Chapter 54 Childish games
“They are not ghost. A lot of us are playing a game,” he said with a slight chuckle He noticed that someone was nearing, so he put off her lamp, grabbed her head, forcing her face unto his chest to muffle her crying, before he retreated behind a tree.
“Shush. We can’t get caught,” he whispered, and her crying seized. They were in that position for quite a while before he let her go.
“Come,” he instructed as he pulled her away from the area. She followed him silently, till they were in a dense cluster of trees. They took refuge behind a small bush.
“What is going on?” Lilac asked in a whisper.
“The rest of the staff had remained to chat and drink and when I and some of the board came to join them, they became uncomfortable and felt as though they had been caught or something. For some reason that only caused people to drink some more till they begun pushing to play games. Some executives took bets on who would win and things kind of escalated. Now some staff have executives out in the forest to be bait for ghosts and all that.” Eric explained.
“Are you all children, playing ghosts in the middle of the night so as not to clean toilets?” Lilac asked.
“I am not paying their vice president a million dollars just because I get caught,” Eric said.
“Even Ethel? But I am not one of you guys, why should I get dragged into your games?” Lilac protested.
“Since you did not take bets, you can go back with no issues. I am sure they will let you pass.” Eric said.
“How do you know? What if they mistake me for one of you and I end up paying her a million dollars?” she asked.
“It’s fine, There are four who have noted what bets were made. Their company president and vice president seem to have some rivalry and made matters worse, betting on projects so it has to be written down. Three of them are playing ghosts with the help of those from the marketing department, the other is back at camp making sure that none of us go back and hide in our tents. They know exactly who is part of the game. They won’t make a mistake,” he assured her.
“That’s good,” Lilac said, then paused, “Even Cindy is involved? But they will still scare me, right? I am too scared to go back on my on.” she said and he was amused by her scared attitude.
“If you let me hide in your tent, I will take you back,” he said and she paused.
“Why should I?” she asked.
“Then, why should I send you back?” he asked.
“Of course, because, I got dragged into this,” she muttered.
“Then, there is not problem going back on your own; afterall, I have already said that you won’t be mistaken as part of those playing the game. You are the one to chicken to go back on you own,” he said. She took in his words, made to get up, only to drop back down. Considering his offer again, she grabbed onto his arm.
“You won’t be there long, right?” she asked.
“I have to be there till morning. Someone will be taking rounds checking if we are hiding in our tents, but no one will be checking yours,” he said and she paused.
"What is possibly at stake? Just a million? You can pay it!" Lilac insisted.
"Ethan offered a casino to force their chairman to put down land. Lilac, this has become a gambling match," Eric said.
Even though he could no more see her face, he knew she was really considering it. He knew that the route to the campsite was clear. They were hoping some will try going back to hide and get caught.
“Okay, but you can’t get scared and escape without me,” she agreed and his face broke into a smile in the dark.
“Come, I will lead you to safety,” he said and led her to sneak out of the cluster of trees. He already knew the route. They took their time to avoid running into one of the ghosts. That way, Lilac would not be spooked. Many times, they saw a ghost pursuing someone of roaming in the distance, but they were always far away. Eric led her back to camp where they snuck around again. This time, it was more than making sure Eric doesn’t het caught, hiding in the campsite. It was also because Lilac did not want anyone seeing Eric enter her tent. After sneaking around for a bit, they finally made their way back to Lilac’s tent. Lilac zipped her tent open and chucked Eric in immediately. Eric did not need a soothsayer to understand what she was thinking.
With both of them now in the small tent, Lilac felt awkward. She had him take off his shoes and he did so, before finding somewhere to sit. She too sat and they descended into awkward silence.
“Don’t put on the lamp. Someone would be able to see two people sitting insideyou tent. You don’t want that, right?” he asked and she paused and slowly withdrew her fingers from the lamp.
“How about we lie down?” he asked.
“Why?” she asked incrudolously.
“You don’t wish for us to sit up all night, right?” he asked.
“Still…”
“If we are lying down, even with the lamp on, no one would be able to make out that there are two people in here,” he urged and she slid down and laid down. She entered under her blanket quickly, making him let out a low chuckle. It was funny how flustered she was.
“It is not as though I will do something to you,” he said and put on the lamp as he laid down beside her.
“So, do you want to tell me why you ran away to a forest instead of staying home?” he asked and Lilac suddenly felt that the space in the two person tent was too small.
“Why? I am not allowed to know?” he asked when he noticed her want to roll away and grabbed her in place.
"And don't say you were invited, I don't believe it," he said.
"If you knew I ran away, why re you here?" Lilac said though her teeth.
"I am your husband, how can I let you run away without coming to get you?" Eric asked.
"Stop it already, I am tired. I don't have to tell you anything," she said and Eric raised a brow.
"If you don't tell me, I will scream!" He started today ay loudly and Lilac clasped his mouth shut quickly, but it only made him laugh.
“Do you want people to hear us?” she whispered, then took away her hand quickly as though she had just touch something hot.
"If we get caught, I will throw you out of my tent!" She said. He calmed down after her warning.
"But what is wrong with getting caught? I have a right to sleep in my wife's tent!" Eric said and Lilac felt a head ache coming. He seemed obsessed with saying she was his wife every second. Was he doing it to remind her?
"Why do you keep insisting I am your wife?"
"But you are. And you also insisted when we first married, I have not even asked for compensation," he said and Lilac sneered.
“Well, I never harmed you, why do we have to give you anything? You make it sound as though I took advantage of you,”
“But didn’t you?” he asked and she snorted.
“Inonmh mentioned it when it came up but always avoided saying it. It is after all a fact. Like air. the air might as well come drag the human race for compensation, then. It is not like it is our fault it exists,” she scoffed and turned around. She took out her phone and continued her watching her drama.
Eric stared at her back in amusement for a while, before he closed his eyes. It did not take long for both of them to fall asleep.
The first to wake up the next day was Eric. He noticed she was curled up against him and paused. His eyes glanced down at her sleeping form and became amused. A thought crossed his mind when he saw her sleeping face; she was cute. He stared for a little while longer before he slowly adjusted her off him. When he was free, unzipped her tent, looked around to make sure no one was around. He noticed it was just sun rise, there was still mist in the forest air and put on his shoes and left her tent. Inside a tent not to far away, a girl from the music department mid coming out of her tent, paused when she saw him come out of the tent. She knew whose tent that was, it was Lilac’s tent.
Eric may have thought he was not seen, but Mark who was returning from the toilet saw him. He glanced at the tent Eric had come out from with a raised brow and guessed it was Lilac’s tent.
By the time Lilac woke up, Eric was long gone, which she appreciated. She took her toiletries and a change of clothes and went to the bathroom.
The rest of the trip was uneventful. When Lilac’s mouth sparked fires, the executives would add her to tasks to keep her and her friends busy. She did not have much of an interaction with Eric through out the rest of the camping trip, that she had almost thought that the gods of drama and chaos had forgotten her, but she was soon to be proven wrong.