Dastardly Bastard(9)

Camping really wasn’t all that bad.



~ * ~



Bottled water and a bar of Ivory made for an odd combination as Justine washed up behind the tent. Thankfully, the campground Trevor had chosen was empty. While Justine bathed, Trevor got dressed inside the tent. She could hear him rolling around in there. With the few lovers Justine had had, she’d come to learn that guys rarely felt as dirty after sex as women did. Some of them even liked the smell of their woman lingering on their bodies. Justine could understand that, as she felt empty without Trevor inside her, but a little touch of OCD wouldn’t let her stay all sticky.

The smell of damp leaves and moss mixed with the soap, was sickly, cloying. High in the trees, birdsong filled the air. Justine felt a soft electricity on her skin and heard a hum in her ears.

A subtle shift in the world caused her to stop cleaning. She suddenly felt all too vulnerable, as if someone were watching.

The birds had stopped singing. Her nose could no longer pick up the rotten wood odor or the smell of the soap.

A sound rose in the woods, soft and sibilant.

“Jusssssssst…”

The realization that the sound wasn’t coming from Trevor made her blood run cold in her veins. Gooseflesh ran up her arms, all the way to her bare shoulders. She snapped her head to the left, then to the right, hunting the source of the voice.

“Jusssssssst…”

“Who’s there?” Her voice cracked. She sounded much weaker than she liked.

“What?” Trevor asked from inside the tent.

“Hush!”

“Sorry.”

“Jusssssssst…”

“What is that?”

“I don’t hear any—”

“Damn it, Trevor. Hush!”

From the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of purple. The object disappeared behind a tree before she could decipher what it was. Another flash, but pink, skittered across the ground to her left, opposite the direction she’d seen the purple-something, leaving a wake of leaves behind it.

“Trev, someone’s out here.”

“Jusssssssst…”

A gnarled hand slithered around the trunk of a tree ten feet in front of her. The rough palm scraped against the trunk, loosening bark that rained down to the detritus-lined floor of the forest. The forearm came into view, giving Justine a glimpse of the charm bracelet hanging from the wrist.

She knew that it couldn’t be, that it wasn’t possible, but there it was all the same. The heart charm twinkled in the light of the sun. Justine recognized it instantly.

“Nana?”

Cold hands grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. Kicking and screaming, she wrestled herself from the frigid embrace. Tripping over her own feet, she crashed into the tent.

Darkness enveloped her as the fabric swallowed her whole. Diffused light from the morning sun filtered in, coalescing with the fabric, showing red. It seemed as though she was drowning in a pool of blood.

Two arms broke through the crimson horror and sought purchase, but she rolled onto her stomach and scrabbled away. The hands caught her around the waist, pulling her off the ground. Her feet were placed under her as she punched at her attacker. Whatever beast it was, whatever terror had befallen her, Justine would make sure she went out with a fight.

“Jesus, Justine, calm the fuck down!” Trevor yelled. His morning breath, thick and sour, brought her up and out of her nightmare. He had both arms wrapped around her, pinning her hands at her sides.

“Wh-what happened?” Sweat rolled down her forehead, into her eyes.

“Hell if I know. I was hoping you could tell me.” His blue eyes found hers, and her breathing began to return to normal. “You all right now?”

“I don’t know.”

He released her, and she stumbled back. He reached for her again, but she waved him off.

“There was something calling me.”

“Who? I was no more than five feet away from you the entire time, Justine. I didn’t hear anything.” Trevor’s eyes were scared. A shadow played over his face, and he grimaced.

“What’s wrong?” Justine stepped forward, taking his hand in hers.

“Just thought I heard something.”

“What?”

“I don’t know. Sounded like someone clicking their tongue against the roof of their mouth. Like this.”

Only Nana Penance had called her Just. Nana had often made that same sound with her tongue, too. And the heart charm…

Justine watched another dark patch pass over Trevor’s face. She looked up and found a roaming cloud gliding over the sun. A sigh of relief escaped her. Trevor wasn’t Throwing Shadows. Justine would have hugged him then, but all her strength had left her.



~ * ~



Trevor packed everything while Justine got dressed. It had taken her almost half an hour to calm down. No more shadows played over Trevor’s handsome face, and she was glad. After the presence in the forest, she didn’t think she could handle any more visions.

Nana Penance had no reason to come back and haunt her. Something else had caused the illusion. Justine knew that with all her heart. Mainly because any other explanation she’d come up with terrified her.

“You sure you want to do this tour? I mean, we can head back into town. Just chill at the hotel. You know.” Trevor’s voice was soft. Justine could see the hesitation in his eyes, though. He didn’t want to leave, but he would. For her.