Just before I hit the floor, strong arms wrapped around me and hauled me upright. “Don’t let ‘em see your fear. They get off on that. No matter how nice they may first appear to be. Once a guy tried to oppose them, and with the wave of a finger they set him on fire in front of all of us. A good way to make sure we didn’t get out of hand, I guess.” An unfamiliar voice whispered in my ear.
I stilled, not knowing what to do, or who was talking to me. “Watch and learn from everything you see. That’s the only way to survive around here.” A different voice spoke, but the accent stayed the same. Two males speaking in the same baritone made me wonder if they were related.
“Wha- what do they want from us?” I hated the way my voice broke, but there was nothing I could do about it.
“Hold your head high,” the first one said. “Don’t give them what they can’t have.”
I looked up to see who was doing all the talking. Two men stood in front of me. One about six feet tall, with a bald head and brownish blue eyebrows. The other had a small patch of blue brown hair right above his forehead. The rest of his hair was shaved close to his head.
Though one was lighter than the other, the resemblance was unmistakable. “You two brothers?” I asked.
The taller one nodded. “I’m Andrew, and this is my brother Lincoln.” The first voice belonged to him.
I’d wanted to meet people who could help me. I didn’t know if they could, but I saw no harm in giving them my name. “Kerry.”
Andrew pointed across the room to a man in a white shirt with short curly black hair. He was deep in conversation with a woman, about my height with short pink hair. “That's our friend Gerell. One of the first people we met when we got here.”
Not knowing what else to say, I simply nodded.
Andrew watched me closely. “Do you want to be here, Kerry?” Something about the way he said it, told me he’d asked for a very specific reason. I didn’t know why, but I decided to be honest with my answer anyway.
“No.” I turned an angry glare toward the stage. Ed and Renee talked and laughed with those around them as if they didn’t have a care in the world.
My fist balled at my side, but I remembered what Andrew had just said, and so I took a deep breath and tried to control my emotions. The last thing I wanted was to be set on fire like the guy he’d told me about.
The thing that made it difficult was that someone I’d trusted had tricked me. Life on the street was hard and the number one rule was to trust no one. Still, Ed had endeared himself to me in such a way that I’d let my guard down. I said as much to them, not about the homeless part, just that I’d been tricked into coming here.
Andrew’s nostrils flared, but he kept his cool. “That’s how they got a lot of us.”
Lincoln’s eyes turned fierce as he looked over at Gerell. “Yeah, and some they just snatched right off the street. Taking them from their homes and everything that they loved.”
Andrew followed his brother’s line of sight. “We were coming from a party when they picked us up. No reason.” He nodded at Gerell. “That one? On his way home from work.”
We chatted for a while longer, until one of the men on stage stood. A plump fellow of average height, he picked up a silver microphone and cleared his throat. “Now, I know some of you are wondering what you’re doing here.” I was sure all of us wanted to know the answer to that question.
He pushed his glasses up. “You’ve been so patient and I want to thank you for that.” I narrowed my eyes in disgust. He acted like we actually had a choice in the matter. “Today we start at the beginning.” The fact that he was so happy about that one statement sent cold chills racing down my spine.
Andrew swore under his breath. “The more they talk, the less I understand. They have a special way of putting you off your guard around here.” I nodded because I couldn’t agree more.
The man on stage kept talking, “I’m Max, by the way, and now Andre will take it away.”
Andre stood and began separating us into groups of six. My eyes searched frantically around the room. I didn’t know what I was looking for, but it seemed better than just standing there doing nothing.
Andrew, seeing my distress, placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Be cool, Kerry. Don’t let them see your fear. Pay attention and try to remember everything you see and hear.” I nodded and then stood with the group I’d been assigned to.
They divided us into twos. I recognized the woman who’d been talking with Gerell earlier. The pink in her hair matched that of her brows and eyes. She introduced herself as Lia, and apparently, we’d be partners from this point forward.
We walked into another room, a large gym, where we were weighed and measured. “Why do they need to know what we weigh?” Lia asked me once I stepped off the scale.
I took a deep breath and looked around the room at all the exercise equipment. “Whatever it is, it’s not good. I heard they once set a guy on fire for failing to comply.”
She nodded. “Yeah, it was awful. I can still hear his screams sometimes.” She shook her head and quickly changed the subject. “Let’s keep a list of everything they make us do. Put it together and see what we come up with.”
“I could do that,” I said, deciding to put the ever-present threat of burning to death behind me for now.
We followed Andre toward the women’s locker room. “Good. We’ll compare notes as we go.”
After we’d changed into workout clothes, we were told to get on the treadmill. We ran for twenty minutes and then switched to the bicycle. After that, we lifted weights, did stretches, and then worked on stomach crunches and legs.
I thought I’d be tired after going so long without exercising, but life on the street meant a lot of walking, so I guess I wasn’t as out of shape as I’d thought.
My breath came hard, and my body ached, but it was in a good way, and I could see myself getting into a workout routine once I got back home.
We were allowed to take showers, and sitting on the bench afterward, Lia asked the question I’d been wondering about. “Why do they need us in shape? Did they steal us to make us compete in some type of strong man competition or something?”
I slipped my shoes back on. “Who knows, but that’s one more thing to add to the list.”
Ed and Renee came to get me after that. I shared a lasting look with Lia before following them out the door. They asked me how my day had gone and seemed especially interested in knowing if I’d been comfortable and had had everything that I’d needed.
Renee fixed a nice dinner and made sure that I ate my fill. The same silver sparks I’d seen on Ed seemed to dance around her hands as well. It made me curious, and I vowed to watch them more closely in the future.
I slipped into bed after supper, mentally compiling all the things I’d learned today. The fact that they could set people on fire with the flip of a hand weighed heavily on my mind and scared me more than anything, because my only thought was who was next. Me? Andrew? Lia? It hurt to even think about.
I awoke later that night, my bladder begging for release. On my way back from the bathroom, low, hushed voices drew me toward the kitchen. Not wanting to be discovered, I hovered just outside the door, making sure I couldn’t be seen.
Ed’s voice boomed with pride. “Picked a good one this time, didn’t I?”
Renee let off a soft affectionate chuckle. “Gonna get a pretty good rep for her, no doubt.”
That feeling of dread settled over me once again. What did these people want from me? What did they want from all of us? There was some ugly shit going on here, and I just hoped when the time came, we’d be informed enough to fight back.
3
The next day we once again gathered in the room with the stage. Andrew stood in a huddle with his brother and Gerell, talking animatedly and using a lot of hand gestures. He smiled when he saw me and walked over.
“Get a chance to stretch your legs yesterday?”
I laughed, because boy
was that an understatement. “Got a better work out then I’ve had in years. Be good if I knew what it was for.”
He looked toward the stage. “Something only they can benefit from. Whatever it is, it’s not for us.”
I nodded and then surveyed the room. Multiple people met in small groups, talking in hushed tones, and continuously glancing around as if scared to be overheard.
A thread of tension ran through the air, touching down on every one of us. I didn’t even try to keep the hopelessness out of my voice. It was a feeling I’d come to know well over the years. “What are we going to do?”
Andrew seemed unfazed. “We got some things in motion.”
“Who? You, Lincoln, and Gerell?”
“And a few others.”
I let that sink in, but still wondered if it would be enough.
Max was back, smiling brightly as he cleared his throat and reached for the microphone. “Today you start your beauty regimen. That means hair, nails, and skin.” He held up a finger. “Everything must be accounted for. After that, we start dance lessons.”
He sounded so damn happy for us, and it chilled me to my bones. Why did they need us in shape and beautiful? If I could figure that out, it could give me a clue to what was going on here.
Andrew locked eyes with his brother and they nodded at each other.
I thought about what I’d overheard the night before between Ed and Renee, and told Andrew about it.
He listened attentively and then repeated what he’d said before. “Listen. Remember. Compile.”
I nodded like my life depended on it because it probably did. “Sure. I can do that. I can do that, no problem.”
They separated the men from the women again. I searched out Lia and smiled with relief when I saw her already walking my way. “Yesterday they exercised us to within an inch of our lives. Today they paint our toenails. What gives?”
“They need us pretty and fit?” I deadpanned.
“Sounds like an infomercial,” she said drily.
I laughed, glad to release some of the tension out of my shoulders. Andre came and told us to follow him.
We stepped upon the white disc, which I’d found out were called soarers. Lia and I stood side by side. We landed on the second floor in front of a door labeled SPA.
Lights hung from the ceiling and lit up the floor. Pools of water, both big and small, covered the entirety of the room. A lady with brown hair introduced herself as Tina and asked me to follow her through one of the side doors. I looked to Lia, who nodded and followed behind a different lady.
The room held a single table and multiple stones. “We have a lot to do, so let’s start with your massage first.”
I pulled my clothes tighter around my person. “Why do I need a massage?”
She looked at a small device in her hand, reading and nodding along. “You’ve been through a lot, Kerry. Living on the street for years. That was no good for you, was it? Let me loosen some of those tense muscles. I promise it’d make you feel better.”
She smiled and sounded pleasant enough, but something in my gut told me if I refused, that calm demeanor would vanish in an instant. My mind immediately went to the guy who’d been set on fire and I vowed to have a different fate.
I allowed her to give me a massage, but I couldn’t really relax. I was too worried about what came next.
From that room, we moved to another and then another. My hair was curled and then wrapped and brushed down. It looked good and the style really fit my face.
My eyebrows were plucked, my eyelashes thickened, and my legs and all other body parts shaved.
My fingernails and toes were painted gold and yellow respectively. Measurements were taken, and the dress they gave me was a shimmering gold that matched my nails perfectly. They also gave me a pair of open-toed high heels in the same color.
With all the pampering, I should have felt like a princess. Instead I felt like a guinea pig headed for slaughter.
Tina beamed like a proud parent. “This is not for the ball. For that, you’ll have something much more spectacular.”
“Ball?”
She smiled and then winked at me. “You’re going to be the most beautiful one there.”
I swallowed hard. “And when will this ball take place?”
She waved her hand as if swatting a fly. “Oh, don’t worry about that. We’re going to keep you exercising and keep you eating healthy food to bring back that special glow to your face. You’ll be the belle of the ball, just you wait and see.”
She didn’t answer my question, and I realized that she wasn’t going to. Still, I had another piece of information to file away, so I rated that as a win.
Finished with the spa treatment, we all gathered in the stage room again. Lia too was dressed in gold, her short hair spiked and shining.
“I feel like a science experiment,” she said with a small frown on her face.
I chose to ignore that, even if I knew exactly what she meant. “Heard something about a ball. Don’t know when they’re planning it for, yet.”
She nodded. “Yeah, I heard some rumblings. I’m going to work the crowd. See what else I can find out.”
One thing I’d already picked up on was that all the women wore yellow and gold, while the men sported white tuxedos with yellow ties and gold bowties.
My pulse sped up as the creepiness of the whole thing hit me dead in the chest. I tried to breathe, but my breath caught in my throat. Fear crawled up my spine and around my neck, choking me and rendering me helpless to do anything but stand there.
One man, whose face read agitated, ripped off his tie and threw it to the ground. “Who do you think--” He didn’t get to finish the sentence before he exploded into flames. I gasped and jumped back, as the man’s charred remains hit the floor. A hush fell over the crowd and no one dared to breathe a word.
A tall slim man snapped his fingers and three men dressed in uniforms appeared. “Clean this up and get it out of here.” The men did as they were told and slowly the room became abuzz again.
I stood frozen to my spot, not sure of what to do.
Andrew walked over and tried to comfort me. “Don’t, Kerry. Don’t give them your fear. When the time comes, give them your anger. That’s the only thing people like this understand.”
I nodded and decided to focus on him instead. He looked really nice in his white suit. “You clean up well,” I said, wanting to change the subject, if just for the moment. There was nothing I could do for the man who’d been killed, but I knew he’d haunt my dreams for a long time to come.
Andrew’s eyes said he knew exactly what I was doing, but he let it go anyway. “And you were just as beautiful before your makeover.”
It wasn’t true, but I appreciated him saying it. “Thank you,” I said quietly, not feeling worthy of the praise.
He squeezed my hand. “Kerry, look at me.” I raised my head. He smiled slightly, his eyes holding promises I wasn’t sure he could keep. “We’re going to be okay. You have to believe that.”
I didn’t. Not really, but I nodded my agreement anyway.
As before, Max stepped on stage and grabbed the microphone. “Good evening ladies and gentlemen. You all look very nice. Just beautiful. Now, grab a partner and prepare to learn the fine art of ballroom dancing!”
I placed my hand in Andrew’s, the thought of dancing with anyone else frightened me greatly. He smiled and led me to the middle of the floor.
A slow ballad started, and the men were told to put their right hands on the small of the women’s back, then to use their left hands to guide us around the floor.
Andre picked up the mic and began to call out instructions. We were told when to step left, right, and twirl. Dancing over the spot where the man had been burned alive sicken me, but being scared that the same thing would happen to me, I kept dancing.
This went on for about two hours nonstop. By the time it ended, we had the steps down pat and didn’t need his voice to guide us. I
tried to keep up, but in truth, my feet ached, and my arms felt like jelly, after keeping the same position for so long.
Once the music stopped, Andre and Max ushered us into the next room and told us to take a seat at a table, with candlelight atop white and yellow tablecloths. In front of each chair, sat multiple dishes and a yellow napkin with a small red pill on it.
My hand trembled uncontrollably and I looked at Andrew to get his reaction.
With furrowed brows, his eyes never left the contents of the table. “They could be planning anything,” he whispered. “Just be ready to fight if we have to.”
“I’m not taking that pill,” I said with conviction. Who knew what they’d do to us once we were incapacitated.
Behind each seat was a man or woman dressed in black pants and fancy white shirts. They pulled out the chairs for us, a smile on their faces the whole time. Everyone took a seat, nervous glances all around.
Max stood in front, watching us closely. “Now ladies, tell the person who pulled out your chair, thank you. Blink once and slightly bow your head.” I along with the other women did as we were told. I could feel the burning behind my eyes, but I was determined not to give in to it.
Max seemed pleased. He beamed at us, something akin to pride on his face. He turned to the men. “Fellows, nod thanks to the person who pulled out your chair. Reach into your coat pocket and pretend to hand them a small tip. Once done, smooth out any ruffles you may have made to your jacket and turn back around. Put a look on your face that says you are now prepared to receive your meal.”
Andrew’s nostrils flared, but he, as well as the other men, did as Max instructed. I watched in silent horror, my eyes stinging a little more at the indignity of it all.
I needed to breathe and get a better handle on my feelings. Crying would help no one. I should know, I’d been crying for years.
The servers disappeared and then came back, each with a different sized dish in their hand. They began placing food in front of us and loading it onto our plates.
Different aromas and spices competed for dominance, yet the one rising above all others was fear. I was scared shitless, and my stomach turned in on itself, making it impossible for me to eat anything.
A Magical Reckoning: Magic and Mischief Book 1 Page 16
