AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He looked into the hole, only to see the shadow of something insect-like--a bee? A wasp? As the realization hit, insects, illuminated by the moon's cold light, swarmed through the opening – wasps or hornets, Gary still couldn't be sure. The venomous sting throbbed like fire, yet soon after, numbness spread through the afflicted area. The insects continued to pour into the container, their numbers increasing at an alarming rate. Gary tried to jump back, to escape the buzzing and avoid the stings, but whoever had put him here wanted him to be swarmed--that much, he could tell.
"God, no," Gary whispered, terror clawing its way up his spine.
The insects enveloped him, their stingers finding purchase in his skin over and over again. His body went numb, but not enough to dull the relentless onslaught of pain. He knew he needed to escape – to find some way out of this living nightmare – before it was too late.
Gary closed his eyes, his mind racing as his body grew weaker. He tried his best to focus on the moment, to find some trace of hope in the midst of the chaos. Maybe if he could remain calm, he could figure out a way to escape. But the pain was overwhelming, and he could feel the darkness closing in on him once again.
He searched his memory for any survival tips he had heard in his lifetime. The one that came to mind was to remain still and calm when being attacked by bees or wasps, but Gary knew that wasn't an option in this situation. The wasps were relentless, and he needed to act fast if he was going to make it out alive.
With a silent prayer, he somehow managed to stumble forward. He followed the sliver of moonlight, desperate to find some kind of escape. But with each step he took, the pain grew worse, and his vision blurred until finally, darkness overtook him, and Gary passed out from the pain.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Fiona awoke with a start, her heart pounding against her ribcage as the remnants of her nightmare clung to her like cobwebs. The hotel room was shrouded in the eerie half-light that came just before dawn, casting distorted shadows across the walls. She sat up, wiping the cold sweat from her brow and taking a deep breath to calm herself.
Her gaze fell upon Jake, who lay sprawled on the couch, dead to the world. His dark hair was tousled, and his face bore a hint of stubble, giving him a rugged, almost boyish charm. For a fleeting moment, she allowed herself to admire how handsome and peaceful he looked. She allowed herself to appreciate the sight of him - the way his dark hair fell across his forehead, the strong line of his jaw, and the peaceful expression that seemed so at odds with the intensity he displayed when he was awake. As much as she tried to deny it, there was something about him that drew her in, an irresistible pull that she couldn't quite escape.
But then she remembered the conversation they'd had the night before, the one where he'd told her that Lauren had come back to him, confessing her feelings for him anew. He'd rejected her, he claimed, but he felt compelled to tell Fiona about it all the same. It was confusing, leaving her to wonder what kind of game he was playing. She had told him that she cared about him a month ago, that she had feelings for him, and he thought it best to stay professional. Fiona had spent the past month focused on thinking about Joslyn and trying not to think about Jake. She'd accepted that whatever they'd had was some sort of fling, remembering that a guy like Jake Tucker was never meant to be with a girl like her. They were from different worlds.
And yet it seemed Jake was still grappling with his feelings for her too.
Stop it,she thought, chiding herself for allowing her thoughts to wander down that path again.
The dim glow of the impending sunrise cast long shadows across the hotel room, the hazy light painting a picture on the walls. As Fiona stared at Jake, her thoughts churned like turbulent waters, a mixture of confusion and longing threatening to consume her. She focused on the sound of his steady breathing, willing her own heart to find a similar rhythm. She needed to be alert for whatever came next.
Suddenly, the shrill ring of Jake's phone sliced through the silence, shattering the fragile calm that had settled over the room. His eyes snapped open, and he scrambled to answer it, his voice groggy with sleep.
"This is Agent Tucker," he said, rubbing his eyes as he sat up on the couch.
Fiona held her breath, her pulse quickening as she studied his face, searching for any hint of emotion that might display the nature of the call. But his expression remained carefully guarded.
"Understood," Jake said, his voice gruff as he hung up the phone. He glanced at Fiona, his eyes dark and troubled. "Another body's been found."
A chill ran down Fiona's spine at his words, her stomach twisting into knots as she processed the grim news. She tried to keep her emotions in check, to maintain her distance from the ever-growing horror that threatened to engulf her. And yet, she couldn't help but feel a connection to these victims - innocent lives snuffed out by a faceless killer who seemed to take pleasure in their suffering. More than that, it was guilt that struck her. Guilt that another person had lost their life, and Jake and Fiona hadn't been able to stop it.
"Where?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.
"Another field just outside of town," Jake replied, standing up and stretching his limbs. "We need to get there as soon as possible."
"Of course," Fiona agreed,"let's go."
***
Fiona and Jake pulled up to the dreary field, a sea of brown and wilted grass stretching out before them. The morning air stung their faces as they stepped out of the car, an unwelcoming breeze whipping around them. Yellow police tape cordoned off the crime scene, and uniformed officers moved with somber efficiency.
Officer Jones came over to greet them. He wore a crisp uniform, his eyes kind but also stern.
"Agent Tucker?" he asked, taking in Jake's appearance with a quick glance.
"Yes," Jake said, stepping closer to the officer and holding out his hand. "We're here about the murder."
The officer nodded and gestured for them to follow him into the field.
"I'm Officer Jones," he said. " I'll take you to what we found so far."
Fiona and Jake followed him through the meandering pathways of police tape that had been set up around the perimeter of the scene, their footsteps echoing ominously in the stillness of morning. As Fiona looked around her, she was struck by how almost peaceful it all seemed; nature at its most serene, even in death's wake. But there was something else beneath it all - a sense of dread that hung heavily in the air.
Fiona felt her heart lurch in her chest as she approached the victim, her eyes scanning the grotesque view before her. She couldn't help but think of Craig Tozer and Carrie Puglisi, the other two victims who had met such a horrifying end. Swallowing hard, she crouched down beside the body, her fingers trembling as she lifted the edge of the tarp to reveal the man's swollen, disfigured features.
