Chapter 21
“They’ve been gone ages. I told you something was wrong.” Eve shouted as she twiddled a strand of hair, weaving it between her fingers before releasing it. The music pounded through her head.
“They’ve been gone a few minutes that’s all. I can’t exactly chase after them and demand they come back now. At least, I don’t think Ryan would thank me.” Kevin said as he sat back down. “I think you should sit next to me, let me massage your neck and relax.”
The light twinkled off his blue eyes, he looked at her convincingly, she wished she could let herself sit, relax and enjoy the party but her stomach fluttered and not in a love struck way. It nagged her, telling her that things were strange, that she needed to do something. “We should go and check on them. It’ll only take a minute. If you don’t want to come, I’ll go alone.”
“You can’t do that to them. We both know why they’ve headed off into the bushes. They don’t want anyone else around.”
“They won’t know I’m there. I just want to see that they are okay.” Eve stood and walked towards the path, gazing out into the darkness she couldn’t see a thing. She looked back. Celile watched her and grinned as Sadik whispered in her ear. Eve wandered down the dark path, just a few steps into the darkness that had scared her so much a few minutes before. Trembling, she stepped forward while trying to look for movement ahead. She couldn’t see anything. The music blared out, hearing them wouldn’t be possible.
She flinched, a warm hand brushed across her side. “Kevin? You decided to come and help me look for them.”
“No, I’ve come to tell you to leave them be. They don’t want you sneaking up on them in the middle of whatever they’re doing and scaring them to death. They will be back soon, let’s just go back and wait.” Kevin said. She took his hand and allowed him to lead her back into the clearing.
Eve picked her nails, not feeling at all reassured. She watched as Kevin walked over to Celile and came back with a bottle of water. Selina fell over while trying to dance and wearing only one sandal. Mehmet lifted her back up and helped her over to Eve. She flopped to the floor and giggled as she rolled aimlessly on the ground. Stephen coughed and sat up. “What time is it?”
“Why do we care? Time is time and is time and we have it don’t we Mehmet?” Selina shouted.
“Yes, a lot of time.” Mehmet said as he smiled back and walked over to Celile. Eve observed his mannerisms as he reached his uncle. This young, happy, drunken man tensed up. His shoulders straightened, he ran his fingers with precision through his dark greasy hair as he leaned up against a tree.
“Turn around,” Eve whispered. She wanted to see his face, read his expression, wait for him to give something away but he remained in the same position with his back to her.
“Evie, can I have a cigarette?” Selina said as she rolled into Eve and yanked her tee-shirt.
“You know I don’t smoke Sel. Wait until Rachel gets back, she’ll give you a ciggie.” Eve replied. Selina continued tugging on her tee-shirt and laughing. “Selina, you’re been annoying now. Why did you have to drink so much?” Eve shouted.
“Evie’s fed up with me. Evie won’t help me. Sel wants a ciggie.”
“Selina, can't you just have a nap or something? Oh why me?” Eve yelled as she stood and grabbed her hair with her hands. Selina lay on her back looking up at the stars, pretending to grab them out the sky.
“Look, she’s just had a few too many,” Kevin said with a laugh.
“You and me both,” Stephen interjected as he scratched the bites on his legs. “Pissing nature. I’m all natured out.”
“I know. Everyone seems to have had a few too many, that’s what I’m worried about. He,” she said as she pointed at Mehmet, “has been over there talking for ages. He doesn’t look as drunk as he should be. I haven’t seen his face, if I could see it I’d know. I’d read it. Rachel and Ryan. Where are they? You tell me that. It’s been about twenty minutes now.” Eve yelled.
“At least she stands a chance of enjoying it then,” Stephen smirked.
“It’s not funny. They could be in danger. They could need our help and all we’re doing is sitting here, drinking.”
“And wanting a ciggie,” Selina yelled as she pretended to catch a star and place it in her pocket.
Eve felt her neck redden, why wouldn’t any one take notice of what she was saying? “Do any of you hear what I’m saying?”
Kevin placed his hand on her shoulder. “Look, when Ryan and Rachel return, I’ll kick up a stink with you and we can all go back.”
“We don’t want to go back, it’s exciting here.” Selina replied.
“You’re not in a position to exercise any rational form of decision making being as pissed as you are,” Eve shouted.
“I maybe pissed but at least I know how to have a good time,” Selina grinned as she stared at Eve before bursting into a full fit of laughter. “Have a good time, have a good time,” she sang to the music as she howled with laughter. Stephen shrugged his shoulders and joined in.
“You’ve got no chance of getting any sense out of them,” Kevin said as he opened his bottle of water and took a swig before sitting back down on the floor.
“I’ve had enough of all this, I’ve had enough of you all.” Eve bent down and grabbed her water.
“Eve-” Kevin said.
“I need a moment to myself. I need to think.”
“Evie needs to think,” Selina sang, “Rhymes with, Evie needs to stink, Evie’s looking for a bush,” she once again rolled on the floor in fits of laughter.
Kevin stood and ran after her. “Eve wait.”
“I just need a moment alone. Okay?” She looked away; her eyes were welling up with tears. What she wouldn’t give to be back home with Harry. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Kevin standing there.
“Okay, don’t wander too far.” He called back. She walked off uphill towards the jeep and took her mobile phone out of her pocket. Still no signal and the battery was running low.
Away from the music, she could hear herself think. Taking a deep breath, she used the light from her phone to illuminate the undergrowth. A tree stump. She sat with the light off in silence, thinking, dreaming about leaving this night behind. In the distance, she could see Celile leaning against the tree talking to Sadik and Mehmet. They seemed engrossed in conversation. Mehmet shook his head as Celile stared at him before holding her hands up. She needed to get farther around, closer to them. She wanted to see their features and find out what was going on. “I will see your face,” she whispered as she stood.
Chapter 22
Mehmet stared hard into his Uncle’s eyes, then back at Celile. She looked away. “How can you be doing this? This is wrong.”
“We’re in too deep. We have to complete this job or we’re all going to end up being drowned in the concrete foundations of The Boss’s next villa,” Sadik replied as he stared at the ground.
“I can’t hurt her. You can’t hurt them.” Mehmet grabbed his own hair and pulled; he released a roar and began to weep. “I thought it was robbery. We were stealing a few Euros’, maybe a passport or even a hand bag. This is murder. I haven’t travelled half way across this country for this. How can you do this to me?” He shouted.
“Shut up. You’re going to draw attention to us,” Celile said.
“What the hell does it matter, they can’t understand us.” Mehmet shouted as he waved his arms and held the side of his head.
Celile grabbed his arms and forced them back down by his sides. He stared at her, simmering anger waiting to be released through his chattering teeth. “But they can see your arms waving about. They can see him,” she pointed at Sadik, “arguing with you. Just grow up; this is the way it has to be. It’s us or them, only good thing is we end up richer too.”
“It’s not too late. We could pack up, go, leave.”
“It is too late. Firstly, no one packs up on The Boss. Secondly, I think we’ve already eliminated two of t
hem. There’s no going back.”
“Eliminated? Rachel and the other one?”
“That’s right. And you know who’s out there doing the work we can’t do?”
“No. How could he?”
“Your father’s doing this for you, for us.” Celile looked across at Sadik and winked. Mehmet looked at her confused, spittle dripping out the side of his mouth as he inhaled and exhaled fast and hard. “He only wants what’s best for you. You are all he ever talks about. His boy, his wonderful boy.” She smiled at him and stroked his cheek. Mehmet grabbed her hand hard and squeezed maintaining eye contact. He squeezed her harder; she showed no pain, just a stark look of defiance. Letting her shaking hand go, he looked away.
“Now have some gratitude and help him. Besides you are one of us. If this doesn’t go smoothly, you will be boss bait or end up in jail if you’re lucky. You’re in it with us. You protect us and we’ll protect you.” Celile placed her hand under his chin and lifted it up so that his eyes were once again at her level. “Do you understand?”
“You hurt Selina; I’ll break your scrawny neck.” He whispered.
“You hurt her, I’ll break you.” Sadik said as he glared at Mehmet.
“What was that? I just saw a light, behind you.” Celile said, her eyes focusing on the spot. Mehmet scanned the scenario in front of them. Stephen was still sitting on the ground; he was gazing at the trickling water. Selina, his beautiful Selina was lying on her back singing something, maybe humming along with the music. Her long soft hair splayed all around her gathering dust. Kevin was standing and gazing into the bushes while swigging water. Eve? She was gone. The light in the bushes. It had to be Eve.
*****
Had they seen her, she couldn’t tell. She hopped away as she rubbed the sting on her foot, gathering speed as the pain calmed down. She’d only wanted to see what was biting her which is why she'd used the light on her phone, that woman saw the light. Her heart pounded, she felt bile rising up her throat. She had seen his face and in it, she had seen a look of fear. Celile was a predator, showing no fear in the face of threat. She ran and ran, the music got louder as she approached her friends. She had to warn them.
Chapter 23
“Kevin, I saw him. I saw his face. They were arguing about something. I couldn’t understand but it’s not right.” Eve shouted while still trying to compete with the music. She took a deep breath; sweat dripped over her brow and her face glowed red.
“Calm down, you saw what?” Kevin took her hand and led her aside.
“Look at them.” As they turned to look Sadik pushed Mehmet who stumbled into Celile. “Now tell me all is good. We have to get the others and go.” Behind her Stephen lay on a blanket, with his eyes shut. Eve gave him a gentle kick. “Wake up, we’ve got to go.”
“Is it time?” He mumbled as he lifted his head and rubbed his eyes.
“It’s way past time,” she replied. She edged over to her rucksack and began packing her water and bug spray away. She looked in her bag, there was nothing sharp that could be used as a weapon. Selina lay on the floor, still humming to herself with her eyes closed. She smiled, parted her lips and licked her teeth before having a spurt of the giggles.
“Wait. Rachel and Ryan. We have to find them.”
Stephen stirred and stretched his arms out. "I’ll look for them. You can keep an eye on Selina. It’s not like a few more bites will kill me anyway,” He said as he laughed and took a swig from the can beside him. “Empty, damn.” He laughed once more as he crushed the can.
“It’s not funny. Go now,” Eve insisted as she bent down to help Stephen up. Kevin leaned over to help her. Stephen sighed.
“Okay, I can stand on my own,” he said as he shook Kevin off and got to a standing position. He took a step back and hiccupped. “I best get a move on. Where should I look first?”
“Down the dirt path that runs alongside the river.” Eve pointed. “They went that way. Wait,” she pulled Stephen back. “I saw a man back there. There is someone out there. Go quietly.” Eve looked across at their hosts who were still arguing. “Don’t let them see you go, be quiet and stay hidden. Do you understand?”
“Don’t you think you’re being just a little bit paranoid?” He asked with a mocking smile.
“No, just do it,” she said as she gently tapped him on the arm.
“Okay, okay. I’m going.” He saluted her and turned to go.
Kevin hugged Eve. “It will all be okay. We’ll get the others and go. I’m sure that lot over there are having some family problems or something.”
“That doesn’t explain the man in the bushes,” Eve replied as she pulled away from his embrace.
“Eve, did you smoke any of that weed?”
“No, not a single drag. That woman kept trying to force it on me so I pretended to inhale some to get rid of her. I stubbed the rest out. You saw it.” He looked her in the eye. She watched as his features softened and his breath deepened as he tried to process what she was saying.
“And, how sure were you when you said you saw someone in the bushes.”
“As sure as I can be. I saw him, I could smell him and I felt his body heat. I can’t be more sure.” She shuddered at the realisation of what she’d just sent Stephen off to do. “What if Stephen gets hurt?”
“He’s a grown man, he’ll be fine. Someone has to go and check on our friends and someone has to stay and keep an eye on you and Selina. I got the best job,” he said as he smiled.
“He’s going to get hurt. They’ve been gone so long, something’s happened to them,” Eve burst into tears. Kevin embraced her and stroked her hair. She felt his warm fingers massage her head. Over his shoulder through teary eyes she saw Celile shout back at Mehmet. Arms flaying, faces irately sweating, pointing fingers shaking with tension, veins bulging on Sadik’s head. Celile caught a glance at her weeping eyes and looked back, she shouted at the other two, they stopped and looked across at her. Then, as if instructed, they all looked away at once.
“Another drink?” Celile shouted with a fake smile plastered across her face.
Eve buried her head into Kevin’s chest. “Don’t turn around. They’ve stopped arguing and now they’re looking at us.”
“I’m going over. It’s time we turned this music off and called an end to this party. We’re going home.” Kevin prised himself from their embrace, cleared his throat and began to walk over.
Eve turned, “Kevin,” she beckoned him back. Celile smiled, holding up the bottle of vodka. Eve shook her head and smiled back hoping that her red watery eyes wouldn’t give her fear away. “We can’t let them know we’re on to them.”
“I think they already know you are.”
“Probably, but I’ll feel better when Stephen comes back. We get the others and go.”
“Shall I go and look for Stephen?” Kevin said.
“No, don’t leave me.”
“He might have got hurt or something. You have Selina here with you.” Selina turned around on the hard floor trying to get comfortable. Still opened mouthed she had started breathing gently as she drifted off to sleep. A detached honey coloured hair extension lay next to her head.
“I somehow think I can’t defend the two of us while she’s like this.” Eve said.
“Okay, we’ll give it a few more minutes. You should wake her though. Tell her we’re getting ready to leave.”
Crouching, Eve shook Selina. “It’s time to wake up.” Selina shook off her hand, curled up into the foetal position and continued to sleep. “Selina,” Eve called. Her friend began to rub her eyes and wake up. Her glassy half closed stare looked straight through Eve. Selina hiccupped hard and held one hand over her mouth and the other out as if to keep Eve out of the way. “We’re going soon Sel; I need you to wake up.”
Selina removed her hand from her mouth and smiled. “I’m good Evie, am I not good? I’m going to be alright but I’m tired. Can we go to bed?” She droned.
Eve smiled, sat next to her and st
roked her hair. Selina placed her head onto Eve’s shoulders and rubbed her eyes. “We’re going back to the villa. As soon as Stephen gets back with the others,” Eve whispered into her friend’s ear. Selina reached out and held Eve’s hand. Kevin cleared his throat again as he paced. Staring at the entrance to the dirt path, Eve shuddered at the thought of what was happening and could only hope that the others would hurry so that they could go.
Chapter 24
As he scratched his head, his shaggy hair got tangled in his fingers. “Ryan. Put Rachel down for five, we need you back here.” There was no answer. He’d walked far enough for his flip flops to gather grit around his feet. He took the left one off and tipped out the grit before dropping the flip flop to the floor and sliding his foot back into it.
For the first time that evening, he could hear the water flowing past. “Hey, Ryan. You tosser. Give me a shout.” He continued to stagger forward. “Ryan. You’re a dick,” he laughed. He pulled his shorts away from his swelling belly. Desperate to urinate, he stepped over to the river and laughed; he heard his urine splash with force as it pierced the water's skin. Hiccupping, he rearranged his shorts and carried on through the clearing.
In the distance he saw something white lay on the floor under a tree. Ryan’s tee-shirt. He stumbled over and picked it up. Next to it laid his shorts. Feeling around in the pockets, Stephen found some cigarettes. Pulling the last one out, he placed it in his mouth and felt once again, this time for the lighter. No lighter. “Damn, where the hell are you?” He shivered, directly above him; something rustled then cooed and cawed. “Ryan?”
A branch snapped. Stephen laughed. “I see, you two are having a little game. You’ve finished playing games of your own and now you’re bored.” Walking over towards the direction of the noise, he stared at the spot. “I’m getting close.” He took another step, grabbed the foliage and shifted it to the side with his arm. The light from the moon illuminated the edges of the leaves, edges of twigs but no edges of Ryan or Rachel. Running his fingers through his hair, he laughed. “Maybe it’s Eve’s bogeyman. Ryan the bogyman, she wouldn’t be far wrong.” No response, no noise, no movement. “How about a fact?” He looked up towards the moon. “The surface area of the moon is about nine point four billion acres. You can tell me how anal I am again now. I’m waiting.” No response.
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