Page 17 of Frat Row
“Damn right, it’s a date.” He rushes back to me, lightly touching my cheeks and resting his hand on my neck. With histhumb on my jaw, he leans down and kisses me affectionately. Then, he saunters off down the stairs, whistling to himself.
I stare at his firm ass until I can’t see him anymore.
Unlocking my apartment door, I head straight for the shower to rinse off and then flop on my bed. I fall into a deep, dreamless sleep, perfectly satiated.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Initiation
After doing a few bullshit hazing things to become a brother, the day I’ve been waiting for has arrived. I walk to the school library, which is open on weekends, but it’s a ghost town with some overachievers like me there. I have my books in my hand, a backpack slung over my shoulder, and I’m leisurely walking, not wanting to start on my math homework.
For some unknown reason, call it instinct, I happen to glance behind me, and a black SUV swerves wildly in front of me on a sidewalk, nearly hitting me. Several things cross my mind. First, this is illegal, and second, what the fuck?
A chill runs down my spine; fearing for my life, my feet kick into gear as I make a run for it. I drop all my things and sprint toward the library, expecting someone to at least see me and help.
Three men emerge from the car in full black attire, complete with gloves, masks, and even shoes. My calves are burning as I pick up speed, not comprehending what is happening.
Latching onto the door, I open it, about to yell for help, when one of them tackles me. Pain fires through me as I grunt out, landing hard, and he quickly places his hand over my mouth.
Methodically, the other two zip-tie my legs and hands together, securing them where they are cutting into my skin. Hauling me to my feet, one of them shoves some type of material into my mouth to keep me quiet. Fighting them, I shout, but only muffled sounds come out. They easily overpower me, but somehow, I manage to elbow one of them in the face, and his hands come off of me, reaching for it.
“You fucker,” he growls.
With a terrifying gaze, they drag me back to their car. One of them holds the duct tape up and undoes it in front of my face, ensuring I see it.
Turning from side to side with a terrified gaze plastered on my face, one of them slinks behind me and violently covers my head with a canvas bag, fastening it with a tie on the bottom.
I lose my vision and my voice, leaving me with only my sense of smell and hearing. Dread and frustration form inside me.
Hovering over me, I hear them burst into a fit of laughter. Sweat beads on my forehead, profusely falling into my eyes.
Only a moment passes before two of them grip me hard and toss me into the back of the trunk. I hit my head harshly, grunting in agony.
Panicking, I try to calmly take deep breaths, stubbornly not wanting to pass out. Gasoline overwhelms my nose as my bodyrolls back and forth, colliding with the top when we go over a bump.
I try to time the drive to decipher how far away these guys are taking me from campus. If I get the chance to escape, I need to know the distance.
After driving for a while, the car starts to slow down, and if my calculations are correct, we are about twenty-eight to thirty minutes from campus.
Unexpectedly, the car suddenly comes to a complete stop, and I’m thrown forward in the trunk. Shouting as loud as I can, two of the guys haul me out of the trunk, placing their hands underneath my armpits, dragging me helplessly again to an unknown destination. Hearing my shoes scrape across dirt and gravel indicates that we are in the middle of nowhere.
Suddenly, the ground shifts a bit higher, and I’m struck by cool air coming from an air conditioner. I’m inside. I instantly detect a type of incense that overpowers my nose. They carry me down an extensive number of stairs, and I count them as we go. The air temperature changes, and it becomes colder.
I cringe at the thought that it’s, without a doubt, a basement. After reaching the bottom, the canvas bag is torn off my head. My eyes take a while to adjust to my surroundings and what I see before me.
Hundreds of candles are scattered around a dungeon. Water is leaking in certain places, so we must be significantly below ground. People surround the area, wearing black robes attached to black hoods with skull masks. I can only assume they are men. Each of them has a familiar emblem on the right side of their chest. It’s of my fraternity, Alpha Chi. Realization shakes me to my core—this is initiation.
Standing, waiting in silence, there have to be over a hundred men before me with their heads bowed. Finally, I made it here after years of my dad talking excessively about the brotherhood.He never mentioned this part; unless you are an initiated brother, you are forbidden from talking about it with others.
Briskly observing that there are fifteen other initiates near me, I notice that I am the last one to arrive.
Instantaneously, the room of hooded figures separates into two groups, and they back up against either wall, shoulder to shoulder.
At the very end of this manmade passageway is a woman lying naked on a king-size bed and blindfolded with both of her hands chained up far apart from each other, her legs spread and displaying her cunt.
Taken aback by the sight before me, knots form in my stomach, and I try to hold back the vomit. What in the actual fuck?
Hooded figures step behind us, subtly cutting our zip-ties. I glance at the other initiates' faces, all of them looking appalled.
