Page 34 of Taunting Tarran
‘It’s fine,’ Rachel chimes in, ‘theplace has four double rooms. We’ll double up for the night, no big deal.’
As the car pulls back onto the road, I remain silent, the chatter around me fading into the background. I press my forehead against the cool glass, letting the chill ground me as my thoughts scatter, un-tethered. The towering pines blur past in streaks of green and black, but I barely notice them. My mind drifts, pulled in a dozen directions I can’t quite follow.
CHAPTER 18
THE BUTCHERBIRD
We pass miles and miles of endless countryside, where fields seem to stretch on forever, untouched and abandoned. The road beneath us starts to crack and fade, and there are no signs of civilisation, no rumble of wheels, no shadows of distant figures, no buildings.Nothing.
I see Paul looking me over, his expression unreadable.
And yet with this desolation, there’s a spark of something forgotten but familiar. It’s been ages since us girls have all been together. I had almost forgotten how friendship was supposed to feel – like warmth breaking through the cold. But when we’re together, it’s as if no time has passed at all. Laughter and whispered memories fill the space where the world used to be. Iroll down the window, letting the fresh chill of the night seep into the car. The air carries the untamed scent of darkness, heavy and all-consuming. The road ahead is deteriorating, each stretch more uneven than the last, riddled with potholes and narrowing into a precarious trail. Emma grips the steering wheel tightly, easing the car to a crawl, her knuckles pale under the strain as she struggles to see ahead.
All of a sudden, the car screeches and all of us are thrown forward tight against our seatbelts.
‘What the fuck, Emma?’ Rachel blurts.
The car jerks to a halt as the headlights illuminate a massive wild boar planted defiantly in the middle of the road. Its bristly hide glints in the harsh glare, a contrast to the deep shadows clinging to the edges of the forest. For a moment, it stands there, unbothered by our intrusion. Then, with an air of nonchalance, it saunters off to the side, each motion steeped in its quiet dominance. Grandpa would have had it roasting over a fire by now, his life flashing in the fire’s flame, making short work of the defiant beast. But tonight, it disappears into the trees, leaving our tension in its wake.
I place my hand over my heart, the muscle pounding in strong, heavy beats.
I’m still here. Still breathing.
‘What. Was. That?’ Anna gawps, her eyes wide as she stares into the night.
Paul leans forward from the back seat, his grin annoyingly calm. ‘A boar,’ he says, as if it’s the most ordinary thing in the world. ‘Plenty of them around here.’
‘That…was a pig?’ Anna twists in her seat.
I glance at Paul, shrugging, but he’s already flashing me that sly, knowing smile that makes me want to either laugh or punch him.
‘Speaking of pork,’ he adds with a smirk. ‘I really hope this place has a barbecue.’
‘Oh, me too!’ Sarah interrupts, her voice tingling with excitement. ‘The brochure said there’s a shop a few kilometers away.’
John leans forward, shaking his head. ‘It will be closed at this hour, for sure.’
‘Let’s just get there,’ I suggest, adding a touch of practicality to the mix. The tension in the car eases as we march on, just a little, but my chest still thrums with the lingering dose of adrenaline, and I smile.
As we crest the hill, thefincacomes into view, and the energy in the car shifts, rippling with excitement. Sarah’s eyes light up, her whole face breaking into an uncontrollable grin as she throws open the door before we’ve fully stopped. ‘This place is incredible!’ she declares, spinning in a slow circle to take it all in. Her voice carries an awe that makes us all pileout quickly. Rachel’s already got her camera out, angling for the perfect shot as the rest of us grab our bags, laughter spilling into the cool evening air.
The directions were precise – find the key tucked inside the weathered plant pot near the door. My fingers graze the terracotta, smooth and cold, before I lift it and pull the key out and fit it into the lock. The wooden door groans as it swings open, as if it hasn’t moved in years, and we step inside. The air greets us with an odd mix of sweetness from blooming flowers outside and the faint, sharp bite of smoke wafting through the room. We scatter, our footsteps pounding across rustic tile floors as we all take in the simple, charming décor – exposed beams, faded rugs, and warmth that feels too alive to be coming from an empty house. The fireplace crackles fiercely, the flames leaping high. It’s welcoming, sure, but there’s something about the readiness of it that makes my pulse quicken. And not in a good way.
Paul swings the fridge open with a dramatic gesture. ‘Bingo! Meat and booze,’ he announces, his grin widening in triumph. I fold my arms, leaning against the counter, the weight of skepticism settling over me.
‘They stocked the fridge and lit a fire?’ My question heavy with suspicion is ignored.
Emma and Paul had wandered down to the stream, leaving thefincain a peaceful lull. Sarah was fast asleep on the sofa, John had gone for a walk, and Rachel and Anna stand in the kitchen, cleaning up the remnants of our dinner.
‘You all right?’ Rachel asks softly, caressing Anna’s arm.
‘Yeah,’ Anna replies with a smile, no doubt her mind drifting back to the scene she had witnessed earlier.
She’d pulled me aside, and told me that under the silvery glow of the moon, she saw Paul, showering outdoors; the water cascading down his body, glistening like liquid silver against his skin. He seemed completely at ease, so she said, despite being out here in the middle of nowhere among strangers. She hated herself as she watched him while she hid in the shadows. I told her, we probably all would have, should we have had the chance. Her mind raced as his hand stroked his penis, and she took a step back, her foot snapping on a twig. She’s almost entirely convinced she can never speak to him again.
‘Today turned out pretty good. Lucky we bumped into Paul and John, really. We completely forgot about food. I didn’t see anywhere to shop on the way here, did you?’ Rachel continues, drying the plates Anna hands her.
‘No, actually,’ Anna says, her brow furrowing as she scrubs a particularly stubborn spot.
