He got out of the car. Something about this party didn’t sit well with him. First, it was a bit secluded. It was in one of the more wealthy neighborhoods of the area located equal distance from Morningtide and Lunar Falls. The house was tucked towards the back though and surrounded by a lot of woodsy area and only a couple of miles away from the park where they had fought against Bean and Sprout. The second thing that left him unsettled about the party was the house itself didn’t look like it had been occupied in a long time. He’d be having a serious talk with his sister later, that was for sure.
Just walk in, take a quick look around, and walk out again. Inside, the house was clean. The furniture was ancient though. The teens were all playing games and bouncing to see just how badly the springs in the chairs were broken, or what remained of the couch stuffing. He heard squeaking and giggling from somewhere. It was busy, and JD could only hope Orlando would find himself conveniently preoccupied with the blond cheerleader. Then JD could go to Cadence’s house without a guilty conscience. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t have to go far.
Orlando was waiting for him. He stood in the entryway of the house, leaning against a wall supporting a staircase. He looked so cool, like he owned the house, as though it were his party, even if it wasn’t. Why did he look so awesome whenever he did something? Even the other guests believed it was his shindig. Every so often one of them would thank him for hosting. He’d nod, smile, and then roll his eyes in typical Orlando fashion.
“Fashionably late,” he said as he stepped closer to JD. “Not like you’ve missed much. Though I think you got here just in time to witness a catfight over Logan Pierce in the living room. Quite the scandal, let me tell you. I had no idea he was dating Kirsten.”
“Oh, yeah, that happened about a week ago or something?” JD wasn’t up-to-date with the Morningtide gossip. That was more of Cadence’s specialty. More often than not she shared, but lately her interests were less socially-oriented. The awkward level went from about a five to an eight. He definitely wouldn’t have come if he’d known ahead of time about the other Morningtide students there.
Orlando rubbed at his arms. “We should talk.”
JD raised an eyebrow. “About?”
“Stuff.”
“We can’t talk about ‘stuff’ here. Besides, I don’t think there’s a whole of ‘stuff’ to say anyway. I’m pretty sure you made everything perfectly clear the last time I saw you.”
Orlando pinched the bridge of his nose. “This could be taken out of context on so many levels.”
“Do you have anything new you want to say?” JD rolled his eyes and didn’t bother to address the comment. His patience was incredibly low lately. In fact, ever since Orlando left, he felt completely out of steam. Alan had no drive, or he’d push Cadence and JD away from everything. Cadence spent more time trying to figure out how to help Alan than anything else, and JD sat around feeling worthless because anything he offered to do to help continually got shot down.
There was a long silence between the two. All they did was stare at one another as the party continued on around them, though it was more like a white noise than anything else. While the music never stopped, and the kids were all loudly having a great time, it also sounded like fuzz.
“Well?” JD asked.
“I guess not,” Orlando said.
JD frowned. “I don’t hate you or anything, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“Not exactly, but it works I suppose.”
He had no clue what that meant, and was about to say as much when he saw something rather peculiar out of the corner of his eye. Someone was walking around handing out soda to the teens, someone wearing a mask.
“Who’s in charge of this party anyway?” JD asked instead.
“Some girl, why?” Orlando shrugged.
“Because that some girl has masked friends handing out hors d'oeuvres and drinks,” JD said and moved so he could peek down the hallway and watch as the masked server returned to the kitchen to stock their tray up again. At first JD hoped maybe it was some kind of fun theme, and it didn’t mean anything, but as he watched the server move, he saw the static blocking out everything about the wearer being recognizable.
“What? You’re kidding me.” Orlando looked around the corner as well, and his jaw dropped in surprise.
“No, I’m not. What is going on here?”
“I don’t know. I was only asked to come.”
“I need to find Angela.” JD moved quickly to go and find his sister, but Orlando stopped him. “This isn’t safe. This is messed up.”
“Yes, but storming around looking for her isn’t going to do anything good for either of you. You’ll only get yourself noticed. Shouldn’t you be using this as a chance to call Cadence or Alan and let them know there’s something going on? Back up?”
He stared up at Orlando before he returned his eyes to the wall, the floor, anywhere, but at his sort-of friend.
“I should, because I obviously don’t have any here.” He glared and was surprised to see Orlando wince.
“Even if I was here as your backup, I see another up there.” He gestured casually towards the upstairs, and then also to the living room. “And over there, and that makes at least three. There are probably more. We couldn’t take them all.”
“You don’t know if you don’t try.”
“Fine. Forget I tried to help you. Ignore me and hold a grudge, but I’m sure you’d be singing a different tune if it was you who almost got killed.”
JD stepped forward, and while he was shorter than Orlando, he found a way to make himself at least feel like he was the bigger man of the two. The way the other teen was backing into the wall was a pretty good sign he was succeeding at it.
“You didn’t see what I saw, not in person. What happened to that guy, I don’t think I even have words to describe how it feels,” JD snapped. This wasn’t a floodgate he wanted to open. He saw the guy practically every night either in his dreams or just when his mind would start to wander. The whole thing terrified him. This guy hadn’t been the only victim, and he wasn’t going to be the last one either.
“No, I don’t. I just want you to think about it. If something happened to me, there’d be nobody around to look out for my sister. It’s that ‘walk a mile in each other’s shoes’ thing.”
He hadn’t thought about that, at all, and now that his sister was in potential danger, he was faced with a different kind of harsh reality. The boy who died could be her. It could also be him. He didn’t know much about Orlando’s home-life outside of his parents were almost never around. JD was needed constantly at his home. If something were to happen to him...
“Okay, I get it, but we still need you,” he said and relaxed his stance. He pulled out his phone so he could shoot Cadence a text for her and Alan to get there ASAP. With any luck, the alien would pop on over with her.
“I’ll think about it. I’ll figure something out. I could be your Alfred or something, you know, the one who stays off the field or—”
“But you’re the strong one.”
“I’m not a leader. You are.” Orlando met JD’s eyes briefly to emphasis his point.
“What are you on, man?” he laughed.
“I’m not on anything, and if you tell anyone else I ever said that, I’ll deny it and tell everyone you make out with your pillow in your sleep.”
“I do not.”
Orlando smirked. “Are you sure about that?”
JD’s jaw dropped this time. “I don’t.”
“No, you don’t, but would anyone believe it?”
“That’s mean.”
“I never claimed to be nice. Now where are they? Are they coming?”
JD checked his phone and nodded when he saw a message from Cadence. “Yeah, they’re on their way, but do you think it’s weird?”
“Do I think what’s weird? Making out with pillows? I’m pretty sure everyone thinks that’s weird.” Orlando returned to a more casual posture agains
t the wall.
“No,” JD said, as he noticed the party gradually becoming quieter. “Why is it thinning out?”
“Possibly a bonfire.” Orlando stopped when a masked server walked by. He—no, she—(the two could not for the life of them figure out if this person was male or female) stopped to offer the two boys a drink. Both politely declined.
“What should we do? Who’s even in charge of this party?” JD asked, lowering his voice.
“I told you, some girl who’s a friend of a friend,” Orlando said.
JD didn’t buy it. “We should follow them.”
“Follow who?” Orlando raised an eyebrow.
“The guys with the masks.”
“That’s as good of an idea as any.” He pulled out his mask and for a brief moment, JD actually believed that Orlando had a change of heart and was back in the game until the mask was handed to him.
“What’s this for?” JD asked, staring down at it.
“In case you forgot yours.”
“I didn’t. I never forget to bring it anywhere. I’ve even got a costume in my car.”
“You want go change?” It was difficult to tell if Orlando was being serious or joking.
JD shook his head. “No, I don’t have time.”
“You probably never will.” Orlando pointed out.
“It’s a logistic step I’m still trying to figure out.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it quickly. “Whatever, you better do your thing. I’d put it on now. Nobody is nearby.”
“So long as they don’t see me take it off—”
“All the same, it’s best to not draw unwanted attention to yourself.”
He was right and took a moment to put on his mask. Orlando used his body as a shield of sorts, just in case anyone did happen to pass by.
“Are you sure—”
“Yes, I’m sure. I’ll tell the others which way you went,” Orlando said.
“Thanks.” He moved towards the kitchen, taking one last look over his shoulder. Then he felt a tug on his arm.
“Hey, can you get me a drink?” a girl asked.
“Sure, I just need to refill. Give me a minute or two?”
“I could give you five,” the girl said with a smirk. She checked him out. “That’s a sexy mask you got on. I love the theme. You want tell me about the secret? Or do I have to wait until it’s my turn?”
JD didn’t know what the secret was. He played dumb anyway. “Let me ask someone if you’re next. I can see if I can bump you up on the list.” He winked, hoping it was all believable. He’d lied enough times to his parents and to teachers, but he’d never been good at it. He didn’t know if it was because they knew him too well, or if it was because he was just a bad liar.
“Could you? All of my friends have gotten to check it out.” She pouted at him and put her hands on her hips. She even tried to flaunt her body at him, but he didn't quite get why.
“Point me to the nearest guy like me,” he tapped at his mask.
She lifted a finger and pointed to a room just outside of the kitchen.
“Thank you. You are most helpful.” He took her hand and gave it a light kiss.
She giggled, and he left in search of another wearer. He didn’t have to go far because he practically plowed right into another guy wearing one.
“Whoa, whoa. Sorry, dude. Man, is this party nuts. They just keep coming. Best idea ever,” the masked stranger said.
“Yeah, totally,” JD said, not sure of what he was agreeing with exactly.
“We’re almost at our quota, so start getting picky about who you bring down to take the interview.”
“Sure thing. Should I only be going for the hot girls?” JD joked, at least hoping it came off as a joke just in case.
“Yeah—no. Sprout says no more bimbos.”
“She did, huh? So what does she recommend?” JD laughed, hoping he wasn’t easy to see through. The mention of Sprout made him nervous.
“Big guys—or smart people. The latter might be a little harder to find here, not to mention getting them to come down for the interview. She said there’s a guy in particular she wants us to try and nab, the guy loitering at the front. She thinks he’d be smart, and he might pass.”
“The kind of scary looking guy in all black?” JD asked. He couldn’t possibly be talking about Orlando, could he?
“Yeah, I know, that’s what I told her. She claims he’s harmless, but something about him gives me these weird vibes. I don’t think he’d be easily persuaded though. She doesn’t get that anyone with half a brain is going to think twice before going down into a dark tunnel with a stranger.”
“She would think that. I’ll work on him.”
“Cool, because I’ve almost got this cute little Latina girl eating out of my palm.”
“Rock on.” JD offered a high five.
“I know, right?”
“You go do that. I’ll catch you later.”
“Right.” The guy pushed past him and back into the crowd. He paused briefly to look at JD and frowned. He gave the masked teen a thumbs-up, trying to encourage him and be convincing that he was on the same side. The guy cracked a smile and then disappeared into the mass of teenagers.
He had to get back to Orlando.
“They’re taking people down into this mysterious tunnel for something called an interview.”
“Interesting,” Orlando said.
“They want you. Sprout wants you.”
“Well, I could have told you that. She was practically begging for more the last time I saw her.” He rolled his eyes.
“You know what I mean.”
“She’ll just have to be disappointed,” Orlando said.
JD sighed. “We need to find out what this interview thing is.”
“Have fun.”
“Dude,” JD said and scowled, but the scowl soon turned into a face of complete dread as he once more saw the masked teen from the hallway. He was with JD’s sister.
“No way.” He made a move to follow them, to grab his little sister’s arm and punch this kid’s lights out. Orlando stopped him.
“What?”
“Angela!” JD watched as her head searched for him. She recognized his voice, but she soon blew it off and continued following her escort. “They’re taking her down there. You better let go of me or I’ll—”
Orlando snorted, but he let go anyway. “Good luck. You wouldn’t last five minutes in a fight against Sprout. Plus it seems like your darling li’l sis wants to go.”
“This isn’t funny.” She was now out of his sight.
JD wasn’t going to waste any more time. He’d seen what happens to kids who fall into a trap. It wasn’t going to happen to her, too. He didn’t stick around long enough to listen to anymore of Orlando’s snarky comments. He pushed his way back through the crowd, into the hallway, and then stopped. How did he get to the tunnel? First he checked the door to his left. Closet. The door to his right was an office, and two teens were in there making out on a chair. All that was left was a door leading outside, and one at the end of the hallway.
He peeked out the window, hoping for some kind of a sign or a direction to go, but he could hardly see a thing—only woods. He’d try the other door first, and he prayed silently it would only be another closet and not some kind of sick and strange secret passage. After all, Orlando’s house was connected to the tunnels. Who was to say his was the only one?
When he opened the door and saw a set of stairs leading down, he swallowed. The lights were on, and JD could have sworn he heard a door close somewhere in the distance.
“Why are you so stupid, Angela?” JD whispered. A hand touched his shoulder, and if anyone had been measuring, he would swear JD had jumped at least a foot off the ground. He half expected to see Bean or Sprout and was fully prepared to fight either one.
“Chill,” Orlando said.
“What are you doing? I thought you weren’t into this?” JD asked.
&
nbsp; “I’m not into dying. I’m only backing you up until Cadence and Alan pop in.” Which was taking them forever to get there. Where were they?
Orlando then added, “My conscience wouldn’t allow me to let you go alone. Besides, if they want me, then I can distract them or—”
“I’m not letting you do that. Put on your mask. We’re doing this together.”
“Stop wasting time. Are you sure you don’t want to look like one of them and—” Orlando motioned for JD to go down the stairs. All the while, his hands dug into his pockets. The door closed behind them.
JD nodded. He wasn’t a coward. Orlando put on his mask.
Chapter Nineteen
“I’m here, but I can’t stay long.” Orlando sent the text to Tait right before he went after JD. Not like it mattered. She hadn’t been answering any of his messages at all tonight. It annoyed him, and it also gave him a lot of doubts. Why would she blow him off? He wondered briefly if this was all part of some kind of obscure hazing ritual for Lunar Falls. Cute cheerleader leads the loner on, and then some form of public humiliation would follow. That sounded too much like a bad teen movie. Maybe she was in trouble. Did someone bring her down to be “interviewed”?
What was he doing following JD into a dark hallway to follow a vague lead for something that scared the snot out of him? His curiosity was getting the better of him though. Why did Sprout specifically request him?
The stairway was lit by a few hanging light bulbs. It reminded him of a number of horror movies. He subconsciously found himself staying closer to JD than he would have normally preferred, or was it the other way around? Either way, his fears were getting the better of him.
At the foot of the stairs was a large storage space. Towards the back was another door. JD opened it with a shaking hand. Before them was the tunnel. They exchanged a look, and each raised an eyebrow as Cadence walked toward them from inside. She, too, was in her mask.
“Took you long enough to get here. Where’s Alan?” JD said.
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