Free MELT: A Psychological Thriller by Shane M Brown

finally positioned their human trampoline under the bomb.
    Megan nearly felt warm. She took a photo with her phone. The image looked like a crime scene photo.
    I can’t even remember what he looked like and he only died a few hours ago.
    'Where's his watch?' asked Megan.
    'What?'
    'He was wearing a big black wristwatch.'
    'I took it,' admitted Chrissie, tapping an oversized pocket on the fatigues she’d also taken from Ericsson.
    'Why? You already have a watch.'
    Chrissie shrugged, and Megan realized Chrissie had taken more than just Ericsson's watch.
    'What else did you take?'
    'Anything useful,' declared Chrissie. ‘Someone has to think around here.'
    'Show me,' said Megan.
    Chrissie raised an eyebrow. 'You want to share resources? Then let's share your phone.'
     Megan clamped her hand over her pocket.
    'I thought not,' said Chrissie.
    Megan waved at Chrissie’s pocket. 'Having two watches won’t get you out of here twice as fast.’
    'We'll see,' said Chrissie, walking toward the sound of Alex chipping ice . 'I hope the men have hunted up some water, because this gatherer is thirsty.'
    'You're supposed to be watching the bomb,' called Megan.
    Chrissie called over her shoulder, 'Ericsson's watching it now.'
     
     
    #
     
     
    'What was that all about?' asked Alex, turning from the ice.
    'We put Ericsson under the bomb,' explained Megan.
    After a moment of awkward silence, Megan held up her phone. ' Glen, can I record your details?'
    'Sure.'
    Megan started the voice recorder. ‘Go ahead.’
    Glen leaned toward the phone. 'I'm Glen Parkyn. I’m from Portland, Oregon. I'm twenty-eight. I work as a telephone support technician for Linksys. I work nights.’
    Glen shrugged.
    'Describe your abduction,' prompted Megan.
    'Oh, it happened at home,’ Glen said. ‘In the morning. I didn’t see their faces, but I think they were both men. They both wore full protective suits. Like those biohazard suits.’
    ‘Really?’ Alex asked. ‘Full suits? That’s pretty conspicuous.’
    ‘That’s what they wore,’ nodded Glen. ‘Head to toe. They lured me out of the house by cutting off my power. Once I was outside they trapped me.’
    ‘Did you fight back?’ asked Alex.
    ‘Of course. I head-butted one, but his mask protected him.’
    ‘Did they say anything?’ asked Megan.
    Glen shook his head. ‘They didn't say a word. It was over pretty quickly.’
    Megan wasn’t sure what else to ask. ‘Do you think anyone might have seen it happen? A neighbor or maybe someone driving past?’
    Glen looked away for a moment, thinking. ‘No. They planned it well. They trapped me where no one could see us. Only my cat saw it happen.’
    Glen pointed at the phone as though suddenly remembering something important. 'This is pretty weird. They returned my mail and my slippers. I lost them before the struggle, but after they cut off my power. When I woke up, I had them again.’
    'Same with me,' said Megan. 'They returned my bag. Even my phone.'
    ‘Why would they return our belongings?’ asked Alex.
    Megan had no idea.
    ‘I’m sorry,’ Glen said. ‘I’ve got nothing else to say.’
     
     
    #
     
     
    'Okay, it's coming...coming...got it!'
    Alex jerked the object free.
    Ice shards showered over everyone.
    Alex turned to reveal what he’d pulled from the ice.
    Megan backed up a step. What is that horrible thing ? A basketball squashed by a steamroller?
    'It looks like a giant dried prune,' said Victoria.
    Glen tilted his head. 'Or a dried elephant's ballbag.'
    'Fucking hell,' cried Alex, dropping the leathery disk.
    'For God's sake!' complained Victoria. 'Can't you stop swearing for just one minute?'
    'I think Glen’s right,' said Chrissie.
    ‘Nonsense,' pointed Victoria. ‘It has a drawstring, see? It’s a leather bag.’
    'That's just a big nutsack wrinkle,' said Alex.
    Megan took a photo of the thing.
    Carl crouched and pointed with the knife tip. ‘Someone's used animal tendon for string. It's threaded through here, see?