I barreled over two fences, and sprinted over seventy yards the minute I saw the two separate. I couldn't wait another second. It was one thing to rope me into whatever horrible plan she had rolling around in that devious little mind of hers, but it was another to even look at my best friend.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" I yelled at her, half ignoring the stares of my peers across the shell driveway. All of them, half emptying trucks, the other half moving furniture, props, and other camp property.
"What are you talking about?" She spat back at me.
"Why are you trying to pull Nick into this?" I asked, a little quieter this time. I really, really didn't want any more eyes on us than normal.
"I just met Nick!" She made me seem like a jealous ex-boyfriend with that statement. Something that I couldn't stand to have placed upon me. Instantly, it makes me into a bad guy, even if it wasn't true. I find that people trust their eyes more than anything else. And seeing this, I yelling at her for talking to my friend, was definitely a one sided battle. Especially if things got ugly.
"It's a little thing, us Humans, call communication! But you wouldn't know that? Would you?" I hated being put on the spot as it was, but she was calling me out. And all the while, that little smirk on her face, told me I was destined to lose this argument the minute I started towards her. I knew that right after my next retort; I'd be risking her exposing me. Black mail was an ugly thing, but here, when I let it happen on sheer principle (of saving a life), it was just disgusting.
Making sure not to make any contact with her what so ever, I moved in closer to her. "I'm finishing this tonight, and afterwards, you'll either forget this ever happened..."
She snorted. "Or what? Are you going to come after me?" She said, her tone was pouty sarcasm. I think this was the first time; I really wanted to kill someone. But for now, a threat would have to do.
"I have people for that."
Seeing Nick come out of the bathroom, was a perfect cue to leave. I wasn't sure whether he noticed me or not, but it didn't matter. It wasn't going to keep me from doing the dirty deed set out before me, nor was it going to help my situation with Emily at the current moment.
So sore, and defeated, I walked back to my hut, and went right to bed. My instincts were going haywire, and I knew something was wrong. Nothing about this entire trip has felt right, and now, I'd dug a whole so deep, even my father couldn't dig me out... or could he?
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I was going to kill someone tonight. That much I knew. It wasn't pretty, nor ethical, moral, or even in my best interest. I was being blackmailed, and as far as that I was concerned, it needed to stop immediately. And knowing this, I made my move.
Stopping along the way to the head cabin, only to meet up with the witch. She seemed a little cheery tonight. I was still tired from the six hours of total sleep I barely enjoyed, as it was sandwiched in between two days of conflict and fear. And as we went over the terribly simple plan of killing a man in his sleep, like a dog, I could sense her own little plan, finally coming into play.
From the moment I'd awoken, stuffed the CPR dummy (that everyone had been so gracious to hide under the covers of my bed before I got back) back under the blankets to mimic my form, and escaped through the window, I knew I was being watched. Humans call it a sixth-sense, or paranoia, we called an insight to a double cross. It was something I'd been mentally preparing myself for all day.
And if I had to guess who it was, I'd have to say it was Nick. I've seen her talking to him, and where as that wasn't a lot to convince someone of foul play, it was enough to set off my suspicions. The main reason being time and circumstance. But now, all I really wanted to know was why.
As we headed up the back steps to the cabin, we found it, surprisingly, unlocked. Which meant, that either Seymour was in on... Whatever this was, or maybe he was just a little too trusting. And if it were my guess, the former would be more believable. There was no way an ex-Green Beret, was going to be this trusting around normal people. Especially if he'd been in battle!
The hinges couldn't have been quieter as we entered, and the cabin couldn't have been any darker. I could see, don't get me wrong, but there was absolutely no assisting light in the entire house. No bathroom light left on, the Caller ID on the end table near the couch was unplugged, as well as the VCR and TV parallel to the couch. He knew we were coming.
I debated whether or not to actually do this, having instilled a pause on what the little girl showed me (noting that it could be a fake, she did say she was a witch.) And before I could make that choice, Emily shoved me forward, barking at me quietly not to block the door way.
Forced inside, I really had no choice but to scope the place out like I normally would. And in this place. Subtlety was not key in what interested this man. Occult drawings, sculptures, books on witchcraft and demonology literally filled his small bookshelves. Not much of a good read for a holy man. I'd also noticed he held no remnants of ever being in the military, anywhere in his house. Such an odd man.
Emily was still fumbling around in the dark when I noticed the most disturbing detail of the house. A large, white skull lay staring at me from the top of his meager entertainment center. The large eye sockets, wide base, long snout. It was either a bear, or one of my kind. I feared the later much more than the first. And if that was the case, then I was definitely going to stall for time.
"Well?" I said, waving my arms up at Emily, making her jump.
"Don't do that!" She whispered at me, glaring angrily.
"Sorry. But what now?"
"Well, if he isn't here..." She said, patronizing me, "then maybe we should do more than just stand in the living room, and go upstairs!"
"Fine."
"Fine."
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The way up the stairs was treacherous. With Emily, holding on to my shirt, blind as a bat, and stumbling on every step, I didn't think we'd make it to the top. And as we ascended, so did the my stomach. Each step forward, was another mistake in my eyes, but it was necessary. I had no choice.
As we clambered to the top, I could hear the flickering of a lit candle. And it came directly too my left. It was the first room upstairs, and the only one with light coming out of it. It was also the only room with the door opened, that definitely said something about her plans. They were directions.
The smell of pipe tobacco filled the upstairs hallway, at least to me. For her, it was probably just a whiff. But even then, she didn't note it. She knew he was awake and unsurprisingly, I knew she'd been in this house before. If I really wanted to delve deeper, I'd go so far as to say she'd been here numerous times. Or at least enough to get use to his smoking. Just another thing on my long list that made me feel a little less encouraged to continue. At least, that was before he spoke.
"You've already made it this far, just come in already." He beckoned from the well lit room. "It's getting late!"
