Riddley's Nightmare - Chapter 7

Two of Lindsy's friends are having a fight with each other. Then Lindsy decides to give them both superpowers.

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After placing his towel in just the right spot on the beach, positioning it so that the sun's rays could give his toned chest a nice tan, Riddley slipped on his sunglasses and lay down, getting all comfy.

He reached into his backpack and retrieved a bottle of coconut oil, intending to rub it onto his skin. But before he could do so, a hand suddenly appeared before him, snatching the bottle away. The silhouette blocked out the sun, and it took him a moment to recognize who it was. But as soon as he saw her face, a grin spread across his own. "Shall I help you apply some oil?" Christi asked with a dazzling smile that made Riddley's stomach flutter.

Riddley's face lit up with a grin. "Now that's an offer I certainly won't decline."

What a day, and what a contrast this all was compared to a few weeks ago. Here he was, basking in the warm sunlight on the beach, sipping on a cold beer with the soothing sound of waves crashing in the background while being rubbed by a hot fox like Christi. Even his snappy sister was nice to him.

Riddley glanced over as Lindsy made herself comfortable on her towel and took a refreshing swig of her ice-cold Red Bullet. She noticed her brother looking at her and smiled. "Is everything alright, brother?

 Riddley nodded. "I can't imagine anything topping this," he said while smiling at Christi as she carefully rubbed coconut oil on his arm.

            "Good. Keep it that way." Lindsy said.

A loud commotion broke the silence, drawing their attention. Riddley squinted and noticed two of Lindsy's other friends, Stephie and Dunya, engaged in a heated argument up ahead. His brows creased in disapproval as he watched Stephie, the stunning brunette with long legs and an enviable butt, speaking to Dunya in an aggressive manner, gesturing wildly with her arms.

Double-crossing bitch! Riddley's mind seethed with anger as he remembered when Stephie had deceitfully claimed to know the secret behind his sister's abilities. 

It was all a ploy to gain favor with Lindsy.

A snicker slipped between Lindsy's lips as she briefly looked at him before returning her attention to her bickering friends. Riddley couldn't help but wonder if Lindsy had actually heard his thought or if he had accidentally said it out loud. He glanced over at Christi, who was still rubbing his arm but seemed less focused now that she was also paying attention to Stephie and Dunya. Christi gave no indication that she had heard what he had just thought or said.

With her dark curls and fiery temper, Dunya was a striking beauty hailing from Eastern Europe. As Stephie continued to shout in her face, Dunya's patience wore thin until she finally snapped. After reaching her boiling point, Dunya forcefully pushed Stephie away.

The latter shrieked and fell backward, knocking over a small child who was occupied with building a sandcastle. The structure collapsed in chaos, and the little boy burst into tears as the older girl trampled all over his creation. His father quickly rushed over to scold Stephie - who shouted in return that it was al Dunya's fault - before leading his five-year-old son away from the commotion.

Stephie brushed the sand off her body and glared at Dunya with fury in her eyes. "You'll regret that, bitch! No one is a better friend to Lindsy than I am!"

Lindsy couldn't help but snicker at the situation. Riddley glanced over at his sister and saw her relishing in the drama, enjoying the fact that two of her minions were fighting for her attention. 

Riddley could see that his sister had no intention of ending the conflict anytime soon.

Christi had stopped rubbing Riddley's arm and now looked shocked, witnessing the rift between two of her friends unfold in front of her.

            Stephie rushed up to Dunya and had to eat a smack in the face before she could retaliate with a forceful tug on Dunya's hair, causing her to shriek. 

They tumbled onto the sand and began thrashing and screaming at each other like wild cats in a fight.

Lindsy couldn't contain her laughter and spilled her drink all over her chest. The commotion did not amuse the other beachgoers. It was a busy day at the beach, with families and children enjoying the sunny weather. Seeing two teenage girls tugging on each other's hair in the sand was not ideal for parents to witness while spending a day at the beach with their kids.

As Stephie and Dunya continued to engage in their fight, several adults approached them, shouting for them to stop immediately. But the girls were utterly consumed by the desire to destroy each other. A man stepped forward, determined to intervene and separate the two girls.

Riddley felt a nudge in his side, and Lindsy leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"Watch this. You gonna love it!"

A man approached and forcefully grabbed Stephie, who was on top of Dunya, causing her to scream and thrash wildly as he pulled her away. She cursed loudly, hurling insults and swear words without a care for the surrounding crowd, including children. Some parents covered their kids' ears in disapproval of Stephie's behavior.

Instinctively, Stephie swung her elbow into the man's side. Ordinarily, this kind of attack from a small, skinny teenage girl would barely register on a full-grown, muscular man. He might groan in annoyance, but it wouldn't have any real impact.

But in that moment, everything changed. Stephie's elbow thrust backward ferociously, connecting with the guy's ribs in a sickening crack. He was propelled several meters backward, his body hurtling through the air before colliding with a group of onlookers. They were knocked over like bowling pins, caught off guard by the unexpected impact and weight of the man's body. Gasps and shouts filled the air as chaos erupted on the once-calm beach. 

Bewildered, Stephie looked from the guy behind her, who lay scrambling in the sand with several others like frolicking seals, to her arm.

Lindsy stood up, cupped her mouth, and screamed, "Wow, Stephie, you're strong! Superstrong!"

            Stephie looked at her arm, her confusion morphing into a grin of satisfaction as she flexed it proudly, feeling the menacing power surging through it. "I sure am!" With a newfound sense of confidence, she marched towards Dunya, ready to take her down.

Dunya's shock was evident in her wide eyes. She instinctively put her hands up disarmingly, stuttering, "H-hold on there, Stephie. Let us talk about it, okay?"

But before she could finish, Stephie threw a merciless haymaker, with the purpose of breaking her enemy's jaw. Dunya let out a shriek and shut her eyes, anticipating the pain – but it never came. When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see that she had somehow caught Stephie's fist with a firm grip.

            "Wow, Dunya!" Stephie's voice was heard again. "You're fast! Superfast!"

A sly grin spread across Dunya's stunning face, her eyes sparkling with newfound confidence. "I sure am!" 

With a swift motion, she brushed away Stephie's hand and balled her other hand into a tight fist. She aimed it straight at Stephie's right cheek, the force of her punch rippling through the air like a shockwave. It was as if the whole world had paused briefly, captivated by Dunya's punch's sheer power and intensity. The impact was explosive, knocking over bystanders in the first two rows and causing others beyond them to stumble and brace themselves for balance.

Stephie let out a primal scream as she swooshed through the air, her body moving with an otherworldly speed and grace. With a thunderous crash, she sliced through an abandoned beach house. Wood splinters swirled around her as she flew in a straight line towards the vast expanse of the sea. 

She tore through several towering waves, sending an unsuspecting surfer tumbling into the water before drifting to a stop several hundred meters away from the coast, where she coughed up swallowed seawater.

"Fabulous!" Stephie clapped in her hands, glee written all over her comely face.

Riddley stood up and grabbed Stephie's hands, looking earnestly into her blue eyes. "You gave them superpowers, didn't you?"

Stephie nodded, her attention still focused on their friends engaged in a fierce battle, now with enhanced abilities thanks to her. "Pretty neat, right? Finally, some excitement around here!"

"It's dangerous, Stephie! Look at all those people. They are terrified! There are kids among them!"

"Let go of me, killjoy!" Stephie wriggled her hands free. Her eyes were fixated on the scene before them, like she was watching a highly anticipated sporting event. 

"I want to see how this goes. Christi, popcorn, please!" She stretched out her hand expectantly.

Without hesitation, Christi hurried over to the sizable bag filled with various snacks and grabbed a bag of popcorn.

Like an obedient pup, Christi ran to her master and handed the bag to Lindsy – who was preoccupied with convincing Stephie to return the favor.

Riddley's eyes widened in shock as he surveyed the chaotic scene before him. Panic gripped the beach, with frantic parents urgently pulling their children along, desperate to escape the danger. 

The air was thick with fear and adrenaline, with screams and shouts filling Riddley's ears. 

People weren't seriously hurt yet, but Riddley feared that might happen eventually. Normally, a fight between two teenage girls on a crowded beach full of people who wanted to enjoy their leisure time was barely more than an unwelcoming disturbance to their peace. It could even be ignored as some people lazily closed their eyes to enjoy the beams of the warm sun, minding their own business. 

But everything changed when those same teenage girls were suddenly blessed with superpowers, able to crush boulders with their bare hands and moving at incredible speeds, surpassing even the fastest jets on the planet.

Riddley was worried that Stephie and Dunya wouldn't be able to control themselves and would cause unnecessary damage while enraged. 

And on top of it all, Lindsy was only adding fuel to the fire by stirring them up.

Even the adults from earlier seemed intimidated and unwilling to challenge such forces.

In the distance, a patrol car with two officers inside was stationed, quietly observing everything. They quickly pretended not to notice and drove off, casually snacking on a donut as they left.

Lindsy spiced up the competition by throwing in a tempting offer, 

"Whoever wins will keep her powers and become my equal!"