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016 - Schadenfreude [psychological horror]

Dmitry rubbed his shoulder which he found to be surprisingly sore after Derek's punch.

"That's what you get for flinching," he chortled.

Dmitry shot him an icy stare but said nothing.  Any response would just invite another blow, physical or verbal, and Dmitry had to play nice... for now.

"So where is it?  I wanna see it!"

"It's deep inside," Dmitry replied, gesturing ahead.

Collin looked apprehensive but moved along with the group.  He had expressed doubts early on in the plan and Dmitry would not be surprised if he bailed on them, but for now he kept quiet.

Dmitry, Collin, and Hank, along with Derek, made their way into the tunnels just outside the water treatment plant.  The passage, which was mostly dry, was just big enough for all of the boys to walk without having to stoop except Hank.

"Fuck, I think I just walked through a spider's web," Hank moaned, vigorously brushing his hair.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you pussies don't really seem like the tunnel exploring type," Derek said.

And he was right, the group of them trudging along in their fresh clothes and short hair, nice and clean, were more at home in the high school lab.  Derek, in his heavy denim jacket and skater shorts looked much more at home then they did.

"Uh, well, uh, we, uh," Collin stuttered.

Derek eyed Collin while Dmitry grabbed him and shoved him back toward the entrance.

"Either shut your mouth or get lost; I won't let you blow this."

Collin briefly weighed his options, swallowed hard, and ran out of the tunnel.

"What's his problem?" Derek asked, now eyeing the three of them more closely.

"He's just scared," Hank chipped in.

Derek focused on Dmitry, "and what are you worried about blowing?  It's a tunnel doofus; I could hear you."

Dmitry was unflappable.  "I mean that... I want to impress you.  We want you to think we're cool."

Derek smiled, "Well hell, if there's really a dead body down here then I will think you're all cool!"  He had lost the scent.

"It's not much further now," Dmitry said, flicking on his flashlight as they began to lose sight of the mouth of the tunnel.

The trio followed the twisting tunnels further into the darkness, their footsteps echoing off of the damp walls.

"You know, maybe I've been to hard on you guys... this is pretty cool," Derek said, walking next to Dmitry.

Dmitry could feel the hesitation in Hank's steps and shot him a look saying, "we're committed."

"Maybe we have a lot more in common than you think."

"Maybe, maybe."

"Are we close?" Derek asked.

"Yes, it's just up around this bend," Dmitry replied, motioning to the left of an upcoming tunnel.

The sound of rushing water was growing louder and louder as they approached the bend in the tunnel.  As they rounded the corner their flashlights showed a large chamber ahead.  There were multiple storm drains that ended here, all pouring into the large chamber which tapered out as the water collectively flowed south into the darkness.

"This is it," Dmitry exclaimed with genuine excitement in his voice.

"Where?"

"Look inside the chamber!"

Derek moved carefully to the edge, about two feet back, and peered around.

"I don't see anything.  Are you sure it wasn't washed away?"

"Shit, maybe," Dmitry replied.  "Let me check."

Derek backed up and allowed Dmitry to pass him.  Dmitry, holding on to a piece of rebar at about knee level, perched right at the edge.

"It is still here, right straight down on the side of the gully.  But it's just the top half!"

Dmitry stood up and swapped places again with Derek who moved up the edge and dropped to his haunches.  He grabbed the rebar and slowly leaned out to peer down.

Dmitry locked eyes with Hank as if to say, "this is it," and the two of them rushed forward and threw their weight into Derek's back.  It was a risky gambit, but failure was not an option.

Derek went over the precipice with a yelp, but the boys were horrified to find he had kept his hold on the rebar and was now dangling over the chamber desperately trying to grab onto the slimy lip of the storm drain with his other hand.

"You son-of-a-bitch!  You almost killed me!" Derek screamed at Dmitry as Hank shrank back.

Dmitry, regaining his composure, kneeled just above Derek and smiled.

Sudden realization spread across Derek's face, "this isn't funny!"

"Tell me Derek, are you familiar with the word 'schadenfreude'?  No?  I'm not surprised.  Well, it is a German word and it means 'enjoyment obtained from the trouble of others.'"

Derek, bewildered, tried to grab at Dmitry, but almost lost his hold on the rebar in the effort.

"You have taken so much pleasure in torturing us for all these years... well, the pleasure this time will be ours," Dmitry said, standing back up.  He turned to look for Hank but he was gone.  "Well, I guess it will mostly just be my pleasure then."

"Don't you dare leave me!"

Dmitry turned back around, "oh, I wouldn't think of it."  He raised his foot over the rebar and hovered it just above Derek's.

"You wouldn't!" Derek growled through clenched teeth.  "I'll kick your ass!"

Dmitry signed, "No, I don't think you will," and kicked his hand.