“How?”
“Well, I mean, I pulled down my pants and leaned up against a tree, he pulled out his cock and jabbed it in.”
Ew. I gag.
“Jabbed? Sounds like a vaccine.”
“Of love.”
If I wasn’t so tired and grumpy, I probably would have spewed in my mouth.
“Ew. I meant how when you were supposed to be watching the camp?” I growl in warning.
“Oh, well, everyone was asleep!”
“MEG!”
“Oh, chill out, everything is fine. We did head counts, after he did my head count.”
“Enough. I don’t want to hear about Desi and you in bed. I have enough nightmares. And it’s far too early for this nonsense.”
We reach the river, and I swing down and fill up the containers.
I pause when I see something on the other side of the bank. “What is that?”
Meg frowns, peering through the trees. “Looks like a sleeping bag.”
I stand in a rush. “Did you do a head count this morning?”
“YES! I mean…” she pauses, her face going white. “I checked the tents. Everyone seemed okay.”
“Meg!”
“I’m sorry,” she whimpers.
I stare at the sleeping bag. It could have a person in it. The angle that it’s on, I really can’t say for sure.
“Shit.”
I get up and start pulling my clothes off.
“What are you doing?”
“I have to go check. We need to know.”
“No, the water is too fast.”
“It’s not. I’ve done this a thousand times with Dad. I’ll be back in a few minutes. Just stay here.”
I wade out into the water. It’s moving quickly, but if I stay on one particular path, I should be able to get across without submerging myself completely.
I go quickly, and immediately, the current tugs, pushing and trying to pull me off my feet. It’s icy cold, but I focus on breathing and keeping one foot in front of the other. When I feel the current snatch me up, I abandon my plan and dive into a freestyle, kicking my legs as fast and as hard as I can. I cut across the water and bounce off the sandy bottom before I manage to get my feet under me and propel myself to the shore.
I stagger to my feet, water pouring off me. Now I’m here, I don’t want to check the sleeping bag. It’s not the first body I’ve seen, but it would be the first one that’s my responsibility on one of these trips. And I just really don’t want it to be one of mine.
I creep around until I find the opening. I peel it back and stare impassionately at the corpse.
He’s an older male and an older death. He’s got almost no skin left, and his eye sockets are empty. His mouth gapes grotesquely. Clearly, he’s been dead for a long time. Possibly all winter.
