Flight 12

Flight 12 – a serial novel by Travis Creel

CHAPTER EIGHT: TRAPPED

Previously:

• While searching for food and other resources, tower residents encounter four more single-colored dodecagons. Three of them have no obvious effect on those who find them – but Tim tells Seth that, upon seeing the blue one, Paul took off all his clothes and attempted to kiss Dai. Earlier, a yellow dodecagon had prompted asexual Cody to morph into randy gay Ray.

• Harry meets Gary, the third personality residing in the same body with Cody and Ray. Gary is utterly perplexed at his sudden appearance in an unfamiliar surrounding; Harry doesn't know how to begin to explain to him what has happened. When Gary attempts to leave the tower to urinate, he tells Harry that he can't – there is no longer a handle on the door.

• Stan, having been captured by a penis portal', arrives underground and meets Barry, the plane's pilot, who's been subjugated by Hamish, the apparent ruler of the space. Barry says he will escort Stan to his cell'.

• In a flashback, Seth attempts to repair the situation after his disastrous second date with Abe. He is assisted in this endeavor by his friend (and former boyfriend), Ian.

• • • • • • • • SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 * * * * * * * *

UNDERGROUND – STAN

Barry picked a corridor and we started walking.

• You'll have a roommate.

• Al?

• No one you know. He arrived on a previous flight.

• A previous flight.

• I didn't fly that one. Just Flight 12, I swear.

• I'm confused.

• Undoubtedly. But don't ask me, I'm still learning the ropes here. Ah, here we are.

He opened a door and I walked inside. Until I opened the door, the building had looked more like a hospital or a school than a prison. That changed when I saw my living quarters.

There were exactly four items inside the room, and barely room for all four. There was a bed – one bed, not two and not bunk beds like you saw in prison movies, though it was wide enough to sleep two. There was a standard-issue prison toilet. There was a sink. And there was a man, as naked as I was.

I faced my new roommate. Having seen too many prison films, I was relieved that he wasn't physically intimidating. He was older than me – upper twenties? – with a mop of light brown hair. There was a steeliness about him that said he wasn't going to be pushed around, but he didn't look hostile. I extended a hand in friendship and we introduced ourselves.

• Hi. Stan Kowalczyk.

• Ian O'Leahy.

• Where you from, Ian?

• Cleveland.

THE PHALLIC TOWER – SETH

Dai confirmed Tim's account of Paul's wild attempt to seduce him, and that, after separation from the blue dodecagon, Paul had immediately reverted to the normal-acting guy he had seemed to be all day. I saw Harry talking with Augie and looking like he was trying to catch my eye. But a moment later Harry was with Ray and he waved me off. Afterwards, he came over to talk to me.

• I just met Gary.

• What?

• Yeah. According to Augie, they ran into one of those granite dodecagons, a violet one. Augie said Ray suddenly shut down and was quiet all the way back. I was just talking to him and he's switched personalities again. He's Gary now, and Gary is one confused puppy.

• Well, I guess he would be if he hasn't been around since – when? Miami? Before Miami?

• He didn't remember a plane flight at all. I think he's the original person, Seth. He's shy, he's scared, the total opposite of Ray.

• Like someone who's been traumatized in the past, and needed to create two more confident personas to compensate for it.

• Exactly. He kinda went overboard with Ray. Cody's the real defense mechanism. Cody's straight, or maybe asexual, he's taciturn, doesn't need anyone else, just wants to run his ranch and be left alone.

• But Ray's too powerful to let Cody dominate.

• Yeah. I think Gary's the weakest personality of the three. But not altogether there. He said he tried to go outside to piss but said the door didn't have a handle.

• That's nuts. Of course the door has a handle. We've been using it all . . . Harry?

• Yeah.

• He's right. The door doesn't have a handle.

• Huh? How can it have a handle and then not have a handle?

• Look at it. There's no handle. No knob, nothing to open the door with.

• Then how are we going to get outside?

• I don't know.

At which point the lights went out. It instantly became pitch black inside the phallic tower. Now it had been curious to me all along why we had been able to see inside the tower at all, there being no windows and no light fixtures. But there must have been something – some creative kind of lighting in the walls themselves, because it just switched off. The floor was still lit, but slowly fading. As if to say, find your place to sleep now, before the light goes out altogether, or you'll be stumbling all over each other.

• I guess it's time for bed.

• Dream of doorknobs. We've got to be able to leave this place in the morning.

I thought, I'll never fall asleep. My mind was swimming with a dozen things to worry about – how we were going to exit the tower, how we were going to get food, where we were going to crap, how we were going to get off the island, how to deal with a man with three personalities, why there were fragments of multiple planes on the island, why all the occurrences of the number twelve, what the fuck those dodecagons meant, why the map corresponded with the cities we were from – and, oh yeah, for good measure, it wasn't firmly established that we were actually alive.

And whether or not I'd ever see Abe again.

• • • • • • • • SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2 * * * * * * * *

THE PHALLIC TOWER – SETH

To my surprise, I slept soundly. When I woke up, the walls of the phallic tower exhibited a dim light – did that mean it was daytime? There were no windows, we couldn't see outside. I took a quick glance over to the door.

No door handle. Shit.

All around me were figures stretched out in various poses on the floor, covering most of the pizza-slice dodecagon, which, like the walls, was now also lit. Gary, I noticed, was peacefully reposed entirely within the yellow wedge.

There was one exception to the unconscious state of my fellow travelers: a large body huddled against the wall, looking contemplative: Harry.

• (whispering, so as to not wake the others) Good morning.

He got up from his seat, threaded his way through the sleeping forms spread out on the floor and joined me. He put his hand on my shoulder.

• You okay?

• Well, I'm rather pissed that I don't see a handle on the door.

• That all that's bothering you?

• Isn't that enough?

• For me, yeah. But you . . .

I noticed him looking at my bare chest. My bare chest? Where was Ed's weskit?

And where were Augie's briefs? Once again, I had awakened in the nude.

• Fuck.

• You hadn't noticed?

• No. How did – well, where are they?

• Two possible answers to that question, Seth. One: they're here, somewhere hidden in this room, which, since we can't see them, would mean they'd have to be underneath someone's sleeping body. Two: they're nowhere.

• How can they be nowhere?

• How can a door that had a handle not have a handle?

• Magic.

• Our very survival is magic, Seth. This whole place is magic. Or something . . . else. Clearly we are under the influence of a higher power. I mean, I'm not religious, but –

• This is not the work of a Christian God.

• No.

• And I don't believe in Satan.

• Nor do I.

• Aliens from outer space?

• (Harry smiled.) "I didn't ask for the anal probe."

• Huh?

• Quote from a 90's movie called "Passion Fish". Of course, anal probes are a motif in alien abduction scenarios, aren't they.

• You think we're on another planet? Or, in some kind of giant alien laboratory where they're conducting experiments on us connected to nudity and phalluses?

• Not really. But it makes as much sense as anything else.

• So, like some aliens zapped our plane and transported us to their own world or some environment they created in space. Maybe it's like the holodeck on the Star Trek series – it looks like a real world, but it's actually just in a small space on their spaceship. Is that what you think?

• No. Seth, really, no, I don't. But whatever it is, it's supernatural. We can't have survived that crash, and your clothes can't simply have vanished. And all these twelves are not coincidental. Like a bad fifties movie: "Invaders from the Twelfth Dimension".

• Is that a real movie or did you make it up?

• I made it up. But what IS real? We're pawns in somebody else's game. Ever see that old Twilight Zone episode where a soldier and a ballerina and such are trying to escape from a giant cylinder, and it turns out they're really dolls in a barrel? Maybe it's – to cite the punch line of an old joke – maybe it's our turn in the barrel.

• We're not dolls, Harry. We're real people.

• They thought they were, too. . . . Oh, hell.

• Those are words rarely followed by good news. What?

• Look at Paul.

Paul was on the far side of the room, behind Vic, whose hulking body blocked most of my view of Paul.

I had to stand to see him.

Paul was dressed in a jockstrap. And nothing else.

FLASHBACK: PAUL (RICHMOND) - September, ten years ago

• Hey, for such a little guy, you got a big dick, doncha?

• Leave me alone, Anthony.

• That jockstrap doesn't hide it, you know.

• Anthony, leave me alone. I'm going to tell Mr. Burke.

• You're going to tell the big bad gym teacher that your cock is big for your size?

• No, I'm going to tell him that you're . . .

• I'm what?

• Bothering me.

• `Mister Burke, help! Anthony is giving me compliments.' Is that what you mean?

• You call that a compliment?

• What do you call it?

• Sexual harassment.

• Whoa. Big words, dude. Somebody been sending you to Feminism school?

• Gay people can be sexually harassed, too.

• Ah, so you're gay.

• (turning red) I didn't say that.

• You didn't say, Men can be sexually harassed, too.' You said gay people'. Fess up, Paul.

• Well, if you're so obsessed with my dick, you must be the one who's gay.

• You say that like it's a bad thing.

• It's. . . well, no, I don't mean that. It's . . .

• So it's a good thing.

• I don't mean that either. I mean, everybody has the right to be –

• Make up your mind – good thing or bad thing?

• People should just be who they are.

• And who are you, little man? Little man with the big dick? Do you want my lips around that dick?

• No!

• Or do you want to wrap YOUR lips around MY big dick?

• Anthony, go away.

• Is there a reason why you're always the last to get changed? Why even now, when everyone else has left the locker room, you still haven't showered? Why you like to shower alone?

• Maybe . . . maybe I'm shy, okay?

• Shy? Or are you afraid that big boy would spring to life when you're in the shower with all those other naked bodies?

• No.

• All those bare, unclothed, nude, stark naked hot sexy bodies full of muscles and shapely asses and big thick cocks and huge delicious balls and thick pubic hair and –

• Stop it!

• I'll stop it when you admit you're gay.

• Okay, I'm gay, all right. Yes, I'm fucking gay.

• I thought so. By the way, little man, I'm not so interested in your oversized cock. I'm more interested in the part your jockstrap doesn't hide.

And then he reached behind me and slapped my ass, hard.

• Oh, and here's something you might find interesting. Mister Burke is gay, too.

• You're lying.

• Am I? Maybe I have personal proof of that. Highly personal.

Speak of the devil. Mr. Burke walked in just then.

• (Burke) What are you two still doing here? Eton, aren't you showered yet? You're going to be late to your next class.

• I have study hall. Ms. Lloyd doesn't care if we're late, as long as we show up.

• Get in the shower now or I won't give you a pass.

Mr. Burke left the locker room. I waited for Anthony to leave, but when he lingered I gave up, yanked off my jock and headed for the showers, praying he wouldn't follow. He didn't, but continued to talk to me from the changing area while I stepped under the shower heads.

• Burke'll give you a pass. He might even make one – get it, make a pass?

• Wow, that was so goddamned clever. No wonder you get all A's. Oh, wait – you don't.

• The only A I want is followed by a couple of S's.

• You have as much chance of that as you have of getting 100 on a chemistry test.

• Someday I'll give YOU a chemistry test. Like we might have chemistry together, dude.

I turned on the hot water, as much to create noise as to clear the sweat from my body after a vigorous workout in gym class. When I didn't hear anything, I thought Anthony had left, but a moment later I saw him poking his head around the corner.

• This conversation isn't over, Paul.

But it was for the moment and he left. I grabbed the soap and lathered my body quickly as I considered what had just happened, grateful that I was alone.

Even more grateful when I got an erection.

THE PHALLIC TOWER – SETH

• Maybe he was uncomfortable. Lots of people sleep in the nude.

• How many sleep in a jockstrap?

We walked over to where Paul was sleeping. I looked at his nearly-naked form and a surge of energy shot through my balls. God, his body was so like Abe's. It wasn't obvious yesterday because he was wearing such loose clothing, obscuring the contours of his body. His very sexy body.

I had to be careful. Being nude meant there was no hiding any physical attraction that manifested itself below the waist. My cock did twitch, which Harry noticed but was too polite to comment on.

I examined the area around Paul. There was no evidence of his baggy T-shirt or sweatpants. Could they be under his body? He was too small for that. Worse – where were his shoes? He was definitely wearing shoes last night.

• (Harry) So Paul gets to wear a jockstrap, but you have to go the full Monty. They've gone out of the way to make you naked – twice. You've been chosen in some way. I hate to say this – maybe it's because of Abe. They chose you because of your passion for Abe, or else they separated him from you because they chose you.

• Whoever `they' is.

• Cody would say it's the Deep State.

I looked over at "Cody", asleep on the yellow wedge.

• I wonder who he'll be when he wakes up.

• Gary, I hope. He's the only one I like. But back to Paul. He lost most of his clothing; you lost it all. They're singling you out, and then him, but not quite so much? Is he supposed to be, like, your second in command?

• If anyone fills that role, it's you, Harry.

• Well, trust me, no one's going to strip me naked. It would gross everyone out.

• Stop that. There are lots of guys who would find you attractive.

• Not in the real world.

• Yes, in the real world.

• Do you? Do you, Seth? Find me attractive.

• . . . I have a boyfriend.

• Nice dodge, but understood. I asked an unfair question, put you on the spot. Sorry. So, topic du l'heur – Paul. Any ideas?

• Yes, actually, though not one that makes much sense.

• I think we have to stop searching for things that make sense. Proceed.

• There was an incident yesterday. Tim and Paul and Dai found a dodecagon, a blue one. Apparently Paul jumped on it, tore off his clothing and tried to kiss Dai. They pulled him off it and he got normal, looked horribly embarrassed, and didn't say a word until they got back here.

• Another sexual reaction to a dodecagon. Like the yellow one made Cody go berserk.

• Exactly.

• Seth.

• Yeah?

• Look where Paul is sleeping. On the blue wedge. Like Cody is sleeping on the yellow wedge.

• You think there's a significance to that particular color?

• Maybe. Or maybe he's just wired to go crazy in blue. He took off all his clothing? Not just down to his jockstrap?

• . . . Shit.

• What?

• Dai provided quite a detailed description of what happened. I remember him saying very distinctly, `And then he took off his boxers and was completely naked.'

• His boxers.

• His boxers. He wasn't wearing a jockstrap.

• Well, he's wearing one now.

FLASHBACK: PAUL (RICHMOND) – September, ten years ago (continued)

• Need a ride home?

• No.

• Your house is on my way.

• You know where I live?

• I know a lot about you. Are you afraid to get in the car with me?

• (Yes.) No.

• Then come on, get in. I'm not going to bite you.

I hesitated. Mom usually picked me up from school, but today she had to work late. It would take me almost forty-five minutes to walk. Versus less than ten minutes in a car. I guess I could put up with ten minutes of Anthony to get home in time to watch as much as possible of the Nats' game. They had an afternoon game on the west coast, 4:05 on the east coast. It was four o'clock now.

I got in.

• That is, unless you WANT me to bite you.

• The only reason I got in this car, Anthony, is because I know if you're driving you can't do anything.

• (smiling) I can drive one-handed. And with my other hand, I can do this.

He reached over and tried to grab my crotch, but I swiped his hand out of the way. He laughed.

• Playing hard to get?

I didn't want to admit it, but Anthony's brawny black body was a major turn-on. I'd stood there in the shower the other day thinking about him – and that's when I got the erection. And dammit if I wasn't getting one now.

I closed my eyes. If I concentrated hard enough, my erection would fade before he spotted it. I thought about covalent bonds – anything academic like chemistry was sure to distract me. With my eyes closed, I had no idea what Anthony was thinking or doing, or if he was even looking at me. But he was quiet, and that was an enormous relief. If I heard his voice, it might remind me of how much I lusted after him.

After a couple of minutes, my nether regions safely under control, I felt us slowing down. I opened my eyes. We were pulling into a driveway.

Not my driveway.

• This isn't my house, Anthony.

• Yeah, I know. I got it backwards. Your house isn't on my way. My house is on the way to yours.

Anthony got out, swung around the front of the car and opened my car door like a chauffeur. I sat there resolutely, securely strapped in.

• I'm not moving. Take me home, Anthony. The Nats' game is already starting, I want to get home in time for the second inning.

• I have a TV.

He reached in, disengaged the seat belt and put his arms on either side of my body. He lowered his face to about three inches away from mine, and smiled.

• I'll take you home, Paul. Just have a beer with me first. We can watch the game here.

• If I'm not home in half an hour, my mom will –

• Never know. Your mom is working until 5:30. She won't get home until at least 6:15, later if the traffic's bad. The games move faster now with the pitch clock; we can catch a good five, six innings and listen on the radio when I drive you home. I'll get you home by six, easy and you'll be up to date on the Nats if she asks.

• How the fuck do you know she's working until 5:30?

She'd actually told me she'd be home `late', but I hadn't mentioned that to Anthony.

• (a big grin) She works for Amazon, right?

• How do you know that?

• My dad's her boss. He told me he had a late staff meeting. Your mom will be at that meeting.

Oh, shit. Her boss was named Johnson, and so was Anthony. And mom's boss was Black, and Anthony was Black . . .

• Come on in, the game's already started. My dad said he won't be home until eight, sometimes he works out after work, tonight's one of those nights.

The Nats were already behind San Diego, three to nothing, by the time we got inside. Anthony had gotten us both beers, which was a rare pleasure. When I'm with my dad, he sometimes lets me have a beer, but I'm only with him one weekend a month. Mom would have exploded if she'd caught me with one.

I took a few sips of the beer as the Nats seemed to be starting a rally.

• What kind of beer is this? It seems strong.

• (laughing) You don't drink much beer, do you, Paul? Not used to it?

• It just seems really strong. Maybe I shouldn't –

• What, are you a wuss? Tell you what, you can stop after just one. But you've got to chug it.

• No, that's crazy.

• I'll chug mine, too. It'll be a contest. If you win, I'll take you home right now.

• And if you win?

• I get to kiss you.

• For serious?

• I'm serious. You want me, Paul. You think I didn't see your hard-on in the car?

The sad truth was that I did want him. But –

• And if I win, you'll take me home. Right now. Hands off, just put me in the car and drive me home.

• Yep.

It was probably my only means of escape. I lifted the mug.

• Cheers.

And down it went. And then I passed out. I wasn't sure how long I was out, but the first thing I heard was:

• Ever hear of chloral hydrate, Paul?

• Chloral . . .

• You say I'm bad at chemistry. It's a chemical, Paul. You know what chloral hydrate is used for?

• Not a . . . clue.

• It's the active ingredient in a Mickey Finn. There was chloral hydrate in your beer, Paul. That's why you passed out.

• Are you taking me home?

• Oh, no, Paul. Not yet. You see, I won the bet. I get to kiss you. For starters.

• What time is it?

• It's about 5:30. We have plenty of time. Your mom won't be home until eight. She called and left a message on your phone. You see, my dad isn't at the gym. He's fucking your mom in some hotel room. That's what's been happening every time your mom works late. Your mom, my dad. Who knows, maybe they'll get married. Then we'd be stepbrothers. Would you like that, Paul?

• . . . What the fuck?

• Oh, did you just notice?

My head was still spinning, and it had taken me that long to notice. My chest was bare, and so were my legs. When I looked down, I was wearing only one item of clothing – a jockstrap.

I was still wearing that jockstrap when I lost my virginity minutes later.

THE PHALLIC TOWER - HARRY

Someone else woke up: Dai, the Japanese-American whom Paul had attempted to kiss. Paul, in his jock, continued to be fast asleep; the light was still dim and Seth's total nudity was not obvious, although he was clearly bare-chested. Dai didn't notice Seth, but took immediate notice of Paul's state of undress, and shook his head.

• (Dai) Maybe the guy's a closet nudist.

• Not exactly.

• Though I have to say he's hot. You wouldn't have guessed it from those baggy clothes, but, man, look at that ass.

• I know.

• You like it, too.

• (Damn, it just slipped out.)

• (Dai, smiling) It's okay, man. I had you figured. Did you have me figured?

• Well, you know you Asians are inscrutable.

A risky joke that actually made Dai smile. Then a puzzled look came over his face.

• But where did Paul's clothes go? I don't even see his shoes.

• Dai, I think –

• And who gave him that jock? He wasn't wearing one yesterday, and believe me, I saw exactly what he was wearing, every layer of it.

• It's time to face some hard facts. We're in some kind of supernatural environment. Paul's clothes have disappeared, and instead he's wearing a jockstrap. Seth's naked for the second morning in a row. And the door handle disappeared. We can't get out.

• We can't get out? Man, that's fucked.

• Everything on this island is fucked.

• Have you tried to get out?

• Without a doorknob, what's the point?

• I mean we should at least try.

I followed Dai as he walked over to the door, trying to wedge his fingers in the gap between the door and the wall, even though it was less than a quarter-inch wide. Then he stopped, stooped, and picked up something.

• What's this?

A piece of paper had been slipped under the door. As I got closer, I could see that it was, in fact, an envelope. The writing on the envelope was in elegant script. It said, "Lee S. Herrick".

[COMING UP NEXT: CHAPTER NINE – PAST MEETS PRESENT]