Note: This is based on a nightmare/dream I had figured it would make a pretty good story.
My partner and I arrive at the viewing party with a pajama theme as requested by Carrie. As we entered the house, music boomed out the speakers; people were dancing. I looked around, hoping to find Carrie, but the lighting was terrible. We decided to grab some drinks and curl up on the couch. Getting comfortable, I notice some people walking around with a clipboard. The music volume lowered as the two approached us.
“We’re collecting money for drinks and pizza. Can you spare some cash?” The two young men questioned.
I looked at my partner, feeling it’s only fitting. Lucky for me my shorts had pockets. I pulled out a couple of twenties and handed them to the men. They clipped it to the board and thanked us before questioning the rest of the crowd. Carrie appears in an adorable nightgown with a long robe.
“So glad you two could make it. We’ll be showing the movie soon. I want to get some real food besides all the snacks. Pizza sounds good to you, or are you still worried about your figure Tia?” Carrie says with a wink.
Tia laughs, “I think I can forget it for one night.”
“You look fine, babe, as you are; I tell you that all the time, but you still insist otherwise,” I say with a smile.
Carrie’s attention snaps to someone else shouting for her, leaving Tia and me alone. We snuggle on the couch as two men sit on the floor in front of us. They’re laughing and having a great time until one of them whispers something, then realizes people are behind them, blushes, and turns their attention to the TV.
Soon the doorbell rings, alerting everyone that the pizza delivery man arrived. I get up, leaving Tia on the couch to help Carrie set up the boxes on the long dining room table. Then, taking two plates, I place a couple of slices of pizza on each and carry them back to Tia.
I squeeze by the two men on the floor and sit on the couch. Handing Tia a plate, I dig in. People start funneling into the room, sitting on chairs or joining the two men on the floor. As Carrie turns on the set, she stands in front of the TV with a sinister smile.
“Are you ready for a tale of terror? A haunted house attraction filled with real horrors awaits a group of young adults. Would you dare to venture inside?” Carrie winks before walking away towards a plush chair.
The TV lights up the room as the movie begins. Finishing the rest of my pizza, Tia gives me their plate; I ask the two men if they can put the dishes on the table. They nod as I thank them. I put my head on Tia’s lap as they play with my hair. I soon realize I’m not paying attention to the film. The two guys in front of us, kiss thinking no one was watching. I smile, reminiscing of how it was to keep a relationship a secret—not wanting the judgments, the fear of what people might do.
I link my fingers through Tia’s as my attention turns to the movie. The group just entered the dark hallway, laughing at the animatronic skeletons. Somehow, I fell asleep; bright lights cause my eyes to shoot open. Tia laughs at my disorientation.
“The movie is over already? What happened?” I question Tia.
The two men in front of us start laughing, “how could you have slept through that?”
Shaking my head, I sit up, “no idea, guessing it was good then.”
The two guys exchange looks before meeting mine, “yeah, great death scenes and acting.”
“Don’t forget the twist ending, incredible,” Tia exclaims, giggling.
“I thought you hated horror movies,” I say with a smile.
Tia blushes, “well, I never saw one like this. You always show those gore-filled ones; I don’t like a lot of guts and blood.”
I shake my head laughing, “guess we’ll watch this again together sometime.”
The crowd starts funneling out, Carrie approaches us. “Are you two staying for the horror marathon? I can’t believe everyone is leaving after the new movie. Maybe I should’ve put it on last.” She looks down at the floor, disappointed.
“We were planning on it; it’s why I’m in my PJs,” I laugh, hoping to make her feel better.
The two young men collecting money for food and drinks were standing in the corner talking heatedly. Soon they walk out the door with the rest of the crowd. The only ones left are Carrie, Tia, and me. Carrie, with a depressed look around the room, “why don’t you two leave? We’ll try this another weekend. Maybe a long weekend and play games.”
Feeling terrible for Carrie, I hated to agree with her. “Unfortunately, I don’t think it’ll be much fun with only the three of us. So, we’ll try another time again; just let us know when.” Carrie hugs Tia and me before we leave the house.
We step out onto the sidewalk towards our car. I didn’t drink too much, so I figured it was safe for me to drive. As we get closer, I hear people yelling. In front of us are the same two men asking for funds to pay for the pizza and drinks from the group near a rich-looking car. Two other men are outside the vehicle when we hear someone inside the car say, “it’s not enough to pay your debt.”
The two men open fire on the two guys from the party. Tia screams, alerting the shooters to our position. We try to run, but the wet pavement and our slippers cause Tia to slip on the sidewalk. One of the men grabs my partner as another takes hold of me. I try to fight them off, but more soon appear. The two men holding my arms drag me towards the car; I scream Tia’s name, unsure what is happening.
I can’t see my partner anymore, as the men hold me in front of the man in the car. “Get her in the car; we can’t have any witnesses.”
“What about the other one?”
Their boss shakes his head, “I don’t care. We don’t have time to sit around. Let’s go.”
The two lackeys shove me inside the car. I try to look out the window, hoping to get a glimpse of Tia. A tear falls down my cheek as the vehicle drives quickly by; the only glimpse I could get was of the other lackeys.
We drive in silence, too afraid to open my mouth. The hours tick by until we reach the destination. The passenger door opens as a large man pulls me out. In front of me looms a massive stone mansion. Stumbling up the steps, I arrive at the main door. The guy shoves me through the doorway into a large room. Stairs lead up to the second floor; two open openings show a dining hall and living room.
The rest of the crew enters; I finally get a good look at their boss. He’s tall, average build, dark brown hair with a goatee. In the light, he looks like the artwork of Satan. I quickly look away, terrified to stare at him too long.
“What should we do with her?” The man clutching me questions.
“Take her upstairs to my ex-wife’s quarters. I threw her out, so she won’t mind. I’ll decide what to do in the morning.” He sighs, “what a mess.” I hear him mutter before the man holding me drags me up the stairs.
We walk down a long hallway before I get shoved into another room. The door quickly slams behind me as I lay on the carpeted floor. I search my pockets for my phone when I realize I didn’t bring mine since Tia brought theirs. Shit. I think as I get up off the floor. Looking down at my feet, I notice the scuffle completely ruined my slippers. Kicking them off, I walk over to the bed and curl up under the covers, crying. Once I thought everyone had gone to bed, I tried to leave my room. Much to my dismay, I found the door locked.
I crumpled against the door, with my head against my knees. Somehow I fell asleep. Until screaming and yelling wake me from outside the door. A woman screams, “why would you bring some strange woman here? This is still my home, too, until the divorce is finalized.” Suddenly the door opens, pushing her aside. The woman storms in, grabbing me by the hair, “you should kill her. Have you gotten soft since you threw me out?”
I manage to get to my feet, hoping to loosen her grip. “Listen, Vivien, let me handle my affairs. The business is mine to handle; if you wish to continue this nonsense, I can ensure it won’t happen again. Now leave.” The man yells, causing Vivien to release me with wide eyes. Immediately she runs out of the room. Her shoes echo on the marble floor below.
The man soon turns his attention to me, “now that you’ve met my ex-wife, and since you’ll be staying here for a bit, introductions are in order. My name is Mr. Winslow, and you are, my dear?” He smiles, but it’s hollow.
The name I recognized, but I couldn’t place it. Wasn’t he in the papers or the news? “Nicole,” I muttered, not wanting to provide my last name.
“Well, Nicole, you should get cleaned up and dressed. However, you did sleep most of the day. Come down for dinner; we’ll have a nice chat.”
I gulp, too terrified at what he has planned for me. Maybe he’ll poison my food; it would be easier to get rid of me. But there’s no way I’m leaving this room unless he can somehow guarantee Tia and my safety.
Soon Mr. Winslow leaves the room, one of his lackeys replaces him. “Umm, do you mind? If I’m going to get dressed, I don’t want an audience.” I snap, hoping the guy will get the hint.
“I was going to show you the main bathroom instead of the one in here unless you think you can clean up in a sink.” He laughs as I roll my eyes.
“Fine, show me the bathroom.” I follow him out of the room, staring at the floor, feeling numb. Then, not paying attention, I walk right into him.
“Sorry, thanks.” I quickly say as I walk around him and into the bathroom. I look at myself in the mirror. Damn, you look awful. I doubt a bath is going to fix this mess. I run the bath and wait for it to fill as I get undressed. Stepping in, I sink beneath the water. I hear the door open; I sit up quickly, about to tell them to get out, when I see Vivien rush over with something in her hand. I throw my hands out, trying to shove her away when something strikes my hand. I moan in pain, still trying to fight back as her hands grab at me. Vivien manages to slam my head against the wall. I try to gain my consciousness from the impact when she does it again. I can feel my vision blur from the impact. Suddenly I feel myself sink beneath the water. Vivien holds tightly as the water turns red, my head stings. I can’t breathe; I try to fight, but everything slowly goes black. Part of me wonders if I should sink beneath the black water, let it all end.
Something pulls me back from the watery grave; lips are pressed against mine. The lips soon leave mine, making me crave Tia’s taste once more. Then, as my eyes slowly open, disappointment slaps me in the face as I see Mr. Winslow’s lackey kneeling over me. My head in his lap. I quickly sit up, coughing up bathwater. Mr. Winslow stands in the hallway, his face red with fury.
“How did she manage to get back in the house? Where were you? One of you should’ve been outside this room. What if she chose to escape?” Mr. Winslow shouts.
“I left to get towels; I didn’t think Vivien was still in the house. She knows all the secret entrances, boss. She’s crazy.”
“Who says she left the house? Did any of you watch her leave?” Mr. Winslow pauses, Crazy,”
“That’s one thing she isn’t, Gary. But, whatever the case, I’m taking care of it. This ends tonight; I’ve had it with that woman getting in my way.”
Terror overtakes me, wondering if he’ll go to such lengths with his ex-wife; what is he planning to do with me. What happened to Tia? Is she even alive? Soon the room clears as a maid enters.
“Miss, I’m Pauline; I’m going to take care of you. Mr. Winslow called me immediately after what happened.” She starts looking at my head; in her hands are bandages. I wince in pain as I see blood on the towel.
“It’s not as bad as it looks. I’ve seen much worse, trust me. You might need a couple of stitches, but it’ll heal. Good thing you have long hair; it’ll cover up the scar if it ends up being one, of course.”
Looking around, I don’t see anyone else present, “is Mr. Winslow dangerous?” I had to ask someone who might know him on a more personal level.
“Oh yes, unless you don’t cross him. I’ve worked for him and his family for a long time.” She pauses, “if you don’t mind my asking, how did you get mixed up in all of this?”
“My partner and I saw two guys get shot by Mr. Winslow’s lackeys. I don’t know what happened to them.” I look down at the floor between us.
“Wrong place, wrong time, I’m so sorry. I’m sure they are fine.” The woman raises my face to meet her gaze, “he doesn’t kill everyone. Your still alive, aren’t you?”
“For how long?” I mutter, unable to help myself.
The woman nods in understanding, “let’s finish getting you ready. Did you manage to clean yourself before that horrid woman came in?”
I nod in response as she helps me up on my feet. Then, wrapping the towel tighter around me, she leads me back to my room. Shutting the door, she has me sit on the bed as she searches for clothes for me to wear.
“I’m not hungry; I think I’ll skip dinner if that’s okay.”
The woman suddenly stops, turns around from the closet, and glances at me with a look as if I hit her. “You must go; it would be rude not to. You might gain more information from him about your lover. Would be wrong not to go.”
“Why is it so important that I go? Shouldn’t he respect my demands?”
“Not when you aren’t a guest.”
I sigh, watching as she picks things out of the closet and places them on the bed. I shake my head in frustration, making my vision spin. Grabbing the closest dress, Sitting behind me, Pauline does my hair. Walking around me to the front, “you look much better now. Go downstairs and have dinner; see where it goes before angering the master.”
I roll my eyes in aggravation; he must be a horrible man if even she is afraid of him. What isn’t this guy capable of?
As I walk downstairs, the woman forces me to take a left instead of a right into a candlelit dinner. I sit down at the head of the table across from him. “You clean up nicely, my dear. Is there anything I can get you?”
Without thinking, “yeah, you can start by telling me what you did with Tia.”
“Why don’t we start with something simpler? Why did I take you, might be a better question? No?”
A server places a dish of food in front of me as another fills my cup with wine. “Sure, why did you take me besides the obvious reason, no witnesses.”
Mr. Winslow gives a half-smile as the flames shown in his eyes, “You were sold, my dear. Everything was staged. Do you have any idea who would do such a thing? Why would anyone want me to take you?”
I shake my head, “you’re lying; there’s no way anyone would sell me to some criminal.”
“Who said I was a criminal? I’m just an accountant, businessman, salesman, and many other labels. I haven’t done anything illegal, have you?”
“No, what does that have to do with anything?”
“Maybe you know someone who has, perhaps why they needed money.”
I stare in horror; what is he talking about? Tia didn’t need money, was she? Maybe it was Carrie? Quinn...it was my brother. Shit. He’d do anything for money.
“Ah, so you figured it out, have you? Figured you would from what I was told.”
“How much to buy my freedom?” I ask, knowing I don’t have much savings, just hoping it’ll be enough.
Mr. Winslow takes a bite of the steak, drinks some wine, and glances at me. “Well, let’s see. I paid quite a bit for you. A few hundred...”
“Oh, I can pay that easy,” I interrupt, surprised it was so little. My brother’s gambling debts are usually much higher.
“You didn’t let me finish, a few hundred thousand. To be more exact, two hundred fifty thousand.”
My mouth hangs open in shock. “Why would you buy me?”
“I need a female’s touch with some of my female clients. Purely work-related reasons, don’t worry, I would never harm you. The contract binds me.”
Feeling sick to my stomach, I can’t bring myself to eat. Instead, I drink the entire glass of wine. Three glasses in, and the server whispers something to Mr. Winslow. “If you are finished, why don’t we sit in the living room. I’ll start the fire, and we can chat further. However, we’ll need more wine. Can you go with Bridges for more?”
I nod, wanting nothing more than to getaway. Getting up from my chair, I see the man who first showed me to my room. Following close behind him, he leads me to a door and down into the basement, or what I thought was the basement. A large in-ground pool sits in the center of the room with a diving board.
“The wine cellar is through that door; not enough room in there for both of us. I’ll be right outside the door.” Bridges says, pointing to the door behind the diving board. I walk over to the cellar, turn on the light before stepping inside. The walls are lined with numerous bottles of wine; picking up a bottle, I check the year, knowing Mr. Winslow will want something older than a few years. I find a couple of bottles of Merlot from 1998. As I exit the room, Bridges shuts off the lights and leads me back to Mr. Winslow in the living room. The lights are all off; only the fireplace offers any light in the room. I can’t see much in the room except a shadowy figure in the corner. The back of the couch faces me; I can make out the shape of the back of ahead. The shadow in the corner comes into view; the face is twisted, the mouth is far too wide on Mr. Winslow's’ face in an upturned smile. His eyes narrow, contradicting his smile. I slowly walk around the couch, nearing the fireplace. My eyes glance to the sofa; seeing Tia’s gagged mouth, I scream. The bottles are slipping from my hands as they crash to the ground.
“Now that’s going to cost you.” Mr. Winslow growls, “but before I deal with that, what should we do with our guest?” He pauses, evaluating my expression. Tears roll down my face, unsure why Tia is here.
“They, after all, betrayed you by selling you to me. Don’t you want revenge?”
I shake my head; this can’t be true. Tia would never sell me to some mobster, they have a great job, and if they needed any help, I would’ve helped. They know that, so why?
Mr. Winslow reaches over, removing Tia’s gag. “Why don’t you tell Nicole yourself.”
With tears in their eyes, “I’m so sorry, Nikki, I didn’t want to tell you, but I owed Mr. Winslow a ton of money. I didn’t know how to pay him back, and I honestly didn’t want to drag you into it, but I could lose my job. So I laundered money to Mr. Winslow to pay for your mother’s funeral and debt. I didn’t want to tell you; our rent went up. I needed a new car; everything just added up.”
My mouth hangs open in shocked horror, “why didn’t you come to me? How is selling me keeping me out of it?” Finally, I snap, “I also paid for my mother’s funeral and debt. Granted, it left me pretty bankrupt, but I still had money left over for emergencies. So what was the money really for?”
Tia shakes their head, “I can’t tell you because you won’t understand.”
I raise an eyebrow, “try me.”
“My ex-husband came knocking for me to pay off the house since we bought it together. He also requested I pay for half of our sons’ education.”
I shake my head, “so you gave money illegally to Mr. Winslow to pay off your debt. How the hell did you two meet?”
Mr. Winslow steps closer, “I can answer that; it was the business retreat they had to attend. They didn’t want to bring you along for fear of word getting out with their co-workers.”
Feeling woozy, I fall on the floor, unable to process it all. “Now I ask you, what do you want to do about all this?”
Mr. Winslow is the devil, and Tia made a deal with him. Why? How is selling me better? Guess as long as their ex is happy, nothing else matters. Maybe Tia wanted me out of the picture so they could return to that life.
“Did your ex take you back? Is that who you brought with you on the retreat?” I had to ask; I need to hear the truth.
Tia pauses, shakes their head slowly, “it’s not what you think; my boss invited him thinking we were still together. Nothing should have happened; it wasn’t supposed to happen.”
Mr. Winslow pulls out a knife, “don’t you want to take revenge? Make them feel what you are feeling? You will feel so much better after.”
I slowly lift my head and look at Tia’s scared face, “He is trying to get you to do something you’ll regret; it’s something I’ve learned about him. Please don’t listen to him, Nikki; you’re better than that. I regret what I did; if I could, I would do it over again. I can’t pay what I owe, but I’m trying. I already begged to pay in installments every month, but he denied it. Told me if I didn’t want this, then I wouldn’t have agreed to it.”
Not sure who to believe, I take the knife Mr. Winslow holds in front of me. I look between the two of them, unsure what to do. Tia keeps screaming not to become what he is, that I’m not a killer. How do they know what I am? Isn’t everyone capable of murder if the right circumstance and situation arise? “What would you do in my situation, Tia? If the roles were reversed, what would your decision be?”
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