Shh! The killer is Near

Chase came and picked me up in his motorbike. It wasn’t something great, just something you would see a surfer drive. Which, it did fit him, I mean, he was a surfer. It was a fun but bumpy ride to the beach. He decided to take the back way, saying it’s a short-cut to the spot everyone will be at.

As soon as we were both off the bike, a mob of people greeted us. Girls with golden tans and boys with defined abs all circled us, talking at once. Chase put his arm around me and greeted them. “Hey, everyone, this is Kristen. She’s new to California.” Questions upon questions were asked about myself.

After a few more minutes of this with me answering random questions, they backed off. Chase led me a small fire pit where others were chatting and gossiping. “I’ll go get us something to drink.”

Great, now I’m left all alone with a group of people I didn’t know. As if on que, a girl with bleach blonde hair and wavy walk came up. “Hi, my name is-” she hiccupped, “Harley!”

“Kristen,” I squeaked before she pulled me into a bone crushing hug.

“Oh, my gosh, you are the first girl Chase has brought in like… forever! The last girl he came with was like a total bitch! She thought we were just a-” she hiccupped again, “drunken idiots! Can you believe that?!”

“No,” I said sarcastically. Yeah, actually, I could see how she would get that idea. So far, I’ve got surrounded in people that were overzealous at seeing their friend then I got attacked by a drunk, hiccupping girl.

“Do you read the Harry Potter books? Oh, my gosh, I love those books! They are totally amazing!” she went on about those stupid books. Good lord almighty, I can’t stand those books. And she kept going on and on about them as I started to wonder what Zane was doing at the moment. Probably re-stocking the storage room for his sister or listening to his brother rant about his sister hiring some unknown girl with not background. Yes, he did a freaking background check on me! Can you believe that?! Man, Zane was right when he said his brother needed to get laid.

Arms wrapped around my waist. “Hey babe,” Chase whispered in my ear, kissing it. Harley sudden excused herself and left us by ourselves with the other couples cozying up next to the fire. We did miss most of the fun from the afternoon. Or at least I did because I had to work. Chase had come to pick me up from the store after I changed into some capris and a tank top with Avenged Sevenfold’s death bat on the front of it.

My neck was getting attacked by drunken lips. Chase pushed my hair to the side and began running his wet lips up and down my neck, licking the shell of my ear every once in a while. His hand began creeping up my tank top before I stopped it. “Chase? Is there anything to eat? I’m starved.”

Thankfully he stopped and pulled my hand to some tables covered with an assortment of foods and drinks. He handed me a plate and I began to pile samples of everything that looked good. There were deviled eggs, mini sandwiches, chips of all kinds, cookies, and more. Yummy!

“Hungry?” He jokingly asked, looking at my plate, piled high. Yep, that’s how I sample stuff.

“Yeah, I gave Zane my lunch because I wasn’t hungry at the time. PICKLES!” I yelped before attacking the sweet pickles sitting in a serving tray.

A group next to the table started to laugh at me. I just stuck out my tongue before adding six or seven pickles to my plate. “I’m good. Where do you wanna seat?” I asked, grabbing another pickle to eat on the way to where ever we’re going.

Chase led me to the spot we were at by the fire and sat down on the log that was there. I sat down his feet and placed my plate next to him. I began eating as he talked to some guy about the waves they surfed on. I guess, since Morra County was only twenty miles south of Oceanside, California, surfing is a all year sport.
*****
Ashes to ashes,
Dust to dust,
Your brother was a prick,
Now he’s gone.

Jace crumpled the note up in his hand before he opened the little shoe box. The first thing he saw was dried out hide with a tattoo on it. It was his brother tattoo. Under it was ashes. His hand began to shake. It was his brother in his hands. Bile built up in his throat. Who would go through so much trouble to kidnap his brother just to burn him?

Just then Landon walked in and took a sit in the chair in front of Jace. Steve soon followed in with Tyson behind him. “Welcome back, Landon,” Jace muttered as he put the box of ashes back on his desk. Landon grunted. “Anyway, I guess you found out the news that Heather is gone and she took, ironically, Tyson’s new Mustang.”

Tyson, shifted on his feet. Steve pulled the collar of his shirt. “So, what will you do now?”

A smile of pure hate came across Jace’s face. “I’m glad you asked. Since we now know my brother is not going to be coming back to us,” he raised up his hand before Steve could protest. “I have the ashes of my brother to prove he can only come to us in spirit. I have decided we are going to reorganize the company, starting who is in Accounting.” While Jace said his little speech, Tyson pulled out his gun. “Starting with you, Steve.” On que, Tyson pulled the trigger and Steve’s head fell forward, exposing the hole in the back of his head.

Jace turned to Landon. “You try to do anything to go against me, I’ll do the same to you. Right after I let Tyson play with you again. And this time, you won’t survive. I will see to it personally that you die as well.”

Landon nodded, not wanting to utter a word.

“Good. Now let’s talk about you tracking down Heather….”
*****
It’s now after one in the freaking morning and I’m once again tramping the woods. Well, I take that back, the woods are to one side of me and the road I’m following is next to me. Chase and I got into a little fight. He wanted to take me down by the beach, away from everyone else, and seduce me. Screw that!

So now, I’m trying to find my way home. I wish I had a cell phone. I would call… who would I call? My dad? No, that would end with me becoming prisoner once again. Landon? Haha, yeah, right. Same thing would happen. Tara? No, she thinks I’m in Florida, soaking up the sun down there. Zane? I stopped on the road. He did give me his cell phone number and I memorized it… CRAP! That’s useless information unless I DID have my cell.

I started hiking again. After twenty more minutes of walking, the sight of the town came into view. Except it was the motel I stayed at the first night here I saw first. “Thank you, Jesus!” I cried as I started heading in the direction I knew was my new home. It only took five minutes from the motel if I cut across some lawns and a road.

Happily I ran through the store’s parking lot. The light was still on inside. That was a normal thing. Jetta’s brother liked doing the books there when no one else is there. I could even see his car to the opposite side of the building that I was walking around.

Zane sat on the stairs up to my room. His was head resting against the railing with his arms resting on his knees. Gently, I shook his shoulders. “Wake up, sleepy head,” I whispered.

He moaned loudly. “Krist? What time is it?” He asked, looking up at me with groggy eyes.

“It’s about two in the morning. Come on, get up, I’m tired and I had a bad night.” He got up and I pushed him to go up the stairs to my little apartment. I was too tired to send him home. We both ended up crashing on the bed.