Meghan: The curse of Heron Lake

Her eyes scanned over the computer screen as her fingers clicked through the endless online pages. She could feel her eyes glazing as the information shifted by. The sharp pinch of an insect bite flared in her neck and she slapped her hand at it. Another hand glided through her slapping fingers and her roommate kissed her on the head.
“You’ve been working forever,” the interrupter grumbled, “Don’t you need things like food and water occasionally?”
“What’s food?” the girl said as she continued clicking.
“If you die clenched to your keypad, eyes locked to the screen, I’m going to make fun of you forever.”
“Meghan, you know I have to finish these applications before school starts.”
“I know that, but school is weeks off, so you can take a break now.”
The girl at the computer sighed and frowned at the screen. It did look a little fuzzy; maybe she should take a break. She stretched and stood up from her chair, only to stagger and have to catch herself on the desk.
“Wha…?”
Meghan felt the pulse in her roommate’s wrist as she sat back down in the chair.
“Good, everything’s good.”
“Wha…you..?”
“Jasmine, I have something to tell you. No, I haven’t suddenly developed homicidal tendencies; don’t look at me like that. We’re going on a vacation!” She smiled at her angry, paralyzed roommate, “Aren’t you excited? Yes, I knew you would be. Don’t worry, everything’s packed, and I have everyone else, we just need to get down to the van.”
Jasmine could only twitch mildly in frustration as Meghan lifted her over her shoulder and carried her down the steps outside the apartment to the parking lot. She waved cheerily at the neighbors, who, used to the strange antics of the people next door, simply smiled and waved back. Jasmine’s last memory before she passed out was of three other vaguely people-like shapes seat-belted into the van with her, all with black bags over their heads.

Doug’s eyes felt heavy, almost as if their insides had been coated with lead and he had to drag his eyelids open. The first thing he saw was a bright patch of sunlight, making him groan and throw a hand over his face. He pulled the sleeping bag over his eyes to hide the burning light, but started when he felt the material in his hands. A sleeping bag? What the fuck? He tore open the bag and sat up, trying to hear and see everything at once. He had fallen asleep in his bed in Albuquerque only to wake up in some strange sleeping bag. He looked to his left and got another mini heart attack when he saw the girl twisted up in blankets next to him, blonde hair thrown over her face. For a millisecond he wondered at what terrifying amounts of alcohol had been somehow slipped to him secretively, but with a sigh of relief he smoothed back the hair from the girl’s face, recognizing Jasmine. He looked to his right and saw that the person curled up there was Meghan. He felt Jasmine stir under his fingers and kissed her.
“Good Morning.”
“Kill.”
“Ah…not the greeting I expected.”
Jasmine blinked her heavy lidded eyes, and tried to crawl over him to Meghan, “I’m going to kill her.”
He caught her still partially sedated body in his arms and held her back, “Wait, wait, bad dream?”
“No. She. Drugged. Me.”
“Meghan?” He laughed, “She wouldn’t do…that…” He glanced at her, “Probably.”
“Well she did. And now I’m going to kill her.”
While the battle was taking place on the other side of the tent, Meghan opened her eyes and stretched.
When the other two turned to her, she smiled and asked, “Did you sleep well?”
Doug blocked Jasmine’s flying tackle just in time, and asked over her death threats, “Do you know what’s going on?”
“Yes, we’re at Heron Lake.”
Doug and Jasmine both stopped struggling and stared at her.
“I thought we decided not to come this summer.” Jasmine asked in a puzzled voice.
“Yes.”
“And…We’re here anyway?”
“Yes.”
“Great. We’re doomed.”
“Yes.” Meghan clapped her hands together gleefully.
“Okay then, just one question.” Doug asked
“Yes?”
“Where are our clothes?”

But before Meghan could answer a glass-shattering scream echoed from outside from the tent. Without waiting to question it, the three grabbed what weapon they could find nearest and burst from the tent. Outside they found Abe dressed in what looked like an CRAZY Creek and a screaming Sarah, wrapped up in blankets. Doug and Jasmine both looked at Meghan
“It’s only fair if everyone’s naked.” She said happily.
“You have the strangest logic…” Doug muttered.
“But it makes sense—“
She was interrupted by Sarah’s fresh scream, and now that they were closer they could make out the words that were blasting,
“PUT SOME CLOTHES ON!!! WHERE ARE MY CLOTHES?!?! WHY AM I HERE!?! WHY IS EVERYONE NAKED!?!”
Followed by long lists of profanity.
Doug ran back to the open tent and grabbed an armful of blankets, throwing one at each of the naked folk until everyone was sufficiently covered enough for Sarah to calm down.
When the volume in the clearing had lowered, Meghan said, “It’s a vacation.”
Sarah looked at her, “What?”
“Heron Lake,” she waved a blanketed arm at the sparkling water that could be seen on the horizon, “we always come.”
“But we weren’t going to come this year.”
Doug cleared his throat, “We’ve already been through that.”
“So we’re doomed?”
“Yep.”
Abe narrowed his eyes and glared at Meghan, “I have just one question.” He stepped close, invading her personal space, “Realize that your very life may depend on your answer.”
Meghan bit her lip, “Okay…”
“Did you bring the canoe?”
“Yes. It’s by the lake.”
Abe smiled, “Okay. You can live.” He strode in the direction of the lake, calling over his shoulder, “See you around dinner time!”
“What about your clothes?” Doug called.
“Fuck clothes, I’ll get them later.”
“Well I want my clothes,” Sarah said turning to Meghan, “Well? Where are they?”
“In a tree.”
Jasmine sighed, “What tree? There are lots of trees.”
“Over there, I’ll take you.”
One by one the bundles of clothing were fished out of the tree and their owners covered once more until Sarah was the only one left wrapped in blankets.
“Where are my clothes Meghan?” She asked in a dangerously low voice.
Meghan sucked in her breathe and stared up at the tree, “The beast must have taken it.”
The other three looked at her, confused.
Deadly serious, she continued, “The mysterious beast that haunts the lakeside, it feasts upon abandoned clothes and then stalks its naked prey.”
The other three just looked at her.
“I’m serious! That’s what happened”
“So everyone has clothes but me? No way. Since you got us into this you should give me your clothes.” Sarah eyed Meghan’s garments prospectively.
Meghan wrapped her arms around herself and took a defensive posture, “No way, you’ll never take my clothes.”
Sarah smiled evilly, “You have to take them off sometime.”
“Never!”

Doug’s hands glided up her back as he kissed her, pulling her shirt up and over her head. Her back ground against the rough bark of the tree behind her as he pushed against her. She breathed in his rich scent and moaned softly as he worked her neck. Her gaze drifted down to the ground and she froze,
“Doug, where are my clothes?”
“What?” He asked, confused.
“My clothes, my…God Damn it.” She swore as she realized what had happened. Thinking quickly she pulled him in for a full kiss, “I appreciate your sacrifice.” She said seriously, laying a hand over his heart.
“My what?” But he was talking to air, she had disappeared and she had taken his clothes with her.
“GOD DAMN IT MEGHAN!”

Meghan confronted Sarah in front of the fire pit where Abe was kindling sparks and Jasmine was whittling sticks.
“So, you think you can attack me when I’m distracted, do you?”
Sarah raised an eyebrow, “I see you have clothes now.”
“Indeed I do.”
Jasmine offered her a poofy white shape from the bag in her lap, “Marshmallow?”
“Yay!” Meghan and Sarah both grabbed marshmallows and sat down in front of the soon-to-be fire.
Jasmine looked sidelong at Meghan, “Aren’t those Doug’s clothes?”
“Yes.”
“Soo… What’s Doug wearing?”
Meghan shrugged, “I don’t know.”
They both looked back at the campsite to see Doug walking around gathering firewood.
“Nothing, I guess.”
“Yep.”
“Sarah, don’t look behind you.” Meghan said, and patted her on the shoulder, “It will end badly.”
Meghan and Jasmine watched as Doug carried a load of wood to their fire. As he approached, he was intercepted by some girls from a neighboring camp. Meghan narrowed her eyes as she watched the girls laugh and giggle.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” She asked, turning to Jasmine.
Jasmine grinned ferally and handed her one of the spears that she had been sharpening, “Don’t break it,” she instructed, “I still want to use them to roast marshmallows.”

A newly dressed Meghan handed Doug his clothes back.
“Where did you get the clothes?” he asked, eyeing the huge tear above her heart and the subsequent bloody streaks.
“I found them.”
He pondered about whether to ask and decided against it, “Okay.”
Jasmine chopped up what looked vaguely like human body parts and tilted them into the group’s giant cooking pot.
Everyone ate well that night, and clothing abounded for all.

The end <3

-Meghan