Ghost Town

May 22nd, 2006


"It started off as a simple road trip. No one was supposed to get hurt... and now we have been stuck in this town for a week. We have lost 3 people in our group and everyone is looking at me for an explanation. After all, it was my idea to come here in the first place. I should have researched the area more. Had I done that we wouldn't be here without food, without water, and without our 3 friends. I can see it on their faces..."how could she bring us here?" I swear I had no idea this would happen...I swear. Had I known what I was getting into, I would have never mentioned Arizona." I finished writing out my 12th journal entry since I had the idea to go to Arizona in the first place. We hadn't seen a car since we pulled off the highway 7 days ago, and out of 8 people, not a single one of us could remember which way it was back towards the highway. I decided after being broke down in this place for longer than ten minutes, that it would be a good idea to keep my journal put up and away from everyone else. Personally, I don't think it's any of their business what I write about but I know these people too well to trust that they would leave it alone. I know, it sounds like they aren't really my friends, but that's just the way they are with me. I'm the quiet one. I'm the one that only mentioned going to Arizona for a few weeks, as a joke. It wasn't a joke to me but I thought that was how they would take it. I had wanted to go to Arizona to see the summer lightning storms and to get myself out of the creative funk I had been in for the past few months. I honestly don't know why they even wanted to come with me. If I  sat down and thought about it, I could really depress the hell out of myself. Standing up, I brushed the sand off my backside and started walking back to the town square, where everyone else was.

"Hey Kari, how was your walk?" asked the always cheerful Miranda. I always felt closer to Miranda than I had with anyone else on this trip. She and I had been friends since kindergarden. When I told her about going to Arizona, she was the only one that didn't try to change my mind. Everyone else couldn't figure out why I would go towards the West Coast and not keep going til I got to California. I was so glad she had decided to come with me. "My walk was ok...I didn't find any supplies. I'm sure everyone will be pissed at me." I said rolling my eyes. "Well, it's not like they had to come with us. Honestly I'm not sure why they came...well...everyone that is except Marcus. We both know why he came." Miranda said with a big grin on her face. Although, it was always nice having Marcus around but it's complicated to explain. Marcus and I are not together yet but I know it's going to happen soon. We had slept together once back in October but the relationship didn't follow like I hoped it would. He had shown up at my little one bedroom apartment to cheer me up. I had just gotten out of another heart wrenching relationship and he knew I wasn't in the best of moods. Somehow or another, we wound up making out. I think it was after the third time he told me I was beautiful. I really needed compliments at the time. The guy I had just broken up with just wasn't a good guy. He had been cheating on me since day one and lying about it. Trying to make it sound like I was crazy for suspecting him. Marc was the one that was constantly telling me I was better than the losers I always seemed to waste my time with. And for the first time, I was starting to believe him. Unfortunately, he got into a relationship with Michelle  shortly after we slept together. It tore me apart for a while. I know, sleep with a guy one time and I'm falling for him. Only a little pathetic. "Kari, can I talk to you for a minute?" Marc asked and at the sound of his voice, my heart jumped. I hadn't even heard him walk up behind me.

After we started walking, I started to wonder what he wanted to say. Would he tell me he loved me? Or would he tell me it's all my fault he was stuck here? "Look, I know seeing me with someone else hasn't been easy on you. I wanted you to know, it isn't easy for me either." Marc said sadly. "Right, I'm sure you were finding plenty of comfort between Michelle's legs before she disappeared." I said cursing under my breathe, upset I let myself speak before I thought. He had a hurt look on his face. I felt terrible. "I'm sorry, that came out wrong. What you are doing with her is none of my business. I'm gonna go in a few of the stores. See you later." I said walking away. "Wait, you can't go running off by yourself." Marc said walking towards me. "Marc, I'm fine. I'm not going to do anything stupid. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself." Marc reached up and tried to brush a hair out of my face and I stepped back so he would stop. "Do you remember when we first became friends? We used to hang out all the time. I felt like I could tell you anything. Amd now, I can't because you've seen me naked and you chose someone else. So please, just stop. Go be with Michelle. Make a life with her. Make her your everything because you and I are never going to happen again." I said with tears in my eyes and with that ran in the opposite direction as Marc. He kept trying to get me to stop but I kept going. I had noticed an old broken down hotel when we first drove through here before we realized we would be stuck for a week. I had my digital camera on me but I had been trying not to use it very often because I was afraid I would use up the batteries too fast. I couldn't think of a better excuse to use it til now. I started walking up the stairs of the hotel; my hands shaking the entire time. As soon as I reached for the door I heard a voice whisper "help me Kari". I got instant cold chills all over my body, turned around, and ran back to where the group was.


Finally, panting and sweating, I reached the group. Miranda was in her make shift tent reading a bad horror novel when I busted into her tent. She jumped which made me laugh a little. "Miranda, I need you to get the group together. You and I both know that if it comes from me, they won't listen." I knew I sounded like a crazy person but at that point I was way passed caring. "Kari you look like you've seen a ghost. What's the matter." She asked concerned. "Please just do what I asked...we don't have time for me to give a big long explanation. " Miranda quickly got up and went to where Tristan and Jennifer were huddled by themselves. I had no idea what they were talking about but I always assumed they were telling each other how great they were. Jennifer was model material and Tristan was all tattooed up. They both had huge egos. They both looked up at me at the exact same time. Both looked annoyed to be taken away from their over-flattery. They both began walking over to me, along with Marc and Miranda. "What's going on Kari...spit it out, we don't have all day. Oh wait, we do because of you. We have for fucking ever because of you." Tristan said glaring at me. "Guys just please listen to me for a few minutes and then you all can go back to pretending I don't exist." Marc looked hurt, "Okay, now hold on just a second Kari. I tried to talk to you earlier and you didn't want to hear it...remember?"
I let out a loud exhausted sigh, "Marc first of all, what I have to say has nothing to do with what we were talking about earlier. Second, you have a fucking girlfriend. And third, get the fuck over yourself. This isn't about your relationship with me, or lack thereof." Despite my best efforts I couldn't stop the tears. Miranda came over to me and put her arm around me, trying to comfort me but I wasn't in the mood and quickly shrugged her off. I sniffed a few times, taking deep breathes the whole time and finally stopped crying. "I went down to the hotel and I heard someone say "Help me Kari. I'm not sure if it's Doug, Mary, and Michelle but I figure it has to be, right?" They all just looked at me for a minute with worried looks on their faces before Tristan finally spoke up and said, "Where is the hotel?"
"It's just down the road about two blocks. You can't miss it." I said pointing down the road.
"Okay, well I think only the guys should go. There is no reason to bring you girls, you will only slow us down."
"Fuck you...I'm not sitting around while you guys search for them in a place I found. I'm going, whether you like it or not Tristan." I was getting really sick of his pompous attitude. The guy did construction for Christ sake. It's not like he was a big executive with a fancy car. "Fine, but if one of you gets hurt, it's your fault."
"Isn't everything?" I asked glaring at him. Everyone stood up and started getting a few things together, water bottles, mp3 players, and flashlights. Marc was grabbing his little pocket knife also. I wasn't real sure why he would need a pocket knife...unless he thought our friends wouldn't be alone in that hotel. I was getting this creepy crawly feeling inside my stomach ever since I had gotten back but I knew it was only going to get worse, the closer we got to the hotel. Before heading in that direction, I had to make sure I grabbed my journal from it's hiding spot and try not to attract attention. "Do you have everything ready? Tristan isn't getting any more impatient." Marc said, looking mildly irritated himself. "God why do I feel this way about someone who I only ever seem to annoy?" I thought to myself sadly. "Yeah, I'm ready." I was getting sick of feeling like this. I mean, come on, a guy sleeps with his best friend and feels nothing? He would have to be lying right?

We were walking at a steady pace towards the hotel, when I glanced over at Marc for the fourth time..and for the fourth time our eyes met. I could never figure out where I went wrong with him. I mean, we got along on so many aspects that it never made sense to not work out together. We had very few differences between us. We both grew up kind of in the same type of house hold...except his was quite a bit worse than mine. I never had the abuse part but I saw a lot of abuse and anytime someone yells I get nervous. It's weird how things from your childhood effects so much of who you are.

After the eight time of our eyes meeting I finally decided to say something. "Marc, I don't want you to think I hate you because the way I feel about you is far from hate. The way I feel about you is why I have to put space between us. I guess I get frustrated that you don't get it. You picked the wrong girl." I had tears in my eyes so before he could say anything, I sped up my walking and got in front of Tristan and Jennifer. Shortly after I got in front, we were coming up on the hotel. "How the hell did I miss that when we got here?" Jennifer asked shocked at the size of it. I began walking up the stairs and reached out for the door handle...again instant cold chills.

Surprisingly, the hotel wasn't locked. I thought for sure that it would hard to open also. I'm not sure why. I was getting really concerned about the condition our friends would be in considering they hadn't eaten or had any water in a few days. Not to mention it was hot as hell inside the hotel. I scanned the flash light over the reception area and noticed the reception desk was a gorgeous gray marble. Off to the side of the reception desk were the elevators and the stairs.

(To be continued)