As 4PM came around, my dad insisted I call it quits and head out. “There’s a huge storm blowing in north of here, and they’re warning about flash flooding. Some of the low-lying roads might be impassable.”
I bid farewell to my parents and hit the road, hoping for an uneventful drive back to Seattle. Although the drive normally took three hours, the navigation system rerouted me, which added another hour. Raindrops began falling on my windshield as I neared the interstate. I turned on my wipers and lights and found my favorite driving playlist. Mom had shoved a bag of snacks and water into the car. She also made sure there was a blanket, food, snacks, and an emergency kit because “you never can be too safe.” I loved her for it, especially right now as I bit into one of her homemade chocolate chip cookies. The rain intensified, coming down in buckets. Speeds slowed to half the posted speed limits, and many cars pulled off and put their hazards on till the powerful storm died down.
Night fell, and the darkness it brought increased the difficulty of driving. The clock on my dashboard read 7:23PM. I should have been home by now. Apparently, Tabitha thought so too, since she frantically sent me texts asking when the call was going to happen. The navigation rerouted me again, sending me onto unfamiliar roads. I abandoned my playlist for the local AM station that reported weather and road closures. They didn’t provide information useful to me since I was not familiar with the roads on this route. I pulled to the side of the road and zoomed out on my navigation. It looked as though I was a little over halfway home, but it would probably take a few hours to get there since the rain continued its overwhelming onslaught. The GPS had me on a road that snaked along the outskirts of town, reconnecting with the interstate a few miles ahead.
I pulled out and started up the winding road. Headlights came from the opposite direction. “Hey, look, I’m not the only idiot pushing through the rainstorm to get somewhere.” They flashed their brights at me twice but didn’t stop. I checked to make sure my brights weren’t on—they weren’t. Whatever, they probably flicked their brights by accident; I’m guilty of doing that too.
I cursed my navigation for sending me on a route that had no damn streetlights. Driving in the middle of nowhere in a heavy downpour was ten times worse with minimal illumination. Even the moon couldn’t help me with all the rain clouds covering it.
As the road began to descend, I pressed on the brake pedal and felt the ABS kick in. I did my best to keep calm as the car vibrated and controlled itself through the slick spot. Finally, I regained control as I hit the bottom of the hill and found myself in a small lake. Water splashed up on each side of my car, but my lights showed the road emerged from the water a few feet ahead. I pulled my foot off the brake and coasted through the high water, but it was too much for my car to handle, as the engine sputtered and died. I pushed the hazards button and tried the engine again, but it wouldn’t turn over.
Fuck!
I pulled out my cellphone—no signal.
Double fuck!
I unbuckled, threw it in neutral and zippered my raincoat. I needed to try and get my car out off the road before some other car came barreling down the slippery slope, plowing into it. I hadn’t thought to wear my wellies, and from the looks of it, the water would hit me mid-calf. I hiked my pants up to my knees and opened the door, skimming it across the surface of the water. Thankfully, it was not deep enough to flood my interior or make me climb out the window, but damn, that water was cold! I hurried behind the car and shoved at it. My lack of upper body strength did nothing to help me. I turned and used my legs to shove my bottom against the back bumper, and it lurched forward. I continued until it was clear of the flooded road. I failed to get it onto the side of the road as the paved ground rose, and I couldn’t get enough momentum to manage the task.
I climbed into the car, drenched and shivering. I pulled off my soaked shoes and socks and squeezed the socks out, laying them on the passenger floor mats. I tried my phone once more but still no signal. Maybe there’d be less interference atop that hill. I grabbed my purse and my laptop, which held countless story ideas and was worth more to me than my year-old car. When I was two-thirds up the hill, I saw a light through the trees on my right, but there was no clear way how to get to the light source. On the other side of the guardrail, a steep embankment led to a heavily wooded terrain where the light originated. I headed up the hill, checking my phone for a signal, and came upon a mailbox and driveway.
641 Tabott Hill
I followed the blacktop as it wound down a large hill and rose, twisting through the woods until it plateaued in front of a large single-story house. The house boasted a mid-century modern architectural style with a wall of windows framed by large wood accents and artfully placed smaller windows that served no purpose other than style. The light I had seen through the dense foliage came from the large window. Voices and laughter emanated from within the home. I could only hope they had a functioning landline.
As I walked up to the large double wooden doors, and pressed the doorbell button, my nerves reminded me it was dangerous for a girl to knock on a strangers door at night. Heavy footsteps approached, male for sure. They stopped, the lock was undone, and the heavy door opened, revealing an attractive guy in his mid-twenties. He was strong and fit, evident even in the dim light by his silhouette. When he stepped closer, the porch lights illuminated his features, his striking eyes, and I let out a small breath. He noticed and chuckled at my reaction.
“Well, look what the rain washed up.” Dammit, even his voice was sexy. “Can I help you?”
Yes! Yes, you can! Relax, Jessica. It’s been well over six months since you broke up with Tyler, but there are more pressing matters, like the imprint phone call.
“Umm, my car broke down, and I can’t get a signal. Any chance I can use your phone?”
He stepped aside, allowing room for me to pass. “Of course, come in from out of the rain. Wow, you’re really soaked. Wait here and I’ll grab you a towel.” He hurried off down a hallway to the left, leaving me to make a small puddle on the slate floor.
I took off my shoes and raincoat since they were the wettest things on my body and set them on a rug near the door. A stunning woman dressed in a deep-cut red dress walked past, shooting me a dismissive glance. She padded down into the sunken living room and coiled herself around a male who sat telling a lively tale to two others.
“Here.” The guy returned holding a beach towel. “I’m Mark.”
“Hi, thanks.” I used the towel to squeeze out any extra wetness from my clothes and hair. “My name is Jessica. Thanks for the towel.”
“Anytime. So, your car?” He raised his eyebrows as he started toward the living room.
“Yeah, I drove through some water, and it stalled.”
He tsked at me and looked over his shoulder. “Now why’d you do something like that? Cars don’t like water.”
“Yeah, I found that out fast. Honestly, it was an accident. The slick road made it impossible to control the car. I could barely keep from sliding off. I finally gained control, but by then it was too late, and I landed in the huge puddle at the bottom of the hill.” I looked behind me to ensure I wasn’t leaving a sloppy mess. The wet marks my feet had left on the slate floor faded quickly.
“Well, it sounds like you’re lucky you didn’t die.” He put his arm around my shoulder and urged me closer toward the others. “Come meet everyone and have a drink, get yourself warmed up at the fire.”
“Sorry, I don’t want to crash your party. I just need to make a phone call.”
“Oh, right. We don’t have a landline. We got rid of it a year or so ago.” Mark pulled out his cell. “Darn, I have no signal, either. Must be a pretty bad storm. Jack, you got service?” The guy who had been telling the lively tale pushed the girl in red aside to pull out his cell and check it.
“Nothin’, bro.” He pocketed the phone, and the girl in red crawled onto his lap. Jack reminded me of Cary, my best male friend back home. Cary was always the lif
e of the party and an extremely approachable guy. Jack resembled him and seemed to be outgoing. “Hey,” he nodded toward me, “thought you weren’t goin’ fishing tonight. Guess you changed your mind. She’s not your usual type.”
Mark shifted uncomfortably next to me. “This is Jessica. She got stranded by the storm.”
Mark motioned to a nearby chair. “Have a seat. Join the fun.”
“Brad,” Mark said to a guy standing in a nearby doorway who stared at me with more interest than I was comfortable with, “get Jessica a drink.”
“No, really, I’m good.”
“I insist. You need something to warm your insides. So what will it be? Brandy, scotch, tea, or hot cocoa?” I didn’t respond right away. “Come on, you have to wait for me to connect you to our internet. Might as well warm up.”
“Oooh, I’ll take a hot cocoa with Bailey’s if you have any.” The other girl, who sat across from Jack, remarked. She had intently listened to his stories and was also dressed for the clubs, only she had long blonde wavy hair. Looks like these boys had returned from a fun night out with their hookups.
“I’ll take a scotch on the rocks,” said the girl in red.
“Hey, while you’re at it…” Jack started his order with Brad, but Brad flipped him the bird before retreating to the other room. “God. Good for nothin’!” Jack yelled after Brad but he softened his tone as he pleaded, “Candy, baby—”
The girl in red rolled her eyes at Jack. “For the millionth time, it’s Candice.”
“But you’re sweet as sugar. It’s hard for me to not call you Candy. I’ll bet you taste as sweet as candy!” He nuzzled into Candice’s neck, causing her to go into a fit of giggles. “You’ll share your drink with me, won’t you, beautiful?”
“If she doesn’t, I will,” the blonde offered, licking her lips.
I needed to get this call made and get my butt back to the car before clothes came off.
“Don’t mind them,” Mark muttered quietly to me. “Come over here.” He led me toward a large window that lined the back wall, where a small, modern-looking corner desk sat. “You can plug in right here if you need to. I’ll be right back. I need to get my password.” Mark started to leave.
“You know paranoia is a terrible thing,” Jack hollered after Mark. “Dude’s got his internet locked down tight. He acts like he’s some super spy guy and needs to protect his data.”
“I heard that.” Mark returned holding a small piece of paper. “Based on your search history, you should be glad it’s locked down or your butt might be in jail.” Mark came over to the desk. “Excuse me, may I?”
I stepped away from the desk so he could input the needed password to get me connected to the internet. The others in the room teased and bantered with each other while I stole a glance at my watch. 8:37PM. I had to reach Tabitha and Jenna from the imprint in the next three hours or my deal was up. I stared at the back window, watching the raindrops chase each other down the pane of glass. The reflection of the others giggling in their brightly colored clothes was a stark contrast to the black night beyond the glass.
Brad appeared unexpectedly, startling me. “You never said what you’d like.”
“Holy crap!” I took a few quick breaths.
“Sorry, you never said what you’d like to drink.” Brad was shorter and not as handsome as the other two men. He also let his gaze linger too long, making me feel unsettled.
“Tea is fine. With honey if you have it. If not, sugar, please,” I said politely.
Brad retreated back into the room.
“Jessica, I have some bad news. Internet is down,” Mark reported as he spun the desk chair around to face me. “I’ve tried several times.”
I put my head in my hands and pulled at my hair out of frustration.
He put his arms around me. “Hey, it might come back in an hour or two. These outages don’t last very long.” His soothing words and calm voice helped take the edge off. There was still time before the deadline.
“It’s just that I have an important call to make before midnight, sooner if possible. If I don’t make the call or email them, my business deal is over.”
Mark stood and tipped my chin and looked me in the eye. “I’m confident that in the next two hours, we’ll either get cell service or internet back. How about you sit, have that drink, and we’ll try again in a little bit? Be right back.” Mark retreated into what must be the kitchen.
I leaned against the window frame, peering out into the dark and wet world, cursing the storm that trapped me here. My eyes adjusted to the low lighting, and there looked to be a small dark cabin or shed further out on the property. I scanned the surrounding areas, and though the densely wooded lot and the darkness made visibility challenging, I saw no other signs of civilization.
“Here’s your tea.” Mark handed me a warm coffee mug filled with a fragrant liquid. “I think Brad needs to spend more time in the kitchen making tea. He couldn’t find anything.” Brad emerged holding a few of the drinks and shot a lethal stare at Mark. Mark stared after him and stood a little taller, challenging Brad to push him. Stupid alpha male crap.
I sipped at the tea; it tasted fruity and wonderful. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a light flicker out back, drawing my attention. The window of the small cabin was dimly lit, and a black silhouette stood before it. “Hey, it looks like someone is in that building out back.” Mark didn’t hear me. I tapped him and pointed out the windows. “Do you see that?”
“That’s just the groundskeeper,” he said dismissively.
“Does he or she live there?”
“It’s a he, and sometimes. Come on, forget about him. Let’s have a seat and enjoy our drinks. We’ll check the internet again in a half hour.” Mark urged me toward the sunken living room where he sat on the couch beside me. He didn’t leave much space between us despite there being plenty of room on the couch. His arm draped across the back of the couch behind me. This was too close for my personal comfort, and I debated scooching over but worried I might offend him. I needed his help, and if sitting close beside him helped get me connected with Jenna and Tabitha, I’d manage.
Jack dominated the conversation, telling funny tales about drunk birds that kept stumbling around the property and flying in the most hysterical patterns. “Turns out the blackberry bushes near the road had fermented berries. Dudes were drunk off their asses.” Jack set down his empty glass. “Brad, refill.”
“You can get your own drink,” Brad shot back.
“Brad, refill,” Mark repeated with more authority. Brad grabbed Jack’s glass and stormed off to the kitchen. The sound of glass shattering and the cabinet slamming startled me.
Mark’s arm wrapped around my shoulder. “It’s okay. He’s in a mood. He usually only gets this way when he’s trying to impress a girl.”
Brad returned with a new drink in a different glass and set it on the far end of the table. “Asshole,” he muttered.
“Hope you cleaned your little tantrum up.” Mark shook his head in disgust.
“You guys brothers or something?” I asked.
Mark kept his eyes on Brad. “Unfortunately. How about we try the internet again?” Mark walked over and sat at the desk, typing and clicking. “Holy crap, we’re in.” He pushed away from the desk and offered me the chair. “Looks like it’s your lucky day.”
I took the chair and let out a breath of relief. I logged into my Google Hangouts and messaged Tabitha.
Me: Tabitha, you there?
Tabitha: FINALLY! Way to push the deadline. Why aren’t you calling me?
Me: No service. My car stalled out. I’m at some guy’s house using his internet.
Tabitha: Crap. Let me call Jenna and see if she can do a video call via hangouts with us. Hold a sec
Me: K
I spun around in the chair and yawned.
“Everything okay?” Mark turned toward me; his arms were folded across his chest, and he still looked agitated.
“Yeah,
they wanna try and video chat. I’m just waiting.” I pulled out my phone and still had no signal. I opened a new browser window and checked the weather. “Looks like this storm will finish in an hour.”
Hangouts rang like a telephone, and I clicked the icon to accept the call. Mark looked over my shoulder as Tabitha and another female filled the divided screen.
“I’ll leave you be.” He squeezed my shoulder.
“Jenna, nice to meet you. I’m sorry I had to change the communication plans. My car stalled out as I was headed back to Seattle.” I hoped she didn’t have a huge list of things to fix on my manuscript since my brain was preoccupied with wanting to get out of here and I was getting tired. Jenna assured me video-chatting worked for her. Then Tabitha rattled on about book stuff and contracts while I worked to stifle a yawn.
“Right, Jessica? Jess?” Tabitha attempted to get my attention.
“Huh? Sorry I missed that.” The tiredness made it hard to focus. I blinked and sat a bit straighter. Tabitha text messaged me via Hangouts.
Tabitha: What the heck is going on? Are you okay?
Me: Tired. Sorry.
Tabitha: Don’t blow this. Look alive and like you give a shit.
Me: K
“I’m sorry, I was distracted by some noise in the room,” I lied. “Can you please repeat that Tabitha?”
She and Jenna chatted back and forth. The imprint wanted me to change the genre from Young Adult to New Adult, and Jenna explained that they’d had better success selling to larger audiences under New Adult. I agreed but knew I’d need to add more violence or gore to help the story fit the new genre.
“We also wanted you to work on the side character. Like Lily—” Jenna’s face froze mid-sentence on the screen.
13 Night Terrors Page 29