Stories About Women

DEVIL'S PASSAGE I

No one knows...No one comes...

My bare chest, stomach, thighs and bruised knees were in direct contact with the granite ground. My head was faced down and my exiled breath raised dust into my nostrils. I didn't cough, I just chocked silently.

Around me dotted about seventy other men lying partially naked on their stomach with one instruction surrounding us all. Silence.

I didn't know where I was, but I knew I was deep, deep in the heart of a forest.

When I aired my interest to Charles of being part of his brotherhood, he got me prepared and on the seventh day, he showed up at my door.

"Are you ready?" Charles asked.

I looked at the two virile men standing behind him. "I guess..." paranoia crept into me. "So do...do I need to get anything?"

"You can come with us now if you are ready."

I followed them and we hopped into a black van.
"You would have to put this on." Charles handed me a hood. "It's going to be fine." He assured.

I took the hood and slid it over my head. With my sight gone, my other senses heightened and when the van roared to life, it sounded louder.

I tried to keep track of the van but it seemed as if we rode around my block. The van was dead silent but we were enveloped by noise; honking of horns here and there and mixed voices.

I knew the process had begun because Charles told me that I would be blindfolded in a van that would drive to an unknown location.
The van rolled to a stop. "Are we there y—"

"No it's the light," Charles interjected calmly.

We rode for some minutes and I noticed that the enthusiasm of the night faded and it seemed that we rode through a deserted area. The van was so quiet that I could hear my heartthrob against my rib cage. My pores oozed sweat, even my arid palm became clammy.

"Charles," I called softly.

He answered immediately. "We are almost there." He patted my shoulder.

I wished I could dig into my chest and engulf my heart in my palm to manually reduce its drunken pulsing.

The van stopped again and I heard voices outside the van. "Are we there yet?" I asked. There was no response. "Charles?" No response.

The van began to move but slowly—like the tires rolled. I felt the van stir right...then left...then it suddenly accelerated. I gripped the snag that had torn out from the leather seat.

For four long minutes, the van sped straight and didn't make a turn. My collar drenched in sweat. Although I had prepared for this moment for six days; watching and reading large pdfs on the process of initiation into a brotherhood. Even the mysterious hints from Charles, nothing matched the terrified feeling tightening at the pits of my stomach.

I felt light movement towards me then the calm voice of Charles whispered to my ear.
"Remember everything I told you?"

"Bro..." my voice hooked. "This is starting to get creepy."

"Don't forget any."

I felt the chill of something encircling my wrist. I jolted.
"Charles!" I made to stand but Charles' powerful hands waged my shoulders.

"What are you doing..Don't handcuff me!"

"Don't forget what I told you." I barely heard it but I knew that was what he said. The van rode over a pothole and I jerked.

"But you didn't tell me about—"

"If you keep disturbing I would kill you." One of the other men cut in and it sent chills through my body, erupting my hairs on ends. I propped tight against the chair, my heart throbbing with a drunken rhythm.