Hurricane Watch - DK2

by Melissa Good

  It was cold. She rolled onto her stomach and wrapped her arms around the almost flat pillow, resting her chin on the surface and glowering at the rest of the cabin. She wondered what would happen if she went back to where she’d been and let them wake up and find them together.

  If Eleanor hadn’t been there she would have. Mariana knew about them and she figured out that Mary Lou wouldn’t give a damn. She 62

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  thought about doing it anyway. The constant need to deny their relationship grated on her.

  Dar argued with herself for about five minutes, then sighed and decided she’d better get up and go do something before she caused havoc for both of them.

  And Kerry had been worried about spilling the beans herself. Dar gave the growing dawn an evil look, then she sat up and grabbed her bag, pulling out a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt and trudging off to the bathroom.

  It was a relatively nice morning, she decided. She exited the cabin and stood on the porch, breathing in air thick with the scent of trees around her and with a faint hint of hickory smoke. Fog was rolling across the grounds, rising from the lake and she could barely see the outline of the main hall or of the scattered cabins that peeked out from between the trees.

  Dar stepped off the porch, her sneakers crunching gently over the fallen pine needles, and the tiny pine cones. She headed down towards the lake, taking deep breaths to wake her body up and spotted a small path that was well tended that apparently went around the water’s edge. She broke into a light jog as she reached it, then headed on down the path, enjoying the brisk morning air.

  The sun was rising over the water and its rays filtered through the trees throwing pale salmon stripes across the path and her as she ran in silence.

  She was about three quarters of the way around before she heard steps behind her and she cocked an ear, frowning as she didn’t recognize the sound of them. A glance back made her curse roundly and she took a breath, composing her temper before Steven Fabricini caught up to her. ”Morning.”

  He fell into step next to her, running easily in his black and silver running suit. ”I’m surprised, Dar, didn’t think you kept this up.” He peered around in mock cheerfulness. ”I do marathons, so it’s part of every morning for me.”

  Dar debated not answering, then she twitched her lips. ”Great way to start a morning,” she commented.

  ”Oh yeah,” He agreed. ”I do between five and eight miles a day, twice that on weekends. I placed top ten my last three races.”

  Dar glanced at him. ”Congratulations.”

  ”Not your speed, huh?” Steven laughed. ”No, I can see you’ve lost that edge.”

  A subtle, dangerous glint appeared in ice blue eyes. ”Bunch of guys running around New York in their underwear is not my idea of fun,”

  she commented mildly.

  ”Oh, you’re wrong.” Steven shook his head in amusement. ”It’s the competition that I like, pitting yourself against a hundred or a thousand other people who all want what you want, and you beat them.” He eyed Hurricane Watch

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  Dar. ”I like that,” he purred. ”I like leaving people in my dust, just like I’m going to leave you in my dust, Dar.”

  ”Think so?”

  ”I know so. You’ve made too many enemies,” Steven told her confidently. ”Even this trip. I thought this was a mistake, but now...”

  He laughed. ”I’m going to enjoy watching your decline, Dar. I really am.” He surged ahead, lengthening his stride and pulling ahead of her.

  ”Time to think about retiring.” He yelled back, heading around a bend in the path and disappearing from view.

  Dar continued on at a steady pace, smiling a little when she heard a muted scream. ”Watch out, Steven,” she commented to the empty air.

  ”Lake bends in there—must be a big mud wash.” A loud, outraged yell shook the air. ”The sticky, stinking kind.” She trotted around the bend and slowed to a halt, putting her hands on her hips and observing the black, odorous, thrashing form. ”Last step’s a bitch, Steven,” she remarked cheerfully, hopping up on a long, sturdy log which went over the muddy pit, balancing neatly as she crossed over his head and landed on the other side. ”Guess I don’t have to worry about your dust right now, huh?” She waved and broke into a jog again, contentedly increasing her pace and heading back towards the camp.

  SHE WAS ON the back of a horse, the easy, rocking rhythm familiar to her from childhood. So comforting was the motion that she was half asleep, her head nodding against the tall back of the person in front of her. Her arms circled a lean waist, loosely clasped against a surface that had the feel of sun warmed leather, and she could feel the cool hardness of metal under her cheek.

  She was too sleepy to open her eyes, too sleepy to look around her.

  All she wanted was for the hot sun to finally fall behind the mountains she knew were at their back, and give her some relief from its relentless force.

  A warm pressure surrounded her fingers, and she cast a lazy half of an eye up, to gaze at the long, dark hair that gently covered the dark leather surface and the dully gleaming bronze of the metal she was leaning against.

  ”Almost there.” The low, vibrant voice was as familiar to her as her own and she gave the tall figure a gentle squeeze to let her know she’d heard. She was aware of being hot, and tired, and hungry, but there was a distinct sense of contentment, which warred against that and made her wish the ride would never end.

  Strange.

  Kerry was chiefly aware of being cold. She opened one eye grumpily and confirmed that she was where she was afraid she was, stuck in this damned backwater camp full of snakes and spiders and 64

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  who knew what else. She rolled over, then smiled a bit as she detected Dar’s scent on the sheets and pillow next to her.

  Her dream drifted back into her consciousness and she reflected on its weird quality. She was sure that the person she’d been seated against had been Dar, but Dar in armor and leather?

  Kerry's brow wrinkled and she smiled a little. Was that how her subconscious saw her tall lover? As some warrior?

  Yeah, maybe. Or maybe it was her mind’s way of rationalizing the reason she suffered all the discomforts of being Dar’s right hand was in order to stay at the tall woman’s side. Woo, that was profound. She almost had to giggle imagining herself telling Dar about it.

  She could hear her voice, ”I was dressed in what?” Kerry smiled at the vision.

  A glance to her right told her Dar was missing and as she viewed the dawn light, she figured she was out running. Should she join her?

  Kerry pondered the web covered ceilings and decided acting as though running with her boss every morning was normal wasn’t a smart idea.

  Even if it had become normal, much to her surprise.

  It beat

  aerobics, too.

  Mary Lou pushed herself up at that point and ruffled her short, ash blonde hair. ”Oh my god.” She peered around the cabin, then gazed at Kerry. ”This is a nightmare, right?”

  Kerry sighed, sitting up cross legged on the bed and tucking the blanket around her. ”It sure feels like it, doesn’t it?” She rummaged up a smile. “I went to camp a few times in my younger years, but boy, it sure wasn’t like this.”

  “Me too.” Mary Lou stifled a yawn. “Up in the mountains, everyone dressed alike and had a group sing at the end of it.”

  “The camp show.” Kerry chuckled softly. “Boy, did they learn fast I can’t sing.”

  “Would you both shut up!” Eleanor groaned, lifting her head from her pillow and peering at them in the dawn’s quiet. The Marketing VP’s hair looked like a curious ferret had been nesting in it and her eyes had blue and black rings around them from her smeared mascara.

  She looked, Kerry realized, like a grumpy, blonde raccoon.

  Mariana kept her eyes straight up, folding her hands on her stomach. ”All right, we’ve got one day here and then tomorrow
we’ll be going home,” she paused, ”We’re all adults.” She paused again. ”We can do this.”

  Mary Lou yawned. ”You’re right, Mari. I’m sure we’ll survive.

  Look, we made it through the night, didn’t we?” She glanced over towards Kerry. ”Hey, where’s Dar?”

  Everyone sat up to look. ”Maybe the spiders ate her,” Kerry remarked innocently.” Just kidding, I don’t know,” she added when all eyes turned to her in question.

  “It’s not funny,” Eleanor told her. “This pointless exercise is Hurricane Watch

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  supposed to make us more agreeable with each other. So far, it’s certainly not working.”

  Kerry clasped her hands together. “I don’t know if that’s really true,” she said. “I think it’s supposed to let you see other aspects of people you work with so maybe you find something in common with them.”

  Eleanor snorted. “Don’t hold your breath.”

  Dar chose that moment to reenter the cabin, her dark hair damp with sweat. ”Morning,” she greeted them briskly as she headed over to where her bunk was. ”Our hostess has provided something resembling breakfast up at that main hall. They want to start things up at nine.”

  Kerry checked her watch. Seven thirty. ”Okay. You said something resembling...what are we talking about here, peanut butter and jelly?”

  ”Yes.” Eleanor edged to a more dignified sitting posture. ”I usually have Mueslix.”

  Dar sat down and started taking off her sneakers. ”Well, there’s coffee and hot water and a couple of baskets of bagels, and some boxes of individual cereal,” she paused, exhaling, ”and bananas.”

  ”Great.” Mariana sat up, then gazed at Dar. ”What on earth have you been doing?”

  Dar gave her a look. ”Running,” she answered briefly. ”You all want to pick who takes a shower first?”

  They all looked at the bathroom with its tiny, bare shower stall, then back at her in mute horror, except for Kerry. The blonde woman merely looked off out the window with lightly twitching lips.

  ”Fine.” Dar stood and stripped off her sweatshirt leaving her in her sports bra, then picked up the towel she’d rolled into her bag and her small kit of soaps. ”Be right back.” She padded barefoot to the bathroom and kicked the door shut.

  ”Rude,” Eleanor spat with a disgusted look.

  ”Efficient,” Mariana disagreed. ”She’s right. We’re going to feel awful if we don’t shower.”

  ”Practical.” Kerry nodded. ”That’s Dar.”

  ”Buff.” Mary Lou noted, approvingly. ”Very nice.”

  They all looked at her in surprise.

  ”Hey, I call ‘em like I see ‘em,” The Personnel assistant stated, lifting her shoulders in a little shrug. They all got up and twitched their beds into some kind of order. Mariana and Mary Lou went to the window and peered out at the new day. ”Dear god, what is that?”

  Mariana suddenly said, with a start.

  They clustered behind her and peered out. ”Oh...my...gosh...” Mary Lou exhaled, ”it’s a bog monster.” The sun was behind the approaching apparition, which was moving towards them with stiff, unnatural motions, a solid black form with little white flecks here and there.

  ”God in the heavens,” Eleanor snapped. ”What is that?”

  The figure lurched up onto the steps and opened the door, and the 66

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  women all clustered in the back. ”Where in the hell is that bitch?” the figure screamed, eyes and teeth white against the black stained skin. A pungent, unpleasant odor floated in with it. ”Dar, I’m going to kick your ass!”

  ”Steven?” Eleanor asked, cautiously. ”What happened to you?”

  He ignored her. ”Bitch! Get out here!” he yelled louder.

  The bathroom door opened and Dar stepped out, her towel wrapped around her otherwise bare body and her dark hair slicked wetly back. ”Yes?” she asked, taking in the apparition with a stifled grin. ”Looks like you’re next up for the shower, Steven,” she drawled, leaning one hand against the wooden wall and crossing her ankles.

  He seethed and, for a moment, Dar thought he was going to attack her. Muscles along her arms and thighs visibly tensed, but he thought better of it. Instead, he threw open the door to the men’s part of the cabin and stormed through. A chorus of loud complaints echoed back, then José came to the door, rubbing his eyes. ”What in the hell is going on? Oh Dios Mio, Dar, put your clothing on!”

  He was almost run over from behind as the doorway filled with bug eyed, wild haired men.

  Dar smiled, perversely flattered. She kept her pose in the doorway, not intimidated by the stares. “You guys must not get out much.”

  José looked like he was going to say something, and then thought better of it. He slammed the door shut, sending a scattering of debris from the ceiling rafters onto the floor.

  “What did you do to him?” Mary Lou asked, curiously.

  “Nothing.” Dar headed for her bunk, her workout clothes in her hand. “Though I’m sure he’ll blame me for him being stupid, just like always.” She rummaged in her overnight bag, ignoring the rest of them as she pulled out a fresh shirt.

  “Guess I’ll go next,” Kerry volunteered, after a moment’s awkward silence. She picked up her toiletries bag and a change of clothes and disappeared into the small bathroom, closing the door behind her and leaving the rest of them to gawk. “Been there, done that, seen it all,” she uttered to herself, unable to hold back a grin now that she was alone.

  “Dar, you little exhibitionist punk.”

  She pulled off her sleeping shirt and turned on the shower, keeping a cautious hand under the stream before she stepped under it and quickly scrubbed her skin with body wash.

  “Really can’t get much worse, can it?” she said, watching the corners of the stall for snakes. “We’ll get through it. I know we will.”

  She jumped as a crash sounded from the men’s cabin and she heard the sound of water running rapidly, as yells soon followed. “Okay, maybe not.” She hurriedly rinsed her hair and grabbed for a towel before the wall collapsed and she stole Dar’s thunder.

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  THE SUN FILTERED through the pine trees and bathed the camp in a cheerful light, taking some of the dinginess out of it and rendering it more rustic than rundown.

  Dar walked up the steps to the main hall, a straggle of disgruntled people behind her. She held the screen door open with dour courtesy, following Mariana inside as the last one in.

  “Thanks, Dar.” Mari glanced behind her. “Looks like nice weather at least.”

  “Mm.” Dar nodded as they gathered around a trestle serving board and she picked up a clean, but battered looking plate. Kerry was two people ahead of her in line. They hadn’t really spoken to each other since she’d come back from running.

  It was grating on her nerves. Dar felt annoyed at herself as she picked up a muffin and a bowl with a box of cereal. Was it grating on Kerry’s?

  “Not much of a selection, huh?” Mariana selected a banana and a bagel. “What do they have to put...oh.” She sighed and scooped some peanut butter onto her plate. “Great.”

  Dar, however, brightened. “Mm.” She took her own scoop and plopped it down. “Favorite of mine.”

  “Really?”

  “Uh huh,” Dar said. “My father used to trade for big cans of the stuff for me on base,” she volunteered. “I’m surprised I never overdosed on it.”

  “What kind of base?” Mary Lou asked from the other side of Mariana. “My family was Air Force.”

  “Navy,” Dar replied, then edged out of line and headed for a table.

  She put her plate down at an empty one, then looked around for something to drink.

  “Here.” Kerry put down two glasses of milk by her plate before seating herself and taking a sip from a glass of juice she’d gotten for herself.

  Steven and José were just passing the table and they both glanced at Ke
rry, then looked at Dar. José just continued past, but Steven’s eyebrow twitched and he smiled faintly. Dar merely returned his gaze without reacting, but she could feel the skin on the back of her neck heating and she caught Mari’s expression from the next table over.

  Screw it. “Thanks, Ker.” She seated herself and opened the cereal box, dumping its contents in the bowl and pouring one of the glasses of milk over it. After a moment, she looked up to find Kerry staring at the glass with slightly widened eyes.

  “Shit,” Kerry uttered quietly.

  “No problem.” Dar dug into her flakes, chewing them noisily.

  “Eat.” She glanced around, then back at Kerry, who was visibly blushing now. “Looks like everyone’s heard about my drinking problem,” she added in a louder voice. “Even you.”

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  Kerry rested her head on her fist to hide her face and focused on her plate as Mari managed a hesitant laugh and José frowned at them.

  It was going to be a very long day.

  “ALL RIGHT.” SKIPPY had donned a perky pink sweatshirt with her company’s name on it over neatly pressed white slacks. ”Well, did we all have a good night?” Silence greeted her words. ”Well, that’s great. I’m glad to hear it, okay.”

  They were seated around a circular table in the smaller hall near the lake, its screened in walls giving a good view of the water that no one seemed to appreciate.

  ”Okay. Let’s start with this little exercise.” Skippy plugged bravely on. ”I’d like everyone to tell us about a favorite hobby of yours.” She looked encouragingly at Duks, bypassing Steven. ”How about you start?”

  Duks inhaled, then exhaled, folding his arms across his chest. ”A hobby is it? All right...I collect pencils.”

  Skippy sighed. ”Mr. Draefus...”

  ”No, no, I mean it.” Duks held up a hand. ”My oldest one is from 1833, truthfully.”

  Everyone looked at Duks suspiciously. ”Who’s next?” The accountant went on blithely.

  Mariana was next to him. ”I grow herb gardens.”

  “Oh, that’s so nice,” their guide burbled. ”For cooking?”