All Hail Masterminds

4: Mrs. Ryder called us.

Ellis

Song: Life During Wartime by Talking Heads

I was woken up by an unusual coldness spreading through my leg.

I stretched across my bed when sharp and dirty sand replaced usually soft sheets.

"The fuck?" I sat straight and looked around me.

I wasn't home and neither was E, Heidi, Owen, Curtis, Chris, or Axl Jack.

We were the only ones still present on the beach and the only thing that frightened me was the fact that I couldn't remember anything from last night.

"E, wake up," I gently shook her and her eyes immediately opened.

Confusion and worry spread across her face when she realized we never came home.

"Mum and dad will kill us," she whispered and I nodded, knowing how our adoptive parents acted protective.

"Is your phone on?" I asked her, grabbing mine out of my pocket and flipping it open.

"Mines dead," she told me and I nodded.

"Same here."

"Oh, sweet baby Jesus, what the fuck?" Owen sounded off and groaned, burying his face in the sand.

I'm surprised he's still alive.

Curtis was laying a little further than the rest of us with a girl in his arms, still peacefully sleeping.

That motherfucker already found another girl, even though he broke up with the previous one yesterday.

Whore.

Axl Jack was laying face down with half of his body in the sea. Is he even breathing?

Chris was between E and Owen, a little bit too close if you ask me, and was slowly waking up.

Then I looked to my left where Heidi was sleeping, a black Nirvana hoodie covering her long, curly hair. Although she wasn't awake, her dark eyebrows were curved into a frown, almost as if she has a bad dream.

I lightly shook her shoulder to wake her up when her eyes fluttered open, revealing her hazel eyes. She looked at me in confusion and rubbed her eyes, getting up from the ground.

It took her a while to connect the dots, but when she did, she walked over to shirtless Curtis and violently shook him.

"Bro, wake up!"

"Lizzy, we really have to go," E told me and got up, dusting off the sand from her clothes.

"Is everyone okay?" I asked when I stood on my feet. They mumbled a silent yes or nodded. Axl Jack was the only one who was still passed out.

I tossed the keys to Chris and looked at E. "Wait for us by the car."

I turned around and walked to Axl Jack, dragging him out of the water.

That fucking idiot probably drank half of the city's alcohol and smoked anything he could get his hands on.

"C'mon, man, get up," I chuckled and turned him on his back, slapping his cheek.

"Mhm, ohn fih mow mihnes," he mumbled and shoved me away, turning to the other side.

I glanced at the beach, which was now empty.

"Bro, we gotta leave or my parents are gonna call the FBI," I told him and pulled him on his feet.

He stumbled and looked at me, obviously still drunk. "Dude, I love you so fucking much," he slurred and pulled me in for a hug.