Virgo's Vice

by Trish Jackson

  Billy puts an arm around me and pulls me close. “I’m sorry, Lexie. I did everything I could.” His voice is broken.

  I bury my head in his chest and weep, only vaguely aware of him stroking my hair and talking softly. An attack is coming on. I’m shaking all over and I get that desperate need for Zoloft. I’m breathing hard and I start to throw up. Billy leads me away and pushes me down onto the ground. “Sit,” he says. “What can I do to help?”

  I dry retch. I’ve already lost my dinner. I rock back and forth and the pain is everywhere and I’m burning up and I want to scream and die. I just want to die.

  “You have to get it together, Lex,” Billy says in a stern voice. “You wanted to be able to handle things, remember? That’s why you left your meds behind. That old Lexie is gone and this is the new one. You’ve been doing real good, and now you have to be strong. Life’s gonna throw curveballs at you and you have to handle them.”

  Easy for him to say. He’s never had a panic attack. I take deep breaths and try to slow my breathing down. I’m still rocking backwards and forwards because it soothes me. I become aware of Billy’s hand stroking my hair and it’s good.

  “That’s it. You’re doing better, now,” he says quietly. “Keep taking those long breaths.” I slip the last two candies into my mouth.

  Stretch’s voice comes to me. “You said you knew which mushrooms were safe, man. Are we all gonna fall down and die like that now?” He’s shouting.

  “I do know which mushrooms are safe,” Trip says. “I know I didn’t pick any of the poisonous ones. I checked them all myself.”

  “So what are you saying?” Sam says. “That one of us deliberately slipped a poisonous mushroom in there? We don’t know the difference, so how would we know which ones to poison someone with?”

  Trip sucks on his pipe, and then takes it out of his mouth.

  “Why would I poison him?” Trip knocks the tobacco out of the pipe onto his shoe. “What do I stand to gain from Killing Mark, huh?”

  “Money.”

  “We all know the game is over, and anyhow, Mark wasn’t one of the players.”

  “Maybe he saw you doing something you shouldn’t,” Sam counters.

  Trip shakes his head. “That’s ridiculous.”

  That’s when I remember Mark said he had something to tell me. Could Sam be right? I have to watch the footage on Mark’s camera, but I can’t do it when anyone else is around, except Billy, of course. What if Mark witnessed something but didn’t film it? If that’s what happened, we’ll never know what it was. “Someone here is a murderer.” I don’t know why I said it out loud. “And I know who it is.” I glare at Trip.

  Everyone stares at me with their mouths open.

  Billy puts his arm around me and whispers in my ear. “Stop. You’ll make yourself a target. Let him be mad at Sam and the others.”

  I know he’s right. Trip challenges me with his gaze and I make myself hold his stare. I refuse to allow him to see how much he scares me. “I mean, unless there is some crazy guy running around and getting close enough to kill.” I can sense the relief around me.

  Everyone seems to relax just that tiny little bit and their shoulders seem to lose the tension.

  But Mark is still dead, and I still know Jake would never allow a stranger to wander among us without barking.

  The sharp bite of loss hits me again, and tears well up in my eyes. “I don’t understand it. I don’t understand any of it. And I don’t think the Old Man is coming back. We’re gonna be stuck here forever.” I turn and bury my face in Billy’s chest and try very hard not to cry. Billy holds me tight.

  “We have to bury him,” he says, a note of despair in his voice.

  “It can wait until morning,” Sam says.

  “No, we can’t keep him safe from wild animals overnight. I’ll start digging,” Stretch says.

  I force myself to calm down, and move my head away from Billy’s chest in time to see Stretch and Jared head toward the other gravesites. I don’t get it. We waited until daylight to bury Kelli and Andy. No wild animals got them. I think maybe it’s because no one wants to go to bed in case someone or something gets them while they’re sleeping.

  “Does anyone want to say anything?” Maria asks when Mark’s body is in the hole and Jared has completed the task of filling in the dirt on top of him. It’s like I’m in a dream—a nightmare. Everything is far away and dull and my head is buzzing. “That can’t be Mark under there. He has a wife and kids and, and a job. He works with me. He can’t be dead.”

  I realize Billy is talking to me. “What?”

  “Don’t you want to say something over the grave? You knew him better than any of us.”

  I shake my head to try and clear it. “I do.” I step forward Sam has planted a crude cross in the ground. I take a few moments to gather my thoughts. “I . . .” The word comes out raspy and I clear my throat. “I want everyone to know that Mark was the kindest, sweetest guy in the world and he has a wife and two kids at home who think he’s coming back.”

  “This sucks. This really sucks,” Sam says.

  We’re all sitting by the fire after a meagre breakfast of corn on the cob.

  “Damn right,” Stretch agrees. “What sucks is that someone here—one of us—is a murderer.” He stares at Trip.

  “Don’t look at me like that, brother,” Trip says, pulling the pipe from his mouth. “I don’t like the insinuation.”

  “Yeah? Well I don’t like the way we’re being picked off one by one.”

  “So you’re blaming me? There are ten of us here and you’re blaming me?”

  “Nobody’s blaming you,” Lela says. “They didn’t say your name.”

  “But it must be one of you guys,” Jared says. He points at each one in turn.

  “Which guys?” Sam bristles. “Not me. Why are you pointing at me?”

  “It’s logical,” Jared says. “We were here when Kelli and Andy bought it. Lexie, Billy, Stretch and me. And Rodriguez was in camp.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Faith says, her eyes blazing. “I don’t like being accused of anything, and this is serious.”

  Everyone starts shouting at one another, and then there’s a lull.

  Someone’s gonna have to go for help,” Billy says. “If that pilot was coming back he’d have done so by now.”

  “And someone has to stay here and protect those of us who are still healthy,” Stretch says.

  “Protect them from whom?” Faith raises her voice angrily.

  Everyone starts arguing again.

  Nobody could have protected Mark. This killer is too sneaky. He murdered Mark right under our noses. It has to be Trip. Billy is in terrible danger, but what can I do to protect him?

  “I would go, but I don’t want to leave you.” Billy’s breath is hot in my ear, and I stare up at his face and I see the fire in his eyes.

  “We have to do something. I don’t want you to go. But you are the strongest. Maybe I could go with you,” I say quietly.

  “I may be able to get help,” Jared says loudly. He digs in his pocket and holds something up.

  His cell phone.

  Chapter 36

  Everyone stops talking and we all stare at him.

  “I know what you’re thinking,” he says. “The battery would have died long ago, and you’re not wrong. But Mark helped me rig up my charger so it would work off the solar-powered charger for the cameras. So, you’ll see it’s working. The battery at least is good.”

  “If there were any cell towers within a hundred miles that would be even better,” Rodriguez says in a sarcastic voice.

  I’m thinking the same thing. I can’t imagine there would be a cell tower anywhere near here.

  “Well, Mark said I should a
t least try. There are no bars here, but you know that hill over there?” He points to the boulder strewn hill a little way away. “It rises probably about two hundred feet. Countries like this do have cell service, so what if I climbed to the top of it and tried to see if I can get my phone to work?”

  Everyone agrees it’s worth a try.

  “I’ll go right away, then, while the battery is strong.”

  “Who will you call?” I say.

  “Will your phone even work here?” Stretch says. “They don’t have AT&T in Africa.”

  Jared grins. “I bought a new SIM card at the airport, and made a note of the phone number of the airplane charter business that dropped us out here. It was posted on the notice board at the terminal, and I plugged it into my contacts when no one was looking, before we boarded.”

  “Wow!” Sam says what everyone’s probably thinking.

  “What does the SIM card do?” Lela says.

  “It’ll hook me up with a local cell phone service.”

  “If there is any service out here,” Stretch says.

  “I’ll come with you,” Billy says.

  “Me, too,” Stretch chimes in. “Don’t know if I’ll make it all the way to the top. That’s quite a climb and I’m not as young as I used to be, but I don’t mind waiting at the bottom.”

  In the end, everyone wants to go and do what Stretch is gonna do. Wait at the bottom of the hill. I eye Trip. He doesn’t say anything, but I’m sure he’ll come. We are all feeling the desperation, and no one has any faith in the Old Man anymore.

  “I wish I could come with you, but I don’t think my ankle will handle it,” Rodriguez says. “That’s a good five miles away at least.”

  “Someone should stay and watch the camp anyhow,” Faith says.

  “Maybe I’ll catch some more birds, now that I know how to set the traps,” he says. “I still can’t believe I was rigging them up wrong.”

  We all have a drink of water. I pick up my camera. The battery is down, and I lift Mark’s from its place on his backpack. The battery is still good. I plug mine into the solar charger.

  We all head out together. The tension in everyone is tangible. This is our one chance at communicating with the outside world. Hope is such a fragile thing and I’m so afraid to lose it, and I know everyone else is thinking the same thing. If it doesn’t work, what will we do? Someone will have to go for help and I am not staying here with Trip.

  It’s really warm and I begin to wonder how smart we were to decide to all go on this long trek at this time of day. The sky is very blue, with just a few fluffy clouds floating around it. There’s a very slight breeze, but it’s not enough to cool anything. The camera is heavy, but I’m accustomed to carrying it around so I don’t mind. If Rodriguez doesn’t catch anything it’ll be too late to search for food and my stomach is already rumbling loudly. Now we’re all burning more calories, which is gonna make us more hungry.

  “We need to find some food for tonight,” Billy says to me. “I can’t go without anything after this exercise.”

  I’m usually always aware of where Trip is, and I make certain to stay far away from him, but I must have let down my guard. I jump at the sound of his voice from right behind us.

  “I think there are more corn cobs at the ruined village,” he says. “I’ll detour over that way and see if I can get some.” He holds up the shovel and trash bag.

  I grudgingly think how smart he is being.

  Faith comes up behind us. “I’ll help if you like,” she says. “We have to have something. We should go there now to make sure we can eat tonight.”

  “Yeah,” Trip says. “We should get food.”

  I notice him staring at Lela, who is walking with Sam ahead of us. He’s probably wondering if she’s gonna tag along as she usually does. She seems unaware that Trip and Faith are going to a different location.

  We continue in silence for a while and Trip and Faith branch off and head toward the ruined village where Andy and Kelli were murdered. I hate to think about it. I watch him until he’s disappeared.

  “You really hate that dude,” Billy comments. “I do, too, now that I know what he did. Do you really think he’s the killer?”

  “Yes to both,” I say. “And I still think you’re in terrible danger. He probably hasn’t found the right opportunity to do something to you yet, but he will.”

  Chapter 37

  “You too,” Billy says. “Maybe he won’t kill you, but he must have something planned for you now that the million dollars is not an option.” Sweat starts to run down my back. I wish we had thought of transporting water with us.

  “What if this doesn’t work?” I ask Billy while I film the others walking ahead of us. I’ve left the sound on because I think it’s important to capture all our efforts at being rescued. The scary thing is that I’m actually thinking if we all die at least there will be a record.

  “We’ll have to go and find help,” he says.

  “I’ll go with you. Where will we go?” I focus the camera on his face.

  “Probably follow the creek. There are usually settlements where there’s water. We have to hope they haven’t all abandoned ship like the ones around here.”

  My going to get help with Billy is the most logical idea. We’re both young and healthy, and I know he’ll protect me and keep me safe. I can’t stay in camp with Trip, but he and Jared and Stretch will be able to make the trek to the creek to get water and to catch fish, and Rodriguez might even catch more birds. My mouth waters at the thought of that and my stomach rumbles and remember I lost all my food. Faith and Lela and Sam will be able to help get food and water, too.

  If Jared can get through to someone on his phone, we won’t need to go, and that’ll be better, but I’m glad we, or I, have a Plan B.

  After what seems an age, we reach the base of the hill. I collapse in the shade of a huge boulder and set the camera down. I’m weak and shaky. The others are not far behind us.

  “You coming up?” Billy says.

  I stare at the hill, thinking what a challenging climb it will be with all those rocks. “I know I should film it,” I say. “When Jared makes the call.”

  “If he makes the call. If there’s service. That’s a big if.” Billy holds out his hand. “Come on. Let me take the camera, and show me how to work it so I can film the climb. You’ll need both your hands.”

  “What about your hands?”

  “I’m used to it. The boondocks.”

  “I thought you had a horse back at home.”

  “I do, but there are places like this where a horse can’t go. Just show me how to use this thing.”

  Billy holds the camera awkwardly.

  “Put the strap over your shoulder.” I show him. “Turn it on here, and here’s the zoom out and in. The sound is off at the moment, but to put it on you click this button. Think you can manage it?”

  “Piece of cake,” he says in a cocky voice, and I can’t help smiling.

  He grins back. “Let’s go,” he says and turns around and starts climbing. “Just follow me and I’ll guide you.”

  Jared is already part of the way up in front of us. Everyone else is sitting in the shade under the boulder. We progress steadily up the rocky, twisty path. I’m not sure if Jared is making it as he goes, or if it’s an existing pathway worn by hundreds of years of animals passing up and down it. I stumble often, and grab onto rocks, branches, roots, whatever is available. I’m so thankful for Billy’s offer to carry the heavy camera. It doesn’t seem to bother him and he never stumbles.

  My legs are burning after a while, and it’s hot. I’d like to have a rest, but I can’t be the one who holds everyone up.

  It takes almost an hour from the bottom before we reach the summit. Sweat is running down my back, between my
breasts, and I wipe it off my face with my T-shirt. I’m breathing hard and a little dizzy. I drop onto a rock and try to catch my breath.

  “The view from here is amazing,” Billy says, pointing at the distant misty blue haze over the mountains. A sheen of sweat covers his forehead and his hair is sticking to his neck, but he doesn’t look tired. More like excited.

  I take the camera from Billy and pan around three sixty degrees. Way in the distance the plain is dotted with a herd of animals, probably the same herd of zebra and wildebeest we saw together. I use the zoom to scan the scene in front of me for signs of settlements or other humans, and I don’t see anything that remotely shows signs of human occupation.

  I set the camera down and squint at the phone. Jared is holding it up and staring at it. “Are there any bars?”

  “Yes!” Jared shouts.

  Billy grins at me. “Two bars.”

  Jared scrolls through his contacts, and I hear the phone making a sound like it’s doing something. I hold my breath as he puts the phone to his ear. His mouth turns down and he moves the phone from his ear and stares at it. “There’s only one bar now.”

  “Did it ring?” I ask.

  “Yeah. Then it cut out. Must have lost service,” he says in a frustrated tone.

  “Try again,” Billy says, peering over Jared’s shoulder.

  “I will, dude. Just waiting for more bars.” Jared stares at the screen, and then punches in the number again.

  I don’t dare breathe.

  “Yeah, hello,” he says. “Is the pilot there? No? Okay, well anyhow, this is . . . the group you, he dropped by parachute. No. Mr. Allan Dockery. He hired your firm to take us to this remote place and we jump . . .” He sighs. “Hello, can you hear me?”