Slipway Grey: A Deep Sea Thriller (2 page)

Chapter 4

The Present

“I can’t believe he’s gone,” Luke Scrimm said. He held the yearbook closer to his face, studying the words written underneath the picture of a smiling, handsome young man. Deaths in high school were always tragic but none made it more so than a suicide. Shane McCardell had died too young.

“He took Katy running away pretty hard,” Glenn Delaune said. “Good thing we weren’t really friends with him.”

“That’s pretty messed up,” Luke said. “This poor guy killed himself, and we’re about to graduate. We have our lives in front of us, and his is over.”

“Wow, man, you’re so deep today.” Glenn laughed and clapped Luke on the back.

Luke’s glasses almost flew off his face, and he lost his breath for a second as the impact connected between the young man’s bony shoulder blades. He coughed, and glared at Glenn, who returned the look with a sarcastic smile. Truthfully, he couldn’t understand why someone like Glenn hung out with him. Luke was considered a bottom feeder in high school. He was smart, but scrawny and weak. His hair was the worst; it had been curly and red since grade school. A constant target, he was relieved to know high school was ending and college would begin. His good grades secured him a full ride to a West Coast school, one of the top in the country. He’d start life over and forget how much he hated Pensacola High.

The problem was that Glenn was so damn likable. He didn’t play sports. He didn’t do any extracurricular activities. He was just, ‘The Glenn.’ Everyone loved him—jocks, nerds, and all in between. He was thin, but toned, and blessed with a naturally tan skin and dark features that Luke envied.

Glenn always wore sunglasses. He wore them so much Luke wasn’t sure what color his friend’s eyes were. They became friends the day their parents moved next to one another and the adults set up a car pool schedule. Though Glenn was a certified pain in the ass, he took up for his pal, and Luke appreciated that.

“Sorry, man, didn’t mean to hit you that hard,” Glenn said. “I guess you’re right. Pretty fucked up that Shane offed himself. Would’ve thought he’d try to talk to someone.”

“They never found the body either. So weird. I guess the tide took him out, or he became fish food. You’d think they’d find bones or something.”

“You got that nerd brain working this morning. Maybe you should study criminal justice.”

“Who knows, maybe? The thing that bothers me most, is the paper said there was tons of blood
in
the boat when the police found it.”

“So? I heard he slit his wrists and then jumped in the Gulf. Makes sense to me, anyway.”

“Where’d you hear that? There’s been nothing in the papers saying how he did it.”

“I have my sources, my friend,” Glenn said with a laugh. “I have my sources.”

Luke noticed a troupe of hulking jocks walking down the hall. Chet Collins, the typical blonde-haired, blue-eyed captain of every sports team in high school, led the horde. Luke thought he was a douche, and with a name like Chet, it was a given. It was as if his parents had opened up the,
‘Great Big Book of Douche Bag Baby Names,’
and settled on Chet. Luke turned around to place a book in his locker and foolishly took his eyes off of the big ox. A firm hand to the back, the same place Glenn had slapped him, pushed Luke into the locker. Obnoxious laughter ensued.

“Come on, Chet. Don’t be such a tool,” Glenn said. He helped Luke to his feet.

“I’m going to miss picking on my buddy, Puke,” Chet said.

More laughter erupted from the lumbering idiots behind him. “Really, still calling me Puke?” Luke stepped up to Chet.

He was tired of the constant bullying from Chet, which only seemed to get worse when Luke started tutoring Mandy, Chet’s girlfriend. Luke’s hands balled in small fists as he stared up at the jock. David and Goliath faced one another in the halls of Pensacola High.

“Well, looks like the geek is going to man up for once,” Chet said.

“Guys, come on,” Glenn said. He got between them and lightly pushed Chet away. “It’s the last day, and no one needs to do anything stupid.”

“Nah, I think I want to do something stupid. Puke has been spending a little too much time with my girl.”

“I’m tutoring her, you moron. Something you could have used, as well,” Luke said. His heart beat rapidly in his chest.

“Luke! There you are.” A sweet voice called.

All the boys turned, and watched, as Mandy Rivers, easily the hottest girl in school, strode confidently down the hall. Kids hanging near the lockers parted so she could pass. With flowing blonde hair and emerald green eyes, she was the queen of the school. Her parents, before going missing from their boat, were one of the wealthiest couples in the area, and lived in one of the biggest houses on Pensacola Beach. All of it became Mandy’s on the day they vanished. Luke could feel nothing but sorrow for her when he’d go over to her house and help her study. She was beautiful, but not vain—warm, actually—and Luke never understood why she dated a tool like Chet.

What made matters worse, Luke had loved her since the moment he saw her in grade school, but never dared tell her how he felt. They’d become close through tutoring. Mandy had offered to tell Chet to cool down with the teasing, but Luke had played it off like it wasn’t a big deal.

“Baby, I was just thinking about you,” Chet said, his arms wide open, waiting for her embrace.

Mandy rushed past him and hugged Luke, jumping up and down. Chet’s expression soured. Luke tried not to smile too wide. Glenn muffled a laugh.

“I did it. I passed calculus,” Mandy said. She planted a big kiss on Luke’s cheek. “Thank you so much for all your help.”

“Okay, enough of that.” Chet pulled her over to him. “Nice job, Luke. Glad your nerdiness came in handy this time.”

“Be nice,” Mandy said, grabbing Chet’s chin like a person scolding a puppy. Chet took a deep breath and appeared to cool down.

“I’m happy you did well, Mandy, but it was you who did it, not me,” Luke said.

“It doesn’t matter who did what, I passed. I want to do something fun with everyone before we go our separate ways. My beach house would be the perfect place to chill for a weekend. We have everything you’d need to have a great time. I want to invite you, Luke, to come with us.”

“Really? Thanks, I don’t know what to say.” He’d never been invited to hang with the cool kids before.

“We’d love to come,” Glenn said, putting an arm around Luke.

“Cool, that fills the gay quota for the trip,” Chet said, snorting.

Mandy rolled her eyes.

“Did I hear beach house vacation?” Desmond Thomas said.

His girlfriend, Serena Keebler, trailed behind him.

“D-Dawg!” Chet said, and jumped in the air, chest-bumping Desmond.

Desmond was a jock, as well, but Luke always liked him. Desmond was funny and a bit of a smart ass, but had never gone out of his way to be mean to him. Serena was cool, too—as cool as a self- absorbed cheerleader could be, anyway. She embraced Mandy with a hug.

“One of these days, you two have to make-out for us,” Chet said. All the guys perked up at the suggestion.

“We only make-out in private,” Serena said, and Mandy laughed.

“You mind if I invite Sarah for the weekend?” Glenn asked Mandy.

“Sarah Landry? Sure, I was thinking of asking her anyway, and Desmond and Serena were already on the list.”

“All right, cool,” Glenn said.

Luke smiled. He knew Glenn had a huge crush on Sarah for as long as he could remember. She was the only girl who never paid Glenn much attention, and Luke knew it drove his friend nuts.

“So, when we doing this?” Chet asked.

“Friday is the last full day of school. Let’s leave after, and we can grab a drink before heading to the house. We’ll come back on Sunday, and then graduate on Monday.” Mandy said the last part with emphasis, and the teens smiled.

The group went their own ways while Luke and Glenn remained at the locker.

“Well, how about that?” Glenn said. “We’re going to live like the rich people this weekend. I heard she has a staff on hand at the beach house.”

“She doesn’t have a staff, just a maid that comes in once a week and cleans. I don’t know why she still lives there. Her parents are dead, and their stuff is still around. Kinda weird.”

“Yeah, but from what I’ve heard, she wasn’t too close with them anyway. Sad to say, I know, but the truth is the truth. She seems to have adjusted just fine.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I guess people deal with their personal shit differently.”

“I guess so. Oh crap,” Glenn looked at his cell phone. “My mom’s called me three times. I got to go.”

Luke closed his locker and tucked the yearbook under his arm. Maybe things were already starting to turn around for him. He still had a smile on his face when he walked out of the school.

***

“Absolutely not,” Luke’s mother said. She plopped a heaping load of mashed potatoes on his plate.

He’d just broken the news of his weekend plans and, like always, she’d said no.

“Come on, Mom, you’re being unreasonable. It’s just a weekend at the beach with some people.”

“You haven’t hung out with anyone on the weekend, ever, and now the last week of high school, you are going to a beach house to party? Something doesn’t sound right. Besides, what about those people that have gone missing? Some say there’s a serial killer on the loose. Henry, back me up here. I don’t want anything happening to my baby.” She looked at her husband who was busy shoveling food into his mouth.

“I’m not a baby anymore. Dad, it’s going to be a few of us at a beach house. You remember Mandy Rivers, right? Her family owns the huge place near Fort Pickens. It’s first class all the way.”

“And what about parents? We can’t expect Mandy’s to be there,” his mom said. “Sorry, that came out wrong, but still, will there be adult supervision?”

“Glenn told me she has a staff that works the house whenever guests are over. I’m not sure though.” Technically he wasn’t lying. Glenn had said something like that.

“Oh, well, if Glenn said that, it must be true. What will you kids do for entertainment? Drugs, alcohol…sex?”

Luke felt himself grow nauseous as the words left his mom’s mouth. To his surprise, he also found himself angry. Here he had a chance to have one positive high school memory, and she was trying to stand in his way. He was done listening to her rant about how kids should act.

“Mom, look, in two months I’m moving across the country to attend college.  While there, I’ll be tempted daily with drugs, alcohol, and sex. You can’t treat me like a child anymore. I want to go. I need to have one good memory from high school when I’m on the West Coast. Please.”

She sat in silence, staring at him. He noticed her eyes went glassy with moisture when he mentioned moving away. She tried to speak, but each time stopped, leaving Luke on the edge of his seat.

“You can go, son,” his dad spoke up. “Have a good time, but be safe.”

Luke was shocked. It wasn’t like his parents to take opposing sides. He felt like jumping up and hugging the old man, but instead, chose not to.

“Henry, shouldn’t we talk about this more?”

“What’s there to talk about? Let the boy have fun. Hell, when we were in high school, we went camping for a week without parents. And believe me, son, there was alcohol, drugs, and even some sex.” His dad smiled. Luke looked horrified.

“Henry!” She slapped him, playfully. It only led to more terror on Luke’s face.

“Oh, man, can I be excused, please. I’m not hungry anymore.”

His dad nodded, and Luke bolted from the table. He ran up the stairs and to his room. His fingers fumbled with the phone as he called Glenn.

“Glenn, hey man. Yep, it’s a go!”

Chapter 5

18 Months Earlier             

She walks cloaked in darkness, and the darkness becomes her. Not the absence of light, but the thing inside her. The thing allows her to live without feeling, love without happiness, and kill without remorse.

She picks out her sluttiest dress, a ruby-red number that accents her curves. She’s only 16, but looks in her mid-20’s when the makeup’s been applied. It’s all bullshit anyway. Just face paint to cover up what she is on the inside: a monster. She is broken down, used up, and ready to make someone else feel what she feels every day she gets up in the morning.

The bar is hopping, and the bouncer doesn’t give her a second glance. It’s as if she’s invisible, but the stares from the guys inside tells her she’s anything but. Loud music plays through the night, making her insides vibrate. Letting her feel something.
Just vibrations
, she thinks.
Only vibrations
. She saddles up to the bar and orders a cranberry and vodka. She downs it in one gulp and orders another. And then another. She’ll savor her third drink. Just enough alcohol to dull the pain, but not enough to overtake her senses.

She sets the bait out. Attracting men is like fishing, and all you need is the right equipment. She squeezes her arms together, making her breast pop, and crosses and uncrosses her legs, letting the onlookers get a glimpse of what they hope to get between tonight. She’ll let one of them get a sniff. If he succeeds in driving it home, well then, that’s on him.

She hooks one. Tan skin. Glazed eyes from too much booze. He tumbles forward and shoves a glass under her nose. A glass of white wine. It smells cheap and sweet. The pill at the bottom still hasn’t dissolved all the way. Sometimes, they make it too easy for her. She doesn’t have a code. There’s no killer’s creed with her. Everyone should die. She wants to kill everyone. But the bad ones, they take the least amount of convincing.

“Wine for the lady,” he says.

“You’re too kind, but I’m a vodka girl.”

“You sound like an uptight bitch.”

He goes to walk away. She can’t let him off that easy. She grabs his arm and spins him around. Their lips meet, tongues swirl, and her hand grabs his crotch. His cock bulges, and she knows she has just set the hook.

“Perhaps I misjudged you.”

“Perhaps you did.” She bats her eyes. She nets her catch.

“Want to get out of here?” he says. She notices the wine has been ‘accidentally’ spilled on the floor. The pill is still there, sitting in the puddle of liquid.

“You bet I do. Where do you want to go?”

“I have my condo nearby. We could go there.”

“I’ve always wanted to fuck in a boat. Do you have one? I’d let you do anything to me. Put it anywhere you like.” She smiles. Her face is a mix of Satan and God.

“Actually, I do. It’s tied right out back. It’s not big or anything, but it’s nice enough.”

“I’m yours.” She takes his hand and leads him out the bar.

The Gulf breeze is cool, but she is colder. Ice water flows through her veins, and though she is about to do the only thing that brings her pleasure, she still can’t get excited for it.
It’ll change
, she convinces herself,
when we get out on the water
.

The saltiness of the sea sprays her face as the boat jumps over waves. The wind whips through her hair, and she is laughing. The man laughs as well, though for different reasons. He slows the engine down, but she convinces him to keep going. She isn’t there yet. They only have a few more yards to go. 

The buoy bobs in the black Gulf, and the light atop blinks every few seconds. They are alone, and the man wastes little time. He is on her, and she is surprised by his sudden burst of speed and strength. He’s kissing her face, licking all over her eyes and nose, and his breath is revolting. She fights panic, squirms, but that only makes him more aggressive. His hand whips through the air and she hears a loud crack. Stars shine in the back of her eyes as the blow ripples through her body.

“You slutty little bitch. I’m going to fuck you good, and then you can swim to shore.”

He stands and unbuckles his belt. The mean ones are also the dumbest. She has her window and takes it. Her purse is still around her. She removes the mace, shakes the little bottle, and lets a stream of liquid fire fly. The man grabs his eyes, screams, and stumbles. His legs tangle in his jeans. He pitches head first into the water.

She stands and looks at him, laughing. She is a god staring down at a mere mortal. She is the boot coming down to crush the cockroach. She is the poison poured on an anthill. Her laughing infuriates him, and he spits water as he shouts.

“Soon as I get in that boat, I’ll kill you!”

But he won’t get back in the boat. He won’t even be alive in a few minutes. The dorsal fin cuts the water, and the man screams as the shark makes contact with his rump. The beast bites down and removes a thick chunk of flesh in one chomp. His screams have turned to pleas: to the girl, to God, to anyone. No one is there to save him.

The shark attacks again, dragging him under before letting go. Allowing him to breathe the last breaths of sweet air. The man takes it all in. His expression shows he knows it will soon come to an end. She stares at him in the water. A smile plastered on her face and a hand shoved deep inside her panties. She’s enjoying this. All of this.

The beast makes its final move. Millions of years of evolution resulting in one dynamic killing machine. It is a torpedo with teeth, and it is hungry. The shark strikes, taking the man by the side. Water fills his mouth as he screams and is brought under. The shark thrashes, and the water becomes permeated with bits of flesh and blood. Hundreds of fish partake in the free meal. The corpse floats to the bottom where it comes to a rest. The smaller fish attack and so do the crabs.

The shark surfaces and circles the boat. She smiles and removes her clothes. She jumps in the cold water and splashes her hands. It approaches and lightly nuzzles up to her. She embraces it, and it swims gently with her around the boat. Her eyes fill with tears and a voice floods her head. “It’s all right.”

It brings her close to the boat, and using it for leverage, she climbs back in. She places her hand in the water, and it swims under it. It takes a while for the entire beast to pass. It is massive.

She dries her eyes and gets dressed. The motor cranks up with one turn of the key, and she pilots back home.