The room is full of the crew and I take a drink from the makeshift bar on the dressing table and grab a spot next to Rachel. I feel smug as I notice that Marcus’s room is half the size of mine and nowhere near as opulent. His view is of the street below, not the amazing view of the bay that I am going to enjoy for the next seven nights.
Rachel nudges me and points to Jo.
“Look, she couldn’t get further away from Pete if she tried.”
I stifle a giggle as I see them at opposite ends of the room. Both looking pointedly away from the other and yet conscious of every move the other one makes. Rachel giggles.
“I’m going to make it my mission to get them back together this trip.”
I nod in agreement.
“Yes, this is all silly if you ask me. They are obviously made for each other and could be having a romantic trip away together if they weren’t so stubborn.”
Jenny comes and sits down next to me on the other side and looks around her fearfully.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this place. My room is right in the middle and I have checked the fire escape plan and it would take me longer than most to reach my exit. The only way out appears to be at either end of the corridor and I’m in the middle. The lifts would be out of bounds and I’m right by them. It’s too high up to jump to safety and I can’t see an easy way out.”
Rachel and I share a grin and she says kindly.
“I’m sure it will be fine. This is a five-star hotel and they will have made sure they have every certificate going. I’m sure the sprinkler system is a good one and the alarms would sound in plenty of time if there was even a hint of smoke in the building.”
Jenny looks unconvinced.
“But I’ve heard that people die due to carbon monoxide poisoning in these resorts. What if the silent killer is lurking in the air vents and I never wake up? I can’t sleep with the balcony door open because of the midges. They could infect me with lime disease as well as that new one they are all talking about. What’s it called?”
“Zika virus.” I say, thinking she may have a point.
Rachel looks at us with exasperation.
“Stop it, both of you. Nothing is going to happen except that we are going to have an amazing trip.”
Suddenly, we hear Barry shout.
“Remember to check under your beds for bugs. These foreign countries harbour all sorts under them.”
I share an agonised look with Jenny as Marcus says loudly.
“He’s right. I haven’t even checked mine yet. Come on everyone, do me a favour and check under every available surface for me.”
The room erupts into a bug searching frenzy and then we hear Jenny’s agonised shriek
“AAAARRRGGHHH!”
She jumps on the bed and turns as white as the sheets she’s standing on. She stutters,
“Under here. I think there’s a snake.”
I quickly join her on the bed and Pete races over like a superhero. I feel pure terror fill my whole body as he says in a whisper.
“Nobody move, there is something there.”
He reaches under slowly and carefully and you could hear a pin drop in the room. Jo clutches her hand to her chest and looks at him with terror-filled eyes. Then he slowly removes his hand from under the bed and says in a loud voice.
“Got it!”
Then he throws the offending reptile at the terrified crew all jostling for position on the now overcrowded bed.
The screams are off the scale as we all await the inevitable. Pete, Barry, and Marcus however, dissolve into hysterics and we look down at the plastic snake residing innocently on the bed.
Jo screams, “You stupid idiots. How could you think that was a good idea? Look at Jenny, she’s ready to die on the spot. You’re so immature and don’t ever think of the consequences of your actions.”
She glares at Pete as she says it and he has the grace to look ashamed as Jenny shivers uncontrollably, tears running down her face.
We pull her down and Rachel and I put our arms around her shoulders.
“It’s ok, Jenny. Just the guys being guys. There aren’t really any bugs.”
Jenny tries to stop but anguished sobs rack her body as the shock takes hold.”
Jo glares at Pete with a look that says he should be dead right now.
“Get Jenny a double gin and make it snappy. This is all your fault you stupid idiot. You’ve ruined a good evening with your stupid prank and Jenny will probably have nightmares because of it.”
Pete looks suitably chastened and quickly does as she says.
He hands Jenny the drink and smiles kindly.
“I’m sorry, Jenny. It was just a prank. I didn’t think.”
Jo snarls. “You never do, imbecile.”
Jenny takes a sip of the drink and coughs.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to overreact.”
Jo just rolls her eyes and the others grab their drinks and carry on chatting. Jenny takes a gulp of air.
“I hate this. I don’t know why I’m so anxious all the time. I wish I could shake it off but it’s getting worse, not better.”
Rachel says gently.
“Well, we’re here to help you. This trip is just what you need and we will make it our mission to help you unwind. Put this unfortunate incident out of your mind and start again. I’ll come back to your room later and check it for bugs. We will also map out an escape plan and I will ask at reception when the air conditioning unit was last inspected. You can then sleep well with the knowledge you will wake up in the morning.”
Jenny looks at her gratefully and Jo pulls me to one side.
“I could kill Pete. He never thinks. It’s always about getting a cheap laugh with him. I wish he had never joined this trip. Look at Jenny. She’s been set three steps back because of him. I say we try to avoid him for the rest of the trip.”
I nod and let her vent about Pete for the next twenty minutes. This is going to be a long night. I need to get those two back together and fast, for my own sanity’s sake.