Warning Signs [Chapter 3]

Alice spun around quickly. Her shirt lay on the bed nearby, and Alice stood in a small tank top.
Remi looked around the room. “Who’s here?” He asked slowly.
“No one.” Alice replied. “I was just getting a little hot.”
“I can see that.” Mike shouldered his voice in.
“Oh.” Remi calmed down. “I thought you-“
“Of course not. I’m not that type of girl.” She said, wrapping her arm around Remi’s. They both turned and left.
Mike remained in the room, and stroked his chin. “Not that type of girl…” He mumbled. Alice’s dating history showed otherwise.
She blazed through boys like a lawn mower goes through grass. “Be careful with her bro.” He had told Remi when they first started going out.
“She seems like a pocket drainer.” Remi had nodded and said. “I get checks.”
Mike was about to leave the room when something caught his eye on the bed. He walked over to investigate. A shiny object was hidden under the covers. “The hell…?” Mike picked it up. It was a small pocket knife. Those ones you get from Canadian Tire.
But why would Alice need a knife? Assuming it belonged to her. “Was she gonna..?” Mike folded the knife in, and put it in his pocket. Something’s going on here. He thought. Won’t tell Remi about this just yet. And left the room.

Beatrix took a long sip out of her cup. Alice really liked that song, they danced off the whole thing. She watched as she saw Remi and Alice make their way back to the dance floor. Her eyes danced around instead, looking for Mike.
She was about to move when she heard angry shouts from the corner of the room. Two boys were about to engage in a fight, one of them she knew from school. Beatrix turned away, letting them fight their own fight. Then she heard screams of girls. She turned around and screamed herself.
One of the boys had pulled out a gun, and was pointing it at the other. “Rethink your strategy!” He yelled.
Beatrix was looking for a way out, until she saw Mike. Right where the boys were. Knowing Mike, he’d try to intervene. “Please. Be a hero another day.” Beatrix prayed.
Alas, Mike dove for the gun, wrestling with the boy for a few seconds before he overpowered him. Mike wasn’t a body builder or anything, he worked out from time to time, and was a big help when Beatrix had tried losing weight. Paid for their gym membership and everything.

The gun clattered on the floor, where some other boys picked it up and emptied it out. Enraged, the boy, still pinned by Mike cursed at everyone, before he was tossed helplessly outside.

The air of the party was killed, and some people actually started heading home for the night. Most of them joking while they walked to their cars.
“See you tomorrow!”
“Not if I see you first!”
“Tell your girlfriend she has soft hands!”
“I will, wait what?”

Beatrix went back to Mike’s side, he was eating some leftover chips from a bowl. “Well.” He said, “we don’t have another place to go than here. So we might as well get comfy.”
Beatrix and Mike called goodnight to Remi and Alice, who said they would go to bed after they cooled down outside.
It was kinda like staying in a hotel, Beatrix thought. The only people left were those who passed out, and them.
They settled into a room, and Mike dove into the bed. “Ah” He sighed deeply. “Back massage please.”
Beatrix climbed in next to him. “Ew. You’re all sweaty and everything.”
Mike rolled over and faced her, giving her puppy eyes. He whimpered like a dog for an added effect.
Beatrix scratched his head. “No. Go to sleep.”
Mike grumbled and rolled over again, turning away from her.
Beatrix kissed him on the cheek and closed her eyes. It’s the first time I’m in with Mike…in a bed. She thought. Just sleeping.

Meanwhile Mike was fighting in his mind. Should I move in for the kill? He questioned himself. No. Only do it when she’s ready.

The next morning, bright and early Beatrix woke up. Mike was still fast asleep beside her, and probably won’t wake for hours. So Beatrix left the room to go make some breakfast.
To her surprise, Alice was there already, making some scrambled eggs. “Morning!” Beatrix chirped, sitting down at the table. Alice suddenly spun away from the stove. “Oh.” She said. “I didn’t know you were an early bird.”
Beatrix laughed. “I’m not really, I just couldn’t take Mike’s snoring!” The girls laughed.

Suddenly, a cough was heard from the living room. “We still got other people here?” Beatrix asked Alice.
Alice nodded, and took the eggs out of the pan. “About 4 left, 2 left earlier this morning. Eggs?” She offered the plate to Beatrix, who accepted the food.
I guess Alice isn’t that bad, Beatrix thought. She’s been really nice so far. How long would this last?

Later that afternoon, once Mike and Remi had awoken, the group decided to go on a hiking trip.
Mike sniffed the air and looked around. “Smell that?”
Beatrix sniffed as well. “Yeah.” She said rolling her eyes at Remi. No one but Mike could smell that special “something.”
“That’s the smell of man Beatrix! The smell of man.” Mike proceeded to give the group a lecture.
“The best thing about nature is that it bonds with you…Like a little child bonds with his mother.” Mike pointed forward, into the woods nearby.
“Onward my friends! To victory!” He marched, with Remi by his side. They sung one of those lame camping songs.
Beatrix sighed and followed them. Alice stood still, resting just in front the forest.
“Are you coming Alice?” Beatrix asked, already knowing the response.
“No way! It’s all buggy and gross and stuff.” Alice said brushing imaginary bugs off of her arms.
“It’s not that bad.” Beatrix said. “And it’s just nature. Come, I’ll walk with you.”
“No!” Alice stomped her foot on the ground. “I am not going.”
Beatrix shrugged and continued on the path. “Fine. Remi will be lost without you!” She laughed.

After endless, what seemed like hours of wandering. The “adventurers” came back to the house.
“I am sweating like a pig!” Remi stated, pulling off his shoes.
“Yeah?” Mike asked. “What else is new?”
“Both of you, stop it.” Beatrix groaned, her feet were killing her.
“Anyone seen Alice?” Remi asked, looking around the house.
“She’s probably in her room, texting to random girls.” Mike said pointing at the ceiling above them.
Remi jogged up the stairs and out of sight.
“I told her to come.” Beatrix said, massaging her feet. “Not my fault if she wants to be such a bitc-“
Beatrix was cut off by a scream. “Remi!” Mike exclaimed, running upstairs.
Beatrix ran after him. And they both turned into Alice’s room.

There Alice was, on her bed. Her face as pale as snow. Her eyes closed. Her blond hair pulled back into a ponytail.
What scared everyone the most was her wrists. They were slit open, just a fine thing line, very accurate. And it seemed like someone just did it themselves.
Mike felt his back pocket. The one he put the pocket knife he found last night in.
As expected, it was gone.
“She’s gone..” Remi said, sinking to his knees.
“But who would do something like that?” Beatrix popped the question everyone wanted answered.
“Some sick coward.” Remi said, standing up slowly. He edged himself out of the room.
Beatrix nodded at Mike. “Comfort him.” She said.
Mike sighed and turned to leave. “This vacation just got messed up.”

Alone. Beatrix thought. She stared at Alice for a few seconds before covering her up with the bed sheets.
“Poor Alice.” She whispered softly. “Poor, poor Alice.”

~Nass