Everyone in this story is at least eighteen years old.
Things really start ramping up.
***
"That was Irene screaming." Jenna said, sitting on her bed while she zipped her coat. Her friends stood, Devon the sole one with a weapon.
The eighteen-year old Black male trained his pistol on the wall, as if intending on opening fire.
"I have a couple bullets for a certain someone if they snatched up that Italian honey." Devon said.
"So, that's the secret. We're looking for golden honey. Not gold." Kyle said in an attempt to be amusing at the wrong time.
Amanda laughed, bent over, brought her hands to her knees, did not stop laughing, as if Kyle had told the world's cruelest racist joke.
Her friends did not speak.
Devon scoffed. He said, "Funny. You're laughing at your brother's lame joke too hard, like he's been giving you some good fucks."
Amanda stopped laughing, straightened.
Kyle crossed his arms, leaned against the wall.
"That's the kind of joke you come up with? Man, you're sick in the head." Tucker said, more willing to defend the twins than anyone else. He shrugged. "Whatever. Irene needs us."
Devon took three steps closer to Tucker, bent his elbow, letting his pistol's barrel train on the ceiling. His dark brown eyes more menacing than Tucker will ever be, he said, "Don't insult someone with a gun."
Jenna threw her arms up, lowered them.
"You two really going to kill each other over a incest joke?" Jenna said in an attempt to defuse the situation. Devon moved his pistol into his pocket at an slow pace. Tucker bowed his head. "Tucker, never say anything rude to a guy with a gun. Devon, don't make incest jokes. Someone we all love needs help. So, act like you're all mature eighteen-year olds."
Devon emitted an burdened sigh. After a moment, with as much reluctance as his bloodlust, he said, "Sorry."
He made eye contact with the twins and Tucker, took quick steps out the room containing the beds everyone longed to be back in.
Stacie squeezed Jenna's arm with sweet affection.
The friends joined Devon in the hall.
His silver revolver was one weapon, but it made the unarmed teenagers seem as safe as people under an army's care.
While taking steps towards the area they hoped Irene was in, a vicious sound made them stop taking steps.
"Is there a-?" Jenna started saying.
"Impossible." Devon said, yet pulled out his revolver.
Goosebumps spread across Jenna's skin. Stacie held onto a goosebump-ridden arm, touching her through her coat.
"I heard it before. Earlier." Kyle said, as terrified as Jenna. "I figured it was just a shady ship, making you hear things that weren't really there."
"Okay. You all can investigate. I'll find Jenna by myself." Tucker said, now walking backwards. "Unless someone wants to come. She did scream. Any takers? I don't have a gun on m-"
Tucker stopped talking, but his mouth remained open.
He no longer walked, as if someone super-glued his legs together.
His eyes remained trained on an point a distance past Jenna, past the other teenagers.
Another roar.
"Mountain lion!" Tucker said before making his escape.
Jenna and Stacie turned.
The creature lunged.
It gave Devon a struggle.
