The car ride was long and sad. I wasn't tired, I'd slept 2 days ago. I didn't need to sleep everyday, but I'd been in this dark trunk for about 2 hours now and grew bored and impatient for the ride to be over, so I put my phone on low power mode, and put Joji on shuffle.
"This is a not a threat, I promise,
I promise,
This is not a threat, I promise,
It's a warning baby, I just want you to know..."
'Demons' calmed me even though I was in the trunk of a strangers car. I put it on repeat and soon, I was asleep.
~ 2 hours later ~
I was startled out of my sleep by the bumps in the ground. The sound of gravel under the tires let me know we were off road. I checked to see what time it was. 7:14 am. I sighed. I was hoping I'd wake up and I'd be back home in bed or something, but I was still in this trunk.
"Where are we?" I thought. I tried checking the map on my phone but it didn't even recognize where we were. My back was starting to hurt, so I tried to shift position but as soon as I did, the car stopped and I hit the back of the seat that the guy with the different colored hair was in. My knee hit the tool box which hurt like hell. I groaned.
It's just not gonna get better is it?
I heard 2 of the doors open. I immediately remember that I bit the guy with the durag and he looked like he wanted to kill me before he stuffed me in the trunk. He kinda reminded me of my step dad. He had gotten drunk one time and blamed me for him falling down the stairs, so he tried to push me down the stairs in return. There was no way I was getting thrown down 16 steps, so I fought my way around him and he lost balance and fell again. He was so upset that his attempts failed, he threw a hammer at me. I caught it and threw it back. I didn't mean to hit him in the forehead, but it was in the way of the hammer. It made me think that the guy with the durag would be so upset that I bit him that he would do something extreme like that too.
Another car door opened.
"Out." The driver said. He must've been ordering the guy in the backseat to get out. The car moved from him sliding across the seat and then the trunk opened. The durag guy reached for me and I tried to get as far away from him as possible. All I could think of was the situation with my step dad. I was more afraid of the guy with durag than I was of the guy who pointed a gun at me.
"No, no!" I said, fighting.
"You fight, I shoot." The drivers voice sent chills down my spine. I found him and the guy from the backseat standing next to the durag guy. I complied and reached my hand out for him to help me out of the trunk. To my surprise, he didn't yank me. He was very gentle. I could feel the drivers eyes on me, and it made me extremely uncomfortable. The trunk closed and they walked us to what looked like a mausoleum. It was old and looked like it could collapse at any minute. The guy let go of me and tried to open the door but he winced. He wrist was causing him a lot of pain and from what I could tell, it was swollen.
The driver scoffed. "Let me do it."
The darker skinned one moved out of the way as the driver opened the door. After he pushed it open, he grabbed the guy from the back seat and walked through the entrance. The darker skinned one simply escorted me through the door. He was being oddly nice to me, especially after I just bit the crap out of him.
Behind the door was a flight of stairs going down. I held onto his arm as we went down since there was no rail. The bottom of the stairs was pitch black, but I could still see. There was a door on the left and a door ahead of us, but the driver led us over to the right to a door that was under the stairs. I would've never known it was there. The door opened and there was a bunch of commotion. Girls began coming out of rooms and throwing themselves at the driver but he shoved them away. He gave the guy with the durag a nod and then turned off to the right and we kept straight. After a series of turns we arrived at a light pink door. He opened it, and inside was a beautiful bedroom.
The ceiling caught my attention immediately. My jaw dropped as I walked in the room. It was totally amazing. Looking at that print on the ceiling made me think that maybe all the stars were farther apart, because if they were closer, that would be bad. But it would be pretty.
"Wait," I said remembering that this isn't my room and I'm over 4 hours away from home. I turned around to face him but I bumped right into him. I was shocked that I didn't feel him so close to me. He steadied me and then pulled me in for a hug. I almost tried to pull away, but didn't resist after I sensed comfort.
"I'm sorry." He whispered so quietly, it was hardly audible. I didn't know why he said it, he and his buddy just forced me into their car.
I found myself wrapping my arms around his mid body. But then I stopped myself and pulled away.
"What is your name?" I asked looking into his eyes.
"Just call me Ski." He said before walking out and closing the door gently. I stood where he left me for about 10 more seconds, trying to make sense of the situation before opening the door and calling after him down the hall.
"Wait," I said from the door way. He turned around and raised his eyebrows. "Is this my room now?"
"Yes. Get some sleep." He replied.
"I'm not sleepy." I said. His face was blank so I couldn't read his expression. I assumed he was getting irritated with me, so I backed into my new room. I waited for a few seconds and then peeked out into the hall and he wasn't there anymore. I crept down to the end of the hallway. I looked around before seeing him going down another hallway on the left. I was about to follow him but someone came out so I hid behind the nearest couch. After a few seconds, I peeked to see who it was, and it was the guy with half and half hair. One side was black and one side was blonde. He looked miserable. I watched him walk to the hall that was across from the one Ski went down. After he disappeared, I heard a door open and close. I went down the hallway looking for Ski, but I didn't know which room was his. There was 6 doors on the hall, 3 on each side and all of them were closed. I put my hand on the knob of the first one. Didn't feel him. I tried the next door on the other side. It wasn't his. I tried the next door on the other side and it wasn't his. I tried the next one and as soon as I put my hand on the door, I felt familiarity. I put my ear up against it to hear what was going on inside and heard showed water running.
Do NOT try to open the door, Andromeda. Do NOT.
I twisted the knob.
Do NOT go THROUGH the door.
I pushed it open.
Andromeda.
I entered and closed the door softly behind me. His room was rather large. King size bed, walk in closet, entertainment center, posters on the wall... I could feel somebody else's presence here. Familiar, but not familiar enough to where I could put my finger on whose it was.
I sat on his bed, feeling the soft duvet covers and also feeling his body through the sheets. I could tell he doesn't wear a shirt to bed. And I wouldn't mind seeing it.
Damn Andy, you're a perv.
I got lost in my thoughts, trying to decipher what this place is, who else's presence I felt, what they want me for, why Ski was being so nice to me, what's up with the guy with the half and half hair--
The shower went off.
I immediately begin to panic. I had anxiety like a bitch, so I was about to run out of his room, but when I was about to open the door, I heard footsteps. It was the driver, I could feel it. If he saw me leaving Ski's room, it could get him in trouble and I'd probably be done for so I didn't open the door.
I tried to think fast for somewhere to hide or something to say, but I didn't think fast enough because the bathroom door opened and out came Ski.
"Woah, what the fuck?" he said after begging startled by me being there. The idiot in me hoped that if I didn't move he wouldn't see me, but of course he saw me.
"Hi Ski." I said with a nervous smile, still facing the door.
"What are you doing in my room?" He said sounding irritated and dissatisfied. I tried to find something to say, but failed. He started to come in my direction and I got scared.
"I'm sorry about your wrist, please don't hit me." I said and flinched. He stopped after getting close enough to me that I could feel his gravity. He started walking again, but this time he went to the door. He opened it to check if anyone was outside and then closed it again.
I finally turned to face him, but my eyes immediately met the towel that was wrapped around his lower body.
Oh. My. God. Andromeda.
I couldn't look away.
Andromeda.
Damn.
He's talking to you.
Man, a part of me wants to take him over to that bed and make a great first impression...
Andromeda.
And a part of me wants to snatch the towel right now.
ANDROMEDA.
I wonder if he gets down like that--
"Hey." Ski's voice broke through my thoughts. "Carlos never told me your name."
"Andromeda... but call me Andy or Andro." I replied, trying to keep my eyes focused on his face. And the more I looked, the more I got caught up in his eyes.
Uh, baby you're staring. Lookawaylookawaylookaway ANDROMEDA.
I broke eye contact with him and walked past him and continued to observe his room.
"So, that's his name. Carlos." I said looking at one of Ski's posters.
"Mhm."
"He doesn't like me much, does he?"
"It's not that he doesn't like you, he says you have something he needs. He also says that's what you called him and told him." Ski said walking toward the bathroom again.
"Weird, I've never spoken to him a day in my life." And that was the truth, I haven't.
"You called him saying, you know about planet Netherrack, and either you are a Netherrack, or you know one."
I knew it! I knew it was real! But wait... how did they know about it?
"I've had multiple dreams of Netherrack, but I didn't know it was real. Like it was sorta a figment of my imagination." I lied. I had suspicions that my best friend, Paris, was a Netherrack, but I never asked because I didn't know if I'd be able to keep that secret if she'd said yes. She runs faster than your average human, her senses are heightened, strong as hell and she has purple eyes. I've only seen them once, but she said the were contacts for halloween. It was the middle of April last year when she 'got them' and when halloween came around, she didn't even go trick or treating. Try again, Paris.
"Andy," Ski called my name. I was afraid if I walked around the corner, I'd see his prize possession, so I stayed where I was.
"Yes?"
"You can run pretty fast, you can sense shit that I didn't know people could sense, and you fought off two grown men."
"What is your point?" I asked, not knowing what else to say.
"Point is you match the description that Carlos has of a "Netherrack" and you match the description that the person who called gave." He said turning the light off as he came out of the bathroom. I could see his Calvin Klein boxers underneath the pair of light grey sweats he had on and Supreme socks. No shirt. And I was not complaining.
"What description were you given?" I asked before I got caught up in staring at him again.
"You have light brown skin, you're about 5'1, hair color light brown/ dark blonde, and you typically wear it out in an afro or in space buns, you're thick, and you like outer space so you could be found outside at 2048 Willow Avenue around 1 - 3 am watching the sky," I couldn't even say anything, it was spot on. "Oh and you have one sapphire eye and one emerald eye."
Well shi--
"And you seem to be the only thick girl with a light brown afro watching the sky at the ass crack of dawn, sooo it must be you." He said as he put his phone on the charger. His back was to me and of course, I looked.
"Damn."
"What?" He said as he looked over his shoulder. I thought I said that in my head.
"Uhhhh, damnnnn... that's a nice bed you got." I improvised. He chuckled.
"Yea, California king."
"Care to share?"
"My bed?" He asked as he laid down. Damn, I need to stop saying my thoughts out loud.
"Your charger after you get done," I lied and he laughed again.
"You're a horrible liar, but yea I'm down to share my space."
"So you don't mind me being here?"
"Can't risk Carlos seeing you. He might get pretty pissed."
Well shoooooot. Okay then.
I got in his bed and laid next to him but left like 2 feet of space between us. I was nervous, so I laid there like a stiff board and it seemed to amuse him.
"Don't be so awkward," he said putting one of his arms out, signaling me to come closer.
"I can't help it," I said with a nervous smile. I tapped my fingers on my stomach and looked around at the ceiling.
"Get over here."
Yes, sir.
I moved closer to Ski, but I apparently not close enough because when I was about to settle in my new spot, he grabbed my arm and pulled me even further.
"There. Now try to get some sleep, we might have a busy day later on."
Wow, imagine that. They guy who I trembled in the presence of all was letting me sleep next to him in his bed.
It's all fun and games until he tries to stab you.
My conscience ruins everything for me. I ignored it and began to think about Ski. It was obvious he didn't want to take me. My first impression of him was clearly wrong. He was nice, but it was Carlos I still had to worry about.
Beat beat, beat beat, beat beat.
His chest swell up, then deflated over and over. I could hear the blood running through his veins and it was undeniably satisfying to listen to. His heart rate dropped and so did the swelling of his chest. He was drifting off to sleep, so I made sure to be as still as possible. Now that I know that the Netherrack are real, I wanted to go deep into my mind and dig up all the memories of the dreams I've had. There must be some truth in them somewhere.