The Killing Field

Sliding under the narrow gap between the bottom of Julie’s bedroom door and the floor, Julian grinned over at Josh, “You know I’m going back across the hall,” he announced, “just waiting for blondie to get back to room to have her way with Carver the human donut.”

Surveying the interior of the partially cleaned room, a strange large blanket draped across the back of the chair near the door, Josh frowned and turned to his companion, “I’d have thought your adventures inside the girls might have tempered your lust for the time being,” he said.

Julian snickered, “Two things. Aside from my personal preference for a woman of some sophistication and substance, the mother calls the shots. Faith can dangle the hope of restoration out like a carrot, but at the end of the day, my money is on momma. She’s more mature and less likely to be impulsive, more amenable to reason and,“ he paused in his speaking, crouching low to peer under the door.

“What is it?” Josh asked.

“I thought she left, but it looks like she forgot something maybe,” Julian answered with a smirk, shaking his head.

“Probably making sure you’re not creeping across to go peep on her mom,” Josh asserted with a scowl. “Why don’t you see what she wants?”

Shuffling partway under the door, Julian immediately came back, face ashen, eyes wide, “RUN!” he screamed, bolting parallel to the door. The urgency in his voice and fear on the slender man’s face was enough to propel Josh to instantly follow.

“What?” he breathed.

“The redhead, Julie,” Julian returned, long legs gliding.

Josh’s eyes opened wider, arms pumping in an effort to keep pace with the taller man.

Passing the edge of door, the passed over a space of wall and over discarded laundry and into the shadowed recess of the closet, taking refuge inside the waist of a pair of dark colored yoga pants before peering out into the room.

Panting, Josh mopped the sweat from his brow, “Did she see you?” he gasped.

Face contorted in a grimace as he massaged the stitch in his side, Julian shook his head, “I don’t think so,” he replied.

“What was she doing?” Josh inquired.

Shaking his head again, “Don’t know, she was just standing there looking at the door, like she was waiting for something, but who the fuck knows,” Julian provided.

Josh shook his head.

Julian’s expression grew somber, “She knows,” he stated ominously.

“Knows? What?” Josh asked, breathing rate settling closer to normal.

“She knows we’re in here. She was waiting for us to be deep enough in the room that we can’t escape. It was a trap, the ginger bitch set a fucking trap,” Julian surmised.

“A trap? No. How could she know? How?” Josh asked, eyes narrowing. “Wait,” he said holding up his hand and slowly nodding.

“What?” Julian prompted.

“You were, how do I say this delicately? Up Cadence’s ass, Julie told Faith she was leaving to go into town for a few hours. She probably just forgot something and we happened to be here,” he said chuckling.

“My gut says otherwise,” countered the taller man.

“Relax, we’ll just hold up until she’s gone,” Josh reassured.

Julian shook his head, eyes squinting in the dark.

“Fee fi fo fum,” boomed Julie’s loud voice as the door swung inward and the room was bathed in brightness as she flicked on the overhead light.

From their concealment in the folds of her previously worn pants, they could hear the sound of the door being closed and locked as well as stuff being moved.

“What’s she doing?” Julian whispered.

Josh shrugged but didn’t reply.

“Alright you little bastards, I know you’re in here,” she chortled, rubbing her hands together as she continued to blockade the space under her bedroom door.

Julian stiffened.

Putting a hand on Julian, “She’s talking to her resident captives,” he whispered, certain his voice was small enough to be inaudible to her.

A cruel grin etched into her lovely face, “Now is it one or both of you in here this time?” Julie asked, slowly circling in her room and looking low for any signs of movement.

“She knows,” Julian hissed, a knot of dread in his belly.

Crossing the room, Julie sat on the edge of her bed, eyes still scouring the floor. “I don’t know what outlandish things my sister told you, but I can tell you she’s lying so why don’t you come out?” she invited, placing her palms down on her thighs.

“She knows,” Josh said, sliding slowly and carefully down a crease in the leg of the pants to try and put eyes on her from the ankle cuff. Not wanting to be alone and isolated, Julian followed behind.

Julie remained still, eyes and ears alert for anything indicator. After a short while, her expression changed to one of irritation, annoyance. “If you force me to, I promise you I will literally tear this room apart to find you so really there’s nothing you can do. Come out,” she urged.

Peeking out of the leg hole, Josh shuffled slightly to the side to make room for Julian.

Julie’s pretty face darkened, eyes narrowing and plump lips parting to reveal clenched teeth. “Get out here now!” she commanded.

Josh glanced at Julian, grim expression on his face, “Fortunately it’s still a big mess in here and we can probably keep hidden quite a while,” he stated.

“Or for as long as it fucking takes to get out of here,” snorted Julian, shaking his head. “Faith knows we’re in here.”

Looking up at the beautiful but angry redhead, Josh frowned. How long could they hide out? No way in the world Julie was going to let Faith inside her room. No chance. The pants were not a great place to stay for any length of time. All she had to do was pick them up and he and Julian were screwed.