Vicious Desire by Leslie V. Walker
Chapter Two
Ayanna
No signal.
I read the words over and over again trying not to lash out. I’ve been waiting here at Trailstar Cave for more than an hour. He said to meet him here at ten and now he’s a no show. And to make everything worse, I’ve been trying to reach him, but it keeps on going straight to voicemail.
And now there’s no signal. Just great.
This is why I don’t like partying and going anywhere outdoors. A good time is being at home in the warmth of your bed with a Stephen King novel or your favorite show as you attack the refrigerator.
I had to literally beg my dad to let me come here. My mom is all about me hanging out and having fun, while my dad is the complete opposite. He wants me home with my head buried in a medical book.
My dad comes from a long line of doctors, and is one himself, which is why I’m becoming one. Since I can remember he’s been making me read and watch anything doctor related so I can be ready for the future. Is it something I’m interested in? No. But do I have a choice? According to my dad, no, I do not.
I take a look around the place. Trailstar Cave is just like any other teenage kids’ hangout. But with a few dynamics, two huge buildings stand tall next to each other, the light gray color worn out from the time it’s been in use. The one closest to the road is used for scheduled fights and the other on the left side is for private use only. Right between the buildings is a bar/DJ booth with a bunch of seats surrounding it until you continue straight and are met with a bonfire. And to save the best for last, in the far back is a long road connecting with the highway and the main road to town for illegal street racing.
Students surround the area for Friday fun as they sip out of red cups and dance to a Cardi B song as they hang on to one another, some already tipsy.
I can’t stay here all night and hope he shows up. These things last until morning.
Taking in a deep breath, I lock my car door, and put my keys in my back pocket as I take out my phone and start to walk to look for signal. There has to be a spot around here; I’ve seen people on their phones.
I move past groups of people thankful I chose a simple red tank top and shorts with old black vans. The grass here is wet and soggy. I push my hair to the side as I lift my phone in the air and checked for a signal.
Jumping up and down I come up short, so I move farther down and into the surrounding area in the woods. Growing up in Ashbourne Hills, the whole small town is surrounded by the woods so the thing us kids loved to do when little was to go explore it. The number of times I have explored the woods practically make me an expert.
I grab a hold of a large tree trunk and rise on to my tippy toes holding in a breath as my phone refreshes again. I swear I need an iPhone. Androids fucking suck.
My phone beeps and when I finally have one bar, a loud scream comes from deeper into the woods knocking my focus and causing me to slip from position.
“Fuck.” Aggravation engulfs me and I climb back into the position I was in but end up with zero bars this time.
Shit. This is what I get for being a friend. I’m going to leave, and if he dares to say anything to me, I’m going to lash out at him. There’s no way I’m waiting any longer.
Right when I start to make my way back, another scream comes from behind me. This one clearer than the last, seems to be a male and it sounds as if he’s in severe pain.
I shouldn’t do it. I should go to my car and head straight home. But curiosity gets the better of me and I turn around clutching my phone to my chest and follow to where I heard the scream come from.
I can’t just leave. What if someone’s in grave danger and I ignore them because I’m scared? If I were in the shoes of said person, I would want someone to come after me.
I take slow, precise steps but pick up speed when the scream sounds again. My breathing deepens as I start to jog, and I remind myself I’m unfit and need to head to the gym.
It was one of those impulses where in the middle of the night you decide to completely alter your life for the greater good. So, I decided at four in the morning to start heading to the gym because I saw some rolls coming along so I quickly grabbed my computer and signed up. For a ghost clearly, because I never went.
I slow my jog as a cabin comes to view, its wooden walls stained with the amount of dirt it picked up over the years. Seems the person who owns the place doesn’t care for it very much. I approach the front window when the voices from inside come out clearer.
“Are you going to talk yet or do we have to continue?” a male’s voice asks. I squat down making sure they don’t see me.
“Rot in hell,” a pained voice spits out, and a chuckle comes from the inside.
“It’ll be my honor,” a different voice than the first one says. This one seems playful yet rough but nothing like the first one which drags out seriousness and…
Holy shit. I know that voice. I catch glimpse of Brendan Carter as he turns his back to the window.
I lift myself up, trying not to hold onto the dirty wall and put my phone in my back pocket. I’m spying on Brendan Carter in the middle of the woods, as he torments a guy in a cabin because I’m nosy as shit and need to know when to stay out of people’s personal business.
The wind blows adding into the drama of the night as I peer inside. A man who looks to be in his mid-twenties is drenched in sweat and what appears to be his own blood. On his knees, his jeans look dirty as if he’s been dragged here and his T-shirt is torn in half, revealing his torso, cut open with multiple slash wounds and a couple of burn marks. My eyes trail over him from his beaten swollen face and up to where his hands are tied to chains from the roof.
Oh my god. What are they doing to him?
My eyes never leave him as the four guys who roam the halls of my school begin to torture the guy. Fists are thrown back and forth, and they’re yelling, as Brendan, who stands tall and mysterious in the back, lights a cigarette before turning to face him again with a vicious smile smeared on his face. He grabs a hold to the guy by the jaw and lifts up the cigarette to where it aligns to his neck. The guy’s eyes widen knowing what’s coming and he struggles to break a hold but he’s no use. Brendan presses the cigarette into the guy’s neck causing the man to scream loudly. It’s so painful to hear; it causes an audible gasp to leave past my lips.
Time freezes as the whole room goes still and turns to look at me. I’ve been caught. Once it sets in, I stand up straight looking into every one of their dark eyes.
There’s complete danger and determination written on all of their faces. Brendan, Zane, Rocco, and Gunner all have their own distinct personalities.
Rocco is sweet and always nice but lurking in the dark shadows there is more to him than what meets the eye. I’ve never seen far beyond because he tends to not let people in.
Zane is like the dark and brooding type. You can figure out everything about him but then turns out you were wrong from the get-go. He feeds you lies about himself to have you admitting your darkest secrets to him, only to find out he’s been feeding you lies just so he can squash you like gum under his shoe.
And Gunner, I honestly don’t know what to say about him. He’s dark and doesn’t have a soul. He never talks, and I pray for anyone who dares to look at him straight on; it’s like gazing at an endless pile of blank nothingness.
Then there’s Brendan, with those forest green eyes of his. He’s all tall and handsome and may seem approachable but on the inside he’s just like Gunner but worse. He not only pretends to be your friend, but he breaks you down until you’re a pile of ash.
He’s the broken boy who was scared to be alone after what happened to his parents.
I can still remember that day as if it was yesterday. The town was dead silent as news broke out of Brendan’s parents, Ramona and Luther Carter, were pronounced dead after their jet had crashed on their way to a social event for the governor.
My dad came home that day a sudden mess, his excuse was he was worried and couldn’t help to think any of us could have been lost as tragically as they were. We went to the playground about three hours later the same day, and I watched silently as Brendan held his crying two-year-old sister.
I knew nothing would ever beat the sight of his watered green eyes fighting to control the situation at hand, even when his world was slowly falling apart.
As I think about the little boy Brendan used to be, I come face to face with the one standing in front of me. The one with dark green eyes will do anything to protect his family at all costs. They’re both different yet similar in every way possible.
My pulse picks up when I register him starting to move to the door right next to me and it’s when I know I’m in complete danger. I witnessed something I wasn’t supposed to and in return they can shut me up. He can shut me up.
I snap out of the trance and urge my legs to move. I run, slipping on a few leaves, but get back on my two feet ignoring the burn within my palms from the fall.
The door opens and heavy boots crunch down onto the leaves as the atmosphere completely shifts into something more predatory and darker. I didn’t mean to see what I did. I was in the wrong spot at the wrong time.
Just when I think I’m close to escaping, and not having to confront him, a rough hand wraps around my arm and tugs me to his strong chest only to shove me into a tree.
“What are you doing?” My voice comes out frantically, my mind racing to find a way out of this predicament.
Brendan steps closer pinning his body to mine and trapping me with no way out. His green forest eyes were cold as they gazed down on me, he’s cautious and angry. This was the first time we came face to face after four years ago, even after all those rumors about me he started.
My heart picks up speed and it feels as if it’s about to jump out of my chest and onto the feet of Brendan Carter. I’m scared at what I just saw yet there’s something deeper inside of me calling to the danger and the thrill of the situation. It’s psychotic of me to even think of, I should be screaming at the top of my lungs and trying to help the poor guy inside, but deep inside me my heart is pounding for something completely different.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
Taking in a gulp of air I bring my hands to his chest to shove him away, but he doesn’t budge and instead scoots closer. Annoyance grabs at my insides and I scowl at him.
A vile smirk forms at the corner of his lips and it just makes me want to punch him in the face for finding my annoyance a joyful show.
“Let me go,” I demand, squaring my shoulders to appear taller and at ease even though my insides are twisting to the complete opposite.
The wind blows stronger, sending a cold shiver down my spine and goosebumps rise all over my skin. The night crows down on the forest giving it a more haunting look in contrast to Brendan.
“What’s wrong? I thought you came back for seconds.” He presses himself more against me. “Isn’t that why you’re here?” he taunts, knowing full well it wasn’t my intention.
I move my head to the side as he brings one hand to my cheek as the other stays on my waist and his lips skim the lobe of my ear. “Did little miss perfect follow me into the woods just to get her pussy touched?”
My eyes widen at his cruel words, and I look over his shoulder to make sure no one is there, but just in front of the small cabin staring right at us are three sets of eyes. My pulse quickens and I clench my thighs together, trying not to imagine anything.
Wish I can say my body doesn’t react to his but I’m only human and anyone with a set of eyes knows Brendan Carter is irresistible.
I lose my concentration on he says next and almost lose my balance, so I clutch onto his bicep turning my head back to him but stop when air leaves me. Not even a centimeter away his lips slightly touch mine as his breathe fans over my lips. My eyes meet his and it’s like bunch of memories hitting me all at once.
“That’s Brendan Carter.” I look up from the current book I’m reading at the sound of Summaya’s voice to see what or in this case who she is pointing at.
“Yeah, I know.” I bring my attention back to Misery by Stephen King and continue to ignore everyone around us. You’d think your parents would figure out there’s a certain age where summer camp isn’t for you anymore.
On the bright side, I did make a cool friend and most likely my only friend. The other girls in my cabin are horrendous, which is why I’m scheduling a cabin change. Summaya has a full cabin all to herself because her stepdad works here.
“You met already?” she asks taking the seat in front of me.
“Yeah, he’s hard to forget. My first day here I was lost and when I asked for help instead of simply saying no, he told me to fuck off. So, yeah, you can say we’ve met.” I didn’t mean for my voice to come out with an attitude but something about him sets me on edge and makes me want to punch someone, most likely him.
“Sounds lovely.”
“Very.”
Vivid memories assault me, each one different from the other, yet impactful. I lean my head back bumping into the tree. “I heard something.”
He tilts his head mockingly to the side. “So, you decided to go further into the woods to see why a person was screaming? Sounds clever.”
“Yeah, well it sounded better at the time.”
“Doubt it.”
My eyes sharpen on his, not liking the way he’s mocking me. There’s something burning inside of me wanting to snap at him. I would have done it if I wasn’t stuck alone with him and his friends in the middle of the woods. You have to choose your own battles, it’s what my mom always told me growing up.
“If you’ll excuse me, but I’m needed back at––” I try to walk past him, but he quickly cuts me off placing both hands on my sides. I look down at them setting glares and wishing I was stabbing at them.
I have to get out of here. What if Jason is already there and is looking for me? No way am I going to get caught with this asshole.
He presses me to my side shoving my shirt up and taking out my phone from my back pocket, “What the hell are you doing? Give it back!” I yell grabbing on to his arm and pulling it toward me but I’m no match to his strength as he twists my arm and shoves me to the tree my back facing him.
Leaning in so his lips are hovering over my ear he whispers in a spiteful tone, “First tell me why the fuck are you here. And don’t lie to me, Wilson. I know you. Every inch of you.”
Fear courses through me and another euphoric feeling has my mind racing in worry. “I already told you! I heard someone screaming and followed the sound. I thought someone needed help!”
“And you expect me to believe you after everything? That you didn’t follow us into the woods for another reason?”
“Yes!” What the hell is he talking about? There’s no reason why I would follow him or even come into the woods.
“Do you know the guy inside?” he demands talking about the guy they were just torturing.
I shake my head, my throat suddenly dry as I come to terms of what would happen to me if he doesn’t believe me. I won’t make it out of here alive. “No. I’ve never seen him before in my life. I told you I thought someone needed help, so I followed the screams.”
Silence follows after that. I squint my eyes into the darkness to see if someone else is here and can save me. Funny how the one night I decide to come out this happens to me.
After what feels like years he finally speaks, “You have five minutes to get out of my face before you take the place of the guy inside. And if I ever see you near here again or find out you dared to speak about what you saw to anyone, I’ll make sure to pay you a visit.”
Without another word he shoves me away from him tossing my phone at my chest. I tighten my hold around it, fearing for my life and turn around without another glance at them.
No way in hell am I ever coming back here again. Whatever is going on is none of my business. Yet, I wonder why Brendan was so quick to think I was up to no good. What must be going on if he and his friends are on high alert?