Chapter 55 Caulder
Caulder
Airbnb Rating: HHHH
Excellent layout, comfortable bedrooms, well decorated, good view of the ocean
Took off one star because it’s really easy to get killed here; barely made it out alive
“You’re not actually submitting that, are you?”
Avery is sitting next to me in the Death Van, her knees knocking against mine as the sun starts to peek across the horizon just outside.
From here, on the road, I can see a hazy morning glow taking over the sky, making the world seem alive in a way it hasn’t for the last several hours.
I hear birds, too. Birds and people outside talking, frantic people, people who want answers about what happened to a bunch of teenagers and their chaperones at a remote Airbnb.
It turns out Emerson had set it up in advance for a fail-safe 911 call to be placed at 4 a.m., just in case anything in his plan went “awry.” This meant the police and paramedics arrived not long after Emerson’s body hit the ground.
Before they all got here, the six of us agreed on a story.
One that’s as close to the truth as we can get.
Emerson set up this evening. He had a plan—confirmed by Lucas—to set up a fake killer attack.
That attack spiraled out of control and led to Mr. Jay and Emerson ultimately grappling outside, with Jay stabbing Emerson in the chest—right before Emerson gave one final, adrenaline-fueled push that sent Jay flying and caused him to fall and split his skull on a rock.
We all barely got out of Emerson’s prank alive.
Ms. Dorman, having only pretended to drink what Emerson gave her, decided to go along with our plan after we let her out of the room. When the medical team arrived, she stuffed Avery and me in here while she went to see about medical attention for Mr. McCullough, Javi, Lucas, Marlene, and Kaitlyn.
“I’m never chaperoning again” was the last thing I heard her say before she left us.
Apparently, based on the last time I went out to check, everyone’s doing okay.
Kaitlyn’s on oxygen, and they think she’ll survive the stab wound from Emerson.
Javi’s also recovering from his fall off the cliff, and he’s apparently extremely lucky he didn’t sustain a concussion from hitting the rocks on the way down.
“Lucky’s one way to put it,” he told me, just before they carted him and Kaitlyn off.
As for Marlene and Lucas…Well, their wounds are more mental than anything. Scars that probably won’t ever heal.
Now, as I type, Avery leans against me, glancing over my shoulder.
“I dunno,” I say. “I don’t think I’ll actually send it. Just something I was typing in my Notes app to keep from thinking about everything.”
Avery pushes closer to me, linking her arm in mine as she shivers.
“My therapist believes that journaling is a good way to manage emotions,” she says. “Something tells me he isn’t fully prepared for my next session.”
I smile. “I bet you’ll have a lot to say about me this time.”
She rolls her eyes. “Always thinking it’s about you, aren’t you?”
I smirk, and she snuggles closer. There’s a knock on the side of the van, and a paramedic pokes their head around the corner.
“You kids all right?”
“No,” we both say, making him laugh.
“Lemme rephrase,” he says. “Either of you need immediate medical attention?”
We shake our heads.
“I think we’re still okay,” I tell him, and he nods before heading off.
We’re quiet for a moment. She slides her hand in mine, and when I look over, I see she’s crying. I’m not surprised. It’s been a long night.
“We’re going to have to do so much work,” she says.
“I know,” I say, and then stop because I don’t understand. “Wait, why?”
“To build a new team,” she says. “Everyone’s probably going to quit.”
I stare at her. “Avery, that can’t be what you’re thinking—”
“Yes, yes it is,” she says pulling her hand back. “Because if I don’t think about that, I’ll scream, and I don’t want to scream.”
I stare at her. “Avery, it’s okay if you want to scream. It’s—”
And she does. A long, furious, unyielding scream that bounces around the Death Van. She does it for a solid minute, then looks over at me, clapping a hand over her mouth.
“I’m sorry,” she says. “Did I, like, ruin your hearing? I’ve just…I’ve been holding that in for a long time, I think.”
I laugh, wincing a little. “I think I’ll survive. But in the future, we can always go outside for you to scream.”
She smiles. “You’re sure?”
“Yeah,” I say. “Better than being in here, anyway.”
“I dunno,” she says. “I don’t mind being in here.”
And then she puts her head on my shoulder and goes to sleep, and suddenly, I’m not sure I ever want to leave.
Well, that’s not true. I want a shower. A long one. And a bed. And probably the name of Avery’s therapist.
But I don’t mind it as much, being in here, watching the sky turn pink, with her next to me, steady and alive.