Rachel shook her head. “Please tell me it wasn’t like a mouse sandwich.”
Irritated, Zach backed out of the room. “Anyone that’s lived… encouraging. Is he going to be our cook? I think I’d rather take my chances outside.”
Brandon shrugged. “They don’t count. They were durin’ my experimental stage.”
Candice chuckled. “You had an experimental stage with guinea pigs?”
Rachel looked on in horror. “Oh my God! You like cooked guinea pigs too?”
Trevor leered. “Guinea pigs were the people tasters makin’ sure we weren’t gonna die.”
She looked around with a puzzled expression. “I’m like so confused, but still like not going anywhere near the mice.”
Trevor smirked. “Mouse. Singular. It’s just one.”
“You’re like gonna correct my grammar at a time like this?”
Noticing all the activity, Erica slowly entered. “Really? There’s a baby mouse in here?”
Trevor backed out of the room, leaving Candice bent over the corner. “Over there in the corner.”
“How do you know it’s a baby?”
Brandon shrugged. “It’s pink an’ wrinkly. It’s gonna die. It might be best.”
Rachel recoiled. “Oh God, if like there’s more we should move on. Like, fuck this room.”
Rushing forward, Erica ran to the corner. “No! I love mice! I used to have a bunch. I know how to take care of them. I’ll take it and make it a nest so it gets better.”
When she sprinted forward, Candice turned, allowing her the corner, hurrying out the door. Anyone still in the room, she shoved out with force. “It’s all yours.”
Rushing over, it didn’t take long to see the corner was empty. Turning, she grabbed at Candice as she raced past her. “Bitch, I don’t see a fucking mouse!”
“Quick, shut it and lock it!” Candice ran so fast she crashed into Brandon.
The door slammed shut as Erica ran into it. She found herself locked in. The rest of the group, confused, looked from one to the other unsure of what just happened.
Brandon allowed her to fall into him before steadying her. “You okay?” He smiled, pulling away. “Good job!”
“Thanks. I was worried we weren’t going to be able to pull it off.”
“I know. Me too!”
Confused, Rachel looked from one to the other. “Like what the hell’s going on?”
Erica beat on the door, screaming at the top of her lungs. “You can’t do this to me!”
Sophia looked through the window. “I’m sorry, but ya might be infected an’ we can’t take that chance.”
Rachel looked shocked. “What?”
“Fuck you!” Running, Erica hurled herself into the door. She pounded, kicking, trying to break it open. “Let me out! I’m fine.”
Sophia backed away from the door. “No, you’re not. You’re sweatin’ like a stuck pig.”
“It’s just hot in here!”
“Ya could be contagious. You’ve got somethin’ an’ I don’t know what it is.”
Turning, Brandon looked at Candice. “How did ya know she’d run in the room an’ not out like everyone else?”
She shrugged. “I heard her talking about a pet mouse she had. Apparently one of the neighbors had a cat… mouse disappeared.”
“Ten to one odds where ‘at mouse went,” Trevor said.
Erica hopped up, running for the door again. This time she threw her weight into it, kicking in a rage. “Please let me out! I promise I won’t hurt anyone.”
Rachel backed away. “Like don’t open that door. I don’t believe her.”
Looking at Montana, Sophia retreated. “Are ya sure that’ll hold her?”
He nodded. “Yes. It’s a steel door.”
Brandon sighed. “That’s a real shame. She’s a real knockout.”
Candice scowled at him. “Stop saying that because it sounds like if she were ugly, it would be okay.”
“That’s not what I said. However, I am a guy. We’re visual so if there’s a good lookin’ girl, I notice.”
Trevor nodded. “He’s not normal, but he is a guy.”
Candice grunted. “Normal is overrated, but maybe you should be considerate about what’s happening.”
Brandon nodded. “I am! I’m thinkin’ how I didn’t get to tap ‘at ass first.”
“Oh. I feel so sorry for you,” she said, rolling her eyes.
“What? I am a healthy, hot-blooded, horny man. I think about it all the time.”
“Okay guys, let’s go. We’ll show you where you’re gonna sleep. This was just to get Erica in ‘at room,” Montana told them.
Sophia nodded. “Yes, because we think she’s infected.”
“What do you mean by infected?” Howard asked, confused.
“We’re not sure, but all the signs are there.”
“How many people knew?” Zach glared at Candice.
Montana shrugged. “Me, Sophia, Candice, an’ the boys, but don’t worry. We had it under control.”
“Wait. That girl has a virus and no one told us?” Ian questioned, angrily.
“That’s just bullshit!” Howard roared.
“Are you like one-hundred percent sure it’s not airborne? I like talked to her! What if she like dribbled on me?” Rachel argued.
Sophia put up her hands, silencing them. “We had the situation under control. We did what was safest for the group.”
“Why didn’t you tell the rest of us?” Zach asked.
“Yeah, why pick like individual members of the group?” Rachel shrieked. “Oh my God. I feel like something is crawling on my skin. What if like we touched her?”
“Did you touch ‘er?” Sophia probed.
“Like I’m not sure. Like I think I did.”
“Our,” she pointed from Candice back to herself, “job was to observe while they worked on the room. You didn’t go near her. My eyes might be old, but they aren’t bad.”
“Like I thought I did.”
“Regardless, it’s what could have happened that put us at high risk,” Howard wailed.
“Do you see how you’re acting now?” Candice screeched, and everyone looked at her. “You really think you could’ve been calm knowing there might be a dangerous infection around you?” She stood in front of Howard. “You hoot and holler because you might have been around it. How would you have acted if you knew?” He shrugged. Continuing around the room, she stopped in front of Rachel. “You would’ve acted the same fucking way you are now. Any plan of a surprise would’ve been gone and someone would’ve gotten hurt.” Embarrassed, Rachel looked down at the floor. She continued, standing in front of Zach. “You didn’t know because we had it under control.”
He shook his head. “It still would’ve been nice to have been told!”
Turning again, she stood with Brandon. “Only those of us who could handle the truth were told.”
Turning to look at the group, Brandon nodded. “Harsh, but she’s right.”
“Yep, the surprise was the essential element. If it wasn’t for Candice,” Trevor told them.
She shrugged. “I don’t know about all that. I was lucky. I heard her talking about her love of a mouse. No big deal.”
Howard shook his head. “Yes. It’s a damn big deal! You took a chance with our lives.”
“How did we do that?”
“By not knowing what the hell was going on, you endangered my life!”
“Melodramatic much? We handled it the best way. Our way caused little to no danger to anyone else. The only danger was to us.”
“If ‘is had been a real emergency, ya would’ve been instructed where to tune,” Trevor said in a computer-like voice. Everyone looked at him. He shrugged. “What? That’s what this reminds me of… in a roundabout sorta way.”
Montana stared at Trevor. Though his interruption caused a few giggles to fall around them, it did lessen the intensity of the conversation. He looked at Candice. “Modesty suits you.” He
turned to the rest of them. “Follow me. We’ll get y’all to the other rooms.”
“So, do I get my own room?” Ian asked, following closely behind him.
“We have to move some things around later. Right now, we figured out one side for men, an’ one side for women. It works for now.”
“Not for all of us,” Zach muttered.
They continued. The guides had created an area for the men and one for the women. It was mainly just sleeping bags on the floor. One was closer to the bathrooms. The other filled with comfortable furniture. The women wanted both.
Montana looked around. “Tomorrow we’ll go down an’ barricade the doors. I also would suggest that we guides go clean out a couple of the local stores. We might even wanna ransack the fast food places. We’re gonna need more food. We have enough for a little while.”
“Don’t like forget cigarettes,” Rachel said, pulling one out of her half-empty pack. “I really don’t like want to see a bunch of chain-smoking fools without their vices.”
Zach pulled Candice to the side. “I found a spot where we can sleep together. It’s a beautiful, quiet little corner away from everyone. No one will hear you scream from pleasure.”
Shaking her head, she pulled away from him. “No. I’ll sleep with the women.”
“What’s going on, Candice?”
“Nothing.”
“Why the hell are you pushing me away?”
She shrugged. “I’m not. I just don’t feel like sleeping with you!”
“Bullshit! You have been hanging out with the guides all day. Is there something going on?”
“Are you serious? I’m so sick and tired of your fucking jealousy.”
Furrowing his brows, he scoffed. “I’m not jealous!”
“Sure you’re not. I could understand if I cheated on you, but I haven’t. I’ve never given you a reason to doubt me.”
“I don’t!”
“Yes. You do! It’s almost like,” she shook her head. “Oh wow.”
“What?”
“Are you so insecure because you cheated on me?”
“What the fuck? Where is that coming from?”
“I’m serious, Zachary. What’s the deal?”
He rolled his eyes. “You're ridiculous. I don’t treat you like that.”
“You get mad when I’m having a conversation with another man. I had to deal with you going off with women to conventions. Places where you were staying in a hotel. I never accused you once of cheating on me. I trusted you.” She stopped and looked down while shaking her head.
“I don’t know where you got this horseshit, but that’s exactly what it is.”
“I was so stupid. You cheated on me. Now you think because you got away with it that maybe I did too.”
“I’m not going to dignify that with a response and just say goodnight,” he said, turning and walking away from her.
“You’re not going to because you can’t!”
“You should know the answer.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes, I should, but you get jealous. What other reason is there?”
“I don’t know who filled your head so full of shit, but I’m going to bed. Goodnight, Candice.”
“That’s right. Run away! It’s what you always do when things don’t go your way. You know what, fuck off, Zach.”
He stormed off to the men’s section.
She stormed off to the kitchen.
They decided the men were going to keep watch, allowing the women to sleep. Montana grabbed a bunch of straws that were in the kitchen and cut them down into sections. Each of them drew from the pile in his hand. They had their designated watch hours from the shortest going first, to the longest going last. They each had to keep watch in four-hour rounds. Trevor was the first on the lookout. For the most part everyone slept, but some of the men snored loudly.
He sat down looking out the window, sipping on coffee to help keep him awake. He felt his eyes grow heavy. Before long, his head gently hit the window and he joined the snoring.
Nine
Hot. It was like an oven in his sleeping bag. It was later than it should be. First one brown eye peered out as he pulled the cover down. There was light and soon a head of blonde hair followed that eye. It was as if electricity zapped him while he slept as his hair went off in all directions. Both eyes wildly looked around.
“Holy shit!” He pulled out the earplugs, listening. “It’s daylight!”
It was late enough that he should have heard people laughing and having fun, but there was nothing but silence. It was quiet, too damn quiet.
Frank Martin had been an employee for many years. He was good at what he did. He loved his job. Oh sure, he bitched about it like the next person, but the truth of the matter was, he wouldn’t trade it for any other. Tripping to the floor, he scrambled, kicking his feet, feverishly trying to free himself. Staggering around half asleep, he searched for his cell phone. When he found it, he pushed the button, checking for the time. It was well past one in the afternoon. His shift started at seven in the morning.
“Oh shit! What the fuck’s goin’ on?”
He tried calling his boss. When the call wouldn’t go through, he raised his hand, thinking about slamming the phone on the ground. He paused. The cost of replacing it with an identical one would set him back and he needed his phone for his job. He calmly put it back in his pocket.
Jumping up, he quickly dressed. Dancing around, he hurriedly put on socks and shoes and opened his tent. He practically fell out. Looking around, confused, he was more than a little disturbed. “What the fuck?” He whirled in a circle, dragging a hand through his hair. “Holy shit! I slept through this. Those are some damn good earplugs!” He stopped short. Laughing, he took a deep breath, shaking his head. He twirled around in a circle. “Okay. You guys can come out now, ya know. Ya got me. Ya really scared the piss outta me. Get out here so I can tell ya what sick, twisted fucks you are. It looks so real, ya know!” He stood waiting. Nothing happened. “Guys? Trevor. Brandon. Justice. Where are you?”
The guides played practical jokes on each other all the time. He had been the butt of their pranks many times. The longer he waited, the more he realized. It wasn’t a joke of any kind. It was real. He saw clusters of body parts scattered in pools of blood. People he worked with so disfigured they were unrecognizable: torn to pieces with fragments scattered everywhere.
He found it hard to breathe. There was a thick fog lingering in the air. The stench of rotting flesh so fierce, he had to cover his nose. Using his shirt, he coughed, gagging slightly. There was a decapitated head pinned to a tree. It looked like a warning. The look on the face was horrific. The skin dragged away from the flesh like a wax figure, melting in the sun. Terror-filled eyes rolled back, revealing nothing but the cornea. The mouth was open and a snake slithered out. If it wasn’t real, it was the creepiest mask he had ever seen.
He stood in shock and disbelief. It couldn’t be real, but the evidence was all around him. Hearing a noise, he spun around. Smiling, he laughed softly. “Tiffany? Oh, thank God you’re here, ya know.”
The timid girl around the camp was Tiffany Castle. Everyone liked her. She was tiny, adorable, and easy to get along with and most everyone loved her. Even the clients liked the fact that she was hilarious. She made them laugh through their fright when they were on the zip line. She was popular and one of the most requested guides.
She didn’t look so cute anymore. Covered in blood from head to toe, she took a bite from a severed human hand. The raw, fleshy tendrils hung from the hand, her mouth, as well as stuck in her teeth. Noticing him, she threw it down, taking steps toward him.
“Good Lord.” He hesitated, taking a step back. “What happened to you? What are you eatin’? Are you okay? Ya don’t look so good, ya know.”
As she got closer, it was obvious what she wanted. He took a few steps back and stumbled. Turning himself around, he tried to run. Tripping over the body behind him, he fell to the ground. He fel
l on his hands, face to face with something that made him tremble, shaking deep within his soul out of pure terror.
Time stood still, but Tiffany didn’t.
Next to him on the ground was another decapitated head. They were all over the place. One lifeless eye looked at him with half of the face clean of flesh. He could see the skull. The jaw was broken just hanging wide-open, missing teeth. It looked painful. The other side of the face seemed intact. Hair ripped out by the handfuls with crusted blood spots. It looked like de-feathering a bird. Little brown tufts left in place, also covered in blood. Many dents in the head covered with bruises were evidence of the beating this person took.
While he was busy inspecting the head, Tiffany grew closer. She reached down for him, growling, as she grabbed at his shirt. That was enough for him. Hands dug into the ground as he shuffled his feet to gain traction. He planted his feet firmly and ran. Tiffany was on top of him, yet she still only grabbed at air. Snarling, with outstretched hands, she ran at him.
He could hear her huffing loudly behind him. He didn’t stop. He had gotten a too-close inspection of that head. Whoever it was had died a very painful death. One he didn’t plan on duplicating. Sprinting through the woods like an excellent hurdler, the bushes weren’t a problem. Without missing a beat, he ducked under low-level limbs.
Scaling up the trees higher, he looked like a flying squirrel as he jumped to the one beside it. Grabbing at the limb, he barely caught it. Cuts and scratches were all over his hands, but he continued leaping from one to another before shimmying back down. Once more, he took off running. He didn’t look back. Plunging into the river, and creeks, he slipped and fell into the mud, but didn’t stop. Finally, after running forever, he turned, looking behind him. She was nowhere in sight, probably still trying to climb that first tree he went up. Looking around, he realized one small little fact.
He was lost in the middle of the woods. “This just isn’t my day, ya know.”
Ten
Trevor slept on the window seat with his head pressed against the glass. He didn’t mean to fall asleep, but with all the snoring around him, it was bound to happen. It was like singing a lullaby to a newborn. Looking around, he jerked his head up. Something woke him. He didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Shrugging, he put his head back down to get comfortable. That was when he heard the noise again. It was a faint sound like a limb snapping outside the window.
Beautiful Death (Bella Morté Trilogy Book 1) Page 10
