Page 3 of Pretty Prey

“There’s a step up there...” I start to say.

Her stare is icy as she kneels on one knee to get her sneaker on properly.

“Stop being a pain in my ass and walk with me to the bathroom. Then, I’ll help make your precious coffee.”

We walk silently to the bathroom without running into anyone else.

“Did you see who was camping next to us in the camper?” I ask her while kicking a pebble next to my foot.

“No, it was too dark by the time we got the camp set up. Why?” she sounds confused, and deservedly so. “Hold that thought, I’ll be right back.”

She takes off, speed-walking down the road like she can’t wait to relieve herself. My eyes flash to her perfectly round ass as she scampers off.

My cell phone rings, no doubt waking up anyone who’s asleep. Who’s calling me this early? I fish it out of my hoodie pocket when ‘Mom’ flashes across the screen.

“Hello?”

“Thank God you’re okay. I tried calling and texting you last night, but you never answered. Are you trying to give your mother and father a heart attack?”

Crap.I forgot to charge my phone yesterday in the Jeep on the way down here. Last night I put it on a rechargeable portable battery bank, letting it charge while I slept.

“I’m sorry, Mom. We’re fine, I promise. Now go back to sleep, it’s the ass crack of dawn.”

There’s a long pause before she lets out a huff into the phone.

“Your father was ready to drive down and find you, Scarlett. You promised to keep in touch the whole time.”

I want to tell her I’m eighteen and she really can’t make me do anything, but it would be pointless and honestly a giant waste of breath. Neither of them can be reasoned with when they get like this.

“I can still do it,” I hear my dad mumble in the background.

“I promise we’re fine, and I’ll call you later. Love ya both.”

I hang up, hoping to whatever kind of God there is out there, that he doesn’t follow through with his threats. I’m just going to have to make sure I text them every twelve hours or so, for proof of life.

“Mom?” Annie asks as she steps out into the now-warming air.

“Yeah, you know how parents can be.”

She nods, but I quickly regret my words when she goes quiet next to me. My guess is because she doesn’t really know how that is since she comes from a home that doesn’t give a shit if she’s there or not.

But I care… Is that enough?

Her Shadow

CHAPTER 4

The truck cut off before I jumped out into the parking lot of the local grocery store. I didn’t bring enough food or propane for my grill with me. This is my routine every time I make the trip down. I get settled on the night of arrival, then go grocery shopping first thing the next day before my morning jog. Thankfully, it’s too early for many people to be here. That’s why I always come at this time of day, before the holiday madness descends on the town.

By the time I get to the register, I have far too much junk food in my cart, along with two cases of beer and some fruit. The blue-haired woman behind the conveyor belt eyes me up and down as she takes her sweet ass time ringing me out.

“You’re not from around here, are ya son?” She asks with the thickest southern accent I’ve ever heard.

“No, ma’am, I’m from New York. I come here every year to camp for the holiday and my birthday. Why do you ask?”

She places my bag of cheese puffs into a brown paper bag.

“For one, the way you dress for a day like today hollers city, not country. Plus, having worked here for thirty years, I practically know everyone in this town.”