Quality and Quantity Read online

Y & QUALITY

  For nearly four years, about 60 people have been found dead in the Lake Erie area. The best psychics, cops, detectives, and investigators have gotten nothing except profiles of the known killers. A mile down from the lake is the house where the murderers lived and hideout every so often. The Muroshis are the famous serial-killers: Bert, the father and leader; Amy the oldest daughter; Mark, the only son; Ken, Bert’s brother; and Rosa, the younger daughter. They’re about to make their biggest stand ever!

  In Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, a bus of teens drives through town. 20 friends are heading from high school, to Lake Erie for a class weekend camping trip. In the very back, a boy with short brown hair, glasses, and shorts sits quietly, looking out the window. His name is Will Keeper, a straight A student and running back for the high school football team. He only came on the trip for football practice with the guys and to charm Amanda. In front of him, Amanda McDonald sat with her long red hair listening to music. She came on the trip to get away from her ex-boy friend stalker Brent and to hang with friends. Beside her was her best friend, Helen Burton. She had wavy blonde hair and was applying her makeup. Helen was on the camping trip to get to know if a boy, Nate, liked her or not. Nate Damson sat beside Will and stared at Helen. Nate, like Will, was there to win over Helen’s heart. In the front seat sat a tall boy, six foot three inches, who was texting on his Blackberry. Harold Carson was his name and his so-called girlfriend, Kyra Elsin sat with him. Kyra was a short girl, but a tomboy. The two were there just to reconnect. Their hyper pal, Sam Barner, sat across from them making annoying sounds. Beside him was a wealthy kid, Kyle Woods. Sam and Kyle were along just to relax and chill. Behind them was a tomboy with wavy brown hair and a romantic book, Kristen Stouffer. Her best friend, Brandy Lowe, a freckled girl with glasses sat beside her. The two friends were on the trip to “be one with nature”. The three jokers, and morons, sat in the middle of everyone. Joe Renald, Cory Starley, and Fred Wallen joked around. They were only on the trip to be funny. Behind them, a girl with wavy, long black hair sat messing with her phone. Lola Morse is her name and a tall tomboy with short hair sat beside her. She was Laura Flora. A short boy in a Fox racing cap sat alone and his name is Tom Rowles. Behind him were the “outcasts”: Lewis Mesa, a Hispanic boy with a shaved head; Roy Kenneth, a hefty Mexican; Chey Korso, an African American girl with braces; and Eden Berns, a short girl with long, black hair.

  The bus finally dropped off the campers at Lake Erie and they unloaded their supplies.

  “Don’t be a ninny!” Sam lifted out the tent as everyone else was lacking about.

  “I hope he gets lost,” joked Nate as he tried to cheer up Will. Will and Nate had been friends since middle school and hung out every year since. Will and Harold are the only ones who know about his crush on Helen.

  “Let’s get a fire going. Come on Kyra.” Harold and Kyra took off running into the woods for firewood.

  “Well someone needs a wild night,” Nate joked as he helped Will with the coolers. “We got three full days out here man. This is the time.” Will didn’t remark to the comment.

  “Set it down here.” Kyle dropped the tents and chairs and relaxed. “I better be relaxed this weekend.” At the second, Lola, Amanda, and Helen walked past the boys toward the lake.

  “Hey guys. Joe, Cory, and Fred just fired up the grill and Harold and Kyra got the firewood. Want to join us for a swim?” Amanda waited for the answer. The boys quickly dug for their swimsuits and lotion.

  “Nice view, huh?” Nate got Will’s attention at the girls’ chairs. They were stripping down to their bikinis: Amanda in a pink bikini; Helen in a green one; Lola in a white one; and Kyra in a blue bikini. “Now for today’s entertainment lads.” Just then, the ladies dived into the water, soaked and all. “Make room!” “Lookout!” “Chicken Fight!” The boys joined the fun and relaxation. They had a chicken fight, swim race, and a dive off the cliffs. “Go with her, I’m taking Helen.” Nate guided Will to where Amanda swam alone. Nate left to going Helen on the shore. Harold and Kyra were by the pier and Lola was sunbathing.

  “I’m so glad I came. Aren’t you?” “Sure, a whole weekend of food, friends, campfires, and….” Will stopped himself. He didn’t want Amanda to know…yet.

  “The birds, the trees, the fire. Nature is awesome.” Kristen and Brandy sat around the fire pit chatting about nature.

  “You mind shutting it? I’m trying to cook here.” Joe flipped the burgers and sipped his root beer.

  “Just don’t burn the food. We’re going down to the lake.” They stripped down to their bikinis and ran off to the lake.

  Later that evening, the food was finished. “Come and get it! I’m starving.” Everyone dug onto the grub of hotdogs, hamburgers, steaks, salad, chips, pickles, strawberries, and brownies. With a mouthful, Nate sat down beside Will. Both their plates were filled with food. “How did it go?”

  “I don’t know. We talked, of course, but I didn’t tell her.”

  “What? Don’t be a pansy.”

  “Yeah, ninny.” Sam and Kyle sat across from them and mocked.

  “Walk with me.” Will and Nate stood up and walked away when Kyra joined them. “You need some advice.”

  “This is going to be a long weekend,” Will sadly said.

  “At this rate, oh yeah.” Kyra tried to get Will to laugh, but failed. They entered the woods and headed down a trail. “It is simple. You just need to tell her how you feel.”

  “I got that. I don’t know if she likes me, too. What’s that?”

  The three stopped by a light post. An old log cabin, which looked like it had been on fire, stood on a hill in front of them. “Is that blood?” Will grabbed his chest at the sight of blood stained wood. “Let’s go back. It’s getting dark.” They turned and headed back to camp, leaving the horrific sight behind them.

  At camp, the fire blazed hot and high as the sky turned pure dark. Everyone sat around it in silence, but Nate had to break it. “Any of you ever heard of the Muroshi killers?”

  Sam was the first to answer, “Yeah, a family went nuts and went on a massacre. Around 60 people have died.”

  “That’s not all. Their house is around here and it’s a log cabin…with blood covering…the walls.” Helen saw shock, fear, and terror in Nate’s eyes when he finished.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  “We saw the house, two miles up about, and it was the Muroshi house.”

  “It’s a myth!” Lewis stated. “He is just scaring you!” Will tried grabbing him, but he pulled free. “No! I’m gone!” As Lewis stormed off, Chey, Roy, and Eden followed close behind.

  “Leave them. Anything can get them going. Go on with the story.” Amanda said. Nate gathered his thoughts.

  “Well, we saw the house along the trail. Anyways, any campers to stay here don’t last a weekend. They’re killed in various, horrific ways. Only a couple bodies have been recovered. None were ever alive.”

  “I can’t believe them.” Lewis cried, kicking an acorn. It nearly hit Roy’s head.

  “I think we should head back.” Chey got the feeling of being watched…closely.

  “Go ahead if you want to listen to nonsense.” Lewis took off down the trail as Chey turned. Suddenly, a figure glided past her and raised a hand across her neck. Warm blood spilt from her neck and covered her clothes. She fell cold, limp, and dead! She didn’t get a scream in, but Eden did.

  “No!” Roy and Lewis turned to see a figure over Eden, who didn’t see it. “Eden, behind you!” Suddenly, a hatchet was planted into her skull! “Run!” Roy and Lewis sprinted down the trail toward camp. “I can’t do it!” Roy lacked behind, but Lewis kept going. “No, please.” In a second, a knife dug int
o his gut and ripped them out! The figured turned and looked into Lewis’s eyes. He froze. He saw a glimmer in the shadow. A blade stuck from his eye and he left out a loud scream.

  “What was that?”They heard a loud cry from the woods that startled everyone. “Who was that?” Everyone huddled closer together. “You don’t think….” Cory quieted himself. Nate had fear in his eyes…fear of death! Boom! A gunshot echoed through the woods. “Guns!” Kristen cowered behind Will as figures circled the camp. “Muroshis!” Suddenly, a loud explosion went off in the fire. Everyone went their own way for safety. Harold rose to see the entire site in blazes! “Kyra? Nate? Anyone?” Harold’s attention was caught to a lump in the fire. “Brandy?” Brandy’s outfit melted to her deformed body. “I’m getting out of here!” Harold ran toward the stream and didn’t look back.

  Outside the flames, Joe regains conscious. “Help me!” He heard the cries, but couldn’t find the source. “Joe!” Startled, Joe looked behind him. “Laura?” Laura was caught in the flames! “Help me!” Joe pulled her hands, but her legs were stuck under a tree.

  “Joe, I’ll help.” Kristen helped him pull. “She won’t budge.”

  Joe looked for help but saw none. Then he remembered the gas drums near the flames! “Let’s move!” Joe took off, but Kristen stayed. “Almost got you out!” Boom! The drums exploded,