Beautiful Death (Bella Morté Trilogy Book 1)

by Walker, L. Dee

  It was quiet. Too quiet.

  Justice walked out after they secured the building. Luckily, they didn’t run across any resistance. Walking towards the truck, he furrowed his brows as he watched them. They looked like frozen statues. He looked around curiously if anything was about to attack them. Seeing nothing, he continued walking a little closer, peering at each of them, waiting for any sign of movement. “What,” his voice was loud in the silence and everyone in the truck screamed, “are y’all lookin’ at?”

  Brandon, frightened by the sudden noise behind him, shot at the trees, which ricocheted: making everyone duck, screaming in fear, climbing over each other to get away from the sides.

  Breathing deeply, Trevor turned, calming the group as he shook his head, glaring at Justice. “That’s a good fuckin’ way to get your ass wasted. Jesus!”

  Justice looked around confused. “What? What the hell is wrong with you guys?”

  “You scared the hell outta us!”

  “I came back to tell ya guys the coast is clear. Ya can go in.”

  “Okay, settle down.” Brandon tried calming the frightened campers. “It was just a false alarm. Let’s get inside.”

  “Yeah, we heard. We’re not deaf,” Erica said, rolling her eyes, pushing people away. “Get the fuck off!”

  Justice turned, helping people over the tailgate. “It’s dark, but we’re gonna start the generators.” He pointed to the staircase. “Go up the stairs an’ get inside where it’s safe.”

  Candice hopped over the tailgate, heading for the stairs. “Best advice yet.”

  One by one, everyone made their way up the stairs and into the building. No one said anything and fell into a single file line.

  Once inside the building, Candice looked around the room. She took a seat at one of the tables. “I remember this.”

  Zach nodded. “Tubing video.”

  “Yep, I had to watch one on zip lining. Does this mean we get to watch movies?”

  Justice chuckled. “No.”

  “Bummer.”

  “We have to save the electricity for other things.”

  Each of them sat down. It didn’t take long before light flooded the area and everyone clapped. It took some magical kicking, but finally Montana got them working. “I turned ‘em on so everyone can get a shower an’ go to the bathroom. We have food an’ snacks if you’re hungry. After tonight, we’ll store the rest for rationin’.”

  Zach nodded, still disgusted that he was literally wearing another person. In the darkness, it wasn’t as noticeable. However, in the light, it looked like he stood at the bottom of a chipper while someone fell in. “Makes sense, but for how long?”

  “We figured a few hours a day.”

  Sophia sat down. “So we’re campin’ inside now?”

  “Yes. It’ll be easier on the generators. We don’t wanna attract a lot of attention. We have plenty of lanterns an’ oil lamps. For those of you who smoke, we have some in stock. If ya need a pack, just let us know. I can’t guarantee we have yours, but we do have the most standard brands.”

  “It’s a good thing you guys had a store.”

  He nodded. “True.”

  “Smokers without cigarettes,” she winced. “Talk about unbearable.”

  “Besides, we don’t know how long this is gonna last.”

  One of the men, Howard, shook his head. “Hold up a minute! What makes you the leader?”

  “We work here an’ know where everythin’ is an’ how they run. Besides, it’s our,” Justice pointed to the rescuers, “job to make sure everyone is safe.”

  “That was fine and dandy before this shit happened.”

  “It doesn’t change the fact ‘at someone needs to take point.”

  “Yes, but what makes that person you? Maybe someone else is--”

  “Seriously dude,” Candice groaned. “We’re all okay with them being in charge.” She looked around the group. “Am I right?” Everyone nodded. Turning back, she glared at the man. “So do us a favor and shut the fuck up.” He grumbled in answer. She turned back to Justice. “As you were saying?”

  Zach looked at Candice, back to Justice, glowering silently.

  Justice snickered, winking at Candice. “While the generators are off, we need to use mellow yellow. It’s gross, but we don’t have a choice.”

  The woman, Rachel, who thought ‘like’ wasn’t used enough in conversation looked over, curiously. “Wait. Like what the hell’s that?”

  Brandon laughed. “It’s somethin’ we had in school. If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down. I thought everyone knew that?”

  Howard grimaced. “I’m glad I didn’t go to your school.”

  Ian, one of the other men in the room, cringed. “Yeah, me too.”

  Candice rolled her eyes. “You’ve never heard of it? I have.”

  “Your school too? Wow, I guess the school systems have gotten horrible over the years.”

  “No.” She rolled her eyes. “Sometimes when your toilet stops working… well, you don’t flush unless you have to.”

  Rachel cringed. “Oh like that’s disgusting. Like, gross!”

  Erica nodded. “I’m with you, sister. They graded my sorority on cleanliness. We didn’t leave any… thing… in our toilets.”

  Brandon shrugged. “Yeah, well while we’re in this situation, we need to conserve more than just food an’ electricity.”

  Sophia exhaled. “He’s got a point. We don’t know how long or even if we’re gonna be rescued.”

  “Well, now you get to experience the fabulous yellow mellow. Think of it this way,” he winked. “It’s a good story to tell your grandkids.”

  She shook her head. “It doesn’t sound that enjoyable.”

  “Most stories ya tell your grandkids aren’t.”

  “We’ll make sure to leave a bucket near the toilet just in case,” Trevor paused, “the generator’s not on an’ ya… make a brownie, so to speak. Just take the bucket, fill it full of water, pour it in, an’ it’ll automatically flush.”

  Justice sneered. “If you’re hungry, we have brownies an’ snacks.”

  Zach murmured. “I lost my appetite.”

  Laughing, Brandon walked behind the counter. “Not me. I’m starvin’!” He grabbed one of the packages of chocolate covered donuts.

  Howard cringed. “How can you eat that?”

  Opening the wrapper, grinning, he shoved one in his mouth. “Mm… there’s nothin’ like a chocolate covered donut.”

  Shaking his head, Trevor grabbed a bag of chips. “Chocolate, after that speech, that’s okay. I’ll take chips.”

  Brandon smiled. “What? It’s a known fact; chocolate makes ya feel better.”

  “I think it’s going to take a lot more than a few donuts,” Erica cried.

  “Ya never know until ya try.”

  “Nothing’s going to make up losing my entire sorority.”

  Zach winced. “Ouch. Sorry to hear about your loss. Were you close to them?”

  “We were sisters. Now, when I get back, I have to do all the recruiting.”

  Shaking her head, Candice grunted. “Yeah, well that’s a shocker. I pity you.”

  “I know! I have to send out a ton of invitations. Usually, I have help, but not anymore.”

  “Pity.”

  Sophia studied Erica. “Are ya feelin’ okay?”

  She shrugged. “I’m just upset.”

  “Ya don’t look good; a little green around the gills.”

  “Well, there’s been a lot going on. You guys look like shit too.”

  Sophia laughed. “Thanks!”

  Grabbing a piece of the white coconut cake from the pan, Candice took it and a cup of coffee back to her seat. Things wrapped were easier to store for rations, but cake wasn’t. “I’m glad I didn’t go to college.”

  Sophia arched a brow. “Why?”

  “It sounds like it wasn’t as much fun as they let on.”

  Erica shook her head. “Oh
no. It was a blast! We had parties, events, and lots of boyfriends.”

  “Oh yeah?” Brandon smiled with chocolate covered teeth. “Can ya elaborate on the boyfriends?”

  “Perv.”

  “Oh, you have all the boyfriends, but I’m the perv?”

  Sophia grabbed a piece of cake and coffee, joining Candice at the table. “I went to college to learn, so I didn’t experience it quite like that.”

  Montana pointed to the coolers. “There are beverages, but no beer. Everyone needs to keep a clear head.”

  Opening her bag of chips, Rachel grumbled. “Some of us need to like get fucked up.”

  Trevor sighed. “I agree. Montana, you’re like a party pooper.”

  He winked. “You’ll thank me when you live to drink another day.”

  “True. So how do we plan on keepin’ watch?”

  “The men can sleep in four-hour rounds.”

  Groaning, Ian looked at Montana. “Just the men?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why not the women too?”

  “You must be single.” Zach shrugged. “Because we’re better.”

  Candice rolled her eyes. “Yeah, that’s why.”

  “What? It’s true.”

  “Uh-huh.” She looked around the room. “So does anyone know what happened?”

  Rachel shook her head while drinking Diet Coke. “No, but like I can bet it was like the government.”

  Ian arched a brow. “Our government?”

  “Yep. They probably like planned it.”

  Erica glared at her. “That is annoying!”

  “Like,” turning she looked at her. “What is?”

  “Like that! Stop saying like so much.”

  “If you don’t like how I talk,” Rachel glared back. “Then like don’t listen!” Turning, she looked back at the group. “I’m telling you, it was like our government.”

  Howard chuckled. “You think they planned our demise?”

  “Yep and have like scientists hidden somewhere safe.”

  Ian stared at her, incredulously. “Someone doesn’t believe in our judicial system.”

  “Like they created this mess to like fuck with us.”

  Looking at Rachel, Sophia paused in mid-bite. “Let me get this straight. You think the Government did this for our destruction. Why?”

  “Like, I dunno. Maybe they like meant to send it to like our enemies and the wind like shifted.”

  Shrugging, Howard grabbed a candy bar off the shelf. “That sounds like a conspiracy.”

  “Like some of the hardest truths were like thought of as conspiracy.”

  “What purpose would they have?”

  “Like seriously? You don’t like see the benefit in that?”

  He shook his head. “No.”

  “Like, if they sent this shit to like our enemy, they’d be like wiped out.”

  Trevor looked at her. “Why do ya think it was them?”

  “Who else could like mastermind something this big? I’ll bet they like knew this was going to happen, but like shoved the info away in a mislabeled folder. After that, they like purposely lost it so no one would know.”

  Erica nodded. “Even though she says like way too much, she’s got a point.”

  Ian shook his head. “There’s no way. Our government isn’t like that. They wouldn’t just kill off innocent people.”

  Erica rolled her eyes. “Yeah, cause they’re so concerned with our rights.”

  Shaking her head, Sophia took another bite. “Not necessarily. Ya forgot about Africa.”

  Rachel looked over. “Like what do you mean?”

  “They had a mean outbreak of Ebola.”

  Brandon grabbed another chocolate donut. “Isn’t ‘at the virus where ya bleed a lot?”

  “Yes, an’ it’s highly contagious. Many died. It wasn’t pretty. There was speculation the government knew about it an’ covered it up.”

  Candice nodded. “Why did, whatever happened tonight, turn so many people into… whatever those things were--”

  “Freakazoids,” Ian interrupted her.

  Confused, she looked at him annoyed. She hated when people interrupted her. “Excuse me?”

  “I think we should call them by one name. It might make it a lot easier.”

  Montana sighed. “Let’s not forget those things are still people. We don’t know why they’re doin’ ‘is, but they are still people.”

  Erica scoffed. “What kind of whacked out fuckers do you hang out with? They aren’t like anyone I have ever met. They’re most definitely not people.”

  “Yeah, she’s got a point. In my line of work, I have dealt with all kinds: the government, the mafia, the FBI, the CIA, and all those other three-letter organizations. I think it’s safe to say they stopped being… people… the moment they bit into another to eat them,” Zach agreed.

  Trevor bit into a chip. “It sounds like a buncha cannibals.”

  Brandon nodded. “Yeah! That’s what they call people who eat other people, so why not call ‘em cannibals?”

  “Makes sense to me.”

  “It doesn’t matter what it is. This way if someone screams about a Freakazoid, we’ll know what the hell they mean.” Ian nodded. “Just to lessen the confusion.”

  Candice rolled her eyes. “Fine, we’ll call them Freakazoids. So, what happened in one night to make so many?”

  Reaching over, grabbing her fork, Zach stole a bite of cake. “Yeah, and are the rest of us going to get it too?”

  Brandon shook his head. “If we do, who’s gonna protect you guys?”

  Montana sat down with a cup of coffee. “I think we should get to know each other first. We can discuss the rest of it after.”

  “I want a refund,” Erica said, pointing at him. “We paid out the ass and this isn’t what I was promised!”

  Scowling, Candice glared at her. “You really think money matters now?”

  Raising his hands in the air, Justice stood. It was about to get nasty in there. Even though, he loved to see two women fighting, especially in the mud, they didn’t have time for all that. “Okay then. I’ll start us off. I’m Justice. A guide here trained from zip linin’ all the way down to janitorial work. I know how to do it all.”

  Brandon smirked. “In other words, he’s our bitch.”

  Scowling, Justice flipped him off. “Next.”

  Candice looked around as all eyes turned to her. “Oh! Well, I guess that’s me. I’m Candice Larkin. Usually, I work in an office. I’m a beast on the computer and can hack any system.”

  Justice looked at her. “I heard some can’t be hacked.”

  “You heard wrong. If you know where the back door is, with just a little coding, you’re in.”

  “What about this one?”

  “I don’t know. I’d have to look at it, but it shouldn’t be a problem.”

  Brandon chuckled. “Isn’t that against the law?”

  “Not when you work for the government,” she told him before turning to look at Rachel. “And before you ask, no, I didn’t see anything about this in any files.”

  Zach raised his hand. “I’m Zach Stewart.” He put his arm around Candice’s shoulder, possessively. “And this gorgeous woman is my fiancé and has been, happily, for two years now.”

  Candice rolled her eyes, reaching for a drink, pulling away from him at the same time. “Yep.”

  He continued. “We came here for a vacation, but this isn’t what I had in mind.”

  Ian nodded. “Join the club.”

  “I own a construction company and can work on any and all equipment. I can also build and tear down a house. I have a warehouse filled with things, but it’s about an hour from here.”

  Montana nodded. “That information will come in handy.”

  Taking a seat next to Justice, Brandon offered another chocolate covered smile. “I’m Brandon Ayres. Most of you’ve seen me flyin’ over your heads.”

  “Oh! That was you!” When he smiled, Candice smirked. “F
lying around on a broom is one way to go, I guess.”

  “Oh ha-ha. You’re so funny.” He rolled his eyes. “I’m one of the zip linin’ guides, but I can handle the water too. I like long walks on the beach an’ could really go for a midnight swim.” He winked, but when no one smiled, he continued, pointing at Candice. “I remember you.”

  “You do?”

  Zach looked from Candice to Brandon, glaring slightly.

  “Yep. You were our problem child.”

  Candice laughed. “How did I know that stupid name was gonna stick?”

  “Because it fits.”

  “Out of that whole trip, you just remember me as the problem child?”

  He winked. “I guess you’re unforgettable.”

  Trevor scoffed. “More like trouble. I remember. Ya kept tryin’ to throw people off the tower.”

  She laughed softly. “Nuh-uh.”

  “You thought we’d forget about that?”

  Interestedly, Montana looked at her. “You were tryin’ to throw people off my towers?”

  Candice giggled, shaking her head. “No, not people. I’m not like some serial killer.”

  “That’s what it sounds like to me.”

  “It was just one guy.”

  “Oh, well if it was just one guy.” He laughed. “That doesn’t sound much better.”

  Zach looked inquiringly from one to the other. “What are they talking about?”

  She smirked. “When Todd and I went zip lining.”

  “They were your guides?” He looked from one to the other, before turning back to her. “What happened?”

  “Todd was his usual dick self. I tried to get Brandon and Trevor to look the other way so I could throw him off the tower a few times.”

  Brandon laughed. “A few times?”

  Trevor sneered. “It wasn’t just a few times. It was every tower.”

  “I think she was tryin’ to get us fired.”

  Candice laughed. “Nuh-uh.”

  Trevor nodded. “Yuh-huh! She said the cops knew him an’ would understand.”

  “Well, that much was true!”

  Brandon agreed. “He was bein’ an ass. By the end of the trip, everyone was ready to help her.”