Page 9 of The Honor Society

I have no sense of time when I come to. It could have been minutes, hours, even days. My head pounds where it was hit in the back. Slowly, I raise my fingertips to check for blood an find a bandage.

Great, so I did bleed.

The room is nearly pitch black, all I can hear is the sound of footsteps getting closer until finally a person is standing in front of me.

He’s wearing a long black trench coat, black slacks, and a black shirt that’s open at the neck. His hands are covered in black leather gloves and his black mask covers the entire top part of his head, shaped like a raven with a beak that comes out far enough to almost double as an old plague mask that doctors used to wear, still hiding parts of his mouth but not his chin.

And on the forehead of the mask four vertical lines with one horizontal one drawn across them. The eyes are pitch black, mirrored so I see my own reflection.

My attempts at breathing normal are all in vain.

“Why did you shoot Axel Mercer?” The voice is low, distorted enough to make it impossible to match it with anyone I know.

“Why did you kidnap me?” Maybe if I keep him talking it will give people time enough to find me? No. I told them I was taking a stupid nap. They aren’t expecting me until tomorrow, then again, it could be tomorrow right?

“I was bored.” He deadpans.

I glare.

“Hmm, too anti-climatic? How about this…” He approaches and starts walking in predatory small circle around my chair, his gloved hand snakes around my neck as he leans down and whispers. “I collect pretty things.”

“My friends will look for me.”

“No. They won’t.”

“They will.”

“Interesting,” He shoves me away with his hand. “Can we really call them friends? I mean you betrayed all of them, shot one in the fucking stomach, was your plan to make him go septic and watch him rot from the inside out. Some love…Charlieeeee….”

The way he draws out my name gives me chills. “I missed.”

His head tilts. “What was that?”

“I missed.” I grit my teeth. “I used to compete on the junior Olympic Shooting team when I was younger, look it up if you’re so smart. I got gold, in case you were wondering.”

“Oh I was. Thank you. I’ll remember to bring you a cookie next time for your achievements.”

“Next time? Is this how you ask all women you like out?”

He chuckles. It spreads through my body down to my toes. He’s mocking me. “What can I say, online dating makes me bored.”

“You must be bored a lot.”

“Oh, I find ways to entertain.” He stares straight at me. “So you missed. What was your plan?”

“Who are you?”

“I ask the questions, Charlie. You’re lucky I’m tolerating you breathing the same air let alone your attitude.”

I suck in a sharp breath.

“Just don’t piss yourself, I hate the smell of piss.”

“Maybe don’t give people a reason to.”

He lunges for me then, not just for my throat, but for my body. He sits directly on my lap with both legs straddling my chair. This is bad. Very bad. I force myself to breathe as he stares down at me through the mask. “You wreak of fear.” He grips the side of my neck and smells me. “Fuck me I like it.”

“I’m taken.”