FABLES

Survival At Silverlake Woods
by Nicky Barnes



The blow split her lip and the one that followed, her cheek. She touched her fingers to her face, they came away red.
"You filthy bitch, did you think you would get away with it? Did you have him in our bed?"
She tried to speak, tried to make her torn lips form words. "I'm not yours, you bastard! I left you! I loved him but left him because I was afraid, afraid that you would hurt him." She crawled away from him leaving a trail of blood. "You are sick, you need help."
"You are mine! You will always be mine! My life to take."
His fists smashed into her again and again. Bones broke and still he pummelled her.

The joint was passed to Pam, she took it, put it to her lips and inhaled. It made her feel giddy.
"Whoa, long time since I had anything this strong," she coughed, "who made it?" She passed it to Jo, who grimaced and shook her head, so Pam kept it.
"I did sweetie," Kenny grinned, "and theres plenty more where that came from." He swung a sandwich bag at her, it was full of the grass.
"I should have guessed it was my beloved's work," she smiled.
"Kenny man!" giggled Jeff, "you my friend, are the best pal a bloke can have."
"Guys that stuff stinks! Can't someone open another window?" Plumes of smoke filled the camper van. Jo waved her hand in front of her face, sighing she stood up and crossed to the other side, leaning across Kenny to open the window.
"Stop whinging sis," chuckled Jeff, "it's some fine shit." His giggles continued.
"Yeah and I think you have had enough." She sat back down.
"Easy up on him baby." Chris's voice came from the drivers seat, up front. Jo moved forward and joined him.
"He's only having a bit of fun. He did need cheering up, I can't believe she could dump him like that, right before the holiday too."
Laughter could be heard behind them and Jeff's poor attempt at singing.
"Yeah I guess, poor Jeff, I can't stand the stuff though, it makes me feel sick. Anyway are we nearly there? I'm going to need a loo soon." She looked out the window, trees, trees and more trees. "What's the name of this place again? Silverlake Woods?"
"Yeah."
She was glad she had come on this holiday, she hadn't been sure if it was a good idea to come away with Chris, they had only known each other a couple of months. Looking at him now, she realised how much she loved him. He had been badly hurt when his previous relationship had ended, so they had started out as friends. That had grown and become something they both wanted and needed. "Well we are certainly out in the middle of no-where."
"According to the directions I got at that garage, we are almost there. When we arrive first thing I want is a nice cold beer," he said wiping a hand across his forehead, then wiping it on Jo's bare legs.
"Yuk," she laughed, trying to push his hand away. "Chris!" she shrieked.
"Hey guys, watch ya up to? Hope you aren't distracting our boy here from his driving." Kenny's grinning face appeared.
"He's quite capable of distracting himself," Jo laughed.

Chris turned left down a lane. "We are in for a rough ride. Hold on folks." He called out, steering the vehicle around a big dip in the hard packed dirt. After about fifteen bumpy minutes the trees thinned out to the right, then stopped, revealing a large clearing. There was a sign, it read: Welcome to Camp Silverlake. Please take your rubbish back with you.
"We're here," shouted Jo.
Chris stopped the van near a wooden structure, the sign on it read: Washroom, and they all piled out. Kenny pulled his T-shirt off and ran round the area whooping, they had it to themselves. Chris went in the back of the camper and emerged carrying a large cool box.
"Here it is, come and get it." Opening it he drew out a can, pulled the tab and took a long swig. "Ahhh much better." He held the can to his face, it felt wonderful. The others helped themselves to beers, Kenny got the BBQ out and started it up. They had stocked the fridge-freezer with loads of food before the trip and had two large coolers filled with beers.
"Lets have a game while thats heating up," Jeff called, coming out with the bats and a ball.
"You lads carry on," Pam said fanning her face with her magazine, I'm gonna relax and read this.
"I'll play," Jo called jumping up and tying her hair up out of the way.
The game was under way, not enough people to play a proper game of rounders, so they improvised. It was hot work in the glare of the sun.
"Your out Chris," yelled Jeff, "Jo caught the ball."
Chris looked at Jo, "Outed by my girlfriend, how will my heart stand up to the pain?" He clutched his chest and fell to his knees. Kenny ran up behind him and pulled down his shorts.
"Argh!" he screamed, trying to cover his embarrassment.
Jo laughed until she thought she would wet herself.
"Put it away man!" laughed Jeff, "You will put me off my hotdog."
"Thats a point." Kenny ran over to check on the BBQ. He went in the camper to fetch the meat. He leaned out. "One of you lazy buggers gonna give me a hand?" he called. Jo went in to butter some buns and to get started on the salad.

No-body noticed eyes watching them from some nearby bushes, the thick growth kept what ever it was concealed. Nor did they hear the heavy breathing and the look of pure rage of the owner of the eyes.

Later, after they had cleared away all the food and plates, they set the two tents up, got more beers out and sat round a fire. They laughed and joked and told stories late into the night.
Chris spoke quietly to Jo, she giggled and kissed him.
"Night all, we're bushed, it's bed for us." They entered the trailer quickly removing their clothes and jumping on the bed.
The others went to the tents. Pam pulled Kenny down onto the sleeping bags. He pulled up her vest top and nuzzled her breasts. He felt Pam's hand slide down his shorts and grip his length. He groaned.
Pam sat up and removed her shorts and panties. Pushing Kenny back, she straddled him rubbing herself against him, then impaled herself on his sex.

Jeff held his pillows over his ears, the groans from the other tent were making him feel miserable. He missed Nancy, even though she had dumped him, he still loved her.
He started on another beer. It would be a long night, he thought trying to ignore the sounds.

Chris opened the camper door letting in the bright sunlight, the day wasn't too hot yet and there was a light breeze.
"What time is it?" Jo's head poked out from beneath the covers.
"After nine." Chris started on breakfast for them all. Soon the smell of bacon filled the air, attracting the others like bees to a flower. Jeff looked a bit worse for wear.
"Whats wrong bruv? Hangover?" Jo asked.
"Yeah," he grunted and started on his bacon and eggs.
They cleared up and Kenny decided to go off exploring. The girls got their towels and changed into bikinis. Laying the towels out on the grass they worked on their tans, in Jo's case, tried to start one.

A while later Kenny came running back. "There's a lake at the other side of the woods. Im getting in there first!." He ran off again, T-shirt flying in his wake. His bright yellow trunks flashing like a beacon in the sunshine.
"Now that sounds like a brilliant idea," smiled Pam. "Come on Jo." She grabbed her towel, stepped into her shoes and headed off in the direction in which Kenny had disappeared.
Chris looked up waving a beer. "I'm going to lay here a while, veg out and enjoy this excellent chilled beverage, go and join them hun if you want." Jo crouched down and pushed her lips against his.
"OK, I won't be long. Jeff? You coming too?" she shouted to her brother.
He shook his head, wincing as he did so. "No I'm going back to bed, can I use the one in the camper? I'm sure there are rocks under my tent."
"Yeah help yourself mate." Chris said.

Jo headed towards the trees. The woods were nice and cool, the tops of the trees giving some shade from the sun. Coming upon the lake she looked around, this place was beautiful. Pam and Kenny waved, Pam squealed as Kenny dunked her. Jo carefully made her way down the steep bank and sat down to remove her trainers. She wiggled her toes in the grass, bliss. Dipping her toes in the water, she gasped, it was cold. She slowly lowered herself into the water, it felt lovely on her hot skin. She floated on her back and closed her eyes. This was a good idea coming here, she had needed a break from work badly. Her job at the council was so stressful, she had been thinking of packing it in. She was also glad to get away from her own personal stalker, Melvyn. He was polite enough, it's just, well, he made her skin crawl. She decided to wait and see how it went after the two weeks were up. A scream startled her from her thoughts, Pam she guessed, Kenny was probably fooling around.
"Don't suppose anyone remembered to bring any suntan lotion from the camper?" she looked at her pale skin. "Pam?" No answer. Jo looked around, where were they? Swimming to the far side she noticed Pam's towel and something yellow amongst the long grass. She climbed out of the lake and went over to investigate. Dropping to her knees she saw that it was Kenny. The yellow had been his swimming trunks.
"Kenny?" She shook him.
"Ugh," he groaned. He sat up and felt the back of his head, he stared in horror at the redness on his fingers. "Pam? Where's Pam?" he looked wildly around, got to his feet and fell.
"Kenny, what happened?" Jo helped him up, her heart thudded.
"Didn't you see him? I think he took Pam."
"Who? I saw no-one." Jo looked around and hugged herself, conscious of how much skin her bikini showed.
"There was a man here, big, looked powerful, he was butt naked! Pam saw him she screamed. He swung a club at me. It must have knocked me out. I have to find her. Kenny raced off into the woods, the opposite way to where the camper van was. Jo panicked and quickly swam back across the lake.

From his hiding place he watched them. The long haired girl looked tasty, he drooled, his eyes glazing over and imagined ripping into her soft flesh after satisfying himself in other ways.
The other girl groaned softly at his feet, blood seeping from a wound on her forehead. He lifted her, slinging her over his shoulder, he returned the way he had come. She felt nice, his hand clutched her buttock through the flimsy bikini bottoms. He thought back to feeling a similar body, only that one had cooled fast, although the sticky blood had aroused him. He regretted killing that one, no! It hadn't been his fault! It had been the bastard's she had been seeing. He grinned thinking of the things he'd like to do to him.

Jo ran through the woods, stumbling in her haste. Once falling and catching her hand on a sharp piece of branch. She winced in pain but it didn't slow her down much. She broke through the trees into the clearing. "Chris!.......CHRIS!" She saw him stand and run towards her.
"Jo, your hurt, what happened?" He tried to hold her hand to have a look at it. She pulled it away.
"Don't worry about that, Pam's gone missing, Kenny said they saw a man and now he's gone off too." She cried.
"Slow down, what do you mean some man? Who? There's no-one about but us."
"Someone was there Chris, they knocked Kenny out, his head was bleeding." she looked about. "Where's Jeff?"
"He's in the camper asleep, you go and join him, lock the door." She grabbed hold of him.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to find Kenny and Pam. Which way did Kenny go?" He hugged her, she was shaking.
"Across from the lake, he went into the trees on the other side." she kissed him. "Be careful." she ran towards the camper, once inside she shut and bolted the door.

Chris swam across the lake and entered the dimness of the thickly growing trees. Which way? he thought, he carried on straight forward. He had to double back again and again, thick brambles were everywhere.
"Kenny?....Pam?" he yelled loudly. He was rewarded with silence. He came to some rocks and noticed a partially concealed entrance. Pulling bushes out of the way he peered into the gloom. There was some light but not much. He guessed further in there must be some sunlight getting in. Cautiously he walked forward, trying to hear the slightest sound.
Distantly there came a piercing scream...Pam!
He rushed forward heedless of his own safety.

Jo put the book down she had been reading and looked at the clock. Chris had been gone over an hour. She couldn't wait any longer., she had to do something.
"Jeff." Jo shook her brother, "Jeff wake up."
"Hmm?" he blinked blearily up at her, rubbing his eyes. "Hey sis, how long was I asleep?"
"I don't know, listen, somethings gone really wrong." She explained what had happened. "And now Chris has gone after them, he's been gone too long I'm really worried."
"A man you say? Then what are we waiting for? Let's go find them!"
She was surprised slightly by the look of fear and anger on Jeff's face. Jeff went to his bag and rummaged inside.
"What are you doing? Come on!"
Jeff looked at her. "If there is some nutter running around out there I would prefer to have some kind of protection." He pulled out a knife.
"You think he might be dangerous?"
"I think I know who it might be and yes, very dangerous."
"What about the police? Should I call them?" She ran to her phone, switching it on she found there was no signal. "Damn!" and threw it back in her bag.
She looked around. On one of the benches were Kenny's baseball bats. She picked one up it felt good in her hand. Pulling a vest over her head and putting on some shoes, she followed Jeff outside.

They reached the lake, her trainers were still where she had left them, no sign of Pam, Kenny or Chris.
"What did you mean? You said you knew who it was?" she looked at her brother, he looked terrified.
"I didn't want to tell anyone at the time," he began. "Nancy had to leave me because her 'ex' had found out she was seeing someone else, me."
"So? What did that matter, she didn't have to dump you!"
Jeff sighed. "Thats what I thought at first, before she explained to me about Harold. Put it this way, he would have made a good killer in any slasher film. She told me how controlling he had been and how violent. He had been crafty too, hitting her in places that didn't show. Even worse, he had shared her with his brother, Frank, had let him use her and violate her in ways I couldn't have imagined."
Jo blinked back tears. "Why did she let him? She could have told someone! Got away from him!"
"She was terrified of him Jo. He had threatened to kill her if she told anyone and she believed him. Finally she had got enough money together and ran, as fast and as far away as she could get from him. I met her not long after that, two years ago, remember?"
Jo nodded, she had liked Nancy. She had been sweet and a little timid. Now she knew why.
"You think it's this Harold then? That he's here? How would he know where to find us?"
"Nancy was going to come remember? It wouldn't surprise me if he had beaten the information out of her. She broke up with me because she saw Harold's brother spot us together. In the two years I knew her, I didn't have a clue. I wondered why she never wanted to travel down south, what she told me made me feel so sick and angry and I miss her Jo."
Jo put her arms round her brother, "Jeff I'm so sorry, I wish you had told me."
"Thanks sis, well we had better go find the others, they can't have gone too far. Just keep your eyes open and yell if you see anything."
They skirted the edge of the lake, rather than get their clothes wet. Jo pointed out the splashes of blood from Kenny's head wound. They walked past and entered the trees.

Pam looked at the man pacing the cave. He was talking to himself and spouting all kinds of nonsense. She had tried talking to him but he just ignored her. He seemed to go through stages, misery, denial and anger. He stopped muttering and walked towards her, grabbing her arms he dragged her to the middle of the cave. She struggled even harder when she saw his erection.
"Nooo," she screamed. Her pulled at her bikini until the thin material snapped. He shoved her legs apart and forcefully entered her. She managed another scream before his hand clamped over her mouth and his teeth sank into her shoulder.

Chris made his way down a tunnel, there was a smell of decay and mould, getting stronger as he went deeper. He stepped into a cave, the sight that met him was one that had him vomiting up his breakfast. It was Pam. She lay dead on the ground, her face and breasts a bloody mess, it looked like something had taken bites out of her. He turned to run but couldn't see the tunnel where he had entered. Stumbling around he tripped over something. He felt the object, a body, he felt the face and recognised the facial stubble, Kenny. He felt for a pulse and discovered the neck had been slashed.
He groaned and held his head in his hands, until he heard a shuffle from the other side of the cave.

"Where could they have gone?" Jo asked Jeff. "There's just trees, let's try another direction."
"No wait, come over here, I've found something." he stood back to let her see.
There was an opening in the rock with some loose shrubs pulled to one side.
"I bet this is where they went."
"But why? and if they went in why haven't they come out?" Jo felt very frightened. Her imagination conjured up all kinds of scenarios.
Jeff entered the passage, followed by Jo. They went as quietly as possible for two reasons. They wanted to hear any movement up ahead and they didn't want to be heard.

"Are you Jeff?" The man spat the name at him.
"Chris blinked the blood out of his eyes and shook his head, "no, my names Chris, who the fuck are you? Why did you kill Pam and Kenny?"
The man's large fist smacked into his stomach again, forcing the air out of him. He hung from the ropes gasping and trying to draw breath. The man twisted the knife buried in Chris's thigh.
"Where's Jeff?" The man demanded.
"Ahhhh I....I don't know, back....at the camper I guess. Shit!" Chris coughed. "Why do you want him?"
The man thought about this, then grinned. "I'm gonna fuck him up real good," he laughed, "yeah, real good."

Jeff and Jo made the same discovery Chris had earlier. Pam's body. Jo put her hand over her mouth trying to stifle a scream, it came out sounding like a wounded animal. She went to her knees. Jeff held his mouth for a different reason, his stomach contents were trying to come back up.
"Pam," sobbed Jo.
"Oh shit...Shit!" hissed Jeff having just found Kenny.
"What?" Jo turned and made her way over to Jeff and saw Kenny.
"Oh no...no...no...no." The tears flowed again.
"CHRIS!" she screamed.
"Jo!" Jeff listened but all he could hear was the echo of Jo's scream bouncing of the walls.

Harold heard the scream. His eyes brightened. More delights on the way.
"Your friend Jeff maybe? Does he scream like a girl? I can't wait to find out." He laughed, loud and hard, his body shaking.

"What's that? Shhh."
Jeff listened. it sounded like laughing.
Goose-bumps raised on Jo's arms.
"SHUT UP..." she screamed. "SHUT UP....."
"Jo!... Jo! Stop, come here." Jeff put his arms round her and comforted her as best he could.
She clung to him and sobbed. He uttered a grunting noise and fell away from her. "Jeff?" she looked up and saw a brutish face leering at her. He swung something and she felt a sharp pain at the side of her head and fell. She lay still, though her head felt like it was exploding, pretending to be unconscious.
"J.e.f.f..."
She heard the slow whisper and the chuckle that followed. There was a scraping sound as Jeff was dragged away, back the way they had come in.
Jo sat up, her head spun. She had to make an agonising decision, should she go after the man or look for Chris? She was torn. She decided to look for Chris, reasoning that there was no way she could take on that man on her own, she needed Chris's help. If he was still alive. Her breath caught in her throat. Feeling around for the bat she slowly got to her feet and made her way across the cave and into the other tunnel.
It opened up into a smaller cave, with a lamp. Against the far wall was a sleeping bag and clothes strewn about, next to it was Chris. She ran to him.
"Chris? Chris can you hear me?" Dropping the bat she gently lifted his head, wincing at the bruises and cuts.
"Jo? Oh my god Jo," tears ran down his face. "I was afraid he had got you too. Can you cut me down?"
She looked up at the ropes and pulled at the knots, she couldn't budge them. The more she pulled the tighter they seemed to get.
"Is there anything here to cut them with?" She said looking around.
"My leg," Chris said, "pull it out."
"What?" She looked down, there was a big knife sticking out of Chris's leg, his jeans were soaked with blood.
"OK but let me find something to stop the bleeding with after." Nothing looked handy, so she pulled off her vest and tore it down the side.
"This will do, are you ready?"
He nodded and gritted his teeth, she pulled the knife out. Fresh blood flowed. Quickly she tied her makeshift tourniquet round the top of his leg. Picking up the knife she sawed at the ropes. Chris collapsed to the floor. Getting painfully to his feet, with Jo's help, he rubbed at his arms, trying to get the circulation back.
"It's not over yet Chris, he has Jeff. He took him to the camper."
"Shit! He told me it was Jeff he wanted. He said he stole Nancy from him and that Jeff was gonna die for it. He described to me his various methods. He's one sick fuck."
Jo picked up her bat and gave him the knife.

They made their way out of the tunnel and into daylight. When they reached the lake they could hear Jeff's screams coming from the camp site. They speeded up, Chris setting the pace, as fast as his leg could manage. Harold had Jeff spread-eagled on the grass, his arms and wrists tied to the four posts they had used for their game of rounders. He was cutting him.
Jo moved round the perimeter of the camp, keeping out of sight. Chris limped forward towards the psycho.
"Oi! Fucker, get ready to die!" he yelled.
Harold's head snapped round. He brought up a carving knife, it dripped with blood. He grinned. Roaring like a bull, he ran at Chris, throwing him to the ground.
"I knew I should have finished you off you little runt!" He raised the knife and had the sense knocked out of him by the bat in Jo's hand, she had approached from behind. She helped Chris up and hugged him, then turning they knelt to untie Jeff.
"Jeff grinned up at her, thanks sis. I thought he was gonna gut me." He looked at her shocked face and realised it had been a stupid comment.
Jo shrieked and twisted round. Harold had sunk his teeth into her calf. He shook his head and ripped out a chunk of her flesh. Jeff picked up the baseball bat and swung it down with as much force as he could muster.
"That's for Pam..." and again, " and for Kenny..." again," and NANCY!" he screamed.
Jo staggered to her feet, "Jeff, JEFF! It's OK, he's dead. It's OK." She glanced down at Harold, he was dead alright, his skull looked caved in. She put her arms round her brother, they were joined by Chris.

They stood that way, holding each other, for a while, their bodies trembling and then left in the camper to find a police station, a phone, or a hospital, whichever they came to first.