COLE'S POV
Since our arrival here it's been awfully quiet. I don't remember much from when I was a kid hanging out at different houses with my dad but I do remember this one. It was never this silent.
Perhaps its that the older men have left or died. The kids my age are now in their prime and taking over leaving Samuel as their leader and last remaining member of the people who were friends with my dad.
Emily kept pacing around the room waiting for me to tell her what happened at these 'boys nights'
She could pace forever. I still wouldn't tell her. She would cause an uproar. I just needed to get through tonight.
Tomorrow the hypnotist would help me regain memories of the other houses my dad had built. Or plan to build anyway. We'd travel to one of them and be safe. For how long? I'm not sure but it'd give me enough time to think of how I was going to find Zac before he finds us.
There was one problem I hadn't discussed with Emily, though. My dad and I are the only one who knew about these houses. Once I discuss my problem with John, the hypnotist, he will also know.
That doesn't only put him at risk for getting the information beat out of him, but it puts Emily and I at risk for being outed. I can't have that.
//
The only thing on the wall was a clock. It read 6pm. It was time.
A hard knock at the door confirmed that.
"Do you have to go?" Emily asked.
I nodded. "If I don't they'll think something is up." I took my hand and placed it on her cheek.
"Don't do anything you'll regret." She whispered to me as we hugged.
I squeezed tight.
EMILY'S POV
Cole wouldn't let go. He gripped my body tighter as we hugged.
"Don't do anything you'll regret." I whispered.
He just hugged tighter. I could hardly breathe.
Another knock at the door made us both jump. He was nervous. What happened at these 'boys nights'? Could it really be that bad?
He finally let go and started to walk towards the door. His hand reached for the door knob but he didn't touch it. His body turned back towards me.
I walked to him. "What is it?"
"If someone comes in here while I'm gone for the night...just cooperate. Please." He begged before lightly kissing me.
I was not expecting either of those things to happen. My body felt tingly.
What did he mean? Just cooperate?
Cole stared in my eyes until I responded.
"Okay." I returned the favor and kissed his hand.
He left. I locked the door.
COLE'S POV
As I shut the door behind me I was keeping a lookout for anyone in my immediate space. That would be bad.
Did I remember how boys night went? Yes. I still felt the need to go through every detail.
There were different types of nights. It seemed like every month there would be a new one made up by whoever was in charge at the time. I never really found much enjoyment in them. After Faith I didn't feel the need to participate at all. Who knows how these guys go about it.
"Cole! There you are!" Samuel laughed.
"Here I am." I smirked. My hands naturally rubbed together.
"Well okay then, Matt I'll leave it up to you! Have a good night boys." Samuel began to walk away.
"Wait you're not staying?" I asked.
He shook his head. "In a few years I'll leave this house to Matt. He can't handle it." Samuel nodded to everyone before leaving.
Other than Matt and myself there were 4 other guys with us. All around the same age. I couldn't care enough to ask their names so I just stayed silent.
"Okay, men" Matt emphasized. Cringe. "Are we ready for one hell of a night?" He grinned from ear to ear.
"Hell yeah!" We all yelled.
"Well alright. We're going to start the night by going on an old fashioned hunt. It's pretty dark outside already. Our job is to get back before the sun officially sets.
"Isn't the nearest city an hour or two away?" I interrupted.
Matt's face seemed to pity me. "Yes. That's why we brought a little bit of the city to us." He motioned for one of the boys to get something.
They went around the corner and came back with a girl. She was petite. Blonde. Scared.
"This is our newest girl. Someone's parents didn't care enough to pay for her back...so...we'll give her a chance to get out on her own."
"Go." Matt told her.
She took off out of the house.
"Alright whoever catches her gets to call swap monkey."
And with that everyone took off after her.
Their job was simple. Catch the girl and get to spend a night with another guys companion. They have no say. They are the swap monkey.
My job however was not that simple. I wasn't actually apart of this group so I was competing for what? Fun?
I wasn't actually going to try. Just walk around until I heard the airhorn signaling someone had won. At least that was my plan. Matt wouldn't leave my side.
"You got any tips? The forest you lived in was much bigger than this one." He chuckled.
I shook my head. "No. We never actually played this one. We had a rule. Never go after them."
"Oh, shit. So you're like...breaking your own rule?"
Matt was more fun to be around as a kid. Then again my mindset was different back then.
We walked through the woods for about 5 minutes before hearing a curdling scream.
"This way." Matt jumped and took off after it. I ran behind him.
We stumbled upon one of the other guys dragging the poor girl by her hair.
"She's MINE. Back off!" He yelled trying to get her back to the cabin.
Just then the airhorn was blown. What? How could that be?
The blonde girl took that as a moment to yank her head away and make a break for it. Matt jumped infront of her.
"Not so fast." He grabbed her arm. "Mine now." He told the other guy. He gave Matt the middle finger. I did too, mentally.
We all looked at each other and collectively ran back to see what was up.
One of the other boys stood at the porch holding a brunette girls by the hair. He jumped up and down. "Look who I found!" He was screaming.
"What the hell dude that was NOT who we were trying to find." Matt seemed upset.
Matt handed the other guy the blonde girl and he drug her into the house.
"Who is that?" I asked Matt.
"About a week ago we played the same game. We couldn't find her." He brushed it off.
The brunette girl was bearly able to stand. Her legs were wobbling and head dropped. Was she alive?
"I'll take care of it later." Matt walked past him and said. The other guy dropped the Burnette girl.
All of the other guys stepped over her body to get back in the house. I crouched down to check for a pulse. She had one. It was very faint.
A soft noise came from her mouth.
"What?" I asked and leaned down farther to her mouth.
"Kill me." She whispered.
I stood up. I was not going to kill this girl.
"Cole, come on! Next game." Matt smiled.
I shut the front door behind me. "Coming."
//
We all sat in the living room drinking whatever beer was in the fridge. It was a brand I didn't recognize. Still tasted fine.
"Okay boys! Let's watch a little tv."
Matt turned on the tv to reveal a bedroom with the blonde girl we just brought back from the forest.
"Whoever is closest gets more beer." The prize was a little less exciting to everyone now.
This game was simple. They're going to do something to the girl and we guess how she reacts.
"First, a friend." Matt spoke into a walkie talkie.
Everyone was here so I'm not sure who he was talking to. The bedroom door opened and in slithered a snake.
"Guesses, quick!" Matt shouted.
"She's gonna fucking scream." One of the guys said.
"Obviously." Matt rolled his eyes.
"I think she'll let it eat her." Someone else guessed.
"Maybe she'll try to kill it." I guessed.
We watched on the screen as the blonde girl saw the snake come in the room.
She was crying.
"Why me?" She cried out.
This is messed up. Even with our group we never did anything this bad. Our boys nights involved ourselves and maybe some of the girls but we never tried to kill them. Maybe our group exploded because we never evolved. I'm okay with that.
"Damn! You win, Dude." Matt handed the guy who guessed it'd kill her another beer.
We watched as the blonde girl kneeled on the floor and cried out for her family. The snake was big, looked like a King cobra. It bit her neck.
"Alright next." Matt switched the 'channel' to another girl in another room.
"Let's put temptation in there." Matt told the walkie talkie.
The door opened and in slide a phone. It was unlocked. This is something I've done as well. It's fully functional. If the girls knows her family's number she could call right now. She could try and call 911 but that number is blocked and she'd receive a beating afterwards.
"Guesses?"
"She'll definitely call the police." Someone guessed.
"Maybe she'll smash it." I kept guessing the best outcomes.
All of us sat and watched as the girl picked up the phone and looked through it.
"I know you're watching me!" She screamed. "I'm not going to call anyone! Eat my shit!" She yelled. I couldn't help myself. I began laughing as she threw the phone to the wall.
"I guess we have a little bit more to accomplish on her." Matt told another one of the guys.
She wasn't broken enough for them. I was handed a beer for winning.
We watched as every one of the girls had their turn at something.
"Alright last but definitely least." Matt looked at me. His insult was lacking.
His fingers hit the button to switch channels. Emily. It was her turn?
"What the hell?" I asked.
"Chill out we just put the camera in there. We haven't been watching you." He laughed.
How did he know that's what I was worried about?
"Send in a fighter." Matt yelled into the walkie.
Shit.
EMILY'S POV
Just cooperate is what Cole said. So I did. An older gentleman around Samuels age came into my room. He made some snarky comment about how I locked the door. He put up a camera. It was good to know that there wasn't any in here before. On the other hand...what were they planning on watching?
The door flung open. The older gentlemen returned. This time he was angry.
"Come here, bitch."
What the fuck?
COLE'S POV
Emily was starring into the camera. Did she think I did this? Did she think it was apart of the boys night?
It's like her eyes were looking directly into mine. The door in her bedroom swung open and her attention shifted.
"Come here, bitch." A man walked in.
"What the fuck, Matt?" I looked at him.
"Relax, he won't kill her."
"He better not fucking touch her." I whispered under my breath.