‘Cause of death?’ I asked hoping for one of Owen’s miracle revelations or discoveries.
‘Impossible to say the body’s been stripped of the flesh and all its bodily organs so all that’s left is a carcass.’ He replied tepidly.
‘Could the Weevils have come out this far?’ Tosh asked.
‘No, Weevils don’t finish off their victims like this.’ I told her.
‘Jack!’ The sudden and torrid scream of Erin echoed from the valley. ‘Owen!’
The grumbled roar of the SUV engine soon followed and then, another scream.
‘Shit.’ Owen shot out before we all took off back towards the campsite.
Even though it was barely a four minute walk it felt like the forest was never ending, the valley always just out of reach. My boots cracked and snapped the twigs on the ground as I finally made it to the campsite, my coat a little heavier than usual as the wind blew it from the backs of my legs. The manic driving of the SUV careened and swerved ahead of us crashing into the tents, then the tables and chairs. The tents completely destroyed. Everything we’d set up smacked and crashed to the ground but not before whoever was driving let out a cheerful honk, skirting away down the road and if I had to guess, already had their foot on the floor.
A yell of frustration shook past my lips, as I watched someone drive away with my jeep and presumably, my employee.
That body had been a decoy this whole time, just something to get us away from the campsite.
‘Erin!’ Ianto yelled, running around the scattered remains. ‘Erin!’
‘Whoever it was must of taken her.’ Tosh concluded worriedly.
‘Jack!’ Ianto yelled. ‘There’s blood.’
I ran back to Ianto, observing the blood spatter on the dull grass.
‘For their sake let’s hope it’s theirs.’ I said.
It didn’t look like much, more of a cut or knock to the head kind of blood. I knew Erin was strong, she knew how to get out of tough situations like this but it didn’t give me any sort of comfort to know that we’d been watched since we arrived. I had a theory, it was a long shot but it was the makings of one regardless, whatever this thing is was picking us off one by one. There was no way it would know we’d leave one of our own unprotected but if that body in the woods was a decoy, then it knew we would split up.
‘Oh shit,’ Owen muttered and my head turned to his, purely because of the tone of his voice. ‘It’s her jeans!’ He called.
‘What?’ Gwen asked.
‘Her jeans, Erin’s jeans.’
He sauntered over to the group, holding the thing in his hands, the once clean denim now covered in dirt but I was drawn to what I’m sure Owen was more worried about; the zip at the crotch had been torn apart, the fabric ripped.
Tosh’s hand ghosted her mouth, Gwen’s eyes wide as saucers as the girls both shared a loot with one another. It was a look I knew I’d never understand, a fear that the three girls always shared but never spoke about with us. I should probably start the conversation, I should’ve, I always see it when they walk around with us at night. Their eyes flitting to every man that walked close to us. There were many things I loved about this planet but there were also many things I loathed.
‘You don’t think-’ Ianto started but Owen cut him off.
‘Whoever this is, is a serial killer I don’t think it’s above…this.’
‘She wears shorts,’ Tosh said, a spark of hope in her voice and Gwen nodded quickly.
‘Yeah she told me, whenever she has jeans or a skirt on she always wears shorts under that are tied with a drawstring.’
‘Well now that we’ve got the fashion police involved, I’m sure we’ll find her.’ Owen muttered.
‘Oh shut up Owen,’ Gwen said. ‘You don’t understand alright, if she’s got another set of shorts on underneath whoever it was didn’t have time to do anything before they left-’
‘Yes you’re right but now she’s in the back of the SUV…’
A cold silence filled around the valley as I said.
‘We need to find her, right team, what have we got?’
