Witch Island (21 page)

Fuck,
Paul’s mind screamed at him.
This isn’t right. You’re asking for trouble. Too much trouble.
“Wait,” he said, ready to tell her they needed to go back to camp, then changed his mind as she yanked down his boxers. “We can’t do this. Not here.” He grabbed her head and guided her up. “We need to go farther away.”

“Fuck that,” Melinda said, her eyes full of excitement. “This is where I want to fuck. Right here. Right now.”

Paul took a rapid, deep breath. “Screw it,” he said, and started kissing her. She put a finger over his lips and went down. She crouched, her mouth even with his erect penis.

“You’re so big, you know that?” she said.

Melinda wanted to close her eyes as she started to blow Paul, but could do nothing but listen to his moans. Her right hand reached down and grabbed a handful of grass, pulling it from the ground.
What the hell am I doing now?

She continued to blow him, feeling like she was going to vomit. This was completely deranged and sick, twisted. She needed help, even if this was a dream. Using the grass, she rubbed the roots, still clinging with dirt, against her blouse, dirtying it. She dropped the grass and ripped open her shirt, sending buttons flying, then pulled down the left cup of her bra and exposed her breast.

Paul must’ve noticed her strange behavior and asked what the hell she was doing.

Melinda stood.

Paul’s face became a mask of confusion as he looked at her chest. “What the hell?”

Melinda reached out and grabbed Paul, then pulled him to the ground and on top of her. “Help!” she yelled. “Help! Paul’s trying to rape me. Get off me. Help!”

Melinda felt Paul try to pull away, but for some reason he wasn’t able to. She was too strong.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Paul asked, struggling to get free. “Are you crazy? Be quiet.”

Melinda continued to scream for help. She tried to stop herself, but like everything else, it was pointless. Her evil side had come out. She was going to make Paul pay, and not just with his friends, but with the law, ruin the guy’s life. She couldn’t do this. Yeah, she was pissed, upset and sad, but she couldn’t allow herself to permanently destroy Paul’s life.

She’d heard of people flipping out, going crazy, saying they didn’t remember what they had done, but nothing like this. This had to be something else, something evil. Then she remembered where she was—Witch Island. No, it couldn’t be. There was no such thing as a witch, at least not the supernatural, evil kind.

Chapter Twenty

“Did you hear that?” Gwen asked.

Darren was on his feet in seconds. “That was Melinda’s voice.”

“Where’d it come from?” Gwen asked.

“That way,” Jim said, pointing down the path that led to the canoes, the same direction Paul and Melinda had gone.

Darren took off, grabbing the machete on his way. Jim was right behind him, flashlight in hand. Melinda’s pleading voice grew louder. Her cries sounded desperate. Darren’s heart pounded with fright. He couldn’t believe what he had heard. It couldn’t be real. She was yelling rape, and Paul’s name. It must be a mistake. Someone else had to be on the island. He’d make them pay, but first and foremost, he hoped his girl was okay. He came upon a terrible scene. Every hair on his body stood.

Paul was on top of Melinda, his pants down, ass exposed.

Darren reached down, grabbed Paul by the collar, yanked him up and tossed him into the weeds. He knelt next to Melinda. Her blouse was ripped open and covered in dirt. Anger and confusion coursed through him, unable to believe what he had seen—was still seeing—but at the same time, knowing it had all happened. Paul had tried to rape his girlfriend.

Shay and Gwen appeared. Gwen shined her flashlight’s beam on Melinda’s tear-streaked face.

“Are you all right?” Darren asked Melinda, putting his hand on her stomach.

“Paul?” Jim said. “What the hell, man?”

“It wasn’t…I didn’t…”

“Paul?” Shay asked, eyes wide. “What the hell is going on?”

“Baby,” Darren said. “Talk to me.”

Melinda sat up and wrapped her arms around Darren. She didn’t say anything.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“No. I mean, yes. I don’t know.”

“Paul, what did you do?” Shay asked, cocking her head.

“She came on to me,” Paul insisted.

Shay’s face screwed into an angry snarl. She walked up to Paul and smacked him. Gwen pulled her back. “Calm down. He isn’t worth it.”

“Everyone, relax,” Jim said.

“Relax?” Darren said, shooting to his feet. “You want me to relax?”

Jim stood between him and Paul.

“He tried to rape me,” Melinda said, tears streaming down her face.

“That’s bullshit,” Paul shouted.

Darren took a step forward, but Jim intercepted him, putting his hands on the big guy’s chest.

“Get out of my way, Jim,” Darren warned, not taking his eyes off of Paul.

“Give me the machete,” Jim said.

Darren looked at the tool in his hand. He smiled, a wicked sparkle in his eyes. He turned his gaze on Jim, then handed the weapon to him.

“I don’t need a sharp instrument to hurt Paul,” Darren said. “My fists will do just fine.”

Jim tossed the machete aside.

“Darren,” Paul said, buckling his jeans. “I swear, man. I didn’t try to rape her. Yeah, we were going at it, but she came on to me.”

Darren growled and shoved Jim out of the way, but Jim was quick and recovered, pulling on the man’s shoulder. Gwen joined in, standing in front of the football player.

Darren stared at her. His cheek muscles bulged, eyes filled with malevolence.

“It might be true,” Gwen said. “They’ve hooked up before.”

Darren’s eyebrows rose. “What?”

“I just found out today,” Gwen said.

“You’re so dead,” Shay said.

“I’m so sorry, baby,” Melinda said, crying.

“I can’t believe this,” Darren said. His shoulders sagged. He looked at Melinda, his lips quivering.

Jim moved to stand next to Gwen, wanting to stay between Darren and Paul.

“I need to hear it from you,” Darren said, walking over to Melinda. “Is it true?”

Melinda nodded, then buried her face in her hands.

Darren’s emotions were all over the place. Rage built in his heart, quickly conquered by immense sadness, then rage, then sadness again. He felt dizzy and wanted to hurt someone. No, not someone. Paul. But he had to straighten all this out first. Once everything was discovered, then he would react. And as pissed as he was, Melinda still might need his help. Regardless of her cheating, she didn’t deserve to get raped by the guy she had an affair with. He wanted to hate her now, but his heart was telling him otherwise. His heart ached at seeing her so upset. Before he did anything, said anything, he needed to know exactly what had happened.

With his anger coming to the surface, Darren spun and pointed at Paul. “Don’t even think about running. I’ll only be more pissed off if I have to catch you.” He turned back to Melinda, took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to extinguish the anger a little. “Look, for now, forget about—” He paused, unable to think about his girlfriend having sex with Paul. He took another deep breath. “Forget about what you did. Just tell me if he tried to rape you or not.”

“Yes,” she said, nodding, still covering her face.

Darren ground his teeth, feeling his insides boil. He was going all out, trying to remain calm. He’d always used his smarts when dealing with problems, never reacting outright with emotion, even on the football field. This was a serious situation and he couldn’t allow himself to go crazy.

“I slept with Paul,” Melinda blurted, her face glistening with tears. “I got drunk at a party when you were away. He…he took advantage of me.”

Darren closed his eyes at hearing the words, like knives to his heart.

“When?” Shay asked. “What party?”

“Does it matter?” Gwen asked.

“I’m not talking to you,” Shay said, speaking to Gwen, but still staring at Paul. “Melinda? Really, you asshole?” She moved to attack Paul again, but Gwen held her back, wrapping her up in a bear hug. “Let me go!”

“Stop it,” Jim said. “We’re all friends here. Let’s figure this shit out.”

“What’s to figure out?” Shay asked. “Paul can’t keep his dick in his pants. I’ve been dating a cheater and a rapist.”

“Come on,” Paul said. “Do you really think I’d rape someone?”

Paul’s statement struck a chord with Darren. He’d known the kid for a long time. Paul could get almost any girl he wanted, but as far as he knew, Paul had never cheated on Shay with girls from the same school, always going outside the district for his pussy. Darren also knew that once Paul had a piece of ass, he rarely went back for seconds. Maybe Melinda was different. Maybe this time Paul wanted more, to fuck her right under his nose, but Melinda had refused. She was sorry for the mistake she had made. That’s why she’d been acting so quiet lately, distant. Going that extra mile and trying to please him—because she felt guilty. As much as he couldn’t imagine her cheating on him—and with Paul for that matter—there was no way she would do it again, and with himself present.

“And you, Mel,” Shay said, breaking Darren from his thoughts. “You’re a fucking whore. You deserve what you get.”

“Everyone, just shut the fuck up,” Darren yelled. His need to smash something made him think of the Hulk. Becoming the big green monster wasn’t a good idea. He reminded himself of who he was and all he had worked for. He was going to college, had a clean record. Paul was a scumbag who just might be the kind of scumbag to press charges, should Darren throttle him. Right now, it was looking like they at least had him on attempted rape charges. “I want answers.”

Darren stood, still feeling like he might lose it and do something he regretted. His mind flashed with images of Paul and Melinda—the two naked, exploring each other’s most intimate parts. Did she suck his dick? Did he come in her mouth? Did he make her orgasm? Did she enjoy it? Maybe he’d even gotten her pregnant.

“I think we should leave,” Jim said. “Me, Paul and Gwen will take one canoe.”

“No one’s leaving until I get answers,” Darren said, making sure to look Jim in the eyes. “I’m trying real hard not to lose it. Let’s say we all help me not to lose it.”

Melinda got up and hugged Darren, burying her head into his chest. He tensed, not sure if he wanted her to touch him, feeling somewhat repulsed.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, bawling, her voice muffled. “I made a terrible mistake, but it was only once. For the past week, Paul’s been trying to get with me again. Calling me on the phone and harassing me at school. He even cornered me in the girl’s bathroom. I kept refusing him, then tonight, he threatened to tell everyone what happened if I didn’t sleep with him again.”

“Bullshit,” Shay said. “Stop trying to blame this all on Paul. He doesn’t need to chase you. You’re a fucking whore, and when we’re out of here, I’m going to—”

Jim turned on Shay. “Shut up, already, you’re not helping.”

Darren had tears rolling down his cheeks. He couldn’t believe any of this, and wanted to run away like a little kid. Forget any of this had happened.

“I’m so sorry,” Melinda said, looking up at him. “I couldn’t take it anymore, and figured I would talk to him tonight, with you near. Tell him to leave me alone once and for all, that I wasn’t going to be with him again. He laughed at me, then shoved me to the ground and ripped open my shirt.”

“That’s not true,” Paul said. “I swear, you guys. She came on to me.”

Darren’s world was falling apart. He was seeing red, his anger surfacing. He and Melinda had the perfect relationship—at least he’d thought so. He took a deep breath, needing the oxygen, and smelled the wonderful scent of Melinda’s hair. He loved that scent, loved her.

He’d never cheated on her, and he’d had plenty of opportunities. He didn’t know the future. He was still young, but as far as he was concerned, he had planned on one day marrying Melinda. She’d felt so right.

Now, it was all ruined. Maybe not over, but there was a lot of damage. Couples survived cheating, but he wasn’t sure he would be able to get over it. She and Paul had ruined everything. But he put more of the blame on Paul. Paul was a cheating dog, selfish. The typical playboy. Melinda was kind, thoughtful and big-hearted. He knew her, or rather thought he did. She wouldn’t have slept with Paul unless she was wasted and Paul was being a snake.

Paul needed to pay—but not tonight, and in order to keep
something
from happening tonight, Darren needed to leave. “I’m out of here.”

“No, you can’t go,” Melinda said.

Darren tried to pry her off him, but her grip was surprisingly strong. A searing heat engulfed his midsection, as if Melinda were on fire. He struggled harder to free himself as the heat spread into him, traveling through his chest and up to his head. He found that he could not move, and began to panic. He was burning up on the inside, but unable to scream.

He finally broke Melinda’s grasp, then to his shock, he shoved her. She cried out and tumbled into the weeds. He hadn’t meant to do that, and went to help her up, but had no control over his body.