Backwards Into Hell

Part Two: The LFG

Tuesday 26th October

Breakfast came. The others filed in and took their places at the table as Lottie, David, and I eyed each other nervously. Who was going to say it? How could you even bring it up?

The only person still missing by the time nine o'clock rolled around was Lily but we knew we couldn't wait any longer.

As people exchanged good mornings, I squeezed my spoon tight and tried to focus on my cereal and my cereal only. With so many people in the room—David, Lottie, Darren, Anais, Caleb, Abe—my brain was melting. The voices blended into one squealing blob full of worry and rumbling stomachs. I crunched my cheerios loudly. Maybe that would drown it out.

We waited until everyone was settled, and David, much like an aristocrat making a toast, tapped a spoon against his glass of orange juice. People stopped their quiet conversations and promptly turned to him. Anais and Darren, who had sat with us that day as the line separating staff and guests blurred, took particular attention.

David frowned and stood uneasily.

How do I start?

'Before we begin work for the day, there's something that Jake and I need to share with you.'

Why was he leaving out Lottie's name? Had she asked him to do that?

'Has someone else died?' Abe said tactlessly as a nervous ripple rose over the table.

'Was it that quiet girl? What's her name?' interrupted Darren.

'It's Lily,' I muttered. As ball of annoyance grew in my chest. He should have known her name.

'No, not Lily, but there was—' David stopped. 'Fuck's sake. Let me start again.' He pushed back his short hair and began his story, much calmer than he had been just twelve hours earlier. 'Last night, I was going to the loo when I heard a rat scurrying around the wash basket on the second floor. I got curious, opened it, and I'm sorry to tell you this, but Delilah's body was in there.'

There was a soft gasp around the room. There was a murderer amongst us.

But who?

Am I safe?

What if it's David?

Maybe he's lying...

I squeezed my eyes tight.

Shut up! I tried shouting to them as Darren's voice pierced through the thoughts.

'Where is she?'

'She's in Jake's room. He and Lottie helped me move her somewhere...' He struggled with the word. 'nicer.'

At that moment, Caleb saw fit to tug at his Dad's sleeve. The poor kid didn't have a clue and had spent much of breakfast playing with David's dead phone.

'What?'

Caleb held up his pinkie, some code, and David frowned. He took Caleb into his arms and gave me a nod. I tried to listen to David's mind as he left, but it was no use—everyone else was too loud.

'What do we do now? Splitting up might be safest,' Abe suggested, placing his hands on the table.

My heart jumped. 'No,' I said. 'It's too risky. Until we know what's going on, we should stay together—It'll be safer that way.'

Unbelievably, people actually nodded.

'And we need to keep working on the boat,' added Anais.

A brief silence fell, and Lottie put down her fork and uncreased her sleeve. 'I think we should bury her. It's only right.'

'After that, everyone should go back to their rooms—just for a few hours—while Anais and I investigate,' said Darren.

I should have expected something like that from Darren. The power-grabbing had already started, and trust within the group was beginning to fracture. But I needed them to stay together, because it would be easier to keep track of my targets.

Lottie said what we were all thinking. 'Why should we trust you?'

David returned at this point, having heard what was said from the lobby, and with a face flushed red from running up the stairs.

'I know how this place works—I've been here for years,' said Darren.

'Yes, but—' Lottie began.

'But you can't keep us locked up in cages. We're not on trial here.' There was an edge to David's voice. An edge that made my stomach freeze.

'I can do whatever I like. In case you hadn't noticed, this is my hotel.' Darren got to his feet, and I wanted to shrink into the wall.

'Oh,' David chuckled. 'Fat lot of good that is! How long did it take you to realise—'

'Stop!' Anais yelled, thumping his hands on the table. 'This isn't helping.'

My heart thudded in my ears. If left alone, Darren and David would tear each other apart.

'What about this: if we aren't working on the boat, or cooking, or scouting the island, people can stay in their rooms. But if we do anything, it's always in a pair. We meet at mealtimes to keep track of people, so if anything happens, we'll know about it.'

Anais had clearly been thinking about this. Annoyingly, it was a good plan—it would be harder to kill if everyone knew who your partner was.

'And we should post guards outside The Lodge—just in case.'

'This isn't some disaster movie,' said Darren.

'But we should treat it like one,' David said, and Darren shut up.

'Sounds good,' Lottie agreed and subtly nudged Abe with her elbow.

'Me too.'

'And me,' I said.

David and Darren glanced at each other, a shared admitting of defeat, before sitting down.

'Okay,' David began. 'Let's start with the funeral. After that, we split into our pairs and do what Anais said. Everyone agree?'

We all nodded, even Darren, and despite everything, I smiled. With David in charge, I could work on becoming his trusted assistant—a position where no one would suspect me—and if relations within the group were breaking already, there would be plenty of opportunity to cast doubt on the others.

'I should get Lily,' I said, and subtly slipped away.