envenoMATE

1. Never Start Anything

Caroline’s eyes showed a lack of amusement at her honey-skinned acquaintance. Not wishing to comment further on the matter, she turned her attention to the final girls remaining in the room. One stood at the window with her back to the group and hands placed against the small, worn frame. Striking up a conversation with her did not seem like a good idea. The other one sat cross-legged on the edge one of the beds, watching the interaction of the others. She would have to do.

“What’s your name again?” Caroline asked softly. The girls had carpooled for the thirty minute ride from Fayetteville to Devil’s Den State Park. They had unpacked about an hour and a half ago, and Caroline had yet to hear a peep out of the skinny, white, brown-haired girl. A small, pink blushed formed on the girl’s cheeks. She opened her mouth to speak, when a loud scream filled the air.

“AHHH!” Sadie ran into the room with a yellow towel barely on her smooth and creamy, caramel skin. “SPIDER!” she screeched as she dove behind Tabitha. “Mama bear, go kill it!” she shouted as she ducked her head in and out from Tabitha’s back, as if doing so would allow her to see into the bathroom. This time Caroline had to roll her eyes, thinking Sadie had probably lost a chunk of her afro in the bathroom and thought it was a spider. That girl was ridiculous. 

Laughing in good nature, Tabitha headed into the bathroom with a rolled up newspaper. Ten seconds and a loud whack later, she walked back out. 

“All clear. You can go take your shower now.”

Sadie fell onto her back exasperatedly. “Oh no,” she sighed. “I think I’m just going to rest here a while. Let my heart rate calm down. Damn, I think that was the hardest workout I’ve put my heart through since outrunning Jimmy the animal balloon guy at the College Day Fair.”

“Sadie! Shut up! This trip is not all about you! Now,” Caroline shouted before turning back to the small girl on the bed. “What was your name, sweetie?”

“Adina,” the brunette said softly, her fingers gently twirling her collarbone length hair. 

“I’m sorry. Did you say something? I couldn’t hear you?” Sadie said cheekily. “Ow,” she replied a moment later after Caroline threw a pillow in her face.

“Adina?” Caroline asked to confirm what she heard. Adina nodded with a polite, sweet smile. “That’s pretty. I like it. Adina, Adina, Adina.” 

Adina’s smile brightened as she watched the intimidatingly beautiful woman say her name. Caroline’s skin was the softest shade of light brown Adina had ever seen, and she found herself jealous of Caroline’s black hair that was styled into perfect waves. To say she was nervous was an understatement, but with Caroline’s nice words, Adina felt herself begin to loosen up. 

Naturally shy and reserved, Adina preferred others to take the first step in making friendships. After growing up home-schooled in Montana, to say her first year at the University of Arkansas was a huge environmental shock was an understatement. She normally only had to put up with her mother and younger brother.

College was vastly different, which left her dorm room as the lone place where she felt comfortable and relaxed. Even small gatherings like this made her uneasy. Very much the wallflower, Adina was content to sit back and watch rather than get involved.

“So, Adina, what do you think of our quack dorm assistant's idea to drag us to the middle of nowhere for ghost hunting?” Sadie asked, smacking gum loudly while staring up at the wooden ceiling.

Tabitha laughed, not at all offended by the young girl’s tone or words. A low growl filled the air before Becky, the only other white girl in the room, tore away from the window. She had literally been plastered there for forty minutes, give or take. All the other girls watched as she immediately walked out the cabin door, letting the screen slam shut. Sadie muttered an ill-mannered curse under her breath, causing Adina’s pale blue eyes to widen.

“Sadie!” Caroline shouted angrily. How could one use such language?

“What?” Sadie asked innocently. “She is! That girl is the most stuck up and snobbish girl I have ever been stuck in a room with but not met. Her aura just screams, ‘Stay away from me. I hate you.’ Well, shoot, I hate Miss Blonde, ain’t-got-no-booty too.”

Tabitha’s eyebrows narrowed with thought as she continued to look at where the tall, strong built woman had walked off.

At twenty-three years old, Becky was a strange one. A senior transfer, the girl seemed to take no pleasure in anything but the two young men she occasionally conversed with. Upon a little sleuthing into Becky’s family history, Tabitha discovered the elusive males were her brothers and lone remaining family. Their parents had died at a young age from, get this, snake bites.

Tabitha used to feel put off by Becky’s nature, but after finding out the girl had witnessed both of her parents getting bit by a cobra when she was just eight years old and unable to do anything, well, Tabitha found it hard to judge her after that. 

Becky normally wore short sleeved shirts with her hair down, but once, Tabitha caught a glimpse of her in a tank top. The back of Becky's right shoulder was covered in what looked like tiny scars. Tabitha wasn't sure if it was from bad acne or if she had been abused as a child. Nonetheless, it was pretty obvious that Becky had suffered some rather deep wounds: emotionally and physically.

Trying to stay positive, Tabitha pulled her long, curly brown-black hair into a pony tail. She smoothed the strays with a long exhale. “Don’t worry about her, girls. I’m sure it’s not personal.”

“Humph,” Sadie scoffed. “Speak for yourself.” 

A small cough filled the air, causing three pairs of eyes to immediately rest on Adina, who was nervously adjusting her light blue and white striped cotton pajamas. Biting her lips, she braced herself to speak confidentially.

“Are we really supposed to go in the woods tomorrow?” Her heart had been pounding in her throat, but she thought she spoke okay.

She did not know if the other girl’s were affected by the ghost tale Tabitha told, but she felt uneasy after hearing it. Given the name of the state park, Devil’s Den, Adina was already worried. The tale tipped her over into rattled. God forbid that there really was some evil man's soul out there just waiting for someone to take.

Adina got spooked simply watching the trailors for vampire movies and ghost tales. Adina preferred to stay invisible. She was good at remaining hidden. The absolute last thing she needed was to catch some guys' attention, especially if he could become addicted to her. She shivered at the thought.

Tabitha nodded with a wide grin as she walked over to her small cot. “Yup. Don’t worry though. The sun will be up when we first explore tomorrow. And the trails are well marked. We’ll be together, and trust me, you have nothing to worry about. Even if there are ghosts and goblins or vampires and werewolves and all sorts of mysterious, mythical creatures out there, mama bear will protect you,” she promised with a wink.

Adina grimaced. Had no one paid any attention to the lesson of the story Tabitha had shared just minutes ago? Sometimes life and death was not a matter of protection or vulnerability; sometimes some people were just doomed from the start.

Wrapping her arms over her torso, Adina tried to ward off the chill in the air. If she could have any control in her life, it would be to never start anything.