I shudder. “Dude, that’s dark. Why the fuck would you say that?”
Nash laughs. “It’s just a joke, Tucker. I’m a horror movie buff. No serial killer with a shred of common sense would try to kill us while we’re together. We might be naked, but we’re four men in great shape. We would easily overpower any creep.”
The noise is even louder this time.
“Look.” Mack points to my duffel bag, a couple of feet away near a cluster of young bamboo shrubs that create a natural border, separating our round pool from the few similar ones in this area of the gardens. “Whatever this is, it’s in there.”
Mack is right. My light blue Cove Knights duffel bag moves again, and we hear the same rustling noise.
“What the fuck? If someone is trying to steal my clothes again, so help me God.”
“What are you waiting for?” Col says. “Go and check.”
I narrow my eyes. “Why should I? What if it really is a serial killer like Nash said? Everyone knows that the first rule of horror movies is to never wander around alone. That’s when you get killed.”
“Come on, I was just joking. I doubt there’s a serial killer hiding behind those shrubs.” Nash chuckles. “Just go and take a look.”
Nope. Not fucking happening. “Why me? Why don’t you go if you’re so sure it’s safe?”
“Because that noise is coming from your bag. If it was coming from mine, I would be the one who had to go,” Nash says.
“Yup,” Mack chuckles. “I agree. Next time, if you don’t want to be the one to check, leave your gear in the locker room like we did.”
The bag moves again. I think I left it unzipped. “I just wanted to get ahead on my laundry before everyone starts doing it at the weekend. And now my zeal is gonna get me killed.”
Nash rolls his eyes. “Whatever is in your bag isn’t going to kill you. It’s probably a frog or a spider or something like that. Come on, let’s go check it out together.”
“A spider?” I shudder. “Ick. I don’t like spiders. And if it can make my bag move, it must be one big motherfucker. Wait. What if it’s a snake?”
“Then we won’t touch it and call animal control.” Nash sounds way calmer than I feel right now. “Let’s go, Tucker.”
He stands up, and I reluctantly do the same and follow him out of the hot water of the spring.
Mack and Colsen are laughing uncontrollably. “This better not be some kind of prank, guys. Because I swear—oh my God.” I gasp when I see the cause of all this chaos.
“Is it a spider?” Mack asks.
It isn’t a spider. There’s a fluffy creature with a blue-ish and orange beak that has made itself at home inside my duffel bag.
“Not a spider or a snake.” I say. “It looks like a big baby chick.”
“I don’t think it’s a chicken chick.” Nash muses. “I think it might be a duck.”
I lean to take a closer look at the creature. “Are you a chicken or a duck?”
The little ball of fluff opens its eyes and answers my question.
Quack.
“Well, fuck me.” Nash chuckles. “If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck…”
“I get the point, Nash. But what the fuck is this thing doing inside my duffel bag?”
Nash seems to give my question some serious thought. “I don’t know. This is obviously a baby. Maybe it’s lost its mommy.”
“It makes sense.” I consider the situation, rubbing my chin. “Maybe its mommy and brothers and sisters are still around here. Should we look for them?”
“Good idea,” Nash says, grabbing his sweatpants from the ground near my bag and putting them on. “What wasn’t a great idea was getting into that pool and not bringing any towels. But it’s better to get dressed. I don’t want to be found walking around looking for a bunch of ducks totally naked.”
