Humanoid (Dream Warriors Book 1)

Chapter 13

Words flew off the screen of my Kindle as I finished the last chapter of a novel about the Fae, written by my favourite erotica author. An unusual silence dominated the flat for most of the day, creating the perfect atmosphere for an undisturbed reading frenzy. Soaking up the last paragraph of the novel, I glanced at my activity tracker. Darkness enveloped my window and patio door. I sprang from the bed and peeked through the glass at an indigo heaven, slashed with stringy clouds and back-lit by a waning gibbous moon.

Slumping onto the desk chair, I fired up my laptop and logged into my UQ email account, searching for tutor messages. Dr Vernersen's name sat unread in my Inbox. I clicked on the email with a sense of trepidation.

Rayne

Please organise an appointment. Email dates and times you're free for a get together.

Best Wishes

Dr Vernersen

Memories of Suncorp Stadium and a certain liaison with a guy with vivid sea-green eyes popped into my head. I grabbed my phone and examined my calendar, refusing to allow humiliation the opportunity to cloud my judgement. Compiling a brief response, I whizzed over a date and time for early next week.

'Oh, my goodness! And we've been so mean to her,' Misty wailed.

'What the bloody hell, Misty? It can't be true,' Kiah sobbed.

I tensed in my chair and glanced at the door, eavesdropping on their conversation, my curiosity attracted by their hysterical wailing and sobbing. What the fuck?

I flung myself out of my seat and wrenched open the door, charging into the living room.  Kiah and Misty sat on the sofa, wrapped in each other's arms. Misty hiccupped between bouts of wailing, Kiah rubbing her back. 'What's happened?'

Both of their faces contorted. Heat prickled over my cheeks. Okay. If that's how they wanted to play it—so be it. I headed back into my room, unwelcome to their party of two.

'Wait!'

Kiah leapt from the settee and charged into my room. She seized my arm and dragged me out onto the sofa. I contemplated shrugging her off but reluctantly agreed to her demand.  Misty nudged against my hip and Kiah covered the space on the other side. Rigid with expectation, I crossed my arms and glared into Misty's tear streaked eyes.

 'What?' I grumbled. 'What's going on Misty?'

Kiah riffled in her pocket and shoved her phone in my face. An app on social media burst out with the acronym R.I.P. followed by commiseration notices left by students and friends in response to the loss of Hunter Karedis. What the hell does that mean?

I snatched the device from Kiah's fingers and scrolled down the page, reading each comment. Flutters vaulted inside my gut with a rabid urgency and the muscles in my throat constricted. I clicked on a local online news article attached to an RIP notice posted by Cooper Maitland. The article reported little detail, but it announced one vital fact. My friend was dead.

SUSPECTED SHARK ATTACK IN THE MORETON BAY AREA

A suspected Great White dragged a scuba diver from Outer Gneering Shoals off Mooloolaba this afternoon into deeper waters. Surf rescue authorities, who have been patrolling the area since the attack, reported seeing a 15–foot shark. Beaches in the surrounding area remain closed while marine authorities set traps. The body of the young man, believed to be a student from Queensland University, has not yet been recovered.

Although the report withheld names, I discerned the fatality was Hunter by the nickname Cooper posted 'RIP Big Man, we will all miss you'.

Tears streamed over my cheeks and landed on my legs, saturating the fleece material of my joggers. I hugged my chest, rocking back and forth, brain numb with disbelief. An avalanche of chills cascaded across my skin. How the hell hadn't they noticed a bloody fifteen foot shark cruising near the reef? Cooper spotted a poisonous snake with no trouble. Why would they let this happen to Hunter? Why weren't they keeping an eye out for bloody sharks? They were experienced divers for fuck's sake, scuba diving since they were kids. Why did it have to be the one person on this planet other than Grampy who gave two shits about me?