Lake is enjoying every second.
Everyone else has no idea what we did, and so he gets to revel in his cruelty all morning. Dante doesn’t seem at all bothered by what he encountered last night and is instead busy cooking bacon on the grill. The other guys have no idea, so they’re chatting amongst themselves without a care in the world.
“How are you settling in?”
The voice comes from Lei, who is to my left. She has stopped, plate of food in her hand, and is staring down at me with a smile on her face. Damn her for being so nice, but she really is such a kind person.
I swallow the saliva in my throat that vomit is threatening to follow and look up at her. “I’m getting there.”
“I know it’s probably all a bit overwhelming, especially considering what happened yesterday, but I hope the rest of your time will make up for the drama of the first few days.”
I nod, knowing she’s referring to Vic. His death is almost ... forgotten. Like they’re just moving on from it. I make a mental note to figure out what the hell went down there, because everyone seems to be just moving away from it as if it never happened. Oops, it was an accident, the end.
I’m missing something, and when I don’t feel like I’m going to die of a hangover, I might try and find out what that is.
After all, I do enjoy a good mystery.
“I’m sure it will,” I finally manage to answer.
She gives me another smile and sits down with June, and the two of them begin talking amongst themselves. I look to Ember, who is sitting across from me, and she is doing a whole lot better than I am. She’s currently in a conversation with Madden and the two of them have smiles on their faces. How can she not feel like she’s going to die? Seriously? How?
“Not hungry?” Lake asks, sitting down beside me with a plate full of bacon and eggs.
I hold my breath, the smell making me want to gag.
“No,” I wheeze out.
He grins. “Better eat up, wild one, we’ve got some great news coming very soon.”
News.
No.
No.
With a shaky hand, I take the glass of water and bring it to my mouth, taking a small sip.
There is no way I’ve got it in me to do anymore than that.
I shove my food around, the small amount that I got, and only eat a tiny piece of watermelon and a grape before shoving my plate away. That’s when Rhett decides to stand and share with us what our newest adventure will be.
“So, we’re going to do something entirely different with you ladies. You’ve lived a tough couple of years, but it seems you’ve lost touch with yourselves and those around you, and we’ve come up with an adventure that’ll put the spark back into your souls. Leaving tonight, we’ll be going on a three-day survival trip.”
Survival trip.
Did he just say ... survival trip?
So many things swirl around in my mind, and judging by the grin on Lake’s face, whatever this trip is, it isn’t going to be fun.
“We did something similar with the last group,” Rhett goes on, “with good result and so we want to really expand the idea. What is a survival trip, you’re asking? It’s exactly what it sounds like. We’ll go with nothing more than the clothes on our back. We will need to find food, make shelters, find water, and survive without a single thing for three days.”
He's kidding.
He must be kidding.
I’m dreaming.
Someone please wake me up.
“While we’re out there, you’ll be set challenges and for every challenge you win or complete, there will be reward. I assure you what we’re doing will be perfectly safe and we have emergency back up plans in place—you will come to no harm during this task.”
No harm?
No harm?
I’m feeling harm just listening to it.
“It’s not going to be easy, and it’ll test your every limit, but I think it’ll do you some good to get out there and feel all the emotions you’ve had bottled up for so long. You’ve all forgotten who you are and what you stand for. I promise you this will give you a stark reminder.”
I wonder if I have it in me to run—I think I could if I really tried.
If I just get up now, I’ll probably make it out before anyone realizes what’s happening.
It’s that or they’re going to have to drag me out to this three-day survival crap because there is no way in ever-blazing-hell I’m going.
No way in hell.
“You can all have the morning to enjoy massage, a good lunch, and a swim before we get going. We’ll leave at about two.”
I stare at Rhett, and then slowly look at the rest of the group.