Creeptych

by John Everson

  “Are we there yet?” Mark whined.

  Billy turned to look at his friend and saw that Mark was busy staring at the girls, who’d stripped down to bikinis to lounge on the deck. “Like you care right now,” he answered, laughing. “But yeah, actually, we’re just about there. See that?”

  He pointed to long strip of sand just to their right. It was one of the larger keys they’d seen in the past half hour; its center held a thick copse of palms and other trees, and while areas of the shore were obscured by scrub grass and silver-green bushes, there were long strips of the beach that looked white and inviting.

  “This is the place?” Casey asked. “It looks perfect! Do you think we can find some coconut shells? Jess’s costumes would be better with coconuts…”

  “I don’t do coconuts,” Jess answered. “Too heavy.”

  “Actually, I was thinking for the guys.”

  “Like a codpiece?”

  “Dream on,” Billy interrupted the girls’ musings. “But you might want to get off the deck while you’re doing it. I’m pulling us in to shore.”

  “Where do we tie up?” Mark asked.

  “There should still be a portable dock over there,” Billy answered. “We drop anchor and roll it out. If it’s not there anymore… then we all swim!”

  A few minutes later, Billy dove into the water and in just a few powerful strokes was into the shallow water near the beach. He disappeared around a copse of bushes, reappearing a few minutes later with a thumbs-up signal and a rope in hand. The thin wooden slat dock rolled out into the water on large rusted metal wheels. The piece that stayed on the island was anchored by chains to two shafts of metal buried deep in the ground. Billy maneuvered the dock to the deepest part of the beach drop off, and then swam back to the boat to guide them in.

  Minutes later, and they were all standing on the beach. Casey surveyed the shore, hands on her hips, the posture making her well-tanned cleavage more than obvious as she slowly turned a 360. “Nice place, Billy,” she finally said.

  “That’s what I was thinking,” he answered, his eyes fixed obviously on her breasts.

  A tan sliver of fabric hit him in the chest. “Suit up, horndog,” Jess said. She tossed another at Mark.

  “You first,” Billy dared, and Jess shrugged. “All talk, no action,” she laughed, and without pause, turned her back to the guys and untied her store bought bikini, let it drop to the sand and then slipped on the scanty homemade bikini top. Then she dropped her bottoms, giving them all a clear view of the white triangle that remained untanned on her ass, as she pulled up the thin triangles attached to a leather string. When she tied it tight, her tan lines were still clearly revealed.

  “You’re gonna burn your butt,” Mark warned.

  “I brought lotion,” Jess answered. “I might even let you put it on me.”

  “I won’t need any,” Casey taunted, and performed the same quick change routine as Jess, her bronze back and ass clearly demonstrating that she spent a lot of time in the sun. And apparently most of it in the nude.

  “You ever study with a tan like that?” Mark asked.

  Jess put a finger to her boyfriend’s chin and turned his eyes to meet hers. “Watch this way,” she warned.

  “Sure,” Casey laughed. “What do you think I do while I’m tanning?”

  “Boy’s turn,” Jess announced as Casey turned around, now displaying even more bare skin than her previous bikini had allowed.

  Billy shrugged at Mark and the two turned away and dropped their shorts, quickly stepping into costume.

  “Aw, look Jess,” Casey taunted. “They’re shy.”

  “You two are asking for it,” Mark said, turned back to them. He shifted a little uncomfortably in his new island g-string. It hung loosely between his legs, and didn’t hide the fact that he was more than a little aroused by the situation.

  “And they’ll get it. Plenty,” Billy promised. “But first we need to pick a camp site and get setup.”

  “Let’s stay near the boat,” Casey suggested. “We could setup right over there at the tree line?”

  “Works for me,” Billy said, and Mark shrugged acceptance. Jess hopped back into the boat and tossed her heavy pack to Mark. Billy stepped past her and grabbed a tent bag, and the two walked up the shifting sand to a spot sheltered between two huge palm trees. “Wish I had a hammock,” Mark observed.

  They got to work setting up the first tent, while the girls brought some of the smaller gear from the boat and piled it nearby.

  Mark popped in the main pole at the same moment as Jess screamed.

  “What?” he jumped out from the midst of the green fabric to see her standing on one foot just a couple meters away. Her hand massaged the top of one foot while her eyes stared at the beach in horror.

  Casey held her shoulder. “Did it bite?”

  “Did what bite?” Billy demanded, and Jess pointed at a spot on the sand. Billy knelt in front of her and stared at the thing she pointed at.

  “What is it?” Mark asked, joining him.

  “A spider of some kind,” Billy answered, leaning closer to stare at its thin but spiny legs, and oval, violet back.

  “Looks like a small crab,” Mark said. “Never seen a purple spider.”

  Billy shook his head. “You’d think so, but that’s not a shell. Those legs are insectoid.”

  “Is it poisonous?” Jess cried.

  “I don’t know,” Billy said. “Did it bite you?”

  Jess shook her head. “I was just standing there and I felt something tickle my foot. I looked down and there it was, standing on me. I kicked it off right away.”

  Billy stood, and the spider began to run across the sand. But Billy didn’t let it go. He stepped to the left and ground the heel of his sandal on the thing, leaving a glimmering mess of violet film and yellowish mush in his wake.

  “It won’t bother you again,” he promised.

  Jess hugged herself. “I hate spiders,” she said. “And where there’s one, there are always more.”

  “I’ve got bug spray,” Casey announced, and pulled a can from her bag.

  “Does it keep away spiders?”

  Casey began spraying it all over her friends’ feet and legs. “Guess we’ll see.”

  Billy held his nose at the poison sweet smell. “Might keep away boyfriends,” he suggested.

  “Really?” Casey asked, and then made a show of slowly spraying her arms, legs and bare midriff. Then she tossed the can to Mark.

  “Naw, I guess not,” Billy admitted, and slipped his arm around her back to pull her close.

  “Camp first, cum second,” Mark announced.

  “Niceeeeee,” Casey rolled her eyes. “Your momma would be so proud.”

  “Bet your mom would love to see a picture of that getup you’re almost wearing,” Billy laughed.

  “Come and get it,” she taunted, and ran behind the palms and into the foliage beyond. She raised a hand from behind a tall green frond, and dangled the top half of her costume. “No?” she asked, with mock innocence.

  Billy looked at Mark, who shrugged and changed his direction. “Cum first, camp second.” Billy grinned, and followed Casey into the jungle.

  Mark turned to Jess for a kiss, but she put her hands on his shoulders and pressed him away. “Not right now,” she pleaded. “I’m still a little creeped out.”

  A Path Through The Shadows

  Later, after Billy and Casey finished their task while Mark and Jess handled setting up camp, they all wolfed down a lunch of ham sandwiches Casey had packed. Mark leaned back against the trunk of a palm, and belched, loudly.

  “Truly a well-mannered boy,” Jess observed.

  “A compliment to the cook?” he offered.

  “Nice try.”

  Billy stood up and stretched. “Anyone want to take a hike, see what’s around?”

  Jess and Casey jumped up. “Sure,” they said in unison.

  Mark moaned and rubbed his bare belly. “But I’m a
ll full and comfy.”

  “You’re coming,” Billy demanded. “I’m not leaving you here to drink all the beer. Grab the machete from the boat? We might need to cut a path if it’s really thick.”

  They filed beneath the palms in the same direction that Casey had led Billy earlier, and in moments the rich blue sky was replaced by a canopy of deep green. The steamy summer heat dropped by 10 degrees almost instantly. They walked through the bushes and trees, Billy periodically slashing away a few branches, though none really blocked their path. “Breadcrumbs,” he explained. “We can follow the branches back if we get turned around.”

  There seemed to be an almost natural path into the center of the island. After walking for just a few minutes, they saw why.

  “Check this out,” Billy stopped and pointed to their left. Sheltered behind a stand of thin trees and brush, they could just make out the corner of a silver-topped roof.

  “What is it?” Jess asked.

  “Looks like a Quonset hut,” Billy said, stepping closer.

  “I thought you said nobody ever came to this island,” Casey accused.

  Mark stepped past Billy and walked up to the door of the small building.

  “Um, I don’t think we should be seen right now,” Jess suggested, wrapping her arms around her chest to hide her cleavage.

  “You were the one who made us wear them,” Mark reminded. “But I don’t think you have anything to worry about. I don’t think anybody’s home.”

  Billy joined him at the door, a simple metal rectangle with a nameplate in the center, just above the knob. Innovative Industries, it read.

  “I didn’t leave the beach much when I came here before,” Billy said. “But I don’t think this was here two years ago.”

  Mark turned the knob and the door opened, easily. “Hello?” he called, sticking his neck inside. Then his feet followed.

  “All clear,” he declared, and the girls gingerly stepped to follow Billy inside.

  The door opened on a long thin room, about 10 feet wide and 20 across. Two doors interrupted the back wall, and Mark and Billy quickly opened and shut those, pronouncing “empty.”

  Casey walked along a counter that was attached to the inner wall. It appeared to be made of stainless steel and extended out about three feet from the wall. Above it on the wall were three shelves, littered with vials, steel containers, a shortwave radio, something that looked like an oven, and several other unrecognizable pieces of electronic equipment. The counter itself was empty, except for two steel canisters at the end of the room.

  “What is this place?” Casey mused.

  Billy shook his head. “Looks like an outpost,” he said. “Weather station or something. No sign that anyone’s been here for awhile though.”

  He opened a small white refrigerator at the other end of the room, and gagged when the stench hit him. Black fuzz coated the inside of the appliance, along with unrecognizable lumps of something that no doubt had once been food. He quickly slammed the door shut.

  “Generator’s apparently been out of fuel for quite awhile,” he pronounced, still coughing.

  They stepped back out of the hut, and now the cool air of the foliage brought a chill to their exposed skin. Jess had an overwhelming desire to pull on a T-shirt. Playing Blue Lagoon was all well and good when you knew nobody else was around, but now she was a bit discomfited that obviously somebody had been to this island.

  Mark read her thoughts and put an arm on her shoulders. “Whoever it was, they haven’t been here in a long time. Months maybe. I don’t think we have to worry about them coming back this particular weekend just to spoil our party!”

  “C’mon,” Billy said. “Let’s see what’s on the opposite shore. This island isn’t that big; it can’t be much farther.”

  They continued walking, but everyone seemed a bit quieter than an hour before. The leaves made the only sound as they shifted in the slight wind.

  “Have you noticed there are not even any birds here?” Mark said at one point. “It’s so quiet—no bugs buzzing, no birds calling…”

  “It is still,” Billy agreed. “Probably just cuz we’re so far out from the mainland. Think of it this way, that’s just more proof that it’s an uninhabited island.”

  “There are spiders,” Jess declared. “Freakin’ ugly spiders.”

  Just as she said that, the group stepped through a stand of bushes and were suddenly out of the foliage and back on open beach.

  “No spiders here,” Billy said, and pointed to the white sand that extended from the edge of their feet into the crystal clear water just a few yards away. “Anyone want to see if there are fish?”

  With that he took off running towards the water. Casey joined him. “Last one in,” she called. Mark and Jess laughed and followed. When they were all chest deep in the water, Casey turned to Jess and pointed to her bikini top, noting, “Um, these costumes don’t really cling very well.” Her naked breast broke the surface of the water briefly, as she demonstrated that the tan triangle had slipped easily to the side.

  “Exhibitionist,” Jess accused. “Mine stayed on just fine.”

  “Mine could use a little adjusting,” Mark suggested, rubbing up against her thigh to make it obvious that his privates had also slipped out of his loincloth after their short swim.

  She reached down and encircled the stray organ, and with a smile, slipped him back inside the fabric. “Down boy,” she laughed.

  Mark shook his head and bent to kiss her. “Nuh-uh,” he answered.

  From behind them, Casey called out, “We’re going to swim for awhile.”

  Mark grinned, and pulled Jess back out of the water towards the beach.

  “Right now?” she whispered, glancing at the two playfully wrestling in the water behind them.

  “They’ll stay out there awhile,” he promised. “Probably doing the same thing.”

  “Ew, with the fish?” she grimaced.

  He pulled her into the shade of a bush and kissed her, hard. His hands roamed the wet skin of her back and thighs, trailing up between the cleft of her ass and then cupping her behind to pull her even tighter to him. When he broke the kiss, Jess’s eyes were on fire.

  “OK,” she breathed heavily. “Right now.”

  She pulled the tie on her bikini and he did the same, just before kneeling to suck one dark nipple gently between his lips. He bit down playfully, and she moaned. “Pick a position,” she whispered. “Cuz one of us is getting sand in their ass.”

  “Missionary,” he said, and helped her lay down in the cool sand.

  “You’re such a gentleman,” she said, but didn’t protest. She laid down on the sand and opened her thighs provocatively.

  “I won’t be a gentleman in a second.”

  Jess cried out as he entered her, and stifled herself with a finger.

  “You can let go,” he encouraged, “No one will hear.” And soon enough, she did. Her heels dug in and pressed against the sand, and she raised her knees to let him in deeper. It was strangely erotic, to be pressing her feet through cool sand as he dripped warm salty water across her chest. She pressed her feet deeper into the sand until her toes met something that didn’t shift. Cold. A rock. She curled her toes around it as Mark cried out his own finish, and smiled as he wilted against her, resting his head on her chest.

  Then as the fog of pleasure faded and the world suddenly took shape again around them, the sand began to itch between her ass cheeks and she gently pushed him up. He rolled to the side and she sat up, looking for her bikini top in the much-disturbed sand.

  It lay just beyond her knee, and as she bent forward, she saw the rock that her foot had been massaging. Only, it wasn’t a rock.

  “Oh god,” she whispered. “Mark?”

  Mark had rolled on his back, but he opened his eyes at the tone of her voice. “What’s the matter?”

  “Tell me that isn’t what it looks like,” she said, pulling her foot as far away from the white thing in the sand as she co
uld.

  Mark reached out and pulled the thing from the sand and stared into a pair of open eyesockets. Yellowed, bare teeth grinned back at him. Human teeth.

  “OK,” he agreed, his voice cracking a bit. “This isn’t a skull.”

  “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” she swore, leaping to her feet and pulling her bottoms on. “I’ve been playing fuckin’ footsy with a dead guy for the last five minutes.”

  Mark dropped the skull. It rolled to the side, and he could see the back of its braincase was broken. It almost looked chewed…

  “Better or worse than a spider?” he offered, but she didn’t hear. She was already running for the beach to call to the others.

  In The Air

  Billy and Casey moved into shallow water, both of them clumsily trying to push their coverings back into some semblance of covering as they stumbled to shore.

  “What’s the matter?” Billy said when he reached Jess, who waited impatiently at the water’s edge.

  “There’s a dead guy back there!” Jess announced.

  Moments later they had all gathered around the skull. Billy reached down and gently pushed sand away from the area that the skull had come from, and soon had uncovered the bleached vertebrae of the neck, followed by the shoulders, collarbone and ribs. Then abruptly, he stopped.