CALL LOGS

I haven’t known Warren Price for very long, but he’s always struck me as someone with a short temper and a tendency toward violence.

Back when we worked together in Paradise at the Brighter Futures Suicide Hotline, he always told me that a good beating could solve any problem.

Now that we’ve been bunkmates for a few nights here at the company retreat called Eden, I’m thinking he is taking those words a bit too literally.

See, Warren also has made it abundantly clear he doesn’t like losing. Not just games either, but also relationships. He treats people like they are property.

That was made abundantly clear when he got kicked out of one camp because an ex-girl of his said she didn’t want to be mutually exclusive and it made him flip his lid. Word is she is still recovering from his violent outburst. Then there was the incident with the guy that was in this bunk before me, Tim. After he bothered Warren one too many times he just simply went missing. The rangers claimed he went home. But all of us knew the truth. Warren had likely disposed of Tim. A lot of campers want Warren gone. It’s got us on edge.

But Ranger Don has insisted that everything is fine. He’s said that time and time again, even now after we’ve experienced some power outages.

“We all just need to let off a little steam, am I right?” he said as he slapped the red headed man on the shoulder this morning. Warren gave him a look that made it seem like if Don didn’t remove his hand that Price would do it for him.

I decided that to eat breakfast with a few employees that had traveled from the UK branch. Mickey and Abbie. They seemed like good friends.

“Did you guys have any bizarre managers like that back across the pond?” I asked gesturing toward the hotheaded financial lead.

“There was Matthew, he was a real piece of work. He literally fired people just for looking at him funny,” Mickey offered.

“Ooh or what about Mister Jimenez… hehe. He always got mad when we brought up his American name,” Abbie teased.

“I guess there are weirdos everywhere huh?” I agreed.

Before we could continue our conversation, Don made an announcement to the whole crew.

“Attention Griffin Squad! We’re going to be playing capture the flag in approximately thirty minutes! So pick your partner and finish your food. Cause winner takes all!!” he said in a cheerful voice.

“I know he’ll pick his dad,” one tall man whispered as he passed me by, eyeing the ranger.

Others murmured how strange it was given the power loss that we were even pausing for fun and games.

“Want to be my partner?” Warren asked. I held my breath. I didn’t want to tell him no. I didn’t want to hesitate either so I nodded and followed him outside.

For a long time neither of us spoke. It was clear the way he was walking he was on a warpath of some kind. Finally when we passed our cabin, I found the courage to speak up.

“Mister Price… if you don’t mind me asking… where exactly are we going?” I asked.

He paused, shot me a glare and barked, “Do you get paid to ask questions, son?”

I didn’t dare point out that we were supposed to be on vacation. Instead, I followed him up a winding trail toward the ranger’s station, where he rounded one of the buildings and found a locked shed. He checked the lock, stood back and then with only his bare foot kicked it and shattered both the lock and the door. I did my best not to gasp in surprise.

Then he stepped into the darkened storage room.

As I went in, I found myself staring at what appeared to be some sort of armory. There were crossbows, pistols, bear traps, axes, grenades, tripwires, and even military grade weapons.

“What is this place…?” I whispered in awe.

“Don’s secret stash. I figured he wouldn’t mind if we… took things up a notch,” Warren said as he grabbed a sniper rifle along with a few other supplies and left the storage shed just as quickly as we came.

“H-hold on, what do you mean by that?” I mumbled as I hurried down the trail behind him.

“What I mean is we’re going to win, one way or another,” Price snarled.

His words scared me. But his actions over the next few hours scared me even more. We took shelter near the high ground as he ordered me to be a spotter and search for the flags that were amidst the heavily wooded area. Then Don gave the signal, a trumpet blared and the game began.

“You’re going to go down there and grab them. I’ll stay up here and keep watch,” Warren told me.

I think I should have turned the other direction and run. But something compelled me to enter the forest. Maybe I really was curious to see if he finally snapped?

It didn’t take very long for me to find out.

I was approaching one of the flags that he had carefully marked on a map when I saw an old coworker standing next to the tripwire we had set only a few hours earlier.

“Oh hey! Any idea how this got here? Reminds me of something straight out of The Hunger Games,” Anne joked as she waved the red flag triumphantly in my face and added, “Looks like your partner’s silly traps weren’t so good. Better luck next-“

Then a crossbow arrow zoomed straight through her chest. I remember seeing it like it happened in slow motion, the way the weapon went in between her breasts with a sickening thud.

I fell back onto the ground as she collapsed, gurgling up blood and gasping for breath, shocked by what had just happened. I knew that Warren would do anything to win this game, but this… this was a whole new meaning to the term wargame.

He was down the slope in a matter of seconds. Grabbing the flag from Anne’s still twitching fingers.

Then he nodded in thanks toward me. “You comin’ or what punk?” he sneered toward me as he reloaded the weapon.

I’m ashamed to say it but I followed him into the woods, knowing he would likely kill again. But I knew better than to turn my back on this man. He was ruthless and he was out for blood. I just needed to know why.

I kept following him for another thirty minutes as he mowed down three other coworkers. I didn’t even know their name, just that Warren was now filled with bloodlust and apparently unstoppable. I only drew a sigh of relief when a second blast of a horn announced the game was over.

“We should… we should tell the rangers what happened here,” I said as Warren picked up the final flag and flared at me. His eyes were redder than his hair.

“The game isn’t over yet,” he laughed as he pointed the cross-bow toward me and my heart sank. I knew I was next.

Suddenly Ranger Don emerged from the brush and muttered, “Hey… what are you two…”

That was the last thing he ever said as the next shot went straight in between his eyes. It smashed through the ranger’s skull and slammed him into a nearby tree.

It was my chance to run and I took it.

I leapt through the brush, frantic to find a place to hide. Then suddenly, pain coursed through my body as another arrow struck me in the shoulder. I fell and tumbled through the air, over and over again until I was trapped in a pit.

I laid there, broken and bruised for so long. I was sure Warren would find me and end me soon enough. Slowly though it started to get dark and rain, I saw a shadow pass over the ridge and a cloaked figure standing at the edge and looking down at me.

“Help…. help me,” I whispered. The cloaked figure stood there a moment longer, tossing back the cloak and staring at me peculiarly.

“Do you believe?” he asked. I choked on my own blood. I had no idea what the fuck he was talking about so I just nodded. He tossed me a rope.

I grabbed it with what little strength I had left and let him pull it up until I collapsed on the side of the dirty mossy hill and thanked him over and over again.

“This is the second time your life has been saved,” the cloaked figure said. I looked up at his face, wondering why I didn’t recognize the person who was responsible for keeping me alive this long.

“I owe you so much. I will do anything you ask, Lyle,” I promised.

The man smiled, touching my shoulder and whispered a dark promise.

“I’m counting on it, Cole. It’s time you let your light emit.”

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