Dusk & Dawn

Chapter 16

The entire car ride up the winding mountain roads, Mason remained silent, slumped in his seat. He absentmindedly cracked his knuckles, and I gently placed my hand on his, hoping to ease his nervous tic.

"Are you okay, Mase?" I whispered, genuine concern evident in my voice.

I could ask as a caring friend, right? His chest rose and fell as he took a deep breath, turning to whisper in my ear. His eyes held a darkness, filled with worry.

"Just... be careful around those guys, okay? I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you." A crease formed between his brows as he leaned down to meet my gaze. Brushing the back of his fingers against my cheek, he closed his eyes before pulling away. It was only then that I realized I had been holding my breath. The car halted, and Lexi erupted into applause like a jubilant seal as Zach continued trying to feed her snacks to sober her up a little. We had reached the after-party.

The driveway, flanked by dense trees and minimal lighting, evoked a sense of unease. I shuddered at the thought of walking alone in this eerie atmosphere, fearing an encounter with something akin to Slenderman.

Chris and his crew had already congregated on the balcony, joining older men engaged in keg stands. The front door stood wide open, releasing the thumping bass of the music into the distance. The rowdy men at the keg taunted Zach and Mason, goading them to surpass their record.

"Bet you uni boys are weak."
"Yeah, try and beat our record, losers."
"They're probably pansies. They won't do it."

For some inexplicable reason, perhaps driven by a desire to assert dominance, the boys rose to the challenge.
"Let us show you how it's done, ladies." Zach playfully bantered, extending his hand for the hose.
"Show 'em who's boss, babe!" Lexi cheered, enthusiastically trotting off after him with a LeSnack in her hands. Mason gripped Zach's left leg, while a heavily intoxicated stranger, barely able to stand, grasped the other.

With a wide smile plastered on my face, I stood, watching the boys revel in their fun. Yet, chills prickled along my arms as a smooth voice whispered softly into my ear.

"Come, let me show you where the magic happens." Chris took me by the hand, tugging me toward the rear of the house before I could decline his invitation. I hastily searched for an excuse to escape this predicament.
"But my friends will be looking for me," I stammered, looking back, attempting to catch their attention. His grip tightened, sending a tingling sensation of pins and needles through my fingertips. My wariness and guard intensified, particularly after Mason's warning in the car.
"Be careful." The way Chris and Mason exchanged glances convinced me they knew each other.

Once inside a room tucked away at the rear of the house, Chris closed the door, trapping me inside. My mind raced, desperately seeking an exit strategy. I needed to use the bathroom. I had an urgent phone call. I don't want to be around you because you freak me the fuck out!

A couple of women sat on the laps of unconscious men, snorting white powder from a glass table before them. In the corner, a man pressed against a voluptuous woman, slowly undressing her. Small plastic bags of white powder exchanged hands among a few individuals, their pockets lined with stacks of cash. Cold sweat trickled down my brow, my heart racing as I sought an escape route. Perhaps I could slip away unnoticed.

Back home, I never associated with these types of people, or any individuals beyond the confines of churchgoers. I had always operated in solitude, lacking friends outside the controlled buddy system enforced by my Christian school. I had never smoked a cigarette or touched drugs, intimidated by those who did. Though I may have erred back home by listening to "evil" music and dancing with a sense of freedom, I had never committed anything illegal. Yet, with just a single glance around the room, it became evident that numerous offenses were being committed within inches of me.

Scanning the room, attempting to discern my point of entry, I inadvertently bumped into the backs of two burly men dressed in navy suits.
"Oh, excuse me. I should have worn my glasses," I nervously laughed.
"No harm done, honey. Let us get you a drink," they both smiled, and the bald man poured a beverage from the keg into a glass tumbler. The other man adjusted his cufflinks and loosened his tie, a gesture that unsettled me. The bald man handed me the drink just as Chris hurried over from behind.

"Whoa there, Quinn. You don't want to drink that. It's for the more seasoned drinkers. Here, have this instead." He handed me another glass filled with a clean, carbonated liquid. I sniffed it, detecting no trace of alcohol.

"Come on, lads, you know better than to start a lady off with that shit. Use your damn brains. We don't need an ambulance here pumping the stomachs of pretty girls or the cops showing up to shut us down," he scolded, playfully smacking them both on the back of their heads. They grumbled as they rubbed their heads, returning to their drinking as before. Chris draped his arm around my waist, pulling me closer. Feeling trapped, I followed his lead and settled onto an unoccupied couch lining a wall adorned with pictures. Upon closer inspection, they were Polaroids of incapacitated women sprawled across the floor, couches, or beds. Under each photograph, a name, date, and rating out of ten were scrawled.
Richard - 20.12.03 - 7/10
Tristan - 14.9.12 - 3/10
Chris - 29.6.14 - 9/10

They seemed to keep a tally of the women they slept with, assigning ratings to their encounters. The rumours circulating around the college suddenly flooded my mind. I couldn't envision Mason being this kind of person! It was simply... inhuman! Perhaps I had been avoiding the wrong person all along.

At the very top of the wall, my gaze landed on Raegan, and my stomach plummeted. No, no, no, not Raegan.

"Drink up, babe. Room-temperature drinks are the worst." Chris tapped the bottom of the glass, coercing it toward my lips.
"Um, I'm not really thirsty. I think I just want to find my friends, please, Chris." I pulled my head back, attempting to edge away on the couch. Thoughts of Raegan, Chris, and whether he was her former drug-dealing boyfriend swirled in my mind. What had I gotten myself into?
"Okay, Quinn, I can tell you're a little uncomfortable with all this. That's okay, it's not for everyone," he said, taking my hand and assisting me off the couch.
"At least finish your drink, and then I'll take you back. Don't want it to go to waste. That stuff is expensive." He rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb, smiling. I desperately wanted to escape as quickly as possible, so I tilted the glass slightly and pretended to sip, watching as he turned away to exchange cash with someone. Seizing the opportunity, I discreetly emptied the remaining liquid into a potted fern beside the couch and placed the empty glass on the table before us. Chris looped his arm through mine, and we made our way outside, where the sky had opened up, rain cascading in torrents.