One Way Home // Steve Kemp

Eight

Camille's POV

"I'm going to go on some weekend holiday with Steve," I blurted out. I was on my daily stroll through the park, but Cara was keeping me company this time.

Cara side eyed me and shook her head. "Girl I- this just seems sketch."

"What how? I've been dating him for a couple weeks now, how is going away with him sketchy?"

"During these weeks have you ever once been to his house?" I stayed quiet. "That's what I thought. He's probably hiding something."

"He's not hiding anything. I trust him."

"Fine then, I can't stop you from going. Where are you even going?"

"He said it's a surprise."

"Okay and there we go with another red flag. A surprise? I don't like that."

"I'm just going to go for it. What's the worse that can happen. Plus if it feels sketch I'll just text you to come and save me."

"You better." Cara and I stopped at this little coffee truck in the middle of the park and got some coffee from it.

"You do realize it's Friday? When are you even leaving for this trip?" Cara asked as she took a sip of her drink.

"Um, he's picking me up tonight."

"Girl! Go and pack why are you even with me right now."

I shook my head and laughed. "I already packed. Everything is on schedule."

"Wow, this Steve must really have you in a hold. You are never one to pack early for anything."

"Yeah well.. people can change you."

•

It was finally the evening, the time I have been waiting for all day. I grabbed my suitcase and left my apartment.. for who knows how long.  Steve never really mentioned when we were going to come back from the trip.

"Hi," I said as I walked up to Steve's car.

"Hey." Steve grabbed my luggage and put it in his trunk. "Bad news. We are gonna have to leave in the morning. Traffics a nightmare right now and tomorrow will just be easier."

I went up and kissed him. "That's okay."

"Great, we'll just stay at my place tonight and leave first thing." Steve opened the passenger side door for me.

"Perfect." I got into the car, Steve shortly followed, and buckled in. There you go Cara, I'm finally going to see his house.

We've been on the road for about ten minutes, I've been admiring the view for most of that time. "You okay?" Steve asked.

I looked over at him and saw him staring at me. "Hey eyes on the ride!" I laughed. "But I'm fine."

"Good." He put his hand on my thigh. "You wanna know the surprise?"

"But then it's not a surprise."

"I'm going to tell you anyways. We are going to Cottage Grove."

My eyes widened. "Seriously? I've always wanted to go!"

"You're not just saying that?"

"No I'm serious, I have."

"Glad I can make your fantasies come true."

I smiled at Steve before turning my phone on to let Cara know where we were going to stay. As I turned it on, the top of my screen flashed with no service.

"Shit," I muttered.

"Hmm?"

"No service," I groaned.

"Oh yeah, service is always shitting right here. But it'll get better at my place," said Steve squeezing my thigh.

"Okay.. cool," I nodded. Guess Cara will have to wait a moment.

"We're almost there."

There was this feeling in my gut that was telling me something was going to go wrong. It was probably just nerves though. This is Steve we are talking about. He wouldn't do anything to hurt me.

"Here we are," he said as he pulled into his driveway.

"Jesus, you weren't kidding when you said you liked it in the woods." Steve's house was huge. I mean a lot bigger than I was expecting. And there were no neighbors, just trees. You couldn't hear anything besides the birds chirping.

"You like it?" We both got out of the car and Steve got my suitcase from the trunk.

"Yeah, it's beautiful." He led me inside his house and everything was just so clean. It was very put together and it screamed money. Steve was a doctor so that's definitely where the money is coming from.

"My apartment looks like shit compared to your house," I laughed.

"Everyone has a different version of home. I like your apartment." Steve rolled my suitcase into the corner of the living room and went into the kitchen. While he was in the kitchen I looked around a little more. There was definitely something dark about this house.

"You want something to drink?" He called out.

"Uh yeah sure," I said looked over at him. He was making some alcohol concoction. "Oh being my little bartender over there."

"I learn from the best." He brought the drink over to me and sat down on the couch, drinking his own drink. I sat down on the couch opposite of him and put the drink on the coffee table.

"You aren't going to drink that?" He asked scrunching his eyebrows together.

"Oh no I am! I'm just going to text my friend really quick." He nodded in response while I typed out a message to Cara telling her the whole deal. The moment I pressed send, immediately, a 'not delivered' sign popped up.

"I thought you said the service would get better?" I put my phone on the table and took the drink.

Steve eyes the glass in my hand. "It should've, must've gone out again."

I took a sip of the drink, "This is pretty good peachy."

"Glad you like it." I took another sip and continued to drink it while Steve went on a whole spiel about where we were going to stay. Something didn't feel right though, I put the drink down and tried to listen to Steve's words.

"I'm sorry what?" I squinted to get a better look at Steve, but my vision was going hazy.

"Come over here Camille," he demanded.

"Y-yeah, yeah ok," I mumbled as I slowly got up from the couch. The second I took a step in Steve's direction, everything went black.

••
It's getting real.