Just Innocently Killing

Five

Hercules stopped at a gas station to get gas. He turned around to face everyone and began to speak. "Let's all get out to get food, gas, and use the bathroom. No alcohol!" Hercules made very clear and everyone exited the car. Everyone grabbed food and drinks. But they paid in dollars to avoid any trace of them. "So, What's the plan?" Eliza asked out loud. The group got back into back into the car and began to drive. "Here's the plan. There's a forest hiking trail up ahead. We can find pinecones, wood, leaves, anything to mask the smell of burning flesh." Alexander plotted fumbling with his shirt anxiously. Everyone had nodded their heads agreeing.  Not a single person disagrees. But who had any other ideas anyways? The group managed to have small talk but the slight quiver of fear was quite noticeable. Even those who remained strong and calm. Avoiding the subject about the rotting body that lays in the trunk of the minivan. It was dark outside, and no one drove on the quiet road.

They arrived at the hiking trail and parked at the side of the road. Everyone exited the car and the guys pulled the body of the trunk. The body plus the carpet was heavy. Although the men managed. All the men had carried the body while the women led the men through deep into the forest. They had set the body down and gathered up the items that were needed. Throwing whatever they can find onto the body, the body seemed to be buried in a pile of wood, pinecones, and leaves. "Okay let's burn this body." John muttered pouring the recently purchased oil onto the body. Alexander had bought some matches. Plucking a match stick, he slid it across the back of the match box and  threw a match into the pile of items including the body. The group watched in awe but soon had to leave. Seeing the body burst into flames. Colors dancing across the flames. As if it were to tell a story. Not sure of the story, but a story was being told. The flames grew higher and higher. It became deadly but not deadly enough. So the college students took a few steps back admiring the flames and for a split second, forgetting their worries. But realizing that they had to snap back into reality. They didn't want to get caught so they all slipped  into the car and drove off.

Silence. There was a complete silence. The only sounds to be heard were soft breathing and the tires driving on the dark gravelly road. No one dared to speak. Some remained speechless, others remained numb. Some even felt both. Knowing that they had crimson red blood on their hands. Nothing could be done. Nothing at all. The thought of killing someone haunted Peggy's mind. The memories flashed over and over again. Closing her eyes briefly, vivid images of the event struck her. Jolting her eyelids wide open to be reassured that she was in the backseat of the car. Maria laid her head on Peggy's shoulder. Peggy grabbed Maria's hand for comfort and squeezed it softly. Feeling the soft warm hand beneath her.

The road ahead seemed far. Seeing trees and wildlife over and over again. Hercules began to become sleepy. So Lafayette offered to drive and Hercules calmly replied by removing his seatbelt and exiting the car. Switching seats, Lafayette now began to drive the vehicle home. More like crime scene. The thought of going back to the house frightened Lafayette. He just wanted to fly away like a small delicate bird and away goes his worries. But instead, he has to face the nightmare which he called him. Hercules didn't have a reaction. He was simply numb. Hercules had seen things. Worse even, so this is pretty much a bad horror movie that he managed to laugh at. A flashback of the scene sure had its repeats but it wasn't major for the man.

Once arriving home Alexander ordered everyone into the living room. "Let's talk about this tomorrow. Once everyone wakes up and is well rested. What happens here, stay here. Okay?" A chorus of okays were said and everyone went to their rooms. Falling into a deep slumber of fear and anxiety.

I know it's been a while. My apologies for it being short but I had to update.