldn't you wait to go swimming?"
"I fell in," Corey muttered curtly, wishing the sets of interested eyes weren't boring into his sodden being so intently.
Tim's eyes were extremely interested, but his interest wasn't piqued by his drenched friend.
He'd spotted Blaise gallivanting up the sloping bank in her jacket and revealing G-string and he voiced his strong approval of her attire by blasting a stentorian wolf whistle.
Blaise looked up towards the congregation, giggled and waved.
With the half smoked cigarette trailing out of the corner of her lips, Melissa leaned towards Tim and delivered him a solid right hook to the shoulder which didn't look as though it tickled.
Spitting a colorful stream of creative profanities Tim furiously rubbed his bruised arm, glaring at Melissa who ignored him and scowled instead at the capering redhead.
"Blaise, what the hell kind of stunt are you trying to pull?"
"I got wet," smirked Blaise by way of explanation, holding out her jeans as evidence of her statement.
"So did this clown apparently," said Melissa gesturing with her cigarette at Corey's pathetic figure. "Thankfully he didn't see the need to get naked."
"I'm not naked," Blaise retorted. "Yet."
"Hoo boy!" Tim whooped, slapping his thigh. "Well when you are ready to do it-get naked that is-you just let me know and I will be there in the front row cheering you on!"
Melissa rounded on Tim, stabbing her cigarette at him like it was a pointing finger, so hard that ash flew off the glowing tip.
"If I have to belt you again," she warned threateningly, "it isn't going to be a little fucking lovetap, it will be a haymaker that'll have you in hospital for a week sucking your dinner through a straw."
"Oh I am so sorry." Tim was unrepentant; the fact that Melissa carried a hunting knife on her belt seeming to have eluded his memory. "I apologize if I offended you by not including you in that. I meant any of you chicks, all of you chicks! Whenever you are all ready to get bare ass naked, let me know coz I want some of that. In fact if you would like to strip that lovely body down to your G-string I'd certainly love that sneak preview."
Melissa looked as if she could hardly believe the gall of this big brash buffoon, speaking to her in that manner.
Her hand twitched over the haft of her still unclasped knife and for one split second Corey though she was either about to make good on her haymaking hospitalization promise or whip out her blade and gut Tim like a fish.
She did neither.
Instead she broke out in a big wide uncharacteristic smile, an expression which radiated her entire visage, highlighting how truly beautiful she was.
However to Corey it seemed as if the smile was a sarcastic put on one rather than a genuine smile, for he'd seen no evidence of humour lurking in those dark brown eyes.
"Well Timmy," Melissa said. "You just never know your luck do you?"
That stumped Tim. He stood still like some big dumbfounded primate, gaping his mouth in the manner of a landed fish, uncertain whether to display the stupid smile twitching at his lips or scowl in perplexity.
Corey knew one thing for certain; Tim Hayworth did not like being referred to as 'Timmy' or 'Timothy'.
One unfortunate fellow received a broken jaw once for his error in likening Tim to the poor wheelchair bound lad Timmy in the cartoon show South Park and relentlessly lampooning big Hayworth by bellowing 'Timmy!' each time he saw him.
Corey doubted Tim was about to break Melissa's jaw. He didn’t think he would have backed Tim to win either if he suddenly did have the inclination to lash out at the star tattooed girl gang leader.
Tim didn't lash out at Melissa. He didn't say anything eithe
r. He just put his hands in his pockets, obviously mulling over what she'd said to him.
Then he shrugged and tipped a sly wink at Blaise.
Corey was hardly surprised to see her wink back.
"OK bitches and bitch asses," Melissa said, dropping her cigarette butt underfoot. "Are we all ready to roll?"
There was a chorus of affirmative replies but Corey doing a quick head count and a scan of the assemblage realised that they were two short.
He also realised he couldn't see Melissa's groups boat anywhere and had no idea where Raven and Desiree absconded with their craft.
"No we're not all here!" He called out to the departing backs.
Melissa glanced back over her shoulder and halted the procession.
"What gives, Jacques Cousteau?"
"Desiree." Corey said. "She's not here."
"Oooh mustn't forget Desiree must we?" Laughed Blaise, elbowing Rachel. “Don’t worry Corey, she knows where to go."
"I'm sure she does, I just thought we oughta wait for her....and Raven." Added Corey belatedly though his care factor on the whereabouts of the scathing black girl was literally zero.
"They'll catch up," Melissa replied. "Let’s move."
With a final despairing glance back yielding no late coming girls, Corey flung his arms up in resignation and trailed off after the others, his saturated clothing hanging heavy and uncomfortable on him like his very own Ancient Mariners Albatross.
He fell into place to the left of Lee who was bringing up the rear in the parade, strolling quietly along behind Tim and Blaise while Melissa and Rachel headed the troupe.
CHAPTER 5
Corey felt as though he'd just wandered blindly through a waterfall or rather was still standing stupidly in the midst of that waterfall while tonnes of water cascaded down upon his body.
Barely a solitary cloud marked the dark star speckled sky and yet he was drenched to the skin like he'd been trapped in a torrential downpour.
He felt rightly so like a complete goose and he was no longer looking forward to the nights events, not if it meant bearing the miserable burden of these sodden clothes for the remainder of the evening.
