Chapter Seventeen: Gunshots At The Pool

(White Noise, Part 4)

***

They waited an extra two minutes before deciding it was safe enough to go outside and reunite with Dylan and Ryan.

Kaitlyn and Hayden went first, the shorter girl opening the door and heading out first as Hayden picked up her knife and followed close behind, the others just steps away as Hayden saw Dylan and Ryan standing there, as if waiting for them.

"Is it safe!?" Kaitlyn demanded to them as Hayden came down the stairs next, watching as Allison helped Abi down before joining up with Kaitlyn.

"I don't know," Ryan answered unsurely, walking up to them as they all walked away from the radio hut. "That thing's gone. But we heard those hunter guys on the radio."

"What?" Kaitlyn whispered.

"Shit," Allison cursed.

"Picked up their walkie signal. They knew we were here," Ryan revealed.

"Shit," Hayden swore this time. This was bad. Really bad. If the hunters knew they were here...

Fuck.

"Fuck. You get a message out?" Kaitlyn asked.

"Please, please tell me you did," Hayden said.

"Yeah. Not sure anyone heard it," Ryan replied.

Kaitlyn sighed. "Great."

"This just keeps getting better," Nora muttered.

Hayden was silent, processing it. If no one heard their message...

They were all fucking screwed.

Fuck!

Regrouping at a picnic table, Kaitlyn looked at the boys as she demanded, "What the hell was going on up—"

She never finished, as her eyes widened and she ran up to Dylan, questioning in shock, "Oh my God. Dylan, what happened?!"

That was when Hayden noticed Ryan and Dylan were covered in blood—and Dylan's hand... his hand...

"Holy fuck! Dylan, what the fuck happened to your hand?!" Hayden demanded as she rushed to him, taking in his shellshocked expression as everyone else registered Dylan's missing hand.

"Jesus Christ..." Nora whispered as Allison joined Hayden and Kaitlyn, shock replaced by her doctor's mode.

"Oh, um... I'm okay," Dylan said, his voice sounding as shocked as he looked as he stared at the bloody stump where his hand should have been. "I mean, I'm not, uh... but it doesn't hurt..."

"Jesus, Dylan..." Hayden breathed, grabbing hold of him as she stared at him worriedly. First Nick, Sarah and Abi, now Dylan...

How many more of them were going to be hurt tonight?

"Okay, you're in shock. Holy fucking shit," Kaitlyn breathed, before she turned to Ryan and demanded, "Did that... thing... do this?"

At that, Hayden's grip tightened on Dylan. He winced but Hayden didn't let go, her mind a dark swirl. First Nick, now Dylan...

That monster's death by her hands sounded better by the second.

"No. Well... sort of. It-it—" Ryan answered.

Whatever else he was going to say, a deafening gunshot silenced him as they turned to it and Hayden demanded, "Where the fuck did that come from?!"

None of them had an answer to that as Ryan looked at Kaitlyn and questioned, "Kaitlyn, where's your gun?"

"I lost it. One of the friendly locals wanted to say hi," Kaitlyn told him.

Another gunshot came and then a splash. That noise gave two possible options—the lake, or...

The pool, right in front of them, as Hayden's eyes widened.

There, at the pool, was a woman holding a gun, an eye patch over her eye.

"What the fuck?" Dylan breathed.

"Who the fuck is that?" Allison demanded.

"Did she shoot at us?" Kaitlyn questioned.

"I don't think so," Hayden said as she kept staring at the eyepatch lady.

"Who's there?!" Ryan yelled.

Instead of answering, she ran away.

A second later, Abi, Nick, Nora, Sarah and Allison were running to the pool as Hayden, Kaitlyn, Ryan and Dylan remained behind.

"Who was she?" Dylan asked.

"I have no idea," Hayden replied. "I've never seen her before, and I'd remember the eyepatch."

"Should we follow her?" Kaitlyn questioned.

Hayden and Dylan exchanged a look, Hayden wondering if that sounded like a stupid idea before Dylan sighed and ran after the others. A heartbeat later—and knowing she'd never forgive herself if crazy eyepatch lady shot Nick, Dylan or any of her friends while she remained behind and watched—Hayden followed, as Kaitlyn and Ryan were close behind, catching up to the others.

From there, they all ran to the pool, foregoing the stairs to hop over the ledge and come to the edge as Hayden moved to stand on Nick's right while Allison was at his left, arrow in her hand as she held the bow—and they all stared in shock and confusion at what was in the pool.

"Aw, shit, Dylan! What is that?" Kaitlyn demanded as they all looked at the red cloud in the turquoise water.

"I... I think that's blood," Sarah whispered—a second before an arm floated up.

Hayden stumbled back as Abi and Allison and Nora let out gasps of horror, staring in shock and her own horror at what floated up beneath the cloud of blood.

"Oh my God!" Abi breathed as Allison held onto Nick, Nick holding her and trying to offer comfort as Hayden clapped a hand over her mouth in silent horror, Sarah and Nora clinging to each other as Dylan rested his remaining hand on Hayden's shoulder, as they all stared at the pool.

As they all watched the dead body slowly float up right as the sky cracked with thunder, loud as gunshots.

***

>:)

Poor Hayden—first her brother is bitten (and will soon turn into a werewolf) and now Dylan was attacked by a werewolf and lost his hand courtesy of Ryan. Poor girl can't catch a break with her closest loved ones being hurt (and it will just get worse)

And Laura!! She makes a quick cameo, but I'm excited to show her later on >:)

And we're now at the pool—and the events that will soon follow and bring Hayden, Allison and Nora great pain. it's gonna be good >:)

Please read, comment and vote!

GhostWriterGirl out!