Tread Softly

by Richard Laymon

  Julie stared down at her folded hands.

  "Would you be happier if I stopped seeing your father?"

  "I don't know," she mumbled. "I guess not." "What would make you happy?"

  "I don't know." She gnawed her lower lip as tears filled her eyes. "I don't want him hurt, that's all."

  "You think I'd hurt him?"

  Shrugging, she wiped her eyes. "Everything was fine till you came along."

  "Your dad wasn't fine. He was lonely."

  "He had us."

  "And he had a wife who'd run out on him. That left a big hole inside. Maybe he didn't let you see the hurt because he didn't want to make things worse for you and Benny, but it was there. And it isn't so bad anymore."

  "Thanks to you, huh?"

  "Thanks to the way we feel about each other."

  Julie took a deep, trembling breath. She picked up her towel, and rubbed the tears from her face. "Nick's waiting for me," she muttered.

  "You'll make his day when he sees you in that bikini."

  "Trying to butter me up?"

  "Yep. It's the truth, though. Look, Julie, I'm going to be your friend whether you like it or not. Because I love your father and I like you."

  "You like me, huh? Sure."

  "I do. And you'll get to like me, too, sooner or later. Before you know it, you and I are going to be buddies. Do you know why?"

  "Why?"

  "Because I'm irresistibly charming."

  Julie cracked a smile. "My ass," she said, and crawled out of the tent. The bright sunlight made her eyes ache. Standing, she brushed some dirt and pine needles off her knees. She felt strange — her mind vague, her muscles weak, her legs trembling. As she walked toward the lake, she tried to make sense out of her encounter with Karen. Her mind couldn't hold steady on it. Maybe everything had changed. Or maybe the talk had just confused her.

  Nick, standing at the shore, was watching the twins wade in. He had a towel draped around his neck, and wore blue shorts that looked like the ones he slept in. When

  Julie walked closer, he turned around as if sensing her approach. He gazed at her. She blushed, uncomfortably aware of her near nakedness and the way her breasts jiggled with the motion of her walk. "All set?" she asked.

  Nick smiled thinly, nodded, and quickly turned away.

  Julie realized that she liked how she'd felt while he was staring. Beneath her uneasiness, there'd been a kind of thrill. She found herself dashing past Nick, the chill water splashing up her legs. Knee-deep, she spun around, scooped up water with both hands, and flung it at him.

  "No!" he cried. He raised his arms to block the cold shower, and cringed as it splashed against him.

  Julie stood up straight. She frowned with pretended concern. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did that get you?"

  He looked astonished for a moment. Then, laughing, he lunged forward, drove his hands into the water, and launched an icy barrage that pelted Julie from face to knees. Staggering away, she lost her footing. She yelped and fell, flapping her arms and hitting the lake flat on her back. She shuddered as the chill water closed over her. After the first shock, though, it didn't feel so bad. She pushed against the rocky bottom and sat up.

  "Are you okay?" Nick asked. He sounded worried.

  She wiped her eyes clear, and blinked up at him. "Was it a graceful entry?''

  Rose and Heather were giggling.

  "Beautiful," Nick told her.

  "I'm so glad." Her bikini top felt slightly awry. She made sure her breasts were still in it, gave the front a small adjustment, and stood up. Nick stared as the water streamed off her.

  "How's the water?" Dad called from behind him.

  "Cold," she answered.

  Karen was walking along close beside Dad, holding his hand. Her one-piece black suit clung to her like shiny skin. It was open in front with a wide, deep V that extended down to her belly. The lower part of the suit seemed even more revealing, cut so high at the sides that it left her hipbones bare and formed a long, lean triangle down to her groin.

  Benny, off to one side and slightly behind Karen, was agape as he stared at her.

  Someone whistled. Julie spotted Flash near one of the tents, his arms loaded with firewood. The whistle caught Nick's attention. He looked over his shoulder at the same time that Karen turned around to say something to Flash. Julie sighed. The suit was backless and almost bottomless, so narrow down the buttocks that it left the sides of her cheeks bare. They were lean, and smooth.

  "Come on, Nick."

  He kept staring.

  "Forget it. She's already taken."

  He faced Julie, innocently raising his eyebrows as if he'd been caught daydreaming by a teacher.

  "Besides," Julie said, "isn't she a little old for you?"

  His eyebrows dropped to their normal level, and the corners of his mouth turned up. "Yeah," he said. "She's sure something to look at, though."

  "Tell me about it," Julie muttered, feeling a little sick.

  "She's gorgeous, in fact."

  "Not to mention irresistibly charming."

  Nick opened his mouth to speak, but Julie whirled away and dived, hitting the water flat out and swimming hard. Bastard, she thought. Damn it all to hell. The bitch is irresistible. Has Dad head over heels, and Benny damn near swooning. Even Nick's got the hots for her. Parading around damn near naked. Flash whistling at her. He didn't whistle at me. What am I, dog food? Damn her! Wants to be my friend. Sure, sure.

  Julie realized she was crying, sobbing into the water. She choked and came up for air.

  Wonderful. Drown yourself.

  She kept her head above the surface, but continued to swim as hard as she could. She didn't look back. She was near the center of the lake, so she turned to the right and swam parallel to the shore.

  She saw a small inlet where a slab of granite slanted out of the water. She sidestroked toward it. When she reached the rock, she crawled up it and lay down flat. She crossed her arms under her face. The surface was hot and gritty against her skin. The sun on her back felt good. She panted for air, and tried to stop sobbing.

  Then she heard splashes. Someone swimming not far away. Coming closer.

  Go away, she thought. Whoever you are, go away and leave me alone.

  Down near her feet, the splashing stopped. She didn't bother looking around.

  "You're pretty fast." Nick.

  "A regular speed demon," she muttered.

  "Mind if I come up and join you?"

  "I don't care."

  She heard a swoosh of water, then dribbling sounds as he crawled up the rock. He sat down close beside her and leaned back, bracing himself up with stiff arms. His slim belly, streaming with water, heaved as he gasped for breath. "You mad at me?" he asked.

  "Why should I be mad?" Julie muttered, and turned her head aside so she wouldn't have to look at him.

  "I don't know. Because I made you fall?"

  "It wasn't that."

  "Then you are mad at me. What'd I do?"

  "Nothing," she mumbled.

  "I don't get it."

  "That's okay. You don't have to get it."

  "Is it because I was staring at you? Like the other night when you yelled at me?"

  "I didn't yell," she protested.

  "You said, 'Take a picture. It lasts longer.' If that's it, I'm sorry. Really. It's hard not to stare, though. You're so . . . ."He hesitated.

  "What?"

  "Well, you know — beautiful. I keep trying not to stare, but then you come along in something like . . . like what you're wearing, and ..."

  She raised her head and looked at Nick. He was frowning out at the lake. "You think I was angry because you were staring at me?"

  "Well, yeah."

  "I didn't mind that."

  "Are you sure?"

  "I'm sure." Julie rolled over. She folded her hands under her head to cushion it. Her heart was racing, and her mouth was very dry. She licked her lips. Nick continued to gaze forward. "I got upset, if you really wan
t to know, because you were staring at Karen instead of me."

  He shook his head as if rejecting the idea, then turned and met her eyes. He seemed to be frowning and grinning at the same time. He looked very confused. "Are you serious?''

  "I know I shouldn't blame you. I mean, you're a guy and . . . like you said, she's gorgeous. And that bathing suit of hers . . ."

  "You won't . . ." Nick paused, shaking his head some more.

  "I won't what?"

  "Never mind," he muttered, and looked away.

  "Come on, tell me."

  "It's too embarrassing."

  Julie smiled. "Embarrassing for who?"

  "Me, I guess. Maybe you, too."

  She braced herself up on her elbows. "Go on."

  "Well . . . about Karen's suit. When I was looking at her? You won't believe this but I was imagining how it would look on you."

  "You're kidding," Julie said. Her voice came out in a whisper. Her heart was thundering, and she was short of breath. She sat up straight to breathe better.

  "I'm not kidding," Nick said. "I mean, it's nothing against your bikini. I just, uh, tried to picture how you'd look in ... I told you it'd be embarrassing."

  "A little bit," she admitted.

  He leaned forward, put his hands on his knees, and hung his head. "I guess I'm kind of a lech."

  "I guess you are," Julie said. For the first time, she noticed the sounds of distant laughter and splashing. An outcropping of rock, however, blocked her view of those in the lake. She put a hand on Nick's back. He flinched slightly, startled by her touch, and looked into her eyes. For a long time, while her hand moved slowly up and down, they gazed at each other. His eyes lingered on hers, studied every part of her face, followed the curve of her neck, glanced at her breasts, and returned quickly to her eyes as if asking permission. A slight smile trembled on Julie's lips. Twisting herself sideways, she reached out and took hold of his far shoulder. She leaned toward Nick as she turned him. She held him motionless, and he stared down, his gaze roaming from one breast to the other. He looked again into her eyes. He reached under her outstretched arm, lay his hand against her back, and eased her closer. His other arm went around her. He turned her some more. Julie felt herself start to tip. Nick's eyes widened with alarm. Then he was flat on his back, still holding her. She lay across his chest. "Woops," she said.

  For a moment, he looked as if he might laugh. Then his face went serious. "Julie," he whispered.

  She kissed him gently, briefly on the mouth. "We'd better get back in the lake," she whispered.

  "Yeah," he said. But when Julie tried to push herself up, he held onto her. "One more?"

  "One more."

  This time, his hand went behind her head. His fingers thrust into her hair and he pressed her close, kissing her again and again, his lips firm and warm and urgent, as if he had needed to kiss her for a long time and feared he would never get another chance.

  Julie mashed her lips against his. She wanted it never to end, but there were those in the lake who might see them. So she turned her face. Nick kissed her cheek, her ear. "We've gotta stop," she gasped.

  "Okay." His hand slid out of her hair.

  She raised her head. Nick's face was beaded with sweat, his eyes somewhat vague, as if he were in a daze.

  "Well," she said.

  "Yeah." His arms fell away from her.

  She pushed herself up. Nick lay spread-eagled at her knees, his skin glossy with water and sweat, his chest heaving. His damp, clinging shorts bulged as if he'd slid a length of pipe down the front. A thick pipe. A long one. If it were any bigger, Julie thought, it would push right up under the elastic waistband and . . .

  "Take a picture," he said. "It lasts longer."

  Julie grinned down at him. Nick grinned up at her.

  "Come on," she said. "Let's go swimming."

  Chapter Eighteen__________

  I gotta pee, Ettie. Let me go out. I won't do nothing."

  She shook her head. "Any business you got, you just do it right here. You can't go out till they're gone."

  "How you know they're still here?"

  "Folks don't put their tents up and move on in an hour. They're staying the night. And you're staying right where you are."

  "I gotta pee," he whined.

  "Use a pot."

  "You're here."

  "Hon, you got nothing I ain't seen before. I'm the gal used to change your diapers."

  "Let me go out. Please."

  Ettie pushed herself away from the gap in the wall, crawled forward to the candle between their sleeping bags, and blew it out. The cave went black. "There. Now you don't gotta be shy." She backed up quickly to block the opening. "Go on ahead, Merle."

  Though her eyes were open, she could see nothing. She heard him sigh, then the soft hiss of fabric as he made his way along the sleeping bag. A match snicked and flared. Merle, kneeling at the far end of the chamber, was tossing around clothes and plastic packs of food to get at the cooking utensils. With a scrape and clatter, he pulled out a small saucepan. He waved it. "This okay?"

  "Just fine," Ettie said.

  He shook out his match.

  "I'll dump it when you're done."

  "You said we have to stay here."

  "I can go out. You're the one goes around offering folks down for no good reason."

  "He told me to."

  "Horseshit." She heard Merle's zipper slide down. "Careful you don't miss," she said. "Hold it up good and close."

  "Don't know why I can't go out," he muttered as his stream started hitting the aluminum. "I wouldn't do nothing. You just don't trust me, that's all. I'd leave 'em alone." He was talking fast, as if trying to cover the other sound. "I just wanta see 'em, that's all. What'm I gonna try with three men down there? Think I'm a fool? Don't see why we can't both go out, and you keep an eye on me if you think I'm so crazy. I just wanta see 'em, that's all." The splashing stopped.

  Ettie waited until she heard his zipper, then crawled forward and lit the candle. Merle scowled at her as she picked up the pan. "I'll be right outside," she said. "You just stay put, you hear?"

  "Yes, ma'am," he mumbled.

  She backed away on her knees, then got to her feet and squeezed through the crevice, the back of her thick parka whispering against the rock. Outside, she crouched low to empty the pan. She set it down and stood up straight, stretching her stiff muscles.

  In spite of the cold wind blowing through her dress, Ettie was glad to be out of the cave. She pushed her hands into the pockets of her parka, and leaned back to block the narrow entrance.

  The night was very dark, as if a heavy blanket had been spread across the sky to hide the moon and stars. The only light came from the campfire down by the lake. It fluttered, yellow-orange, and cast a glowing aura that shimmered on the campers seated at its far side. Those on the near side of the fire were black silhouettes.

  Staring at them, Ettie felt herself knot up inside. She groaned, and pushed her fists against her belly. If the blood signs had been right . . . Maybe she'd read them wrong. She could've missed something, reading them by match light.

  They showed Merle dead. They showed her dead. Killed by some of the folks sitting down there so peacefully around the campfire.

  These things are never certain, though. Even if you read the signs right, there's always a little room for doubt, so you take precautions and don't give up hope. If it weren't for that, there'd be no point in hiding away.

  Always a chance, at least, that things won't turn out the way the blood signs say. A small chance.

  She might go ahead and try throwing a spell to shield her and Merle. She'd given a lot of thought to that, while waiting in the cave, but it hadn't seemed too practical. She was sure the Master sent these folks as punishment, so He wouldn't let her magic work anyway. But what if He didn't send them? He did give a warning in the blood signs. Why warn her if he meant the folks to kill them? Just to torment her?

  Maybe they weren't out of f
avor after all, and a spell would do the trick. Sure worth a try.

  Ettie picked up the saucepan. She turned it over and gave it a few hard shakes. Then, with a last look at the figures huddled around the distant fire, she entered the crevice. She sidestepped, squeezing through the tight gap. "Merle," she said, "we're gonna cast a Spell of Obscurity over us." He didn't answer.

  She was near the chamber now and expected to see a fluttering glow of candlelight. The area ahead was black. "Merle, what happened to the candle?" He still didn't answer. Ettie's heart started thudding.

  "You answer me, Merle. None of your foolishness."

  The walls no longer pressed against her. She tossed the pan forward. It landed with a soft whup on one of the sleeping bags. Her hands free, she dug into a pocket and pulled out a book of matches. Her left ankle was grabbed and jerked sideways. She pitched forward, falling through the darkness. Her parka and a sleeping bag cushioned her impact. As she started to rise, a body dropped onto her back and drove her down. "Merle!" Cold fingers dug into the sides of her neck, squeezed. "No!" she cried out.

  She reached up, clutched the wrists, struggled to tear the hands away. Merle was too strong. Her ears were ringing. The blackness in front of her eyes glowed red.

  Later, she woke up.

  Her head was throbbing with pain. She was lying on her side. When she tried to move, Ettie realized that she was bound with rope — -wrists tied behind her back, legs bent at the knees, ankles lashed tight. She attempted to straighten her legs, but her wrists were tugged down as her feet moved.

  "Merle?" she asked.

  She heard only her own breathing and heartbeat, and the moan of the wind outside.

  "Merle, are you here?"

  A stupid question, she thought. Of course he's not here. He's gone after the women.

  Chapter Nineteen__________

  Flash blew steam away, and took a sip of his coffee.

  Across the fire, Benny leaned forward with a demented look on his face as he continued his poem: