05. Humans Can Lick, Too

*Contains partial nudity*

Oh yeah, we’re still here, I grunted as I slipped Roland’s arm from around my waist and pulled up into a seated position. I’d hoped that everything that happened over the last 48-hours was all some bad dream but it seems I was so far from the truth it wasn’t funny. When Ro told me Knox wanted him to go with him on a camping trip I nearly died laughing. A camping trip? I asked him how many black people he knew that went camping and waited as he tried to think of any. It wasn’t my first choice for a break but I’d go anywhere for my man.

And now I’m starting to regret that. The sound of his heavy breathing turned my head and I watched as he rolled over on the comforter we laid down for a mattress and cozied himself against my pillow. A smile curved my lips and I leaned forward and lightly kissed his cheek before grabbing a towel from my bag and heading to the wash house.

The smell of bacon was in the air and my eyes moved to the grill a few paces near the campsite. Jemma, Zach and Abby were sitting at the picnic tables preparing breakfast for everyone and I waved in their direction as I hurried off to shower and change. If it hadn’t been for the terrifying night we just came off of, I’d have been a little more inclined to relax and enjoy myself out here. After all it was beautiful and pretty damn peaceful.

Dozens of autumn touched trees dotted the landscape, painting the evergreen grass canvas in leaves of red and gold. Numerous different species of flowers highlighted the park in many different colors and the smell of honeysuckle, jasmine, cherry blossom and lavender that fragranced the air was beyond enchanting. At midday, right before the sun caressed the mountains in back, the sky was tinted in the brightest hues of orange and pink with just the right amount of blue. The serenity of Mother Nature could not be outdone at Beryl Lake. 

I turned on the shower and let it drip a little bit, testing the temperature on my hands before stepping beneath the spout of mildly warm water and letting it cascade down my back. Overnight I’d washed my clothes and laid them on top of my bags inside my tent to dry. After someone stalked inside our camp and demolished our bags, I was left with just the one outfit as well as my night clothes. The idea of not being able to change into a fresh pair of pants was enough to make me want to brave the fifty or so miles it was to the nearest gas station and call for help.

But with the impending weather storm heading our way, I knew that wasn’t a possibility. I turned off the water and stepped out into the wash house. The door slammed shut as I did and I immediately looked up to see if someone had come inside with me. I leaned as far as I could without uncovering myself from the wall but saw no one. Quickly I tossed on my clothes and headed back outside with the others. It could have been my imagination or it could have been the wind. Or for all I know it could very well have been the person who wrecked our camp. One thing was certain though, I wasn’t about to wait around and find out.

It was a nice day out today. Not as chilly as it had been the last two days, in fact the temperature felt somewhere around the mid 60s with a cooling gust of wind that swayed the trees every now and again. I stopped at my tent to drop off my towel before traipsing over to the picnic area where the others had gathered. “Smells good,” I smiled inhaling the scent of freshly cooked toast and eggs and sliding onto the bench beside Jemma. 

It’s nice to know we still have the ability to enjoy ourselves and steal a small piece of home even out in these woods. Abby was busy cutting up a tray of fruit she’d collected from some of the trees on site. She looked like the health nut type as bony as she was so it didn’t surprise me that the idea of bacon and eggs would turn her stomach. “Need help with anything?” I asked and Jemma pushed the few lemons that was in front of her towards me. 

“Like freshly squeezed lemonade? My hands are starting to cramp,” she frowned and pointed towards the pitcher sitting in the middle of the table. It looked like plenty to me but I went ahead and squeezed a few more for the others, filling the pitcher until almost full. I grabbed the hulled out peelings and walked them towards the trashcan noticing Knox and Roland heading our way with Chazz picking up the rear. 

I squinted my eyes as they neared, swearing someone was standing in the shade of the oak on the edge of the camp. Taking a step towards them, the shadow disappeared completely from sight and Roland pulled me into his arms for a hug. “Mornin’ Baby. You snuck out on me!” My eyes remained focused on the tree line just over his shoulder as he spoke and I felt his fingers brush beneath my chin trying to turn my head towards his lips as he pressed them to my mouth. “You ok?”

“Someone’s over there,” I replied and watched as he pulled away and turned towards where I was pointing. He brought his hand up to his eyes, blocking out some of the morning sun so he could get a clearer view of the area. 

“I don’t see nothin’.”

“Ro, there’s someone over there. I’m not making that up!”

“Alright, alright, relax Baby do you want me to go and look?” His eyebrows rose in concern but I could tell heading off into the woods to check out what could very well have been an animal was not number one on his list of things to do when bacon was on the table.

I shook my head no, my eyes again falling on the tree. “No, don’t worry about it. When are we leaving though?”

“That’s just what Knox and I were talkin’ about. We’re gonna try checkin’ for hot spots again in the area to get a signal. If all else fails a few of us may have to try our luck with walkin’.”

“It’s over fifty miles to civilization! What if you run into the storm?”

“It’s just a chance we’re gonna have to take E. We want to get the hell outta this place and to be honest there ain’t that many options.” He was right and I for damn sure didn’t want to have to spend another day here. It was bad enough I didn’t want to come in the first place but now with all these strange things happening, getting home was the number one priority.

We all sat down as the trays of food were placed on the table to eat. Knox and Roland ate as if they hadn’t had a bite in days, growling over their plates like crazed animals rummaging through trashcans and causing everyone else to stare in their direction. Athletes, I smiled and shook my head. It wasn’t anything new to me. I’ve had to endure Ro’s frenzied attack on food dozens of times before. “So, E said she saw someone over by the camp,” Roland spoke with a mouth full of food and suddenly all eyes were on me.

“You saw someone? When was this?” Abby asked with worry on her face and concern in her tone. 

“Right before breakfast. But don’t worry, Ro said he’d check it out,” I volunteered him and his eyes opened in surprise.

“Good, I’ll go with you. We shouldn’t do things alone,” Zach offered and I saw him smile in Abby’s direction. Their eyes met briefly before she blushed and turned away from him. How cute, love blossoming in the middle of a scary ass trip. I pushed away from the table, laughing to myself as Ro kept his eyes on me, his head shaking angrily as he frowned.

That’s what you get. Next time don’t put me on blast. I don’t blame him though. The woods are the last place I’d be if there was someone lurking nearby. Good thing Zach is going with him and I’m sure his Bobbsey twin Knox won’t be too far behind him either. At least he’ll have someone to push in front of whoever is out there and get away. 

Everyone finished eating and the guys gathered near the pit, trying to fashion what they could of weapons from items around camp before Knox, Zach and Roland headed off in the direction of the tall oak. Worry quickly set in as I thought about Ro out there hunting down someone who could be a major threat. What the hell was I thinking volunteering him like that? People like us don’t go into situations like these. We run; as fast, as hard, as far as possible in the other direction! “It’ll be fine E,” I heard Jemma say over my shoulder. 

I didn’t know it but I’d started pacing around the campfire thinking about the man I’d very much hoped to spend the rest of my life with risking his out there. “They’ll be back and we’ll be happy to find it was just some wild animal or something,” Abby joined in and I took a seat again on the bench.

“Yeah,” I smiled back, hoping with all my might they were right. “It was probably nothing anyway.”

“Now you’re absolutely sure you locked all the doors and the windows?” Serena listened to her dad lecture her for the third time about safety. It was late and he’d gotten a call about an hour ago of a robbery in progress that required his attention. While he preferred not leaving his teenage daughter home alone, sometimes it was beyond his control but that never stopped him from ensuring she had everything she needed to be safe.

“Yes I am absolutely positive I locked every door and every window Daddy, stop worrying.” She had a smile in her voice but her eyes were rolling as he once again repeated his list of rules. No boys in the house, no snacks after 10pm and to make sure all of her homework was done before bedtime. This wasn’t anything new but Serena’s Dad insisted on treating it like the first time every time.

Her Dad Melvin was a police officer, her Mom a doctor and their shifts rarely ever coincided with one another’s let alone Serena’s. But being left alone since the age of 13, she was pretty much a pro at handling the independence stuff. “What’s wrong with Lucky?”

“Oh nothing, he probably just spotted a squirrel outside the window or something; you know how he is. Lucky, heel!” Serena ordered of the pet Collie and watched as he danced over towards her leg and took a seat. He smiled up at her, waiting patiently for her to finish her phone call. “So Dad if there’s nothing else I think I’m gonna try and get a head start on sleep, I’m really tired.”

“Alright Sweetheart, don’t forget if you need anything…”

“Dial 9-1-1,” Serena laughed as he stammered over himself yelling no into the phone until he realized she was joking. “Goodnight Daddy, I love you.”

“I love you too Serena, night.”

“Finally Lucky, now we have the house all to ourselves,” she smiled and leaned down to pet his soft fur. Lucky was a good pet and an even better best friend. Out of all the times she was scared she can remember always having him by her side. It got to the point where he understood she needed to feel his long tongue lick across her hand when she slept to feel safe at night alone. Whenever she was afraid, Serena would simply toss her hand over the edge of the bed and he’d kiss her to let her know it was all ok. “Ready for bed fella?” He barked making her giggle as he jumped to reach her face, leaving a sticky trail of kisses on her cheek.

Serena closed her bedroom door and settled into bed. As was customary, Lucky twirled a few times beside the bed before finding a comfortable spot on the floor. His head fell back once he did and she felt his tongue draw across the back of her hand and smiled. Good old Lucky. Before long she’d passed out. Her body ached from soccer practice earlier and all she wanted to do was sleep. 

There was no telling how long she was out but it was the sound of dripping water that had awakened her. With a groan, Serena tossed her legs over the side of the bed and started towards the kitchen to check the faucet. Turning the spigot a few times she ensured it was shut off properly before heading back to her bedroom and the bed that was still calling her name. 

She tossed around the comforter for a little while trying to get cozy again. Lucky was sweet enough to give her hand a kiss, finally finding a good spot for her head and it wasn’t soon before she was out again. Drip, drip, drip, no way, Serena thought as she listened to the water falling again in the sink. Maybe it was the ice machine? She waited to see if it was filling up the bin and if the sound would stop on its own. 

When it was obvious it wasn’t going away. Serena begrudgingly pulled up out of bed once again to go and check the bathroom down the hall. A chill rushed over her shoulders as she moved about the hall and very soon she realized why. Serena noticed the patio door was opened just a crack and gasped. Ugh that darn thing is always sticking. After closing and locking it tight, she entered the bathroom and squeezed the faucets shut as hard as she could and gave the spigots in the kitchen another turn as she made her way back to the bedroom. 

Now maybe she could get more than ten minutes of rest! Serena tossed her hand under the bed and felt Lucky give another reassuring lick. And still the dripping continued, drip, drip, drip. This time she lay there listening to it taunting her knowing that she’d already tried looking everywhere she could for it to stop. The shower in the Master bedroom! She thought as her mental light bulb suddenly came on. Serena dragged her legs over the edge of the bed and forced her body to give in just one last time. As she entered the room, the stench of copper hit her hard and she saw something dangling just behind the shower curtain.

She slowly reached her hand towards the rod and gave it a firm tug. “Ahhhhhhh!” her scream echoed off the tiled walls and she felt the back of her throat tearing the louder it got. “Oh my God, Lucky! Oh my God!” There hanging by his neck inside the shower was her best friend. His intestines were shredded and hanging out and blood was dripping into a puddle beneath him. 

Serena quickly turned to try and exit the bathroom when her eyes caught sight of the mirror. There was a message, written in his blood that read: “Humans can lick, too!” And it was then the door opened and she saw him stand to a full six feet behind her.

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