Tyler and June quickly rummaged around in the tent for supplies and weapons. Tyler found more ammo for his gun and loaded his pockets. June grabbed a claw hammer. Kim wielded the orange utility knife, and Edgar duct taped a flathead screwdriver to the end of a staff-length branch, creating a spear-like weapon. "My litter picker upper," he joked. They also grabbed a few water jugs and some food from the containers.
Even though each member of the group had a section of woods they were watching, Tyler kept checking all around him. Since he had the gun, he was the group's true protector.
Something was stalking them. Whatever that creature was it was out there. Once in a while he'd hear the sound of a branch snapping, or the rustle of leaves. A growl and that strange clicking noise. He'd hoped, like the others, that it would grow tired of them and run off, but it was clear it was not leaving. He couldn't figure out why it hadn't shown itself again. Hadn't attacked. His only guess was the fire. It was an animal, and animals feared flame.
Tyler noticed Kim was shivering, despite the warm weather and her standing closest to the fire.
"It'll be okay," he said, rubbing her arm.
"You don't know that," Kim said, her eyes peeled at the darkness.
He turned her toward him and held the gun in front of her face. "This is a .357 magnum. It'll crack an engine block, let alone destroy that thing if it comes back. Nothing's getting near us without it dying first."
"And it doesn't like fire," June added. "At least that's why I think it hasn't come back."
"Exactly," Tyler said. "So as long as we stay here with the fire burning, we'll be okay."
Time seemed to crawl. Conversation was kept to a minimum, save for Edgar who babbled about everything from the money in the tent and how he wished he had taken some to how great their tale would be when they looked back on the whole thing. "A six-figure book deal!" he said.
Tyler was amazed at how Edgar was handling the situation, and wondered if the guy was more afraid than he was letting on. He took in the man's crude spear and something occurred to him—what if something happened to him? His friends would be left with inadequate weapons and a gun they didn't really know how to use.
"Guys," Tyler said, "I think it might be a good idea if I showed each of you how to shoot."
"Why?" Kim asked.
"In case something happens to him," June said.
"Right," Tyler said. June seemed to be in sync with his thinking tonight and he was glad for it. Someone other than himself was tuned into the reality of the situation.
Everyone took turns with the weapon. Tyler showed them all how to handle it, load it, and had each of them fire two shots so they'd know what to expect. The gunshots shook the camp like thunder. The gun was mean and powerful and always needed to be fired using two hands. Fear of the weapon could not be allowed.
For about ten minutes after the lessons were finished, the creature's growls and the clicking noise it made grew louder, as if it was angry. Then there were no sounds at all. Tyler was imagining the creature as an animal, but if it had indeed been a man, then it could possibly think, reason, and plan.
"Maybe it's gone," Edgar suggested.
"Shut up," Kim said. "Don't jinx us."
"Oh, c'mon," Edgar said. "Don't tell me you believe that shit."
"About tempting fate? Yes, I do."
"As difficult as it is," June said, "we need to act as if it's right out there beyond the lit areas, watching us. Waiting. Maybe it fell asleep. Maybe it took off. Or maybe it's trying to make us think it’s gone so we let our guard down."
"June's right," Tyler said. "Doesn't matter what we hope or think. We have to assume it's still here with us."
"I can't believe I'm saying this," Kim said, "but I'm exhausted."
"I'm not tired," Edgar said, "but my back's hurting."
"How are we supposed to hike out of here and be on guard if we're too tired and beat up?" Kim asked.
"You're right," June said. "There's no need for all of us to always be standing. And hell, if you can sleep, get some. We'll take shifts."
"I'm fine," Tyler said. "You guys sleep if you need it. I'll get some later if I have to." Truth be told, he was tired and his feet ached. He could use a seat, but he was the protector and needed to be on guard. As he rocked on his feet to get some blood flowing into them, something landed on his shoulder. He spun around to see Kim's hand on him.
"You need to rest," she said.
"I will. Later."
"At least take a seat, okay?"
He nodded and took a seat next to her, not understanding how anyone in their situation could think about sleep, as good as an idea it was.
She turned toward the others. "So what, we sleep in twos?"
Everyone agreed, and before Tyler knew it, weariness fell over him. Changing his mind, he handed June the gun and snuggled up to Kim. Getting some rest, even twenty minutes, was a good idea. He needed to trust the others.
A few minutes later, he fell asleep.
CHAPTER 14
Edgar and June were on guard. June held the Magnum, Edgar his spear. He hadn't argued over who got the gun. He'd put money on her being a better shot. Kim was snuggled against Tyler, both their eyes closed. He had no idea if Tyler was really asleep. The guy had been so adamant about it, but then seemed to wilt before his eyes when Kim talked to him.
"Hey," he whispered to June who was on the other side of the campfire and staring into the gloom-filled forest.
"What?" she said, not turning around.
Edgar marveled at how focused she was. He was facing her, his back exposed to whatever was out there. There hadn't been any noises—breaking of branches, growls, clicks. Nothing. He knew he shouldn't allow that to put him more at ease, imagine that the creature had taken off, but he couldn't help it. He did feel more secure. And he couldn't help but think the monster had left them. That the fire and gunshots had scared it off. But it was still out there somewhere.
Now, if only June would fall asleep, he thought, his devious mind at work.
Even with the monster lurking in the wilds, their lives possibly still at risk, all he could think about was the money. There was no risk of more bank robbers showing up. They would've arrived already. Either the creature had killed them or there simply weren't any more. So the only threat left was the creature, and how much of a threat was it really? It hadn't attacked, shown itself or made a noise in a while. If it was out there he would've heard it. There was no way anything could traipse around the forest and not make a sound.
Edgar grinned. The money could now be his. Well, not all of it, of course. He'd only take $20,000—$10,000 to pay off his loan and $10,000 to play with. Invest or something. His friends would never tell. Sure, June might be pissed when she found out, but maybe she didn't have to know anything. Hell, if that was the case, why not take $50,000 or $60,000? He could hide it on his person, stuff bills neatly into his socks, shoes, pockets and underwear. And if the authorities questioned them? Someone might crack. Kim. She would definitely break under pressure. He had to take the money without anyone finding out.
He looked at June, watched her for a few minutes. Not once had she turned around to look at him. She was like a trained sentry. Her job was to watch that side of the forest, the side facing away from the tent. He could make it to the tent, take some of the money, and be back without her knowing he'd left. It was about twenty-five feet away. Nothing.
Looking over his shoulder at her, he took a step away from the fire and toward the tent. Then another. And another. His pulse quickened and the rush of excitement was overwhelming, making him giddy. The thought of getting himself out of debt and coming out of this situation ahead of the game was too much. His life was going to get better. His and June's. Eventually, she'd find out and be angry, but she'd get over it. He was sure of it.
Edgar kept going, taking one step at a time, always glancing back over his shoulder. He was a few feet from the tent's entrance when he heard the sound of a branch snappin
g. A moment later, a twig bounced off his head. He swallowed, feeling a lump in his throat. His legs buckled as fear engulfed him. He looked up and saw a dark shape coming at him, the fire’s light gleaming off its bulbous black eyes, giving it pupils of flame.
CHAPTER 15
June spun around when she heard the scream, her heart nearly bursting from her chest. Edgar was gone from his place across from her.
Then she saw him.
He was on his back on the ground, flattened under the creature. Its onyx, camouflage-patterned flesh reflected the fire’s light like polished coal. The thing's hide was an unorganized collage of turtle shells. Its claws were massive, bear-like, and came from webbed hands and feet that were humanoid in structure.
The damn thing had been above them, in the trees.
Edgar's head was face-planted into the ground, his screams now muffled.
June raised her arms, the .357 seeming to weight a ton.
Edgar lifted up his head, his mouth open, but nothing came forth. The creature was crushing him. June heard the others, Tyler's and Kim's voices frantic. She steadied her trembling arms and took aim. The creature brought one of its arms down and sank its claws into the back of Edgar's head. A single claw protruded from his left eye socket, sending the eyeball skittering away.
"Noooooo!," June screamed as Edgar's body convulsed, blood gushing from his skull. She pulled the weapon's trigger—one, two, three times—biting down and feeling an intense warrior-like fury rush through her. The gun had jerked wildly, the muscles in her arms working hard to control the thing. She should've waited a breath between each shot, but panic had taken over.
The first bullet cracked the creature in its rib area. Pieces of its shell-like hide broke away and black fluid leaked out. The other two shots went wide.
With its claws still penetrating Edgar's head, it turned and hissed at June, its long ooze-coated tongue lashing about. June fired again and a bullet struck the thing in its shoulder. The creature growled, brought up its arm, and in doing so, ripped Edgar's head clean off his body. June pulled the trigger again, but the creature leapt away into the dark forest, taking the head with it.
Tyler could barely catch his breath, the combination of fright and smoke inhalation making the task seem impossible. The screams, the gunshots, and seeing his friend get mauled. They'd all come at him in a waking blitzkrieg, momentarily disorienting him. But realty quickly set in and only the sounds of the gun blasts kept his screams from being heard.
On his feet, he could only stand and watch as the carnage unfolded. When it was over, the whole thing seeming to last the length of the blink of an eye, he heard Kim crying. His first thought was to turn and hug her, let her know she was safe now, but he was frozen in place, numb. He felt as if he was hovering a few inches off the ground. His stomach had a bowling ball in it and his flesh was lined in a cold sweat. Heat enveloped his head, his face burning. The forest started spinning and he wobbled. Thinking he was going to pass out, he reached for the nearest tree, then lurched forward and puked. A moment later, everything seemed to come together and he felt better. He stood with his hands on his knees, spitting small remnants of stomach content from his lips.
"I hit it," June said.
Tyler straightened himself and turned around. June was still in a shooter's stance, eyes unblinking. Kim was on the ground, hugging her legs to her chest and sobbing. He went up to June and put his hand on her wrist and brought her arms down. "It's okay," he said softly and gently pried the gun away.
"I fucking got it," she said.
"You did great."
Her stare moved to what remained of Edgar. Strands of flesh and spinal column showing from the neck stump. "Is that . . . ?" Her hands flew to her mouth and she let loose a squeak. "No, it can't be. He's all right. This shit isn't happening. I'm asleep by the fire. Right?"
Tyler didn't know what to do. He wasn't great with the emotional stuff. He was in shock himself. But he knew enough to check the gun's chamber. He couldn't remember how many shots had been fired and didn't want to be caught without bullets if the creature came back. He dumped out the spent shells and loaded new ones, the whole process taking seconds.
"Come on," Tyler said to June. "Why don't you sit for a little." He guided her to the other side of the fire, out of view of Edgar's corpse. Kim was standing now, her eyes red, face streaked with tears. She helped him with June, June mumbling as she sat and then broke down in hysterics. Tyler let her go and kept an eye on his surroundings. He wished he could cover the body, but there was no way he was stepping away from the fire. Instead, he grabbed more wood from the pile and added it to the flames.
CHAPTER 16
An hour after Edgar's death, things seemed to calm a bit. June went from crying, to sniffling, and then to cold bitch. "What's done is done," she said, getting to her feet. "If we're going to survive, we need to pull ourselves together and that includes me. I'll have plenty of time to grieve when I'm home."
She was right, of course. They needed to watch each other's backs. The idea of sleeping in shifts was taken off the table. It was time to dig deep, not that any of them could sleep after Edgar's death.
Kim was amazed at how June was able to turn her emotional state around, as if she'd simply flipped a switch. But that was June, strong and determined. She knew the woman was hurting inside—had to be—her outward appearance but a mask.
Silence ensued for a while as she, June, and Tyler watched the darkness, but then June spoke up.
"I don't understand what he was doing," she said. "I was watching one side of the camp, he the other. He was right behind me one second, then over by the tent the next."
Kim wanted to know what had happened too. She'd asked earlier, but Tyler hadn't known either, or wasn't saying. But seeing where he had been killed, she guessed it was because he had planned on taking some of the money. June had to know that as well. It was hard to fathom someone risking their life for cash, stepping away from the fire. He could have at least had June cover him with the gun or taken a torch with him. But he was greedy and knew June would try to stop him.
"Money," Tyler said. "He was going for the money."
June continued to watch her side of the camp, but Kim saw her shake her head. "That stupid bastard," she said, her voice almost cracking.
Kim felt horrible for her and wanted to comfort her, but now wasn't the time. She wondered if June would be able to hold up. She couldn't blame her if she broke down again. Then June said, "Sorry, guys. I'm not going to lose it. I'm trying to focus on us, the living, and not on the idiot he was."
Kim couldn't imagine what June was going through. Anger, sadness, fear? All three of them? If Tyler had been the one killed she didn't think she would be able to keep herself as together as June. It was difficult enough not telling June how sorry she was. She felt a little guilty as well, grateful that it hadn't been her or Tyler that had been killed. This made her feel terrible, her stomach tied in knots.
She shook her head, clearing away her thoughts. Like June, she needed to focus on protecting the group. If June could do it, then so could she.
The night went on without a hitch. There were no creature sightings or sounds, the forest still. The three friends were no less tense when dawn arrived, the woods slowly coming into view as the black veil of night evaporated. Small talk had been made throughout the night, more to keep everyone up than anything else. A lot of it was questions about the creature, speculation where it had come from. Had it taken Derek? Or had Derek become it? If he had turned into it, then what had infected him? Was it infecting them now? Airborne? An animal bite? Had an alien from outer space attacked him? The whole situation was crazy and seemed improbable even to those who had been a part of it. Some kind of group hysteria.
Despite non-existent appetites, everyone made sure to eat and drink. It was important to remain energized and hydrated for the hike out. When it came time to urinate, everyone did so right where they stood, digging only a small hole that could be
filled in right after. The campfire smoke helped to cover up any unpleasant odors too.
When it came time to depart, sunlight cutting through the foliage, Kim wasn't ready to leave.
"Maybe we should wait here a little longer," she said.
"We need to go now," June said. "We'll have torches to keep that thing away from us if it comes back."
"And this," Tyler said, indicating the gun in his hand. "I'll make every shot count. Promise."
Kim gave a slight nod as she nibbled on her fingernails, not seeming convinced. Then her face brightened. "Hey, it was shot. So maybe it's dead, right?"
"Maybe," Tyler said.
"No," June said. "We need to assume it's out there and—" June cocked her head.
"What?" Kim asked, eyes wide.
"You hear that?" June asked.
"Yeah, sounds like an engine," Tyler said.
No one moved. Tyler held his breath, listening. The sound was growing louder. It was definitely an automobile. A truck's engine.
"More bank robbers?" Kim asked.
"I don't think so," Tyler said. "Sounds like a big rig or a construction vehicle, like a dump truck."
"Rangers, in an all-terrain vehicle," June suggested.
"We have to get to the road," Kim said.
"What about the creature?" June asked. "We don't know where it is. We need the torches."
"There's no time," Kim said. "We need to get to the road before the truck passes us."
Tyler had wanted to take flame with them and hike out slowly, taking their time and keeping an eye out for the creature. But this new development was worth scrapping the original plan. He'd just have to make sure he didn't miss with the gun if they were attacked.
The Sludge Page 9