She looked across at Sadik and Celile. Sadik nodded at her. Celile then turned away and whispered into his ear. Her screaming had barely registered with the others. She threw herself on her knees beside Kevin and shook him until he woke up. Startled, he sat up, grabbed his glasses and looked all around him. “What’s happening?”
Eve flung herself down beside him and held him tight. Wrapping her arms around his neck she sobbed, blood pumped around her body. “Eve, tell me. Why are you shaking?”
“There was someone. I needed the loo. There was someone back there in the bushes.”
Celile came over with a bottle of water. “Are you okay? Can I help?”
“No. You know what this is all about don’t you? It’s all a set up. This, here.”
“I’m sorry?” Celile replied with a confused look on her face.
“They're fucking with us Kevin. Something’s going on around here.”
“Look, calm down and tell us what you saw.” Kevin replied. Celile sat next to them and lay her hand on Eve’s shoulder. Eve shrugged it off.
“I needed the loo. There was a man back there. I saw his outline. He was coming at me and I ran. I ran,” she sobbed. “I was so scared Kevin.”
“There’s no one else here. We’re miles away from any houses,” Celile said.
“Really? Well who did I see them? I’m the only one sober here and I saw a man,” she yelled back.
“It’s my fault,” Celile laughed as she looked at Kevin. “I gave her a spliff, thought she might enjoy herself more. It’s just a side effect Honey. A bit of paranoia.”
“I didn’t smoke your fucking spliff,” Eve yelled as she pulled it from the earth and threw it at Celile.
“Right Honey. I saw you take a puff. But for you and to reassure you both, I will get Sadik to go and check. Happy?” Celile snapped. Eve stared at Celile, Celile stared back. She couldn’t trust that woman one bit. The woman grinned then stood. “Sadik,” she called. “Go and check down river. The lady says she saw a man in the bushes. It might be the Boogeyman.” Celile shrugged, pointed her finger to her head and pulled a face.
“I’m not crazy,” Eve whispered in Kevin’s ear.
“I know you’re not. Are you sure you didn’t have any of that smoke? It wouldn’t take a lot you know?”
“Don’t you believe me either? This is insane.” Eve yelled. “Why can’t anyone see what’s happening here apart from me?”
“What’s happening? Tell me,” Kevin asked as he took her shaking hand.
“I don’t know. It’s just something. We’re not safe.”
“What can they do to us? There are three of them and six of us. We’re safe,” he said as he kissed her on the head.
“And the one in the bushes, that makes four. We’re all drunk, helpless and that’s what they want,” she cried.
“Come here. It’ll all be over soon.” Kevin said. She snuggled into Kevin’s chest. He didn’t believe her, no one did. How had she become such an unbelievable witness in a few short hours? She saw a man, there was a man. She kept repeating the sentence in her head. She wouldn’t be convinced otherwise. She saw him, she heard him and she smelt him. Her heart quickened as she flashed back to a brief smell of sickly sweets and rotten sweat that flashed by her nose from the bushes.
"There’s nothing there,” Sadik called as he trampled back along the mud path. “I found this tee-shirt though,” he said as he placed it next to Eve on the floor. She had forgotten about her top, she must have left it hanging on the bush.
“Well, thank you for checking,” called Celile. She came back over to Eve. “See, there’s no one there. Can I get you a drink?” she smiled. Eve ignored her and closed her eyes. They would have to go soon, they couldn’t stay forever. She sniffed and wiped her eyes. There was a man; there was a man; there was a man. She kept repeating the sentence in her head as she stayed in the safety of Kevin’s arms. There was a man.
Chapter 19
“Find out what’s happening back there,” Celile whispered to Sadik.
“It’ll look odd. Anyway, they are Guz’s problem. I’d rather stay here and look at you,” he replied as he stroked her cheek. He looked into the distant darkness and couldn’t see any movement. Sure that Guz had retreated farther away he stroked Celile’s neck and released her hair from the clip. It fell down her back releasing the fragrance from her shampoo. Roses, he smiled. She always smelled of rose. The smell transformed him to earlier when they’d made love, taking their time in the knowledge that Guz would definitely not be back. His stomach flipped and he smiled as he replayed the memory to himself. She was the only woman who’d ever made his stomach flip.
She pushed him away and stepped back. “We can’t let him see us like this. Soon my love. For now, you have to go and find out what went wrong. He should’ve taken her out and then we’d all be a step closer to going home tonight.”
Eve stared at them, Sadik nodded and smiled. “She’s a problem,” he whispered as he maintained his smile for Eve.
“Don’t I know it?” Celile replied.
“Well, I need a bush myself,” Sadik shouted as he stood trying to make himself heard over the music. He watched as Eve looked away and snuggled into Kevin’s chest. He was safe to go.
He scurried off along the mud path searching for his brother. The music was now a distant sound. He stepped over the wild undergrowth heading in the direction that Eve had ran from. Farther he travelled through the bushes but his brother was no where to be seen.
“Guz, Guz,” he whispered. His eyes darted in all directions following the various sounds of the forest but he couldn’t see Guz. He looked around then stepped forward again, “Guz?”
“Boo.” Sadik gasped as he stepped back and fell into a tree stump. “Got you," Guz said.
“What the hell was that for?”
“Just passing the time brother, just passing the time.”
Sadik’s heart beat at an uncomfortable speed. He stood, then bent over and took some deep breaths.
“Did I make you piss yourself,” Guz said as he laughed.
“Fuck you.” Replied Sadik. “We’re here to do a job, not mess about.”
“Except you’re taking too long getting them hammered and I’m getting bored.”
“You had a chance. Why did you let the girl go? You’re getting slack old man.” Sadik laughed.
Guz stared at his brother. Sadik’s laughter subsided. He gulped. Guz grabbed him by his tee-shirt and shoved him to the ground. Sadik coughed, winded by the impact of being hauled onto his back. “You think you can do better, young man? You think you can butcher them, and then bury them?”
“I was just joking. What the hell is up with you?” Sadik stood and dusted his clothes off. Guz stepped forward, his nose touched Sadik’s. His eyes were full of rage, his sweat dripped onto Sadik’s nose.
“I can see you brother, I can see everything you do from here. Everything.”
Sadik gulped again. His nose twitched as he inhaled Guz’s stale breath. Unpleasant but he couldn’t move, fixed until Guz gave him permission to leave; the same as it always had been. His mind raced with fear. Had Guz seen the way he looked at Celile? He probably had. He shouldn’t have touched her. She’d said he was becoming too complacent with his open affections but he thought Guz may have mistaken it for a sister-in-law type love.
“If I see you touch her again, it will be you buried in the woods, alone. Do you understand?”
Knees shaking he forced his head to nod in a slow up and down motion. Guz drew his head back a few inches. Sadik closed his eyes and waited for the impact of Guz’s head on his. Breathing in and out, in and out. Faster and faster. He waited until Guz burst out laughing.
“Old man, you make me laugh. You need to grow some hair on your balls,” he said as he burst into a bout of mocking laughter. Sadik opened his eyes. “She wouldn’t go for a mouse like you. That woman back there needs a man. That’s why she’s with me brother. Just don’t keep drooling over her,
you’re an embarrassment.”
Relieved, Sadik exhaled as he tried to gain his composure back. Maybe their relationship wasn’t exposed but he knew from this that they had to be more careful.
“You should get back to the party, they may get suspicious and come looking for you,” Guz said as he leaned against the tree, took out a cigarette and lit it. He inhaled and blew the smoke into Sadik’s face. Sadik coughed. “Market baccy,” Guz laughed. “Maybe this lot have something better tucked in their bags.” He took another drag. Sadik moved back not wanting to get in the path of the toxic smoke that would inevitably come his way if he remained rooted to his current spot. “Go on. Move it.” Guz waved him away and turned to face the crowd. Sadik walked backwards until he was out of Guz’s view. He turned and scurried off back to the mud path. The music became louder as he got nearer.
“You took your time. I was getting worried,” Celile said as she went to touch his face.
He grabbed her hand and stood away from her. “He’s been watching us, he suspects.” Both of them stood together, not touching or looking at each other. Sadik scanned the clearing; Eve was once again looking up at him. He could see her mind working quickly to piece the puzzle together. He knew the rules of the game. The Boss was the game maker. Guz and he were the players. A game you had to play, no option given. But, they could all win; it was a game of winners. He stared at Eve and forced a smile once again. He swallowed hard, it wasn’t a game of winners for them; he looked away from Eve’s direct stare. She knew; what she knew he couldn’t fathom out, but she knew. She was on her guard. This game was a challenge bigger than the previous games.
Rachel giggled and stood. She and Ryan began to kiss hard, fast and passionately. She held out her hand and drew him towards the mud path. He saw Eve stand and shout. Too quiet for him to hear the details, he knew she was trying to stop them from going off. Rachel shouted back and Eve threw herself to the floor and shuffled along the ground to be by Kevin. Kevin hugged her and stroked her hair.
Past him they went. He watched as they stumbled along the uneven path until they disappeared into the distance. His heart skipped a beat, let the game begin.
Chapter 20
As she stumbled over the dirt track Rachel stopped causing Ryan to slam into her. She began to laugh as she turned to face him. “Are you sure you want this?”
He looked into her dilated pupils, “Yes-” she placed her finger over his mouth silencing his next words as she laughed. She grabbed his hand and led him unsteadily over the mounds of moss and rocks until they were far away from the crowd. The only noise she heard was the distant thumping of the music. Close by, water trickled; they were alone.
Rachel dragged him deep into the bushes. She turned back and smiled as she made eye contact with Ryan. Barely able to see him in the dark, she hoped that he could see enough to read her expressions. She wanted someone, he was here, now and willing to be with her. Pulling her tee-shirt over her head, she revealed the khaki bikini top that she’d displayed earlier. Her large cherry blossom tattoo snaked around her abdomen and up her back. Laughing again, she unclipped her bikini top and dropped it to the floor revealing the dimly lit outline of her small pale breasts.
Ryan stood there motionless, waiting to be directed. She stepped over to him, grabbed his hand and placed it on her breast. He stoked her, she kissed him, trying to draw him in further but his responses were restrained. “What’s wrong?”
“It feels weird. We’ve never-”
“Don’t you like me? I thought, all night you’ve been over me like a rash and-”
“Shh,” he replied as he held his finger to her mouth. “I never thought you liked me. We’ve known each other for a long time. I just-”
“You just what Ryan?”
“I want you here, now,” he said as he leaned on her slightly to maintain his balance.
“Well I want you too, so take me,” she grinned. He stared at her, a devilish smile emerging from his lips. Without hesitation, he grappled with the button on her shorts as she tried to drag his top over his head. With each moment that passed their lips locked hard, she felt the blood pumping through her body, she needed him now. Her shorts down, bikini bottoms next, she stepped back and stood against a tree dragging him with her. Hot and sweaty she lead him close, directed his movement, they were ready. Enjoying his rhythm, she tried to tap out of the surroundings. She thought it would be exciting but the woods were so dark, so dense. The music sounded distorted and she felt light headed. The sickly sweet smoke smell that lingered in her hair kept coming back to haunt her.
Ryan yelled as he came to an end. His hands grappled with her breasts. He leaned into her, keeping himself upright by placing his hands palm outwards on the tree with Rachel locked inside his arms. “That was good, you are good,” he said as he slumped to the floor. Disappointed, she slumped beside him as she rubbed her splintered lower back.
She grabbed her tee-shirt and pulled it over her head. A few seconds of what? She thought. It was as if it never happened. The blood that pumped through her body was beginning to calm down. As her breath returned to normal, she analysed her thoughts. Hollow, unsatisfied feelings and thoughts. “Have you got a cigarette?”
“In the pocket of my shorts,” he replied, eyes closed.
She stood, put on her bikini bottoms, then her shorts and fumbled in his pocket. Cigarettes and a lighter. Two left. “Do you want one?” No reply. He was sitting up against the tree, now flaccid and snoring. Rachel grabbed his top off the ground and placed it over his groin area. The whole scenario now felt awkward. Grabbing her bikini top she turned to leave, he would wake up and join them once he'd rested. The music still sounded distorted and her vision was laboured, she vowed to quit smoking pot once she returned home. Stepping carefully, she negotiated every bump on the ground and every tree root that protruded through the hard soil.
Crunch, then again. A snapped twig. A smell of sweat, not her smell. Then, in a moment she found herself on the floor face first, hands behind her back, then thud. Pain struck the back of her head. She tried to scream but only a gentle yelp emerged. She heard the sound of tape being peeled off a roll. “Please don’t hurt me,” she whimpered. The tape was placed across her mouth and around her head, wrapped around twice. Her senses began to come back after the blow to the head. Struggling, she tried to free her arms but they were bound; rope, tape, she couldn’t tell. The perpetrator rolled her onto her back before binding her feet with rope. His outline lit up, all she could see was an average height man who was whispering to himself in Turkish. Shaking, she tried to wriggle free but the bindings were so tight. Her stomach turned, she closed her eyes and concentrated hard trying to surpass the nausea. Her legs trembled and her body felt clammy. She felt bits of the ground stick to her hair and body as she wriggled in the dry mud and pine needles. He straddled her as he held a large hunting knife in one hand. Through the darkness she could see the chips on his white teeth as he grinned at her. Tears rolled down her cheeks and her nose began to fill with mucous. Stop, she though. Stop or you will die.
Looking away, she tried to think of happier times. She thought of her nanna who she might never see again, her lovely nanna who had sold things to buy her the wonderful camera that she’d been snapping away with. The nanna who had brought her up. She hadn’t made her that proud; she might die without making her nanna proud. More tears rolled. Then she stopped. Who was he? What was happening? She had to remain calm, remember everything; survive.
The man stood and walked away. Ryan. She wriggled, trying hard to find a trail of rope or something near her hands that she could grip. There was nothing. She was helpless. All she could do was listen with the one ear that wasn’t covered by tape.
“What?” Ryan murmured. She heard a loud thud and a wheeze coming from Ryan. Then scuffling, earth being strewn around. Grunting. Moaning. Running. Ryan almost fell as he darted from behind the tree, shouting as he emerged. He stared at Rachel and stopped.
Her mind
and eyes shouted, ‘get these binds off me, help me,’ but her body lay there, helplessly bound. Wiggling around on her back, she hoped that Ryan would bend down to help her but he turned to run and was followed by the man who had attacked her. Behind her she heard Ryan yelp followed by a thud. Her heart beat fast, Ryan was her only hope. He had to get away, get help, and get the others. There was shouting and struggling but the details were lost by the dominant sound of the pumping music. She struggled and managed to loosen the rope on her hands. Desperate, she rubbed the binds hard on a stone, so hard it began to miss the binds and cut into her wrist. Flinching with every scrape, she continued until she heard footsteps behind her.
The man had returned. A dark liquid dripped from the side of his knife. “It was all over quick, he didn’t suffer. That’s what happens when you fight me,” said the man. Clouds passed and they were plunged into darkness. Tears welled up once more and were harder to suppress this time. Her nose filled up with mucous. She blew hard, expelling it down the side of her cheek. Inside she was screaming. In her mind she was smashing up the furniture and kicking anyone who came near her. She wanted the bindings off so she could lash out, break down. Ryan had gone, she knew it. He had shared his last moment with her. Who would she spend her last moments with? Again she blew her nose hard. Two ants crawled across her face; she closed her mouth and then her eyes. “If you want to live, you will play by the rules. Shut up and keep still. Do you understand me?”
Rachel nodded. She wanted to live more than anything. Without warning she felt a needle prick in her arm. Within seconds the blackness took over and she was in another world. Home with Nanna.
Whispers Beneath the Pines Page 10