Slither - Edward Lee [34]
"Aw, shit, Slydes!" Jonas whispered.
"I can't fuckin' believe this shit. There's no reason for any of these people to be here, for shit's sake!"
At least none that they could think of. It was the farthest head shack Jonas used for his hydroponic operation, at the other end. He knew if he took a chance now and blew it, they'd lose the whole works and a hell of a lot of money.
"I say we go in and get the dope anyway," Jonas said.
"No way," Slydes insisted. "We'd be morons to do that."
Ruth smiled in the dark.
Jonas wasn't happy. "Shit, Slydes, I don't even think there's anyone in that first shack anyhow."
"Then why's the door open, dick-for-brains? Why're the lights on?"
"Maybe-"
With no warning, Ruth squealed like a referee whistle.
Slyde's heart surged. He slapped his hand over her mouth to seal off the shriek, and felt her tremoring in his grasp. What the shit!
What was wrong with her?
"Quiet, quiet!" Jonas shot another whisper. He held up Ruth's quivering arm, which displayed a small thin snake. "It ain't nothin'," he said and plucked the snake off with his fingers and tossed it away. Shit, a little snake's all it was, Slydes thought. He kept his huge hand clamped over Ruth's face, and took a few silent moments for him and his brother to see if anyone inside the head shack had heard Ruth's outburst.
A shadow appeared in the bright, open doorway, and a figure stepped out.
Another chick, Slydes thought. What the fuck's going on here? And it didn't matter, because if she'd heard them, and called authorities, they'd have to beat feet off the island and leave everything.
All that pot.
The woman in the doorway looked wan, slim. She walked out and glanced around as if indeed looking for trespassers.
Then she shrugged and went back inside.
"We lucked out," Slydes said under his breath. "She didn't hear." He gestured with a jerk of his head to move off.
When they got to another clearing, Slydes realized he still hadn't let go of Ruth. She collapsed out of his arms when he released his grip.
"Shit, man!" Jonas exclaimed. He seemed almost amused. "Is she dead?"
Moonlight broke through some clouds. Ruth lay crumpled and still at their feet. I didn't smother the bitch, did I?
He began to worry just when her chest heaved and she snapped back to consciousness.
"Damn," Jonas remarked. "We could only hope."
Her eyes batted; she leaned up on her elbows. Then awareness returned. "Holy fuck! That snake!"
Slydes looked down, hands on hips. "You're as dumb as they come, girl. You almost blew it for all of us."
She seemed outraged by the comment. "There was a snake on me!"
Slydes dragged her up by the T-shirt collar and slammed her against a tree. it was just a baby pine snake, you empty-headed-fuck brain."
it was gonna bite me!"
Her eyes bugged when Slydes, again, slapped his big hand over her mouth. "If you don't keep your fuckin' voice down, baby, the next time I go trolling for gators, it's your ass I put on the hook."
Jonas smiled, popped a brow at the threat.
"Pine snakes ain't poisonous," Slydes went on, "and that one was too small to bite anyway. You are about the dumbest set of tits on two legs." He dragged his hand away and pointed at her. "We hear one more peep out of you, and you're gonna be a dead set of tits, you hear me?"
"All right, Jesus," she complained.
"What do we do now, Slydes?" Jonas asked. "We don't grab the weed soon and get out, we'll miss the high tide."
Slydes grumbled, rubbed his beard. "I know. We only got two choices. Leave now and come back when it's safer-"
"Let's do that," Ruth dared in the lowest voice.
"-or wait till that chick at the head shack goes to sleep. Then we grab some weed and go camp out ourselves in the middle of the island somewhere. And wait twenty-four hours for the next night tide."
"I can't put this off, Slydes," Jonas insisted, shaking his head. "If I don't put more product on the street, I'll lose all my bagmen to the competition. Don't matter how good my hydro is, I'll lose my rep