"At this point, I think a few of them had the idea that the killer was among them, but nobody wanted to act upon it" Ke$ha explained, her arms resting on the cold table.
"We're aware, Ms. Sebert. The killers body has been in our custody for months now."
"By the time they killed the enemy it had already wiped out most of them. Not many of them lived to see the discovery. Didn't only two of them survive?"
"We'll get down to numbers once you finish your story, Ms. Sebert" Mike replied.
"I'm fucking done. We have to get the fuck out of here and FAST," Mark yelled at the group.
"Maybe we can-" Claire attempted to suggest.
"There's no fucking maybe you fucking MORON!" Mark screamed at her. "We have seven dead bodies on this island right now and the count just keeps rising. If we don't do something fast we're all fish bait. And don't even get my started on what will happen if they managed to knock Jane and Vivian out of the game. We'll be sitting ducks."
Claire sank into the couch as Jan ran his hands through his hair, racking his brain for answers.
"What if we all just locked ourselves in a bedroom upstairs?" Jan questioned. "That way the only time they could get us is if were all herded together. Even then, all of the windows and doors would be locked. We're all sitting around the living room not realizing that we're in the middle of open season. He or She has all sorts of angles on us in here. If we hide in a concealed space the only time it can get to us is when were all herded together."
"What if it has a gun?" Peter questioned. "If it does, it really is open season."
"I wouldn't mind spending some time in a bedroom" Michelle giggled, looking at Steven, burping. Steven gave her a halfhearted pat on the thigh.
The fog had cleared as morning drew near; the sun crept out of the clouds, letting its bright rays shine on the now-dismal cabin. The birds chirped happily, unaware of the massacre going on before them. The flowers danced happily in the soft breeze, their petals pirouetting against the blue sky. The squirrels scavenged from nuts, darting in and out of their burrows, hoping to find new food and resources. The raccoons burrowed away, while some dug at the foundation of the house, hoping to get inside. The trees wisped their branches in the wind, creating waves of leaves in a majestic motion, waning and waxing with the breeze.
Inside, the group sat, trapped.
"It's daylight" Lauri said, her eyes sore after not being able to sleep the night before. "He won't come for us now."
"Why are we assuming it's a he?" Christine questioned, her brown hair dangling near her glasses. She pushed it aside, her painted nails glistening against the natural light coming from the windows.
"Well, first of all, whoevers doing this is strong – strong enough to take me and Jane out with one fell blow." Jane grunted from the kitchen.
"Why are you making food?" she yelled to Jane. Her stomach had been unsettled ever since the saw the body of Nicole.
Since Mary had died, both bodies had been removed from the house, resting on the back porch, and the group had cleaned up the blood stains from the floorboards.
"I'm eating because I'm hungry" Jane nonsensically replied.
"Why don't we just order McDonalds?" Christine questioned, smiling.
"We're on a lake in the middle of California, dumbass" Vivian sniped.
"Oh, sorry" she said, resting her arms on the kitchen chair.
The day had been so calm to the point that Michelle had gone outside to swim in the pool. The group made sure to watch her, making sure she was safe. Due to the trajectory of the house and the pool, it was impossible for the killer to shoot her with anything, unless it blindly tossed a rock from the shoreline below.
Michelle's tanned body sliced through the water, her legs paddling in a serpentine motion. She resembled a mermaid, with her long brown hair swinging and swaying behind her in the crystal clear water. Her body dipped and twirled through the blue, darting from corner to corner, side to side.
Vivian sat inside, staring at Michelle's body cutting through the glimmering pool. She had always had an inert jealousy towards Michelle, even though she was gorgeous herself – like all of the women in the house. But there was something about Michelle that she couldn't quite put her finger on, something that made everyone want her, something that made men like Steven the luckiest men alive. Was it her raw sex appeal? Was it her perfect body, coupled with her long, lush brown hair? Was it her crystal clear eyes that pierced even the hardest of ice-cold hearts? Or was it just the way she walked - that extra little wiggle her hips gave when she swayed them so effortlessly from side to side? Vivian was determined to figure out.
A knock came on Steven's door. He rushed to it, rustling his short, dirty blonde hair. Vivian was standing at the door.
"Can I come in?" she asked, leaning towards him, a sinister smile on her face.
"Yeah... uhhh sure, come on in" Steven said, confused at her sudden appearance.
"I didn't mean to barge in like this" she said, staring up at him with her ice blue eyes, something deep inside her begging for an answer.
"It's fine" Steven replied, sitting down next to her.
A silence had wedged itself between the two.
"It's just really hard" Vivian said, her voice cracking. "I'm responsible for all of you, and now that people are dying I feel like I'm the one at fault, just like Alex said. I want to convince myself I have nothing to do with it, but I can't. I feel like everything is falling apart and there's nothing I can do to stop it. Do you even know what I had planned for all of us? We were going to have so much fun and do so many fun things but then all of this stupid fucking bullshit happened and I feel completely useless." Vivian broke down into tears, her light blue eye shadow twinkling down her face with her tears. She leaned into Steven, and he hugged her.
"Shhhh, shhhh. It's going to be okay, I promise" Steven cooed, rubbing her back.
"Promise?" Vivian said, breaking the embrace, looking up at him.
"Promise" he said, smiling at her.
This was her moment, her only shot. She looked him in the eyes, and moved her gaze down to his lips, leaning in. He returned the gesture, leaning in. They embraced, their lips locking in a fit of passion.
"Don't be scared" Vivian mumbled, her lips curling up to a smile as she leaned back onto the bed, undoing her top.
"You can't tell Michelle" Steven whispered, his raspy voice biting into Vivian's ears. She kissed his neck as her grabbed her waist, their hips interlocking.
"Am I hotter than her?" Vivian whispered, grabbed Steven's head.
He sat up. "Why would you ask that?" he questioned.
"I just need to know" she replied.
"But why? Why are you asking now?" he asked, looking at her, concerned.
"Just tell me," she said, grabbing him and locking his lips to hers.
"You're so hot" he mused. Vivian smiled, victory swelling through her body.
The door swung open.
"Steven, I was wondering if you-"
Michelle stared at the two, gasping, her hand covering her mouth. Steven jumped up, while Vivian nonchalantly leaned up from the bed. Tears swelled into Michelle's eyes, her hair still wet from her swim in the pool.
"Steven…Steven why…why would you do this?" she asked, looking at him with contempt and disgust. Steven stood, frozen, unable to reply.
Vivian stood up, traipsing towards Michelle.
"He couldn't resist," she whispered, a sinister smile crossing her face.
Before Vivian had time to react, Michelle lifted her hand up and smacked Vivian straight across the face, the noise echoing off of the walls. Vivian reeled backwards, falling onto the ground.
"You fucking bitch" Vivian spat, standing up. Michelle pushed her back down.
"FYI you irritating little cunt – I know you're jealous of me. It's tough being the hottest bitch in the house sometimes."
With that, Michelle picked up her purse, walking towards the door. Steven grabbed her by the arm.
"Michelle, I'm so-"
Michelle slapped him across the face as he emitted a yelp.
"Just like our relationship, that apology is buried deep within Vivian's clit."
She ran out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
Miranda had situated herself on the couch. Michelle was meditating to Born To Die, the sounds from her earphones spreading around the room.
"Can you turn that down?" Miranda asked her.
Michelle did not respond, her eyes closed, invigorated in the music.
"Can you please turn that down?" Miranda asked again, her voice more agitated this time.
Michelle looked up. "No, I'm listening to the bible. I don't interrupt your swag sessions."
Miranda began fuming. She walked right up to Michelle and yanked the music player right out of her hands, and Michelle screamed.
"Miranda, I'm not in the mood for your shit right now" she said, pulling her device back.
Steven walked into the room, and Michelle shot him a cold glare as he passed. He walked through the living room into the kitchen, and Claire sat, reading a book over a cup of coffee. She looked up to see who it was, and shook her head in disappointment upon seeing Steven in front of her.
"What?" he asked, pretending not to know what was upsetting the entire household.
"You know exactly what, dumbass" Claire quipped, returning to her book.
Steven fixed himself a cup of coffee, walking back into the living room. He tried talking to Michelle, but all she gave him was a cold stare and an emotionless 'Leave me alone.'
Michelle had begun playing her music again, and Miranda instantly became agitated again.
"Stop it!" she screeched, running at Michelle.
"Hey!" shouted Lauri from the den, running in to defend Michelle. "Leave her alone!"
Claire looked up from her book to observe the commotion, not contributing to the argument at hand.
Lauri had chased Miranda upstairs, the two screaming and yelling at each other in heated words. Eat member of the group eventually joined in to watch, looking at the two of them ascend the stairs up to the bedrooms.
"You really need to stop hating on Lana and Michelle, they're both perfect!" Lauri shouted.
"I'm sorry, but I have too much swag to be a #hater" Miranda quipped back, locking eyes with Lauri.
"Just stop being so rude, okay?" Lauri demanded.
"Not my fault her voice sounds like nails on a chalkboard" Miranda sniped.
"What did you just say?" Lauri questioned.
"Nails on a chalkboard, nails on a chalkboard" Miranda gloated. Lauri began walking towards her as Miranda retreated backwards.
"Ew, nails on a chalkboard" Miranda said, continuing her spree.
"Say it one more time" Lauri dared, backing Miranda into the window.
"Ew" she whispered.
"Nails."
"On."
"A."
"Chalk."
"Board."
With that, Lauri gave Miranda a rough push. Before she had time to react, she lost her footing. She flew backwards into the glass, the window shattering under the pressure of the shove. Her body plummeted to the ground, landing with a 'crack' on the cement below.
The group gathered around the window, checking if she was dead. Her body didn't move, a pool of blood forming around her back. Everyone turned to Lauri, tears forming in her eyes.
"I didn't mean it! I swear, it was an accident! Why would I kill one of my best friends?" she pleaded with the group.
"You're the fucking killer!" Peter yelled.
"No, I promise, I'm not!" Lauri insisted.
"We just saw you push one of our best friends out of the damn window" Jan screamed, his face turning red.
"What do I need to do to prove to you I'm not? I was there when Mary died, why would I kill her?"
"You're fighting against your own cause" Vivian sniped from the background.
A scream emitted from the downstairs. Claire fell to the ground in the living room, her shouts echoing through the house.
"It wasn't me, it wasn't me," she mumbled, pulling at her hair, tears streaming down her face.
"We know Claire, you weren't even here when Lauri push-"
Jane stopped short, her breath leaving her body, looking down into the living area.
Christine's dead body dangled from the banister.
The figure relaxed on the shoreline, lighting a cigarette. It examined the shoreline, looking out into the woods beyond the lake. Another successful kill was under its belt, and another one was done not even on its own account.
Footsteps came from behind it.
"Thanks" it muttered as a second figure sat down next to it, handing it Claire's flaregun.