Flies buzzed satisfactorily.
Microscopic legs dragged against the bridge of the teen's nose. No frustrated twitch. No reaction. His chest didn't inflate or deflate.
A watch with leather straps sat half buried with a shattered screen.
Glassed open eyes fixed on the cerulean sky, as if he'd fallen asleep staring at the night sky.
Red veins stretched across the whites of his eyes like cracks.
He didn't blink!
That smell... the absence in his eyes. No! This is some prank, right?! Someone must've snuck some make up on the island, right?! Before Sean whirled around, his nose twitched. His emerald eyes watered. Unable to bear the sight and the smell of decay, he scurried away and braced himself against a trunk.
Involuntarily, he bent over and his mouth flew agape. Once his throat constricted, a skinny line of thick liquid with a putrid stench slid out.
Instinctual screams penetrated the silence. On the edge of despair, the girls hovered toward one another or clasped their arms as if to embrace themselves. Anxiety invoked shivers from the boys. One brown haired boy slapped a hand over his mouth and nose to block some of the smell and avoid contributing to Sean's waste.
Murmurs began.
"Is... is this some test? Where's...?"
"No way... those are just rumors..."
"Rumors?! The fuck are you talking about?!"
"We've got to call somebody!"
"Who the hell has a phone?! They took em' when they brought us here!"
Barely registering the panic, Sean slowed his breathing and wiped his mouth with his shirt. The depraved scene lingering in his mind, he struggled to hold back another surge of bile.
"What the fuck?!" One of the boys shouted gruffly. His eyes narrowed and search as if expecting the perpetrator to display themself. His first step forward caused everyone to retreat to maintain distance.
"Who's the fucker who did this?!" He demanded, his toned arms tensing.
"Jason..." A shrill voice choked out. A shorter than average girl with her hair tied back couldn't break away from the sight. Tears sprung from her eyes freely. When she opened her mouth, nothing emerged. The boisterous boy studied every individual before locking onto one.
"Was it your ass?!" He shouted as he approached a random teen.
"No! I was...!" The boisterous boy's target glanced back and forth, seeking refuge. The boisterous boy advanced with determination. Quickly, Sean intercepted the aggressor's path and shook his head firmly.
"We don't even know what's...!" Before Sean completed his plea, the boisterous boy twisted his shirt around his fingers and held him in place. Sean averted his eyes from an intense gaze. The last thing we need is a freaking hothead!
Abruptly, a girl waving her arms captured everyone's attention. Despite the disquiet, her full lips stayed flat, eyes tranquil. Her complexion was a shade darker than milk chocolate. Calmly, she placed a hand on the boisterous boy's shoulder.
"Keep doing that and you'll scare the culprit off." She said, speaking low enough for only two pairs of ears. Reluctantly, Sean felt a hard shove but maintained his balance as he still felt a threatening stare.
"Given that there's no authority here, we're on our own for the next few days, unfortunately. Pointing fingers and making rushed conclusions isn't productive. Obviously, we can't let a murderer remain among us, so we'll split into pairs. Wherever you go, your partner goes with you." As if remembering manners, she pressed a hand to her chest and smiled.
"I'm Zuri."
Shouldn't we wait for the authorities? But they won't arrive in the next five days, and we probably won't be alive for that long... or the murderer will get away. Sean pondered.
Silence stretched uncomfortably.
"I'm... my name's Sean." Sean seized the opportunity to insert an atmosphere of normalcy. It didn't work well.
In a sneer, the boisterous boy hovered his eyes to Zuri. He mumbled. "Oleg."
His steps were closer to stomps as he approached. Oleg loomed over her, causing her to raise her head. Yet no wince came.
"What kind of dumbass plan is that?" Oleg crossed his arms.
"Am I wrong if we want to catch the perpetrator?" Zuri asked politely.
"Very! And who the fuck is we!" Oleg motioned to the crowd.
"No one's allowed to fucking leave! We're going to solve this right fucking now!"
Though Oleg's declaration was directed at Zuri, his stern and intimidating ton demanded compliance from all present.
"We're gonna make every son of a bitch here start talking."
"And who'll be the interrogator?"
Oleg and Zuri turned to the source of the voice. A boy with black dreadlocks marred by strands of white ran fingers over dried blood that stained the grass and the soil. His vision never strayed from the cranium puncture and the gray matter that oozed out like a dripping faucet. Why is he so transfixed? The serenity at which the boy studied the corpse repulsed Sean.
Zuri's eyes twitched.
"Good point..." Zuri offered room for the boy to identify himself.
"... Azhir." He said flatly.
"Who gives a damn?" Oleg protested.
"Everyone here does." Azhir countered and didn't stop stroking the thin blades of grass.
"No one here is in the right mindset for an interrogation. The only certainty is that'll result in distrust and unwillingness to cooperate. Fractured groups encourage the murderer in situations like these. You'll essentially be cultivating victims for the slaughter. Furthermore, information and alibis can be manipulated.
"Do you honestly believe everyone here trusts you to be the individual to ask the hard questions? Or did you have others in mind?"
Azhir stood and brushed his hair to the side, unbothered. Oleg's eyes narrowed and he shifted toward the strange teen.
"Admiring your handiwork?" Despite Oleg's attempt to intimidate, Azhir didn't spare a glance but seemed even more entranced by the decaying flesh. Before Oleg pried further, the brown-haired boy inserted himself slowly despite his trembling legs.
"I'm uh... I'm Daniel." He dared not make eye contact with Oleg. Daniel gulped and twitched the corners of his mouth.
"What he's... Azhir... Zuri seems to... she's right. We need to find this guy. If not, there's no telling if someone will go missing or end up dead... the next day." Daniel explained poorly.
Zuri briefly gave Daniel a comforting smile, lifting his spirits a smidgen.
Sean spoke up. "Did anyone hear anything last night?" Someone had to hear something, right? A plea. Grunting. Cursing. Sean snapped his head away from the corpse and to Zuri and Oleg, then bounced his gaze to the crowd. A few shook their heads. Others couldn't tear their sight from the corpse.
"I... just... grasshoppers and... wind..." A shy girl inched her hand over her head.
"No screams..." A male teen sighed, disappointed. Daring to study the corpse for a few seconds, Sean zeroed in on Jason's throat.
However, his eyes unconsciously sought another sight. The scene was still unsettling.
"There you have it." Zuri lifted a flat palm with an effortless shrug.
"No relevant information we'll get. The best shot we have, is to make the process as difficult as possible for the perpetrator. Isolation obviously simplifies the next victim but who the hell wants to sleep around a murderer, and we can't all exactly drag our tents to the center here." Zuri displayed a cautious smile.
"This isn't a game!" A raven-haired girl objected through clenched teeth.
"She never said that it was." Daniel responded in defense.
"If he killed Jason, there's no telling what else he'll do. And we can't watch every single person here twenty-four seven."
Oleg crossed his arms. "What if the murderer is in one of the pairs?" Zuri's silence informed Sean enough. Weighing such a probability caused Oleg's anger to surge once more and he invaded Zuri's space.
"We're aiming for entrapment, not safety. If we rely on safety too much, he may get away or there will be more dead bodies." Zuri informed solemnly.
Oleg emitted an audible growl. Her expression didn't change. Resting a hand on Oleg's chest, Zuri eased Oleg back, yet he nearly stumbled. Ignorant, Sean's scalp tingled. Does Oleg have a weak core...?
"So, someone else has to die?" Sean stepped beside Oleg.
"Hopefully not but..." Zuri's eyes nearly wandered.
"That's not fair. You can't ask everyone to risk their lives without any guarantee. And even if it were a guarantee..."
"You've got any better ideas? Or do you want this criminal to walk free?" Zuri challenged. Sean opened his mouth but instead sighed.
"Typical." Zuri scoffed. In an exhale, Sean took a step forward.
"Pairs isn't a bad idea... but..." Sean racked his brain for a proper response, a counter argument that'd destroy Zuri's logic. He gulped.
"We aren't sacrifices." Sean gave an unconvincing point.
"I know it's a big ask and this whole situation sucks..." Zuri's confession lifted Sean's eyes.
"I'm in danger, just like everyone else. I can be killed just the same, but we can't continue this whole outing without knowing who the murderer is at least. I don't want to live in fear and regret after this trip." Zuri admitted hazel eyes shining.
The others gave slight nods, murmuring reluctant agreements. Shimmers of hope shone in their pupils as well.
Isn't it better to remain together and wait out the next few days? But I doubt anyone will want to watch their peers take a piss and we all can't stay in one place from sunup to sundown. Eventually, if we all huddled in one place, who's to say that someone might not venture out on their own and then other people get curious? And the Enlightened Agency... they didn't hire us to be helpless.
"I'll volunteer." Sean hardened his will.
"Anyone else who wants to find this guy, they can step forward. But don't force people here to wear badges if they don't want to risk their life."
His expression elicited a smile from Zuri. Witnessing this, the others gave slights nods, murmuring reluctant agreements.
"Who's willing to come with me?" A lanky boy stepped out.
"I'll... I'll volunteer as well." Daniel mustered.
"Mallory." The girl with her hair tied back spoke up and gave a firm nod. Following these three, a boy named Reyes tightened his fist and expressed his willingness. Two girls shrunk back, still trembling.
Oleg's posture softened. The dominate fear began to dissipate slowly. Zuri turned to the group and instructed. "Those willing, find a partner for the rest of the time we're here. Anything happens, make as much noise as you can. If you hear someone making noise and calling for help, you search for that person. Don't bother trying to figure out who the murderer is... yet."
Although a few faces were frustrated and disheartened, the discussion was clearly over.
The teens began intermingling more so, pairing either with the same sex or with someone they bonded with briefly the previous day when they arrived. Sean saw three teens composed of a boy and two girls speaking amongst themselves. He went over and tapped the shoulder of a sun kissed light brown-haired girl.
She turned around, revealing a lightly freckled face and on a smooth oval facial structure.
"Lily?" Sean was stunned.
"Hey." Lily offered a smile, despite the dread. Sean's shoulders felt a notch lighter.
"You following me? Couldn't go off to university up north?"
"The last thing I want is to have tens of thousands in debt over my head. Guess I got... blessed." Lily couldn't manage a laugh. "Or cursed... considering the situation."
"What's going on over here?" Sean asked. "You three seem distant from everyone else."
"Kaitlyn, Tim, and I are going to be sticking together."
"Aren't you worried about the murderer roaming free? What if...?" Although the implication was clear, Sean avoided highlighting suspicion among them.
"There shouldn't be anything wrong with having a third witness. If you guys want to catch this man, go ahead but we aren't cut out for this. The last thing I want is to die here before I can help anyone."
"But..." Sean wanted to inquire more but fingers pinched his shirt, leading him a few paces away from Lily. Zuri's eyes darted from one spot to another.
"You aren't going to bail on your partner, are you? If you two do run into the murderer." Zuri accused.
"I won't! I just don't want other people forced into being a peace officer." Sean shifted to allow the fabric slip from Zuri's fingers. At the apparent offense taken, Zuri's voice waivered as she gracefully closed the distance and placed a comforting hand on his bicep.
"How about you and I pair up?" Zuri's allure initiated. Befuddled, Sean nearly stiffened.
Azhir's eyes squinted.
"Throwing up deducts some points but... you seem like the type of person I can rely on. And I have some ideas so, maybe I could filter them through you.
"And for what it's worth... I don't think you give off serial killer vibes." Zuri's light smile and slight lean caused Sean to falter.
"Well... I don't see why not." Sean mumbled.
Casually, Azhir gripped Sean's shoulder, causing him to freeze on the spot. His grip... it's a little too hard. He fought against the urge to protest.
"Actually, I believe that we'll be more suited for one another." Azhir pulled Sean away and positioned himself in front. In a hurry, Zuri grasped Sean's wrist. Ow. Sean hid the slight sting of pain.
"Of all the people here?" Zuri inserted some base.
Azhir smiled. A genuine smile. A radiate smile. A dangerous smile. He leaned forward and, in a moment, his brown eyes reflected the sun. Zuri blinked but... his eyes were the same shade of brown as usual. An air of caution swept over her.
"Yeeess." He dragged the answer then dropped his voice to a whisper.
"I think you'll do better with someone more... hardy."
Not daring to argue, Zuri released Sean. Oleg disengaged from a conversation and turned his head to Azhir but the glare he received made whatever he was going to say glue to his throat.
Azhir slipped his hands into his pockets and motioned for Sean to follow. I should just say no. It's not like he'll...
Instinctively, Sean shivered because of a gaze he couldn't confirm. Gulping down his fear, Sean reluctantly followed Azhir. Before Oleg attempted to police, Zuri barely lifted a hand and shook her head slowly then wiped the same hand she touched Sean with on her jeans as if it was coated in snot.
From the corner of her eye, Lily followed Sean for another ten seconds before he disappeared with Azhir.
~
At least fifteen minutes had passed. Sean and Azhir increased their distance from the commotion. Twigs snapped underneath soles. Birds chirped. Squirrels scurried through trees. Soft winds carved three second patterns in the ground and sent grass flying like tube men.
Instead of dwelling on the silence, Sean took note of Azhir's appearance. The expression he wore - unreadable. Blank. His eyes were dull - void.
A small nevus sat just below his iris - too distinct to ignore.
Did I just find the murderer? That easy?! Someone who's trying to get away with their crimes, they wouldn't be so obvious right? But he easily could be just a weird guy. Is there something on this island that I could use as a weapon?
Azhir halted suddenly. Sean stopped a couple feet still behind him.
"Are you lost?" Sean asked, confused. Swiftly, fingers curled around his throat and Azhir lifted Sean off the ground without strain.
His pupils dilated - feral.