ᴡᴏʀꜱʜɪᴘ ᴍᴇ (ᴇᴊ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ)

17: Walk Among the Dead

        You couldn't tell if Jack had heard you or not, but if he had you really hoped he understood what you were trying to do.

Obviously, you had no interest in rejoining the cult. The only reason you agreed was so that you wouldn't get stun-batoned by thirty-something cultists. You didn't know why Father Krul was offering you a spot in his cult, but at the moment it was your only option to both remain unharmed and eventually save Jack.

After you'd agreed, you'd only been able to watch as Jack was dragged into the central area. You couldn't tell where they were taking him, but you thought better of asking. As warm of a welcome as Krul was giving you, you knew it was fake, and you were well aware that you were on thin ice. Any wrong move and you'd plummet straight into the freezing pond of electricity-induced death.

Once Jack was dealt with, Father Krul instructed a couple of the cultists to escort you to the room next to his. The chosen members hooked their arms through yours before dragging you into the now-empty room. The inside was just as plain as the ones in the old cult. Stripped of their personality and any sense of individuality, all the rooms offered were four white walls, a bed, and a closet full of matching clothes. It was almost exactly like how the old cult had been. The realization sickened you. Father Krul really had just taken up where the cult had left off.

The members sat you down on one of the beds before another walked in and produced a pair of handcuffs. Your eyes went wide, but you kept your mouth shut.

"This is for your own good." The cultist said with an eerily friendly smile as they locked it to the frame and then around your wrist. You didn't reply.

As much as you wanted to thrash around and scream, you needed to cooperate. You needed to pretend that everything was fine until you found a way to get Jack back. Jack was all that mattered now.

You were relieved when the cult members finally left the room, though you didn't miss the clicking of the lock. They seemed to be taking every precaution possible. How they thought you would be capable of escaping the handcuffs? You had no idea. Giving the restraints a harsh tug was enough to tell you they weren't just a cheap prop bought from a store.

With a huff, you tried to situate yourself somewhat comfortably. Laying down didn't provide much relief considering one of your arms was trapped above your head. You didn't care, though. You already knew you weren't going to be getting any sleep tonight. Your thoughts were too loud, and your heart was still hammering against your chest. Even though you were alone you still felt anxious.

After planning with Jack earlier in the day, you'd gone through several scenarios in your head. From successfully finding and killing Krul to getting caught and having to sprint back to the car. You'd even considered the possibility of the cult just killing you both immediately. Somehow this felt worse. Not only had they electrocuted and captured Jack, they were also trying to lull you into a false sense of security. Though they were definitely failing, you knew they were planning something. You just didn't know what.

The few hours until morning felt like days. There was nothing to do but stare at the wall, and that wasn't very stimulating. Eventually, you'd gotten so lost in thought you didn't notice morning had come until the door to the room swung open.

The same cultists as before walked in, and one went to undo the handcuffs. As soon as you could, you sat up and rubbed your sore wrist. The group of three watched you in silence before one spoke up.

"My name is Luke," a man with orange hair and freckled skin said, "and that's Maria and Isaiah." He gestured towards the other two, a short black-haired woman with an olive complexion, and a tall lanky man with dark hair.