Page 19 of Russian Roulette

“Right here on the ground,” he replies. “Close by the fire.”

“It’s freezing. Won’t you be cold?”

“I don’t get cold. Not if I have my sleeping bag. If you need anything, I’ll be right here. I’m not going anywhere. And don’t bother locking the door to the RV. If I want to come in, I will. My house, my rules.”

At least I know where he’ll be when I make my escape tonight. I already have a plan in mind. Once he’s asleep, I’m out of here. We can’t be that far away from Vegas. On the drive out here, I tried to pay attention. The sound of the tires on the road and the way the car bounced told me when we went from smooth pavement to a dirt road.

Being blindfolded, it was hard to tell how far we drove once we turned off the main road. No more than ten minutes would be my best guess. Once I reach the main road, all I need to do is follow it until someone comes along. If I can hitchhike a ride back to Vegas, I’ll be free.

If my escape plan goes smoothly, by this time tomorrow, I’ll be back in my car and headed far away from Vegas. Unfortunately, returning to my apartment in California is out of the question. Heading east is the safest plan for now. I need to find a big city to lie low in for a while. This will be a long night, but I’m ready for whatever lies ahead.

“Okay then, goodnight,” I say cheerfully to Vulcan. Things are brightening up now that I have a plan in mind.

He shoots me a curious glance. “Sleep tight and don’t let the bedbugs bite.”

“Is that a joke, or do you have bedbugs?”

“I’ll guess you’ll find out, won’t you?”

He’s been strangely quiet tonight after dinner. After our intense episode in the RV, I was sure he would be pestering me all evening, trying to get into my pants. Instead, he’s kept his distance and basically ignored me.

I should be grateful for that. Instead, I’m slightly disappointed.

8

JADE

Afew hours later, I quietly slip out of bed and draw back the dingy brown curtains to peek outside. My eyes take a moment to adjust to the darkness. Vulcan’s head is sticking out from a sleeping bag near the fire.

He’s allowed the fire to die down, leaving only a handful of glowing embers. He must be freezing out there. The temperature was forecasted to plummet into the low thirties tonight, and he doesn’t even have a cap on to protect his head. I can’t comprehend how he’s preventing frostbite.

There’s no time to dwell on his situation, since he’s not the only one who’s cold. I prowl through his small closet in search of a thicker shirt or coat to put on. All I find is a sweatshirt with the logo of a heavy metal band scrawled across the front.

I hold the shirt up to my nose to inhale the scent of his body lingering on the fabric. He’ll be furious when he discovers I’ve taken it. I tug it over my head, don my jacket, and silently open the RV’s door.

Taking care not to make any noise, I tiptoe down the metal stairs while keeping an eye on Vulcan. He hasn’t moved. I carefully shut the RV’s door to prevent it from slamming shut in the wind. Once outside, I realize it’s colder than I anticipated. An icy breeze is blowing, and I have nothing to cover my exposed ears or head.

How on earth is he sleeping out here? He doesn’t even have a tent. It’s just my luck to be stuck with the one guy in the group who sleeps outside. If Seven is as famous as Leroy claims, he’s likely sleeping on luxurious Egyptian cotton sheets. He’s certainly not sleeping on the ground like a wild animal.

I creep away from the RV, keeping my gaze on Vulcan. The slightest sound of a twig crunching underfoot will alert him of my escape. I inch away from the RV, step by step, embracing a slow and steady approach to this adventure. Vulcan suddenly shifts in his sleeping bag and my heart drops. I freeze by the corner of the RV, remaining motionless and barely breathing until he’s sound asleep once more.

This is nerve-wracking. My life has spiraled out of control in a week’s time.

As I move farther from the campfire, I realize there’s barely any light to guide my way. Only the moon, which is partially covered by clouds. I hope my eyes will adapt to the darkness, but it’s pitch black out here. Not to mention I have night blindness and even struggle to drive after dark. Who knew the night sky could be so dark without city lights? My cellphone has a flashlight, but I’m afraid to use it.

Growing up in the city, I rarely spent time stargazing under the open sky. If I wasn’t in such a rush, I’d sit for a while, simply taking in the vast, never-ending sky. It’s undoubtably beautiful here, but I can’t take time to enjoy it. My focus is on escape.

I’m unsure of the direction I’m going in. I recall a fifth grade astronomy lesson about the North star indicating direction. If only I could locate it. Where is that damn star? All the stars appear the same to me. They’re all bright and twinkling, none more remarkable than the others. Why didn’t I pay more attention to the teacher instead of the cute boy sitting behind me?

Attempting to find the North star is futile and I quickly abandon the idea of using the night sky as a compass. I’ll just keep shuffling forward, trying not to trip until I come to a fork in the road. After a few minutes, I come upon a wide spot in the dirt which might be where we made a turn. Which way did we turn, though? Right or left?

I silently curse Vulcan for blindfolding me earlier. Being blindfolded put me at a tremendous disadvantage because now I’m turned around. I’m fairly certain we turned right off the main road, which means I need to turn left and start walking. But what if I’m wrong and I wander deeper into the desert?

I only have two choices. Correction, make that three choices. Turn left, turn right or go back and try to sneak into the RV.IfI can find my way back. Choice number three is out. I would rather perish in the desert than admit to Vulcan that I’m too disoriented to find the road.

Determined, I turn left and carefully step on the uneven, rocky ground, trying not to twist an ankle. The thought of being lost in the desert without food or water is terrifying. Would the guys come after me in the morning, or would they leave me out here?

Suddenly, a loud, mournful howl shatters the silence, followed by two more from different directions.