To Kill A Spider
They all lay back on the bed and stare at the ceiling. Ciaran teases, “You could give me a blow job? That would arouse Alroy.” He flashes Quinn a devilish smile.
“I want him to come, not cum.” She scolds Ciaran.
“I’m not all too comfortable with that idea, either.” Hayes does not want to watch Ciaran enjoy what he can only fantasize about.
“Let’s try to steer clear of the sexual acts.” Quinn shifts nervously.
“You’re no fun.” Ciaran sulks.
“If we get out of here, I will be more fun than you can handle, Ciaran Magee.” She throws Ciaran a seductive glance.
Hayes covers his ears with his hands, “I do not want to hear any of this?” A low hum imminates from his lips.
Quinn pulls Hayes’ hands away from his ears. “Alright! Alright! Playtime is over.” She lowers her voice. “We need to get serious.”
She looks straight ahead, again wondering where the camera is in the room. “If we can locate the camera, that may help?” She says without turning her head.
“And how do we do that without looking like we are looking for it?” Ciaran does not mean to look so smug.
Quinn scoffs, “Got any ideas, then Mr. Naysayer.”
“We can set the room on fire.” Hayes pipes up.
“Great. So our form of escape is to burn alive.” Quinn’s voice betrays her disappointment.
Ciaran joins in. “No, Hayes may have a good idea.”
Quinn gives both of them a bewildered look, “Are you both crazy? You guys may be fireproof, but I most certainly am not.”
“The room wouldn’t actually be on fire.” Hayes holds Quinn’s hand, then immediately drops it when he sees Ciaran glaring at him. “Well not exactly. And if the fire gets out of control.” Hayes shakes water from his fingers. “I can put it out.”
“Will you be okay with this?” Hayes whispers inside Ciaran’s head. The two men stare at each other.
“I think so. Thank you for your concern.” Ciaran replies to Hayes.
“I just know this may be hard, given how your mother died.” Hayes’ eyes glaze over with compassion.
“I am trying not to think about that.” Ciaran nods.
Quinn observes the silent exchange between the two men. She waves her hands in front of their faces. “No communicating telepathically.” She bounces on the bed. “It’s rude.”
They shake their heads and turn towards Quinn. “Sorry.” They both apologize, simultaneously.
“So, explain how we set the room on fire without it actually being on fire?” Quinn whispers.
“It all comes down to magic.” Ciaran tickles Quinn then pulls her into a deep kiss.
“Alright, you two. Knock it off.” Hayes protests. “I’m not doing this if you guys are going to start fornicating?”
“Oh, come now Hayes.” Ciaran playfully pushes Hayes’ arm. “Don’t you want to see Quinn naked?”
Hayes blushes and turns away from them. “Ah…”
Quinn chimes in. “No one is seeing me naked until we get out of here.”
“Well, that is enough incentive for me.” Ciaran laughs and hugs Quinn.
Quinn rolls her eyes and continues the discussion in hushed tones. “Ciaran, can you make fire like Hayes can?”
“No. Hayes has fairy DNA. That is why he can control the elements. Leprechaun DNA isn’t that cool.” Ciaran laughs and punches Hayes in the arm.
“Yeah, but you can grant…,” Ciaran punches Hayes again harder and throws him a menacing glance.
“Anyway. We need to figure out how to set the room on fire with minimal damage.” Ciaran proceeds. “I think we may need to locate the camera like Quinn suggested.”
“Ciaran, do you remember at what angle you were looking at us on Alroy’s laptop?” Quinn asks.
Ciaran probes his memory. All he can recall is seeing Quinn and Hayes cuddling on the bed together. Then seeing nothing but red. He shakes loose the cobwebs of jealousy and focuses on seeing just the picture. “I think it was from above and to the left.”
They turn their heads in the direction Ciaran indicated. Realizing this may generate some suspicion, Quinn turns back to the boys and yells, “Spider.” Then points to the left wall.
Hayes and Ciaran give each other confused looks before realization takes over. They both hop from the bed and head towards the wall. “I’ll kill it!” Ciaran blurts out.
“No, I got it!” Hayes yells as he begins scanning the wall.
A picture of a hillside and small cottage hangs on the left wall. Hayes traces his fingers lightly around the frame. “I got it!” He screams and slaps the top of the frame. “It’s dead. We are all safe.”
The two men return to the bed. “Are you sure?” Quinn’s voice trembles with fake fear.
“Yep. All taken care of.” Hayes wipes the imaginary spider on the blanket.
Quinn wrinkles her nose. “Do you have to do that?” She suppresses a smile while scolding Hayes.
“What else am I supposed to do with a spider corpse?” Hayes sticks out his tongue at Quinn.
“Can you two act like adults?” Ciaran interjects. “I think being locked in here is messing with your brains.”
“He started it.” Quinn flashes Hayes a look of pouting mixed with amusement.
“Did not.” Hayes bites his lips and places his hands on his hips.
“Did too!” Quinn retorts.
Ciaran throws up his arms and swivels his head between the two bickering children. “That’s enough. Don’t make me separate you two!”
“Yes, Dad!” Quinn and Hayes sing in harmony. They all break out in laughter, disheveling the blankets on the bed as they roll back and forth.
After a few minutes, Quinn wipes tears from her cheeks and straightens herself on the bed. She whispers, “So the camera is in the picture frame?”
Hayes nods yes. “The fire needs to be concentrated towards that wall?” Quinn continues. Hayes and Ciaran both nod yes.
“That’s risky given the proximity to the door.” Quinn murmurs, a hint of worry flavoring her voice.
The three of them stare at the door. Hayes turns to Quinn, “I can keep the fire small. Probably just set the frame on fire.The camera may melt though.” Hayes tries to ease Quinn’s anxiety.
“Melting the camera may be a good thing.” Ciaran gives the picture a brief glance.
“Yeah, it may draw the guard in faster if Alroy can’t partake in his voyeurism.” Quinn agrees with Ciaran.
“We will need to move quickly and decisively once this all starts.” Ciaran states the obvious. Quinn and Hayes smack their foreheads and mouth, “DUH!”
“I am just saying there is no room for error.” Ciaran spats back.
“Do we want to do this now or take some time to get ready?” Hayes inquires.
Quinn peers up at the two small arched windows. “It looks dark outside.” She reports. “We may want to wait until light. Alroy may be more likely to be watching the camera during the day.”
“That’s a fair assumption if Alroy is human.” Ciaran tries to avoid giving Quinn the ‘it’s okay, you’re just ignorant’ look.
“Since Alroy is a full leprechaun, he needs very little sleep.” Ciaran explains. “We may want to use the dark as cover when we escape.”
“Are you saying you want to go now?” Quinn’s voice fluctuates and she tries to bring it back to a whisper.
“I’m just saying, it is something we might want to consider.” Although Quinn’s naivete is cute, it can also be quite frustrating, Ciaran thinks.