Page 21 of You Were Warned: Part One

“I’m just . . .” He pauses for a second to smile at me, and I swear if this were a cartoon, I would see hearts billowing from behind him. “I’m so pleased for the island. Fresh talent and people for you to hate more than me.”

I snort out a laugh. “You still hold that title. A few dude bros won’t change that.”

“You’re so kind to me.”

He is fucking infuriating. Why does he always seem to think my venom is words of affirmation? “It was an insult.”

“It’s all about how you view the world, my love.”

One of the backdrops, the one with the sunglasses on his cap, looks over and sees us. He says something to the other two, and all three of them stare. Then Sunglasses grins and nudges the guy next to him. When all three move toward us, I’m pissed that the Jester has ruined my incognito stalking.

“Hey,” Sunglasses says. “I’m Brody, and this is Colby and Tuck.”

Colby lifts a hand, and Tuck nods. They are as interchangeable up close as they were from a distance.

“We’re the new stunt drivers,” Brody continues. “Just got in this morning. This place is wild.”

“Mmhm,” I say.

The Jester steps forward. “Welcome to Fear Island. I’m the Jester. This”—he gestures to me with what I can only describe as fondness, and it makes me want to puke—“is Vesper. She’s our resident gothic nightmare and the reason most of our guests look over their shoulders.”

“Seems fun,” Colby says.

“She is spectacular,” the Jester gushes.

“Bite me,” I snap.

“See?” the imbecile says. “Spectacular.”

Brody looks between us and grins at the guy next to him. “Are you two together? Because I can feel the sexual tension from here.”

I step forward, but the Jester puts his arm out to stop me. “Did you come here to die?”

“I have a shovel,” comes a voice, and Noa walks up beside me, shovel in hand. “And I know how to dig a grave.” He beams, staring at the backdrop who just spoke. “I would be honored to be of service.”

The three of them gawk at Noa, who looks back and smiles, leaning on his shovel like he has nowhere else to be and nothing else to do.

“I like him,” one of the backdrops says.

“Everyone likes me,” Noa agrees. “It’s a burden I carry with grace.” Noa glances at me. “Vesper, you look like you’re about to commit a crime.”

“I’m considering it.”

Noa shrugs. “Let me know if you need a hole pre-dug.”

I nod. “I’ll radio you.”

He nods and wanders back toward the cemetery.

The backdrop with the sunglasses has the good sense to stop talking, while the other two mutter that they have to keep unloading, then they all wander back to what they were doing.

“Stupid fucking backdrops,” I mutter.

The Jester glances at me. “What?”

“That’s what they are—they don’t fit. They’re just backdrops to the island.”

The Jester looks over at them and then laughs. “That is very creative.”