After leaving and saying goodbye to their families, the men drove south for two days, nearing Milledgeville, a few hours away from Thomasville. They were on a business retreat. That was the plan. It was a chance to kick their feet up and take their minds off their white-collar careers. By Monday morning, however, something had gone terribly wrong, and their van didn't work anymore. Not one of their cell phones worked, and they hadn't a clue of what to do. They were stranded. The cabin was too far on foot. Not a soul was around, and they still had Gordon with them.
After waiting for help that never came, Bryce, Aaron, Scott, Jamie, and Gordon stood in a circle in Herman's parking lot trying to plan their next move.
“Where do you think everyone went?” Jamie asked. “Not a soul around. Isn't it weird?”
“It's like a ghost town,” Aaron said.
“Clever observation,” Gordon said sarcastically. He seemed irritated. Everyone looked at him coldly then turned away.
Bryce spoke up. “The man inside told me that there's a town about twenty miles east of here,” he said, pointing down the two-lane street to their right. “Milledgeville business district. They might even have power there. I suggest we start walking.”
The men groaned in unison.
“You fuckin' kidding me, Bryce?” Scott said.
“Doesn't look like we have much of a choice, gents,” Bryce said.
“This is ridiculous!” Aaron shouted.
“Everyone just calm down,” Bryce said.
“We're fucked!” Aaron said.
Jamie put his hand up. “Hold on a minute. Bryce has a point. We've been hanging around that van for the past two days, and it's gotten us nowhere. Looks like everyone but that crazy old kook inside just packed up and left. We have to keep moving.”
“What about our things?” Aaron asked.
“We grab the packs and whatever else we can take with us,” Scott answered.
Gordon remained silently neutral, wondering if he had made a mistake in coming along. He didn't trust the group, but thought that they had turned themselves around. They did, after all, promise to pay back the embezzled money and inform management of their crime. He had given them a wake-up call, but also a chance to redeem themselves, though he was beginning to sense that he may have been duped.
There was something about the looks on their faces Gordon didn't like. No one would make eye contact with him. Their eyes would shift away as soon as they met his. No one had said much to him the entire trip either. What were they up to?
“How foolish to agree to go on this trip,” he thought. What was he expecting to come of it? They weren't his friends; they were criminals. Criminals whose crime was known only by him. He should have told someone else or created a backup plan. Something to protect himself. Then it hit him: he was there for a reason, and it wasn't to attend a friendly business retreat with coworkers. The van breaking down. The phones not working. It all seemed oddly coincidental, and Gordon was growing more paranoid by the minute. He had to escape.
They walked back to their rented Chevy van, rendered useless by an electromagnetic pulse a few days before. The sun was shining in full force. The chirping of birds echoed throughout the wilderness surrounding them. The road remained empty, and glowing mirages resembling puddles of water could be seen on both ends. The silence, save for sounds of nature, was unnerving. They felt abandoned by civilization.
Bryce had been the driver of the van, and his mind searched for inconsistencies. Did he fall asleep at the wheel? Did they crash? Were they in purgatory or worse?
Scott opened the back door of the van, and the men pulled out their backpacks and the snacks they had left. There were some cashews and trail mix, but hardly enough to quell the hunger in their stomach. The plan had been to stop for lunch before hitting Thomasville once they got through the long stretch of nothing.
Jamie tore into his trail mix, dumping the contents into his mouth, when Scott walked by and grabbed his arm. “Easy there, Jamie. We have twenty miles, maybe more to walk. We need to ration our stuff,” he said.
“Hey, I paid for this bag, I can do what I want with it,” Jamie said, mouth full of nuts and raisins.
“Suit yourself, but you'll be hurting in a little bit,” Scott said.
Bryce slung his camo backpack over his shoulders and began to walk away from the van. “Let's go, guys. We got a long walk up ahead.”
Scott, Jamie, and Gordon followed. Aaron closed the back doors to the van and jogged to catch up. They left the van parked on the side of the road without looking back. Between five men, none of them could get it working, no matter how many times they messed with the engine. As they deserted the van, they didn't look back, partly out of anger and partly out of disappointment. It had failed them, but maybe they had failed each other.
The journey ahead was their only option, and there was still the matter of the “unfinished business” before them. Holding a state map, Bryce led the way as Scott caught up with him. Aaron, Jamie, and Gordon trailed behind, walking along the right side of the road as their boots crunched the pebbles underfoot. They saw a sign ahead that verified what Herman had told Bryce: Downtown Milledgeville, 20 miles.
“So what town are we in right now?” Scott asked Bryce.
Bryce looked down at his map. “I'm not entirely sure. Somewhere outside of Macon,” he said.
Scott turned his head to look at the others. They were about ten feet behind, walking at their own pace. Aaron held a bottle of water to his mouth and drank from it. Gordon walked behind Aaron as Jamie plodded forward with his eyes on the ground. Gordon had been quiet for the past couple of days and looked troubled. Scott had grown suspicious of Gordon's silence. He believed that they needed to take action.
A few miles down the road, Scott spoke into Bryce's ear. “It's time,” he said.
Walking stick in hand, Bryce perked up and looked at Scott. “What are you talking about?”
“Don't be stupid,” Scott snapped. “You know exactly what I'm talking about. Time to cut loose the dead weight.” He jerked his head to signal behind them.
“I think we have greater things to worry about right now,” Bryce whispered.
Scott's face grew red. “You're wrong, Bryce. We have only one thing to worry about, and that's losing everything. Our jobs, our families, possibly our freedom. This freak accident is a blessing.”
“Don't say that,” Bryce said, interrupting.
“But it is! We got about twenty miles until we reach town. We need to take care of this problem here and now. Think about it,” Scott said, growing increasingly loud.
“Keep your voice down,” Bryce said.
Jamie, Aaron, and Gordon walked behind them, lost in their own worlds.
“Don't forget the reason we came out here in the first place,” Scott said. “It's perfect. Our van broke down, we had to walk to town, and one of our coworkers never made it.”
“Oh yeah, and what happened to him?” Bryce asked, annoyed at Scott's insistence.
“Bear ate him,” Scott said. “Or at least attacked him or something.”
“Don't be foolish,” Bryce said.
Scott grabbed Bryce's flannel jacket collar, pulling him closer. Bryce jerked away and pushed him back. “Get the fuck off me!” he shouted.
As they tussled, the others watched with shocked concern.
“Hey,” Jamie shouted. “You guys OK up there?”
Scott pushed Bryce a second time. Bryce stumbled back and held up his walking stick in an aggressive manner.
“What are you going to do with that?” Scott asked.
“Shove it up your ass if you put your hands on me again,” Bryce said, breathing heavily.
Jamie ran forward and stepped between the two men with both his arms outstretched to hold them apart. “Will you two knock it off? No one needs this bullshit right now.”
Scott lowered his fists and looked down at the ground. Bryce lowered his stick.
“Good,” Jamie said. “Now
pull yourselves together. We still have a long way to go.”
Aaron and Gordon approached the men, Gordon silent as usual. On both directions there was only road as far as their eyes could see. Gordon began to think of a way out, any path that would get him away from the group he had so foolishly agreed to go on a trip with.
Bryce's heavy breathing slowed. He nodded to Jamie and to Scott. “I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me,” he said.
Scott walked closer. “No, no, it was my fault. I'm sorry, Bryce. Just frustrated with everything, that's all.”
“As we all are,” Bryce said. He then looked around at the rest of the group. “Let's all take a break over there in the shade,” he said, pointing to a spot in the grass under the shade. “It'll give us some time to get out of the sun and hydrate ourselves.”
The group nodded in agreement and followed Bryce to the shaded area and situated themselves on the rocks. Scott sat directly next to Bryce, hoping to stress the imperative task at hand without drawing attention from Gordon, who was sitting within earshot.
“Time to rally the troops, Bryce,” Scott said quietly.
Bryce turned quickly to him, annoyed, and was met with a look of absolute conviction.
“We're not going to be lucky for much longer,” Scott whispered. “Any minute now, a car just might drive over the hill, pick us up, and take us into town.”
Bryce was done arguing. He could see that they had little choice in the matter. He dreaded the moment of actually having to go through with any of it. Perhaps they could still talk some sense into Gordon, bring him over to their side, or maybe they were far past that point.
Scott put his hands on Bryce's map and slowly pulled it away from him. He stood up and held the map in the air, calling out to the others. “Hey, guys. Bryce discovered a shortcut here,” he said.
Jamie and Aaron looked up in excitement.
“Tell 'em, Bryce,” Scott said, nudging him.
“Yes—yes, shortcut. Lead the way, Scott. You seem to know how to read that map better than I do.”
“Shortcut?” Jamie asked. “What shortcut?”
“Yeah, what the hell are you guys talking about?” Aaron added.
Gordon said nothing. He sensed that he was in danger. Suddenly, he remembered he had a knife in his backpack. He inconspicuously took the pack off, pulled the knife from its pouch, and placed it in his pocket as the group continued talking.
“Right through those woods,” Scott said with a knowing glance toward Jamie and Aaron, out of view from Gordon. He jerked his head slightly toward their nemesis, signaling his intention. “We can cut at least five miles out of our journey by going through this shortcut,” he continued.
“Five miles?” Aaron said. “You sure about that?”
Bryce held his composure. “Lead the way, Scott.”
“My pleasure,” Scott said, smiling. If Bryce didn't know any better, he would think that Scott was enjoying himself. There was nothing to enjoy, but Bryce understood the ugly truth of what they needed to embark on. He followed Scott into the vast forest before them, away from the road and from any signs of civilization. Jamie and Aaron followed as Gordon trailed reluctantly from behind.
Scott led the way through thick brush, vines, pine needles, pine cones, endless hills, and the crackling of leaves and sticks in their paths. The moved slowly and with caution. Scott tried to stick to a clear path, but considering he had no idea where they were going, it remained a challenge. After a mile of walking—dodging branches and vines—they came across a peaceful creek with a bed of stones under the glistening water.
“Looks like we came upon some fresh water,” Scott said. “Let's stop and take a rest.”
“Will do,” Bryce said.
Jamie knelt beside the creek and stuck his bottle under the water, filling it up to the top. They were less concerned about the purity of the water than quenching their thirst. Bryce knelt beside the bank and tossed some water on his face. Scott kept his eyes on Gordon, discreetly watching his every move. Gordon sat against a tree, raised his head and closed his eyes.
“Five minutes,” Scott said to the group. “Then we start moving.”
“I sure hope you know where you're going,” Jamie said in jest.
“It's all on this map right here,” Scott said, holding the map up in the air. He looked around and could feel his heart beating faster. It was time to take care of business, but his mind raced with questions. Could he use a rock from the creek? Could they drown Gordon? Where would they bury the body? Scott had to admit, he was no expert when it came to premeditated murder.
He had focused so much effort on persuading Gordon to come out that they had not once considered exactly how they were going to get rid of him. He had suggested abandoning Gordon deep within the woods not too long ago. Now the responsibility was all his. He had suggested the idea, thus owning it. In the process, he was protecting his friends' jobs, their families, and their futures just as much as his own. They would thank him when it was all over.
Bryce sat down on a nearby log as Jamie poured water from his bottle onto his face. A light current pushed the creek water over the fallen logs and rocks that lay in its path. Aaron stared at the water in a daze. Gordon sat against a tree. His head was tilted upward, and his eyes were closed. Scott quietly walked to the creek and clutched a round and smooth rock, the size of a hockey puck, from below the water.
He stood up and paced toward Gordon, moving steadily toward his target with each step. If the rock hit him in the right spot, it would take him out for good, but if it didn't, it might just knock Gordon out. Scott was inches from his nemesis, ready to strike. No one else seemed to take any notice. Maybe they didn't want to. “It's for the good of the group,” he told himself under his breath.
He stopped within five feet of Gordon, swung his arm back, and threw the stone toward Gordon in one great thrust. The rock sailed toward the sun, the wetness of it gleaming as it hurtled toward Gordon's slumping head. It missed, striking a branch above his head.
Gordon snapped awake, startled to find Scott only a few feet in front of him.
“What the hell was that?” Gordon asked, looking around. He gained the attention of the other men immediately. “What did you just throw at me?” he asked Scott.
“Nothing. I don't know what you're talking about,” Scott said.
Gordon was not convinced and stood up as the hair from his dirty blond hair hung into his eyes. He pulled out his pocketknife. Scott took a step back as Gordon pointed the blade at him, waving it in the air.
“Just stay back!” Gordon shouted.
Bryce, Aaron, and Jamie walked over as Gordon's eyes darted between Scott and the others and fear began to take hold. “You think I don't know?” he said. “I know what you're up to. All of you!”
“Gordon, please,” Scott said, his arm outstretched defensively. “This is ridiculous.”
“What's the problem, Gordon?” Bryce asked.
Gordon backed up against the tree, unwavering, and held the knife out. He glanced down at the ground and saw a thick rock lying in the grass. He looked back at the men surrounding him. There wasn't a face he could trust in the bunch.
“Don't come any closer!” Gordon said. “What are you trying to do to me out here? You think you're going to get rid of me that easily?”
“Gordon, that's absurd,” Jamie said. “No one is trying to hurt you.”
“I don't believe you!” Gordon said. “I don't believe any of you. I should get my head examined coming out here with you guys in the first place. Now put your hands up!”
The men looked at other, trying to decide who would make the first move.
“Put 'em up!” Gordon shouted.
They slowly raised their hands in unison. Scott was getting more agitated by the second. He felt the situation spiraling out of control, and there was little to do about it as long as Gordon had the knife. None of them had a gun or weapon of any kind, so he attempted to reason with Gordon. “List
en, I think you're way off here,” Scott said.
“Turn around!” Gordon shouted.
The men stalled, looking at each other.
“I said turn around!” Gordon said.
“What are you gonna' do, Gordon, stab all of us to death?” Scott asked.
“Just do what he says,” Bryce told them.
The men reluctantly turned around with their arms in the air. Gordon stared at their backs and lowered the knife. “That's right!” he said. “You just stay like that.” In a flash, he darted away from the tree and ran off. They could hear his footsteps racing across the sticks and leaves behind them. Scott turned around in panic. He could faintly see Gordon in the distance, running along the creek.
“We can't let him get away!” Scott said, running off. He grabbed the rock from the ground before disappearing into the trees and down the path in hot pursuit. Bryce, Jamie, and Aaron stood still, as if locked in place.
“Shit,” Jamie said. “What do we do now?”
Bryce shook his head. “We only have one choice now. We have to go after them. We have to find Gordon.”
“Then what?” Jamie asked.
“We do what's necessary, so come on,” Bryce said. He raced off, forgetting his backpack by the creek, as the others did. They followed Scott deeper into the woods, hoping that they had the stamina to keep up.
Scott ran as fast as he could, trying not to trip over any holes, sticks, or rocks. Through heavy gasps for breath, he maintained a consistent pace. Never much of a runner, he already felt exhausted, but pushed on in sheer determination. In the far distance he could see Gordon disappear behind some bushes, only his black windbreaker showing. “Gordon!” Scott yelled. “Where the hell are you going? Come back!”
Scott stopped, turned, and saw the rest of the group catching up to him. “Hurry up!” Scott shouted to them. “He's getting away.”
Bryce drew closer and closer, then stopped within inches, grabbing Scott's jacket at the collar. “What did you do, you stupid asshole?” he asked, seething.
Scott pushed him, going at it again. “I did what was necessary!”
“You jumped the gun, and now he's gone. That's what you did.”
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