War in the Woods

Audrey Ravers lifted her gun at the crunch of a leaf, but it was just a squirrel running towards the big oak tree that was his home.

“Don’t take out the local wildlife, Aud.” Robert joked. Audrey laughed at her husband’s older brother’s joke.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” she responded with a smile. Monica just shook her head in amusement.

“You know, I’ve always wondered how my sourpuss brother got a playful girl like you hooked.” Robert remarked.

“The money.” Audrey laughed, “No, when I met Daniel, I was just coming out of a bad break up with a ‘bad boy’. We clicked, and because I was looking for stability, I found a really great guy who I probably would have passed up because he was too...”

“Boring?” Robert suggested innocently. Audrey swatted her brother in law, laughing.

“Responsible. Unlike his older brother.” she teased.

Robert pretended to be aghast.

“I am responsible! I have my own business, damn it!” Robert declared. Audrey and Monica laughed, and Robert looked pleased with himself.

“And you are a single father of a pretty amazing girl, which is an accomplishment in itself.” Monica pointed out.

“Eh, you have to say that. She’s dating your son.” Robert waved a hand.

“Yeah, that was a shock for me, too. He ended up dating not just Heather, but Chloe, Victoria, and Ashley, too. Did you see Charlotte’s face? She looked like Christmas had come early.” Monica smiled.

“I’m actually pretty proud of the little guy. He has Gregory fucking Bishop as a father, and managed to not only get a threesome yesterday but he also came home to get four girlfriends? He’s a champion.” Robert said proudly, “Heather’s been a great influence on him.”

“Zack had a threesome?” Audrey gasped.

“Yeah. With the Wynwick sisters.” Robert grinned at her.

“Fiona and Sela?” Audrey checked. He nodded gleefully. Monica’s cheeks were a dark red.

“Stop talking about my son’s sexual activities!” she snapped, flustered.

“That sounds professional.” Audrey remarked as she stepped over an exposed tree root.

“Not only did he have the threesome, when Fiona dropped him off today, she gave him a glowing review. Told Monica and I all about it.” Robert chuckled. Audrey laughed, too, and Monica couldn’t fight off the smallest of smirks, either. Audrey didn’t blame her. She’d been told on several occasions that she has an ‘infectious’ laugh.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash from down the way and the three adults lifted their paintball guns, moving to investigate. They definitely wanted to win, especially against the other adults on the red team.

They spotted Grace and Pietra Smith, the latter brushing leaves off the former, who had apparently split. Robert and Monica lifted their guns and before Audrey could lift hers, the Smith sisters were dead.

“Damn it!” Pietra huffed. Monica pulled up her goggles and smiled warmly at the girls. To Audrey’s surprise, Pietra smiled back warmly while Grace simply looked embarrassed to have tripped and given up their position.

Robert led Audrey and Monica away from the sisters, who were trudging back towards the cabin to wait for there to be a winner.

“They did a similar strategy to us, then.” Robert concluded.

“Yep. Which means both sides are probably searching for a big group of us, when there isn’t one.” Monica nodded, pulling her goggles back down.

“Let’s go help our kids, then.” Audrey declared. The other two nodded, and they set off, ready to win.

———

Hannah Woodsen moved quietly behind the three adults, prepped for a stealth attack. But first, she would see if they led her to her Zack. Even though he and Ashley had repaired things, she still owed the boy for breaking her sister’s heart.

———

Brandon Cole walked in silence beside Taylor Bishop, the hot older sister of the guy who stole his girlfriend.

Ashley had never even given him a mention of dumping him, and then suddenly, she was kissing Zack Bishop in the forest and completely ignoring Brandon.

Bishop. He was going to kill that kid tonight, preferably with Ashley watching, just so she could see who was the manlier of the two. Wouldn’t be the first time Brandon had beat up the guy, either.

As Brandon walked, though, a second idea began forming in his head. Sure, he could and would beat up Bishop, but what if he could...

“Taylor, do you think we’re going to win?” Brandon asked curiously.

“I hope so. I’m not really sure who’s leading the other team, but if it’s Zack, we probably won’t do well.” Taylor shrugged. What?! Even she thought Bishop was awesome? That didn’t fly with Brandon.

“I don’t really think so. He plays a bunch of nerdy games, so he can win at paintball? Please. That takes athleticism. Like what you and I have.” Brandon chuckled. Taylor gave him a slightly suspicious look, so Brandon toned down the compliment.

“Well, me, mostly, but you play, like, softball or something, don’t you?” Brandon shrugged.

“Volleyball.” Taylor corrected in that sexy, slightly raspy voice that kind of made Brandon a little hard.

“Oh. Sorry, I thought for sure you played softball.” Brandon shrugged again.

“Well, I don’t.” Taylor said tersely. Honestly, Brandon hadn’t even wanted to team up with Bishop’s sister. He was trying to join his mother, and maybe get her a little more into him, but Madison had not so subtly suggested he join Taylor, and Taylor had agreed with the air of someone doing somebody a big favor.

He was determined to show Zack’s older sister that he wouldn’t be a burden.

“So, who are hunting down?” Brandon asked.

“Zack.” Taylor said, and Brandon couldn’t mask the wicked smirk that appeared on his face. Fortunately, Taylor seemed to think it was funny.

“You really have it out for him, huh?” she chuckled.

“Well, yeah. He stole my girlfriend.” Brandon pointed out. Taylor rolled her eyes.

“Ashley broke up with you, didn’t she?” Taylor said, one eyebrow lifted.

“Uh, no, actually. Yesterday, we were dating. Today, with absolutely no warning, she’s kissing Bishop in the forest, and completely ignoring me.” Brandon explained.

“Are you serious?” Taylor gasped.

“Yeah.” Brandon nodded.

“God, what a bitch move, Ash.” Taylor muttered. She put a hand lightly on Brandon’s arm, and he reflexively flexed the muscle under her touch. He always did it when a girl touched him. That’s just how he was.

To Brandon’s delight, he felt her hand give his muscle the tiniest squeeze. After that, she quickly dropped her hand.

“I’m sorry Zack and Ashley did that to you. Nobody deserves that.” she said. Despite the moment that had just happened between them, Brandon could hear the unspoken words: ‘even you’.

“Thanks. I know Ashley likes Bishop, but a heads up that we’re done might have been nice.” Brandon grumbled.

“Yeah.” Taylor nodded. There was a sudden sound, and both looked up. Brandon lifted his gun towards the sound, and Taylor did the same.

But instead of a blue vested enemy, it was a red vested ally.

“Hannah.” Taylor said in surprise, “Where’s Grace and Pietra?”

“They’re out. Your mom and Mr. Ravers killed them. But, funny story, they headed straight for Zack.” Hannah grinned wickedly. Brandon and Taylor exchanged looks. The beautiful older girl put her hand on Brandon’s shoulder.

“Let’s go get you some vengeance.” she offered a smile. Brandon smiled back.

———

Zack and Brooke had just about regrouped with Heather and Logan when Robert, Monica, and Audrey emerged from the woods.

“We just took out the Smith sisters. They’re moving in small groups, just like we are. We’re not hunting them all like we thought. They could be anywhere. It was just the Smith sisters, which means that they’re probably in pairs, and there’s a group of three somewhere.” Robert reported.

“Ok. We’ve seen no signs of any reds around here.” Heather shook her head.

“Neither have we.” Zack volunteered.

“Aren’t you guys one group?” Audrey frowned.

“I wanted to speak with Zack, so we briefly split into two pairs.” Brooke explained. Heather gave Zack a worried look, but he simply gave her a small smile.

“Better not be putting the moves on my ex-wife.” Robert joked. Zack choked suddenly, and Monica patted his back while Audrey laughed.

“Why would he be...” Heather frowned.

“Haven’t you heard? Zack got into some trouble with Fiona and Sela Wynwick, after they rescued him from the storm.” Robert chuckled. Heather sent Zack a shocked look.

“What, like you’ve never had a threesome?” Zack defended himself. Now it was Robert’s turn to choke. Brooke looked similarly dismayed by that, and Zack regretted calling Heather out in front of her parents, even though Robert had done just that to him.

But Heather looked downright gleeful.

“I knew I liked you.” she winked at Zack, and Zack gave Logan a slightly incredulous look, and he just shrugged.

The group of seven set out into the forest, and there was a moment of silence, before Brooke, on Zack’s left spoke.

“Have you had a threesome, Heather?” she inquired.

“Yeah.” Heather responded casually. Brooke glared daggers at Robert, who held up his hands (and consequently his gun) in surrender.

“Don’t look at me. I don’t dictate my daughter’s sex life.” Robert shrugged, hands still aloft.

“Shhh!” Monica demanded, and Heather’s squabbling parents stopped.

Three red vested individuals came at the group from three different angles. Zack felt hands shove him, and he landed awkwardly on top of Brooke, and gasped at the realization he was laying on top of Heather’s mom, and then he scrambled to his feet and returned fire. The red closest to him was splattered by blue, and Brandon swore fiercely. Monica cried out as the other two red figures, Taylor and Hannah, painted her red.

Zack grabbed Brooke’s hand and helped her up before ducking behind a tree. Brooke joined him quickly, and Zack almost laughed at the competitiveness he saw in her eyes. The feeling of laughter cut off abruptly when Brooke’s ass pressed against Zack’s hips, and of course, his flaccid cock, which was rapidly becoming anything but.

Zack swallowed and heard Robert grunt and Hannah give a wicked laugh.

“You go left, I’ll go right.” Brooke whispered in Zack’s ear, and he nodded mutely. Brooke moved and Zack moved in the opposite direction. Logan jumped out from behind a tree at their movement, and he helped Brooke take out Hannah, though he got splattered red in the process.

Zack starred shooting Taylor, but a glob of red hit his vest before he could take her out.

Zack huffed, and Taylor took down Brooke quickly, grinning. That’s about when Taylor remembered Heather was a part of the group. Heather popped up behind Taylor and unloaded three or four shots into Taylor’s vest.

“Gotcha.” she proudly proclaimed, grinning at Taylor.

———

Audrey had been splattered during the initial attack, it was revealed afterwards.

Everyone but Heather trekked back towards the cabin, while Heather ran off to group up with Paris, Ashley, and Chloe.

“We got you guys good.” Hannah laughed.

“Yeah, you did.” Audrey agreed. Zack looked sideways at Brooke, and she gave him a fond smile. He smiled back at her, slightly uncertain.

“You’re an impressive man.” Brooke said quietly, and Zack stifled a gasp as she looked pointedly towards his cock, and then sped up to walk alongside Audrey.

Logan fell back to walk beside Zack, and he studied Zack carefully.

“Sorry for pushing you. You just seemed a bit stunned, and I figured you didn’t want your big sister to kick your ass.” Logan chuckled.

“Ah, it was you. I wondered who’d pushed me. You saved my life.” Zack grinned.

“I guess I did.” Logan smirked.

Zack chuckled, but that died abruptly when he saw Taylor walking alongside Brandon, laughing at something he’d said. They were walking too close together for Zack’s comfort.

“Ugh. Do you think he’s trying to get revenge on you?” Logan asked. Zack gave him a surprised look.

“The whole cabin saw you kiss Ashley.” Logan said shamelessly.

“Oh. True, I guess.” Zack admitted.

“You guess?” Logan asked dryly. Zack chuckled.

“Alright.” Robert said as they emerged from the forest and the cabin came into view, “I’m going to go start making dinner. Any volunteers? Monica?”

“Sorry, Robert. Zachary and I need to talk.” Monica said. Zack’s heart started beating a little faster from worry. His mom never called him Zachary unless he was in trouble.

“I’m happy to help.” Audrey shrugged.

“Yeah, why not?” Hannah agreed.

“I might go for a swim.” Brandon shrugged.

“A swim sounds nice.” Taylor smiled at Brandon, and Zack wanted to hurl.

Robert instructed them to leave their paint-splattered vests in the grass right outside the cabin, and everyone obeyed before they headed inside.

———

Monica Bishop was unsure how to approach this as she led Zack into the bedroom she shared with Charlotte. Speaking of, Monica subtly kicked one of Charlotte’s lacy bras under one of the twin beds in the room.

Zack hadn’t really done anything wrong. He was an adult (though just barely) and sex was a normal thing that Monica had engaged in frequently when she was Zack’s age. In fact, she’d done lots more than he ever had.

Zack sat down on Monica’s bed.

“What’s wrong, Mom?” Zack asked curiously.

Why was she even here? She was beginning to realize that she had no real reason to punish or berate Zack. Nothing he did was wrong, in the physical sense of things. Morally, eh, but he was a teenage boy, not a nun.

“When you had sex with Fiona and Sela, you used protection, right?” Monica blurted, realizing she couldn’t just keep standing there silently.

“Uh, no. They said they were on birth control.” Zack said weakly. Monica decided she could work with this.

“You just believed them?” Monica questioned.

“Yeah, I guess.” Zack answered awkwardly.

“Zack, I am under no illusions that you’re going to be a perfect angel, forever untainted by lust, but at least use protection, ok? It’s more than just getting pregnant, there’s all kinds of-“ Monica began.

“Mom! God, Mom, I know! I know! I had to sit through Mr. Ward explain all that shit to me.” Zack said. Then he paused.

“Stuff.” he corrected himself. Monica couldn’t smother her laugh.

“Zack, you’re 18. I think you can cuss in the same room as me. Now, you cuss AT me, different story, understood?” Monica warned. Zack nodded.

“Good. You can go.” Monica said, folding her arms. She’d never seen Zack leave a room that quickly. She was proud of herself, in a way. She’d realized before lecturing him that she had no business or reason to get all up in his business, and had quickly changed the reason for the talk into an insurance of his safety.

She felt the urge to pat herself on the back.