I awake to squeaky mattress springs, muffled moans and the ‘thump-thump-thump’ of a loose headboard knocking on the wall of the room next to us. The late night sounds of ‘Blue Haven’ love makin.'  I even manage to crack a smile. But only for a moment. Just until I remember our predicament. I close my eyes and think back to earlier this evening…

   After grabbing pizza and a couple bottles of Boonesfarm we had settled into a lengthily discussion regarding what our next move should be. Samantha and Kaley were still more than a little skeptical about Jake, seeing as how they had only seen the ‘good’ Jake. Not the one transforming into a ‘28 weeks later’ zombie that Bailey and I had seen.

“Maybe you guys, like, just imagined it?” Samantha shot at us defensively.

Jake was, after all her boyfriend and she was reluctant to accept that he was now infected with some mysterious disease.  

Recognizing the irritated looks Baileys and I wore on our tired faces, Kaley tried to clarify for her best friend:

“I think what Sam means is…what if the two of you were just spooked, ya know. I mean, you haven’t had much sleep what with the break-in at your house Danny. And then hearing about…hearing about Billy’s death.”

We all averted each other’s eyes for a moment, knowing that one look was all it would take to start the tears.

Bailey finally broke the uncomfortable silence:

“Look, I know what I saw…and since Danny describes the exact same thing, I am confident that it was real.”

Bailey leaned in closer to all of us here, squinting her eyes to drive her point home…

“He was different, okay. It was like watching one of those werewolf movies where you get to see the metamorphosis from man to beast. He was literally changing…right…before…our…eyes.”

Samantha started crying. Kaley hugged her.

Bailey suggested that we go to the police and explain everything. Sam agreed however Kaley and I were skeptical.

“Whose gonna believe us Bailey?”

“Who cares? At least we will have come clean, right? And the police will have to pay somewhat attention to our story, considering they do have a pretty gruesome murder on their hands.”

Sam’s tears flowed faster.

“What if they suspect us?” I asked. 

Bailey smiled: “Then they will keep a very close eye on us. How much safer can you get than having the cops watching you?” 

We had all agreed. Then decided to get some sleep first. Our story was going to sound crazy enough as it was. We didn’t need to add in dark circles under our eyes and alcohol.               

   That had been around 10:30 or so. I lift my head up off someone’s jacket I’ve balled into a pillow and see that the alarm clock now says its 4:11. a.m.  I am on the floor.

I take a quick inventory of the girls as I try to suppress a juvenile smile forming from the sounds of sex that seem to be continuously getting louder through the wall.

Sam and Kaley are together on the bed, the covers pulled high and tight up under their chins. Their heads close together on one pillow. Bailey is laying sideways on the ratty green recliner, her legs hanging over one side, her head jackknifed in an awkward position over the other. She will have a stiff neck in the morning for sure. I consider waking her so she can move, but then reconsider. She needs her rest. 

As I roll back over to lay my head down I hear a familiar name spoken. Distinctive. Clear. Uttered in passion. Through the wall.

“Jake.”

And again.

“Oh, Jake.”

I close my eyes. This cant really be happening right? It’s too much of a coincidence that the person having sex in the next room over is the same person we are hiding from. 

Again…

“Oh yea, oh ****, Jake…Jesus. Jake…so…so…sooo good Jake!”

I rise up on my elbow praying that the girls are still asleep.

Just as my eyes settle on the rising form of Samantha, a new voice penetrates the wall.

“That’s right baby, take it all like a good girl. Take it all like Sam does.”

Jakes voice.

The look on Samantha’s face tells me there is no way I am going to convince her to ignore it.

She is out of bed, face bright red, marching toward the door.

“Sam?” Bailey slowly wakes up. “What…where are you going?”

“To teach that **** that NO ONE MESSES AROUND ON ME!”

“What ****?” Bailey inquires. It goes unanswered.

I am up fast, moving toward her. “Sam, it’s not really him!”

But with a cramp in my leg, I am back down just as quickly.

I look up helplessly as Kaley follows Sam to the door, but doesn’t try to stop her.  

Sam opens the door and walks out. The door to the other room is right next to ours.  

Through the wall, we can all hear. 

“**** Yea, oh Yea...Jake.”

“Take it baby…take it.”

Then, a fist pounding on a door. Sounds strange hearing it through the wall with one ear and through our open hotel door with the other ear. Then: 

“OPEN THIS GOD DAMN DOOR JAKE. YOU HEAR ME!” 

Giggling door handle.

We are all frozen.

“That’s it Jake, right there…OH YEA…RIGHT THERE.”

Just as Sam opens the door to the room next to ours, Kaley slams our door. 

“What the hell are you doing?” I shout as I scramble back to my feet, the cramp gone.  

“This is really none of our business Danny.”  

“None of our…are you…really?” I look to Bailey who has moved past me to put her ear against the wall. 

We all pause and listen.

Silence.

I hear my own heart beat. I inch toward Bailey. I put my hand on her arm.

Silence.

I see her eyes squint tight. Then slowly grow.

Silence.

Her face stretches. Her mouth opens into an ‘O.’

“Whaaaa.” I whisper.

Silence.

She pulls her head away, looking me in the eyes. But she doesn’t really see me. She says…

“Oh ****.”   

Before I can respond a blood-curdling scream fills my senses.

Man…woman…beast?

I instinctively jump back from the wall, as that’s where the sound is coming from. 

“What the **** he doing to her?” Kaley bellows as she darts by me toward the door.

I try to grab her arm but her momentum is too forceful. Then, she’s gone.  

Bailey demands: “Let’s go! We have to go get them Dan. We have to!”

I struggle against her weight for a moment trying to gather myself. I come up with nothing, so I allow her to lead me to the door.

It’s in this instance that I think to myself for the first time, ‘She **** owns me.’