Girls' Trip - Something Dark Looms - Part II

The chatter of birds, squirrels, and 40 - somethings filled the wooded area by the rental cabin. Melinda lifted her huge metal fan and suitcase out of her vehicle, while Terry grabbed the laundry basket full of beer and paper cups. Dot grabbed her suitcase with a bottle of vodka in her other hand. Sarah giggled to herself because they all had their priorities in check.

Sarah knew that she would want to get herself in a room and begin to cook and mix up a weekend cocktail. They had about five hours until sunset, and Sarah did not want to miss that before heading up to the local bar for the karaoke. This year she had volunteered for the Friday night meal. Something simple. Tacos.  Each year she would bring up a new fun drink or shot, that wasn't so simple to make.

A few years ago, she made strawberry margaritas, but they were jello shots housed inside a strawberry. They didn’t last long in the small cabin with the women. This year, she planned to make a “smores” shot, to serve by the fire pit, of course. Sarah’s mouth watered as she thought about it and she excitedly slammed the trunk shut, yanking her suitcases behind her.

She went around to the patio and set her foldable lawn chair on the deck. She had long forgotten the chill that had crept up her spine and took in the beautiful scenery of the beach. It felt so secluded, even for the resort. Trees in the front and lake in the back. She took in one last deep breath and then finally went inside to pick a room.

After everyone had settled into a spot in the cabin it wasn't long before the smell of sizzling ground beef and taco seasoning filled the cabin, along with the sound of gossiping and work vents.

“So anyway, Elizabeth, from work, missed yet another deadline. I don’t know how much more of this I can take,” Dot exclaimed with exasperation as she mixed her first drink of the evening.

“It’s so frustrating, I know.” Terry replied. Terry seemed to be humoring Dot who had been at the end of her rope with the new hire for sometime. Every other sentence, she looked down at the face of her smart phone.

Sarah stirred as she listened as did Melinda, who would chime in from time to time, as well. 

“Oh crap, there’s my phone again,” Terry jumped up to retrieve an incoming text message. She blushed slightly when her friends all stopped and smirked at her.

“Ok, ok. I’ve been online dating, as you all know, and there are a couple of guys I’m really into right now, but I’m not sure which one I like the most.  One is really sweet and thoughtful, and the other one is just really sexy,” she laughed. "I promise, I won't be doing this all weekend.

“So, you are going to take the sexy one, right?” Sarah winked at her.

“Why can’t I have both?” All the girls laughed and the conversation continued between the four women throughout dinner.

Once the foursome had finally tried on several outfits and applied hairspray and make up they were headed out to the karaoke bar.  However, Sarah's forgotten creep, resurfaced. Her heart sank briefly as she looked back at the cabin. They had decided to walk the short distance, instead of worrying about leaving a vehicle behind.

She turned her head quickly to catch a bright splash of orange and pink rise over the horizon. It was more spectacular than she remembered from the previous year, but something dark loomed around her and it wasn’t the impending sunset. She shuddered once more and decided that she would keep her eyes peeled for something sinister this weekend.

She almost laughed aloud at her own ridiculous thoughts.