by J. G. Wilson
Colton snatched it away.
Melody took out the motel key and handed it to her cousin. “Here you go,” she said.
“So, what are your plans for tonight?” Valery asked Colton.
Colton’s eyes broke away from Melody, and she felt confused and cold.
“No plans,” he said.
“Do you want to go bar hopping with me?” Valery asked.
Colton looked at Melody. “Are you planning to go?”
Chapter 5
It seemed surreal, being in the Sea Witch Nightclub, sitting at the bar with the best looking guy in the place, drinking Diet Coke and listening to a complete stranger tell his life story. Her heart was beating fast, knowing that the reason Colton was even there to begin with was because she had agreed to go with him. Valery had been shocked. “Something’s got to be wrong with him, Mel,” she’d whispered as they changed clothes. And she hadn’t even needed a short skirt or a shirt that left little to the imagination to get his attention. Even now, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, she felt Colton found her attractive.
“So I’ve lived in Fisher’s Harbor my entire life, Colton said.
“But you don’t even have a trace of a tan.”
Colton shrugged. “Well, you’re from Georgia, and you’re almost as pale as I am.”
Melody laughed and took another sip. She could see Valery on the crowded dance floor in a silver dress, dancing to something fast, strobe lights hitting her body as she twirled.
“I really hate these places,” Colton said.
“What?” Melody screamed.
“I hate this place!” Colton shouted.
Melody pointed at her ear. “I can’t hear you over the music!”
Colton smiled and leaned over her, his chin lightly resting on her neck. “Why aren’t you dancing?” he said.
“I don’t know!” Melody said. “I guess guys don’t find me attractive.”
“That’s a lie.”
Colton led her to the dance floor and held her close, his head falling over her shoulder. Melody clumsily placed an arm around his back. Around them, people were jumping and shouting to the dance music, but they were moving slowly, dancing to their own rhythm.
The song ended and Selena Gomez’s “Love You Like a Love Song,” came on. He lifted his head, stared at her intently, gently brushing her copper bangs to the side with a motion of his hand. “This is nice,” he said, once more leaning down, his head resting on her shoulder.
What am I supposed to do? Melody thought. Should I kiss him? Should I wait for him to kiss me? She didn’t know. She’d never been faced with this situation before, not in any of her novels or Lifetime Movies. She nibbled on her lip as they twirled around.
Colton lifted his head suddenly and hissed, pulling her off the dance floor.
“What’s wrong?” Melody asked as they took their seats at the bar.
“Your cousin.”
Melody spotted Valery grinding with two guys, a short blond and a tall brunette. “What about her?”
“The guys she’s with. They’re trouble,” Colton said, anger seeping into his voice. “I’ve had a wonderful time Melody, but I must go.”
“What is it?” Melody asked. “Can’t you stay a little longer with me?”
Colton stood up. “You girls be careful,” he said. Then he disappeared into the crowd.
Valery approached, waving like crazy to her, the two guys following her.
“Where’s Colton?” she asked.
“He left,” Melody said.
“Max and Luke, this is my cousin Melody,” she said. “Max is mine,” she said with a wink. “Luke is all yours, Mel.”
Luke, the short blond kid, had wide eyes that seemed spread too far apart. He smiled at her, revealing a missing front tooth. “Hey! Let me show you something,” he said, pulling a pistol out of his pocket.
Chapter 6
Luke aimed the pistol and fired. A streaming arc of water splashed Melody’s shirt. He let out a high pitch wail of laughter, tilting his head back. People turned to stare.
Melody looked down at the stain, her anger building. “I’m leaving,” she said.
“Don’t be like that,” Luke said, grabbing her wrist and jerking her back. “It was Holy water. Just making sure you weren’t a vampire is all,” he snickered, the strange high-pitch laughter bubbling from his throat, threatening to erupt in howls.
Melody swung her arm free of Luke’s grip.
Max slapped Luke on the back. “Don’t worry about him,” he informed Melody, a smile spreading on his lean face, “He’s just a little . . . strange.”
“The boys want to take us somewhere special, Mel,” Valery said.
“Are you crazy?” Melody snapped. “He just pulled a gun on me. There is no way we’re going anywhere with them.”
“It was just a water gun,” Luke said.
“Don’t be like this Melody,” Valery said. “You’ve got to live a little.”
“It’s a very special place,” Max said. Very pretty ocean water. You won’t be disappointed,” he said, staring into her eyes. “The view is beautiful in the evening.”
“Not a chance,” Melody said.
Valery grabbed her by the arm. “Look,” she said, “This is a vacation, alright? Don’t ruin it for me. You can go back to being stuffy and boring just as soon as we get back to Georgia.”
“We’re not going,” Melody said firmly.
“Fine,” Valery said. “I’ll go. You just go back to the motel and be the loser you’ve always been.”
“You’re not going,” Melody said. “If I have to, I’ll call Aunt Judy.”
Valery’s face soured. “You are not calling my mom, Mel.”
“Watch this,” Melody said, reaching into her jeans pocket.
Valery pouted her lip. “Come on, cuzo. I never ask anything of you. Just do this one thing for me, okay? Please? As a favor to me.”
Melody looked around the room, the crowd of people dancing, the yellow and green and red lights flashing across the dance floor. Everything seemed to be spinning; the room seemed too crowded. It was suddenly oppressively hot in the building. She found herself wanting to get out.
“Alright,” Melody said. “I left my cell phone at the motel anyway.”
Valery squealed in delight and hugged her cousin. “You won’t be sorry, Mel,” she said, grabbing Max’s hand and pushing it around her shoulder. “We’re about to have the time of our lives.”
“Whatever,” Melody said, glancing at Max. He towered over Valery. Melody placed him at around 6’2”. He was very cute, with long, wavy brown hair and dimples. Luke was almost his complete opposite. Short, stocky, with hair so blond it appeared silver in the night club, the boy’s eyes seemed to pop from his head every time he opened his mouth, which was very frequently.
“We’re going to take you to see the jetties,” Luke informed Melody as they began walking toward the door. “It’ll be great. Only locals know about the place. The water is so clean you could drink it if it wasn’t salt water.” He laughed his high pitch laugh at the joke, and it sounded as if he was strangling. His face went red as a tomato, his eyes bulging to the point of popping out of their sockets. “I’m on fire tonight!” he shouted at the top of his lungs, dancing along to the music as they neared the exit. “Did you know that when I was in first grade I always had this strange desire to—“
“Uh huh,” Melody said, half listening. Tonight was turning out to be much worse than she’d imagined. It had started out well enough, with Colton arriving at their motel room dressed up, staring her up and down with a delighted expression on his face. He looked like he was baffled when he saw her, even though she was only wearing a T-shirt and a pair of jeans. He had looked handsome with his hair parted, his eyes glittering like black diamonds as he reached out his hand, gently grabbing hers. And now he was gone, and she was stuck with this very weird little man child that carried around a squirt gun.
Melody was wrapped up in her thoughts
, walking slower, distancing herself from Luke as he talked like she was right beside him. She didn’t even realize how far back she was until a hand reached out of the pulsing crowd and grabbed her roughly around the arm.
Chapter 7
“You can’t go with them,” Colton said, his breath hot against her neck as he pulled her close.
Melody turned and watched her cousin disappearing into the mob, her heart thudding. She could feel Colton’s body, lean and hard under his shirt. The cologne he wore was intoxicating. Melody found it hard to concentrate on what she needed to be doing.
He gently broke away from the close contact, gazing at her, and she noticed again how bright and sparkling his eyes were, like twinkling stars against black sky.
She longed to kiss him, to reach up and grab his face in her hands and pull him close. Instead, she broke away from his smoldering gaze and thought about Valery again.
“I’ve got to go,” she said with difficulty.
“You can’t go with them, Melody,” Colton said.
“Why not?”
“Because they’re bad news. I’m worried about you.”
Melody took another quick look at the pain in his face. The sad, black eyes. Her mind began spinning. She should just stay here and dance, forget about her cousin and the two guys she was leaving the Sea Witch with. She and Colton could dance all night, holding each other close —
Melody looked away.
“I’ve got to go with my cousin, Colton. I can’t leave her by herself.”
“They’re bad,” Colton repeated.
“Why?”
“Just trust me,” he said.
Melody broke free from him. “I’m not leaving my cousin,” she said. “I’ve got to go.”
“I’ll follow you,” he said.
She started for the exit, hesitated, then turned around. Colton was gone.
Melody ran for the door, her eyes roaming the crowd, searching for Valery, for Max, for the weirdo with the water gun. Please, don’t let it be too late, she thought, running outside, shoving her way through a crowd of drunk kids smoking cigarettes, loitering at the entrance.
She spotted the back of Max’s head, high above the crowd, and sighed as Valery came into view. She huffed as she jogged, working to catch up to them.
“Wouldn’t you agree?” Luke said. He turned and smiled at Melody.
“Sure?” she said, huffing, wiping sweat off her forehead.
“I thought so,” Luke said, giggling. He continued talking as if she’d been there the whole time.
They walked across the parking lot, their feet crunching the rocks as Max led them to his car. He stopped at a black Mustang and opened the door for Valery.
“Voila, my lady,” Max said, taking her hand and helping her inside. He slammed the door and gave Melody a wink.
Luke opened the driver’s side door, pushed the front seat forward and quickly jumped in the backseat.
“Could you at least slide over?” Melody asked.
“Sure,” Luke said, shifting to the other side of the car and patting the empty space next to him. “Take a seat, baby.”
Melody got inside and sat uncomfortably beside the giggling maniac with the squirt gun.
“Dude, you didn’t let her get in first?” Max asked as he adjusted the front seat. Melody could see his eyes in the rearview mirror, checking her out. “That’s not cool.”
Max started the engine.
Something slapped hard against the front windshield.
Melody screamed.
Chapter 8
“Aw man, Max, aw man!” Luke said from the backseat. “Check it out!”
The bat screeched, its face pressed against the window, wings extended. Melody shivered at its pig nose and beady eyes.
“It’s just a bat, guys,” Max said smoothly. “Let’s have some fun!” He cranked up the radio, the bass throbbing, rap music blasting into the stillness of the night. The bat flew away.
Valery let out a squeal of delight as the car screeched out of the parking lot and flew down the road. Melody watched the city lights and telephone poles pass by at a dizzying rate. She leaned over the front and saw the speedometer, saw that the car was going 80 miles an hour.
“You’re going way too fast,” she said. “Slow down.”
“What?” Max said, turning up the radio.
Luke shouted and rolled down his window, sticking his head out. He brought it back in, his hair wild, bug eyes wide with pure delight.
Max cut off the radio. “Where you girls from?” he asked.
“Georgia,” Valery said.
“I could tell by the accents, you were from the South,” Max said. “Where are you staying?”
“Wind Chime Motel,” Valery said.
Luke howled like a banshee, taking Melody’s hand in his. “Wind Chime motel?” he screeched.
Melody snatched her hand back. “Don’t touch me,” she said.
Luke laughed even harder. “The Wind Chime is a dump,” he said.
“Yeah, I can’t believe your parents would stay there with you,” Max said. “There’s a strip bar right across the street!”
“We’re not here with our parents,” Valery said. “We’re by ourselves.”
“Cool,” Max said.
Melody felt like slapping her cousin in the back of the head. That was too much information for strangers, especially for strangers driving them to destinations unknown in the dead of night. Max seemed to be a snobby, rich type of guy. Like many of the other people she knew from her high school. But Luke? Luke was crazy.
Melody gulped as she stared out her window and saw nothing but trees. The city lights had completely vanished. They were surrounded by darkness, somewhere out in the country. She turned around and looked out the back window, straining to see any sign of headlights behind them. Was Colton following them like he said he would? She sure hoped so.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“Some place special,” Max said.
“Can’t we just go out on the beach back in town?” Melody asked.
Luke snickered. “Yeah, can’t we just go back, Max?”
“This is place is special,” Max snapped. “You girls won’t believe it when you see it. It’s absolutely to die for.”
“Can’t wait!” Valery said. Melody noticed with disgust her cousin’s hand was resting on Max’s leg.
“Hey, check this out!” Max shouted, swerving the Mustang.
Chapter 9
The tires squealed as the black Mustang shot onto a narrow dirt road, the force of the turn sending Melody crashing into Luke.
“You jerk!” Valery said, laughing, as Max straightened the car and zoomed down the dirt road.
“How about a kiss, baby?” Luke asked, wrapping his arms around Melody.
“Get off!” she shouted, slapping him away. Melody slid back to her side of the car. Nothing about this felt right. She couldn’t believe Valery was stupid enough to go off with two strangers from a night club out into the middle of nowhere. She couldn’t believe she was stupid enough to follow her cousin. What can I do to protect us? Melody thought. Not a thing.
Max slammed on the brakes as the road opened up into a circle and dead ended. “Prepare to be amazed, ladies,” he said.
Melody got out of the car, slamming the door shut, smelling the strong scent of the ocean. She could hear waves breaking in the distance. A full moon lit up the darkness. She could make out nothing but palm trees as she followed Max, Luke and her cousin down a rickety set of wooden steps to the beach below.
The sand was ghost white in the pale moonlight. Melody took off her tennis shoes and socks and carried them in her hands, the sand cold between her toes.
The moon looked larger as they drew near the shoreline, hanging over the black water, the light waves sparkling in the moonlight. A huge rock pile jutted out into the ocean toward the left, and Luke pointed it out.
“The jetties,” he whispered, his breath stinking. “That’
s where us locals like to go and make out.”
Melody tried to hide her disgust, but she felt her face was betraying her feelings.
Luke didn’t seem to notice as he reached for her hand. She quickly shoved both into her pockets. In the distance, Melody could make out what appeared to be a large, dark rock.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“That’s an island,” Max said. “It’s got a very cool cave.”
“They call it Dead Man’s Island,” Luke added, “Because nothing on it is alive.”
Melody felt a shiver run up her back as a gust of chilly wind breezed past.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Max asked.
“It is,” Melody whispered, finding it strange how surreal this spot seemed. It looked like something out of a movie. It had an almost soothing effect, even though Luke stood right beside her.
Max took off his shirt. “Let’s go for a swim, girls.”
“Alright!” Valery shouted, running to the water’s edge, splashing into the ocean in her dress. Melody inched her way up until the water touched her toes. The tide took it out and brought it in, and it felt cool but nice in the hot night. She watched Valery behaving foolishly, jumping on Max.
Max threw her back in the ocean, and she came up, laughing.
Maybe she was being a little paranoid about the whole thing. It was a nice night, and this was even kind of fun. She pulled up her pants legs to her knees, then waded a little further into the ocean, the waves gently splashing against her shins.
Melody took a deep breath, enjoying the relaxation of the beach. She looked up and saw stars dotting the sky, the round moon dwarfing them.
“Look out!” came a male’s voice, slicing through the calm night like a knife.
Melody turned and saw something large and dark in the horizon coming straight for her.
Chapter 10
A huge bat, its eyes burning red, descended on Melody, the wings stretched out like sails, the creature’s talons extended on its huge, hairy feet. Melody ducked as it swooped past, losing her balance, falling in the ocean. She tried to stand up as a wave hit her and felt the bat’s claws in her hair.