Page 125 of Pride High

“I dunno. But if Silvia finds out I was flirting with another girl so soon after we broke up…” Omar frowned. “She’ll never take me back.”

“Got it,” Ricky said. “I’ll be your chaperone.”

“Thanks, man!”

Once they finally made it inside the building and bought their tickets, they were separated into their own group and only allowed to enter the main attraction after enough time had elapsed since the previous party went in.

The experience began with a police officer welcoming them to their first day in prison. “You’ve probably heard the rumors that this place is used by the government to experiment on the inmates," the man said. “I can assure you that it’s not the government. No, sir. Even they wouldn’t want their name sullied by what goes on here. As you’ll soon find out. But first, the doctor needs to examine you before you’re allowed to join the general population.”

They walked down a dimly lit row of cells to reach the infirmary, a number of mutated monsters slamming against the bars to frighten them. Toward the end of the row, the bars of one cell gave way. A prisoner with a melted face grabbed the police officer and dragged him inside to begin chewing him up.

“This way, this way!” A man with a German accent and mad-scientist hair beckoned them into the safety of the infirmary, which of course was filled with all kinds of pickled body parts and moaning monstrosities. The theme continued in this way. They were ushered through different parts of the prison, where things kept going wrong around them, and admittedly, it was pretty damn scary. Omar did his best to appear tough, but it wasn’t long before him and Anthony were clinging to each other. Mindy had a death grip on Cameron’s arm. Whitney couldn’t stop laughing. Which was fine, because she was also willing to walk at the very back, where Ricky would have felt too vulnerable. Eventually they were finally shown to their cell, all six of them crammed inside.

“Better stay in here if you value your life,” the guard said before slamming the door shut.

Soon after an alarm sounded, red lights flashing around them.

“Security protocols overwritten,” said a computerized voice. A buzz signaled the opening of the cell doors. Not just theirs. All of them! They could see the monsters emerging just before the lights went out completely. A terrifying roar from the back of the cell sent them running. Ricky hit a wall, but luckily it was padded. Occasionally a light would flash, revealing the only clear path available to them. They clustered into a group. Ricky groped around in the dark until he managed to grab hold of Cameron’s arm. Feeling daring, he worked his way down to his hand, taking it in his own before squeezing affectionately. Cameron squeezed back!

“This is so hot,” a voice near his ear whispered. “We should—” The hand holding his squeezed again, but experimentally this time. Then he was shaken off. “What the hell?!”

Oh shit… That wasn’t Cameron’s hand or his voice. It was Anthony!

“Sorry!” Ricky spluttered. “I thought you were… Wait, who didyouthink I was?”

He didn’t get an answer because the lights came on again. They heard a noise from behind and saw a wall of officers in riot gear bearing down on them. They ran in the opposite direction, as they were no doubt intended to, and ended up in the prison cafeteria. All sorts of animal carcasses, jiggling piles of slime, and creepy-crawlies were on the plates.

“Not so different from Pride High,” Omar quipped.

Whitney just about lost it.

The experience continued until they reached an area of the prison that was still under control. A group of prison guards jostled them through different doors, splitting up their group. “You’re dead meat,” one of the guards said, pushing Cameron through a door. He grabbed Anthony next. “And you look like you’re already dead. In you go!”

“Ladies,” said another guard, opening a different door for Whitney and Mindy. “We have a real treat for you this way. You’re in for a shock!”

Ricky stuck close to Omar, relieved that they would be paired up. Or so he thought.

“We have a special kind of Hell prepared for you two,” growled one of the guards. “You’ve been selected for jury duty!”

They were shown to two separate doors, Ricky and Omar exchanging terrified glances before they went through. The door slammed shut behind Ricky. He was on his own. The hallway ahead of him was dark and narrow. He crept toward the only light he could see, and as soon as he turned a corner…

BOOM BOOM BOOM!

A deranged man in a powdered wig was banging a gavel against the walls of a small room. He saw Ricky and grinned maniacally. “Has the jury reached a verdict?”

“Wh-what?” Ricky stammered.

“A verdict!” the judge repeated. “Guilty or innocent?” He pointed with the gavel. Ricky saw a window. Behind the glass, Cameron and Anthony stood alone in a room while glancing around nervously. He moved toward them, not wanting to be alone, and noticed a big red button.

“Are they guilty or innocent?” the judge demanded. “Hit the button if they are.”

“For which one?” he asked.

“Exactly!” the judge cackled.

Ricky looked through the window. The others couldn’t see him. Even when Cameron looked in his direction, there was no recognition. He simply shrugged and moved closer to Anthony. The window must be a one-way mirror!

“I need your verdict or you’ll be held in contempt!” the judge screamed.

---