Chapter Three: Dangerous

"Eat," He said at once he handed me a plate of rice and a dish.

This is my fourth day. He has been incarcerating me and using me over and over for four days.

Four days…

"I'm not hungry," I answered without looking at him. I have not eaten anything since he imprisoned me here but I don’t feel any hungry. I have no appetite. That I would rather die of starvation than staying in this hellish room with him.

"'Don't be ridiculous! When I tell you to eat, you will eat!" he shouted at me as he was holding my mouth tightly.

My tears started to fall again, but not because of physical pain or fear. But because of my miserable situation now.

I was a prisoner in this prison he made. One of my legs was chained to the foot of the bed I was in, my two hands were tied whenever he would leave and I would be left alone in this hellish room, and he was would touch me over and over again.

"Let me go, please! I can't do it anymore, I want to go home. Let me go!"

All my courage and remaining hope in myself is slowly being exhausted. I don't know if he still intends to let me go or if he will resurrect me when he gets bored with me.

I don't know what else I can handle. I'm tired and fed up.

"You are just wasting your energy, Sierra. That will never happen," he said with a smile before turning around and left me alone in this dark room.

I just sobbed as I leaned over the bed I was riding on. Gradually, all the memories of being with my family, friends and even those I know became part of my daily life.

**

Four nights before abduction…

"Let's just turn off the lights then, let's start, okay?" Jam told us, we all just nodded.

The students’ week has already started and recently all school activities have officially opened. Various competitions in sports and academics have also started. All the candidates of Mr & Ms University who were tall when they rode earlier in the quadrangle were also introduced. And everything goes smoothly according to what we planned of.

"Go, guys! Those who have been assigned this morning will be watching outside. Those who are going to play ghost, go inside," she added. We all immediately obeyed and went to our places.

I stood in front of the entrance of our horror house, because this would be my work, be the ticket taker of those who enter with Gelo and Nikka.

"I hope many come to us," Nikka said. She was sitting on the teacher's table where some of our belongings were placed.

"For sure! Especially Sierra is here," Gelo replied.

I frowned and turned to them. "What it has to do with me?"

"Of course, do you think your fans will miss the chance to get close to you? Probably not!" he replied to me.

"What do you think of me, a famous personality?” I asked.

"You know, I don't know if you're just really humble or you really don't know how many are obsessed with you. But just so you know, you're a heartthrob, the-unaware-campus crush. I even have a crush on you,” Gelo confessed.

I felt my whole face suddenly heated.

"That’s real. If you only knew how many of my classmates having a crush on you, include those in other courses and year levels. You can now create a fan's club," Nikka butted in.

"Stop exaggerating things," I just said, still feeling awkward with what they were saying.

"We are saying the truth. Try to be aware of those around you, those trying to get your attention,” Gelo said.

"Learn from the great Gelo, Sierra. That’s his style,” Nikki commented.

I just shook my head and them and did not say anything. The two did the same and we focused ourselves on the ticketing when other students started coming.

The science laboratory on the west wing of the third floor is what we chose to make a horror house. Apart from the fact that it is large and the light is just right in here, the location of this Lab is also good which adds to the creepy effect of the horror house.

We even counted for a minute before our fellow students who wanted to try our horror house looked on. Even Kate came in with her Education students friends.

"God, your cousin almost hit me," Vince told me. He is one of those ghosts inside.

"She might be too surprised," I answered.

Vincent shook his head. "I haven't done anything yet, but her fist were already aiming on my face,” he said again, scratching the nape of its neck.

I couldn't help but laugh at what he said. He was wearing a torn white shirts and his face was caked of foundation, making him whiter that he usually is but Kate still recognized him.

"Your cousin hates me big time. I could have had a black eye from her,” he said.

"How come, with that look, Kate still recognized you?” I asked.

“She can surely recognized me even I turned my back,” he said still scratching his nape.

“That girl is really crazy,” I replied while laughing.

"Sierra," someone called me.

I looked behind us when someone called me and I saw Mikael and Rafael both holding tickets for the horror house.

"Hey! Are you coming in?" I smiled at them.

"Well, this one has been pestering me to try this horror house and I was not even allowed to decline," Rafael answered.

"Why? Is it bad to support a friend?" Mikael asked.

"Not unless you just scratched someone just to accompany you,” Rafael replied and I smiled at me as he hands me their ticket.

I took that and I smiled at them. “It's not allowed to hurt our crew inside, okay? You can scream, but you’re not allowed to hurt anyone inside," I reminded them.

"Real men don't shriek, Sierra, '' Mikael said.

"But, real men cries," Rafael added.

I just shook my head and slightly pushed them inside. "Yeah, right,” I just said.

I turned to look at Vincent who’s still standing behind me. “Hey, why are still here? Go inside, the show started,” I said.

Vincent seems startled with me but immediately ran inside the horror house. I just shook my head.

"God, I’m so tired,” Kate complained. We are together now as we walk home. Our houses are just next to each other so we are always instructed to always go in and out at the same time.

"You just sat all day, are you still tired?" I'm asked.

“What? Didn’t you know that it’s really tiring to sit all day than do things? My back’s hurt,” she complained more.

"You should have volunteered on your booth, then,” I said. Their council put up a food and beverage booth and as a freshman, it’s their responsibility to sell on their booth. I just didn’t know why this girl were exempted.

"What would I do there?”

“Help your classmate run your booth? You know what? I honestly wonder how you were exempted on doing that. Tell me, what did you do?” I asked maliciously.

Kate laughed nervously and her eyes were wide open, by that, I knew something is wrong.

“What did you do, Katarina?” I asked again.

But this girl immediately ran towards our house instead of answering her. I followed her instantly.

“Got you,” I said and held Kate’s hair. I was ready to pull it down but I noticed that she wasn’t moving.

"Gosh!" she blurted as she was looking inside our house.

"Why?" I asked and peeked in what she was looking.

My eyes immediately widened seeing who was in our living room with my parents.

"Sir Damien," I said in surprise and all the attention is in ours now.

"Are you kidding us?" Kate blurted after mom introduced them to us. We were both surprised and confused. “What the fuck?” she added on a small voice.

Sir Damien laughed before answering Kate. "It's me, Kate. Do you want me to tell you about what you did when you were in grade five with your classmate? The one you and Sierra—."

"What the fuck!" Kate exclaimed.

"Katarina!" my mom immediately called her out.

"Sorry," Kate said.

I still remember that incident. Our classmate Sandra used to fight me because she said her crush had a 'crush' on me. She embarrassed me in front of the whole class and told me I was a flirt. I did nothing but cry, so Kate fought her for me.

He then bought ten balloons and filled them with various colored water inside. Then one by one, she threw it at Sandra, embarrassing her in front of everyone.

Her parents and Sandra were called, but because both her mom and dad were busy, Aunt Lidia went with Sir Damien. They were both suspended then and she was grounded for two weeks.

"Oh, Sierra. Won't you greet your Aunt Lidia?" Mama called me out, reviving me back to reality.

I immediately responded and approached Aunt Lidia and waved. I turned to Sir Damien and smiled at him. "Good evening, Sir," I greeted.

"You can just call me Damien. We're not at school,” he said smiling at me. I nodded at him before sitting down next to Kate.

"Look how grown up you two are. It was like yesterday when you two are still babies,” Aunt Lidia said. Kate and I just smiled awkwardly and just listened to their conversation. Responds as needed.

**

Three nights before abduction…

“Until now, I can’t still believe that who was Sir Damien turned out,” Kate blurted, still can’t move on from what happened the other night.

“How come we didn’t recognize him?” she asked.

I shrugged. "It has been years, so it's likely for us to not recognize him, besides, we were still kids during that time. Our memories were still vivid," I replied.

"But why didn't he introduce himself to us on the first day of school, he probably knew who we are because of our class cards."

"Because it's out of his work. He’s a professor and we are his students," I said.

"I felt betrayed," she said pouting. I shook my head before standing up in my seat. With the materials I was making, I left the room. My brain would sting if I continued to listening to her.

"Hey! Where are you going?" she shouted.

"In the lab. I'll just finish these there instead," I answered before completely disappearing from her sight.

I walked down the hallway and stairs to the third floor of the main building of the university, while holding a box full of alternative props made by Jam. Replacements for our broken props because of those who have been visiting the horror house in the past two days.

It's the third day of our student week and so far, everything are going smoothly. Everything happens according to plan and it feels so good. Just a few days ago we recovered all our expenses for this event and we also earned a lot of money that will go directly to the pound of our council.

.

"I'll help you," Mikael suddenly appeared somewhere. He took the box I was holding and he carried it.

I turned around to look for Rafael but I could not find him. "Where is Rafael? Aren't you with him?" I asked.

"Why are you looking for him? Do you have a crush on him?" He asked on a teasing tone

"Silly! It’s just that, it’s the first I saw and you're not with him. Where is he?"

"I don't know. He said was that he was going to do something important," he replied with a shrugged. "That person is very secretive, so I often do not know what he is up to."

"But he's your best friend."

"Yeah. But not because we are best friends, we already know everything about each other. We are not like girls who shares everything to their best friends, we still have things we keep to ourselves,” he said.

"What kind of friendship is that? Best friends shouldn't have kept secrets to each other. It's like you said that you don't trust each other,” I replied.

"Well, we're that kind of best friends that surely can count on each other, but can't trust each other. Even we say that they've been together ever since, still, there is still a part of us that we do not want one of us to know. That it’s better that way," he explained.

I couldn't help but think of what he said. We cannot be trusted even if you have been a part of our lives for a long time. They might do something we didn't expect them they can. Something might destroy us. But I also couldn't help but contradict it in my mind so I decided to just dismiss it.

"Whatever,” I just said. He smiled at me and did not speak again.

We just continued walking silently until we reached the Science Lab which serves as a horror house built by our college department.

"Here it go, Madame," he handed me my things. He smiles broadly causing its deep dimples to be exposed on both cheeks.

"Thank you," I smiled at him as well.

"No problem! You can count on me anytime,” he said while messing up my hair. I immediately slapped his hand away.

"Tsk."

"Alright. Just be careful, don't stay up late, huh? It's too dangerous outside," he reminded me. I grinned and nodded at him.

"Yes, Dad,” I teased with a rolling eyes. Mikael just laughed at me and gestured me to go inside the Lab, I did.