The Rising Dead (15 page)

“I will think about it,” Travis said.

“Don't think about it. Just do it. Whatever you do, try not to mention that you paid someone to raid her dorm room for pictures of her,” Parker said smirking. “You're gonna wanna take that one with you to the grave.”

“If you tell anyone about that . . .”

“What?” Parker cut him off. “You'll sick the undead on me?”

“Worse,” he said. “I'll send you a computer virus that wipes out your senior paper.”

“That's cold, man,” Parker said. “Ice cold. You know what? The hell with this. Let's go get her.”

“Yeah right,” Travis said.

“I'm serious,” Parker said. “We both know where her dorm is. Let's go find out what's taking her so long.”

“That's crazy,” Travis said, looking nervous.

“So let's be crazy then,” Parker said. “What the fuck do you have to lose at this point? You gonna sit in the truck and read the rest of the night? Fuck it. She don't come to us, let's go to her. You ready?”

Travis puffed up his chest.

“Why not?”

“All right!”

Parker kicked a rock past Travis before turning and marching back towards the Slaughterhouse. Travis followed him all the way back to the driveway trying to hide the fear he was feeling from the crippling panic rising up in him. It was going to work out. He knew it. With Parker's help he could do anything. When they got back to the driveway they found Holt pacing by the truck looking drunk out of his mind.

“There you are man,” Holt cried out. “I've been looking all over for you. Who cares what some dyke thinks about you. Screw her.”

“You know what,” Parker said, patting his friend on the back. “You are absolutely right. Fuck Asphyxia Stardust and her amazing titties. Come on buddy hop in.”

Travis was already in the truck. Holt drunkenly stumbled around to stare at Parker as he got behind the wheel.

“Where are we going? This party is just getting started!”

“Quick run to get some more girls,” Parker said. “Hop in the back.”

“I like it,” Holt said. “Fresh meat!”

He climbed over the side of the truck and fell into the back with a loud crash next to a bag of sports equipment from practice and several baseball bats.

“To the pussy store!” Holt screamed from the back of the truck.

The drive took less than five minutes. When they got to the dorms Gemma's door was open and wild party noises were drifting out into the hallway.

“Parker!” Candy yelled when she saw him, throwing her arms around him. One of the cute liquor store guys was practically handcuffed to her and gave Parker a jealous leer telling him to back off in no uncertain terms. Gemma came over to greet him with a peck on the cheek.

“What are you doing here? I thought you were at Slaughterhouse?”

“We were,” Parker said. “We just came to see what was taking you so long.”

“Oh,” Gemma said, looking happy to see them. “I've been trying to get this group motivated for over an hour but once the powder hit the mirror it was like trying to move a school bus full of children with Down's syndrome.”

Parker looked over her shoulder to see a ring of girls leaning over a mirror and snorting up white powder with straws. They completely ignored the new arrivals, keeping their heads down and talking really fast to each other. Candy slipped past Parker with her new guy friend and they headed down the hallway.

“Hold up a minute,” Gemma said, looking concerned. “Candy? Where are you going?”

“I'll be back,” she said, then let out a giggle as she scurried down the hallway.

“This is my roommate and good friend Travis.”

Travis stepped forward and smiled at her, propping himself up with all the courage he could muster.

She smiled at him and Travis felt like the wind had been knocked out of him.

“I've heard a lot about you,” she said.

“I'm not surprised,” Travis replied with a smirk, trying to find the line between being casual and coming off like a cocky jerk. “After all my deeds are legendary.” Gemma giggled and he smiled at her.

“Well,” she said. “I'm not leaving without Candice so it looks like we're going to be a while. You guys want some beers?”

“Sure,” Parker said.

“That would be great,” Travis said politely. “Thanks.”

Gemma grabbed as many beers as she could fit in her arms and quickly returned to the group. Holt immediately snatched two from her. Gemma leaned in and made eye contact with him for a very long time as she handed him one.

“Nice to finally put a face to the name.”

“Likewise,” Travis said, trying to sound casual. She giggled.

“You're too cute,” she said, turning back to Parker. “Let's get this party started.”

“That's what I've been saying,” Holt said, shaking his head and smashing an empty beer can on his head.

“I can do that with my tits,” Erin said, wandering over with half the bottle of tequila still. “My names Erin.”

“I think I might be in love,” said Holt.

“Easy big guy,” Parker said, patting him on the back. “You are not in love.”

“I might be,” Holt argued. “You never really can tell with these kinds of things.”

“Come with me,” Erin said, taking Holt by the hand. They turned and walked outside, heading towards her dorm room at the end of the hallway.

Parker, Gemma, and Travis sat on the bed and drank. Travis told Gemma all about the Zombie Walk planned for the next day and invited her to the convention. She seemed genuinely interested until Max's name came up.

“She sure loves having all the attention, doesn't she?”

“Who?” Parker asked.

“That web chick with the dudes name,” Gemma said. “Max. What's that short for anyway? Maxine? I wonder if girls she grew up with called her Maxi Pad behind her back. You think they did?”

“I dunno, I guess,” Parker said, trying to sound disinterested.

“You're not into her, are you?”

“Nope,” said Parker a little too fast.

“Good,” said Gemma. “She's gross. I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out she had a dick down there.”

Parker smiled and turned away. One of Erin's friends was making eyes at him from across the room.

“What's her name?” Parker asked.

“You know I really don't know,” Gemma said. “She came in with the psycho slut posse over there but we were never introduced. Why don't you go find out who she is for me?”

“Don't worry,” Parker said. “I will get to the bottom of it right away.”

“I'm sure you will,” Gemma said as he sprang up from the bed.

“Well,” Travis said, polishing off his beer, “it's just us now.”

“Have you seen Candy come back?” Gemma asked looking distracted. “I'd still like to go to that party if she's done blowing that DVL.”

“DVL?” said Travis, confused.

“Dirty Vegas Local,” Gemma replied. “I worry about her sometimes. She looks like she's had a lot to drink.”

“What can you do?”

“I've gotta keep an eye on her,” said Gemma.

“Sure,” Travis replied, trying to hide his disappointment. “I understand.”

“Would you mind walking around the dorms with me to go find her?” Gemma asked, turning and facing him. For a minute he thought maybe he was fantasizing again. “I hate to ask you to leave your friends but I don't want to go wandering around campus alone at night.”

“No,” said Travis. “It's no problem. I'd be happy to walk with you.”

Her face lit up.

“Oh my God, thank you so much,” Gemma squealed. “I will totally make it up to you when we get to Slaughterhouse. I promise.”

Travis didn't know what to say to that so he just smiled and nodded. Parker fought back a smile as they walked out of the dorm party holding hands.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Without saying much, Travis and Gemma walked as fast as they could around the outside of the dorms and near the moonlit trail that wound between the Slaughterhouse and campus. Gemma was desperate to find Candy, but there was no sign of her. At first, Travis hoped they would slow down so he could talk to her but as they reached the edge of the campus, emerging from a copse of trees and tall grass, he was actually glad he hadn't been forced to make polite conversation. He decided it was too awkward trying to think of the right thing to say, given the circumstances. The best thing he could do was be there for her as a friend instead of trying to impress her.

The last thing you want is for her to think you’re coming on to her right now,
he thought.
There will be time later to get to know her better, maybe at the Slaughterhouse party.

“You see her?” she asked, shaking him from his thoughts.

“No,” Travis replied, glancing around the campus grounds.

“She might have gone to the other side of the dorms,” Gemma said.

“Why would she go there?” Travis asked.

“There's an empty dorm,” Gemma said. “Stoners go there to get high and fuck. It's nasty. I'm praying she isn't up there.” She rushed on ahead of him. Travis did as he was told, keeping pace with her. They climbed a series of steps, then wound their way through an empty hallway until they reached the room. The door was slightly ajar. Gemma burst in with Travis on her heels expecting to see Candy making out on a bed with some strange kid from town. Instead, the room was empty.

“She's not here,” said Gemma.

“Maybe she went back to his place,” Travis offered, trying to be helpful but feeling a bit lost in the moment. Just then, they heard the unmistakable sound of a girl screaming coming from outside.

“Wait,” Gemma stared out the window towards the parking lot. “Is she outside? We must have gone right past her.”

They rushed out to find Candy was bent over in the bushes, violently throwing up and crying. Travis nearly let out a sigh of relief. She was drunk but she would be okay. He figured this was the best possible outcome. They could clean her up, put her in bed, then spend the night talking. He'd come off like a real knight in shining armor.

“You reek of tequila,” Gemma said, chiding her friend. She leaned over and pulled her hair out of her face, trying to avoid the wet part that was tangled in the plants. On closer inspection, Candy did not look well. Her face was sallow and white--there were dark bags forming under her eyes, one of which was bloodshot and bright pink.

“Oh my God,” Gemma said, releasing Candy as she fell back on the grass. There was blood on her clothes. “Candy! What happened?”

“They went crazy,” Candy whined, choking back more tears. “We went upstairs to do more blow but there were two guys already up there. The next thing I knew they were all over me, digging into me with their fingers. Then they started biting me...hard.”

“What?”

“I fought them off and ran,” Candy said. “One of them was right behind me, growling like a dog. I screamed and then he was on top of me again.”

“Where is he now?” Gemma tried to stay calm for Candy's sake.

“I don't know,” Candy said, bursting into another crying fit. “I hit him again and again but he wouldn't stop. Then he just seemed to come out of a trance and got up and walked away. I think he's headed towards Slaughterhouse.”

Candy threw herself back over bushes and loudly vomited again. Gemma flashed a concerned look at Travis. Travis leaned over Candy and checked her arms. There were fresh bite wounds all right. It looked just like she described, as if a small pack of animals had torn a good chunk out of her with their teeth. He covered his mouth, fighting back revulsion. This was bad news.

“You wanna call campus security?” he asked.

“I think she might need a doctor.”

“You're probably right,” said Travis.

“Do you have a car?”

“No,” Travis shrugged. “We should go get Parker. He'll know what to do.”

“That's not a bad idea. Can you help me with her?” Gemma asked.

“I think maybe you should wait here,” Travis said, trying to sound confident. “I'll go grab him and we'll be right back.”

“Okay then,” Gemma said with a heavy sigh. “Hurry back now.”

Travis set off at a light jog, being careful not to trip and twist his ankle or hurt himself. The last thing they needed was someone else getting hurt. He could still feel a buzz from the beer. It took him longer than he expected to get her back to the dorm party and when he got there, Holt was out of his mind drunk entertaining everyone. Travis took Parker aside and explained the situation.

“No shit,” Parker said. “They bit her?”

“That's what she said,” Travis shrugged.

“She's going to be fine,” Holt roared, drunkenly butting into the conversation. “She just needs to sleep this off. Maybe some stitches in the morning if it hasn't stopped bleeding. Trust me.”

“She needs immediate medical attention, you dick!” Travis screamed in his face.

“I'll drive,” Parker said. “Let's go guys.”

Parker charged off down the hall keys already in hand as Holt and Travis followed behind.

“I'm really worried about her,” Travis said.

“We'll get her taken care,” Parker replied. “You're gonna look like the big hero for helping out her friend. It will be okay. I promise.”

Holt scoffed at them.

“She got bit by some drunken creep. Big deal. Let's not blow things out of proportion.”

Parker took him by the shoulders.

“We're going to the hospital to get her checked out. You can come with us or stay here. Decide fast.”

“This is bullshit!” Holt shouted.

Within minutes they were with Gemma and Candy.

“You weren't playing,” Parker said to Travis. “She looks pretty sick dude.”

“I told you,” Travis said. “Help me get her into the truck.”

They took either side of Candy and carried her dead weight over to the parking lot. Gemma climbed into the truck and helped them load Candy into the back of the cab.

We look like a bunch of serial killers
, thought Travis grimly,
setting off to bury a fresh corpse
.

Parker climbed behind the wheel and fired up the engine.

“Please hurry,” Gemma pleaded and Parker floored it, the truck tires spitting grass and gravel as they took off towards town.

Parker raced through the unlit back roads with only the blue light of the moon casting dark shadows through the trees onto the road. Off in the distance the lights of the Strip blinded anyone foolish enough to stare at them long. Gemma held Candy's head in her lap while the poor girl whimpered in pain.