Adrianna unlocked the side door and pulled it towards her, inhaling the night air as if to decide whether the night was fine enough to venture out in. It was. She quietly signaled for Kye to follow, pressing her index finger to lips. Kye glanced over his shoulder. They had left the dining hall, sneakily meandered their way through hallways, pausing now and then to make sure they were not being followed. Presently they were standing at the base of a grand staircase, Kye could only assume that they had entered the West Wing and up the stairs were the girl's dormitories.
But they did not go up the stairs. They proceeded through the door Adrianna unlocked and before shutting it, she glanced around to make sure no one was on their tails. Kye found himself standing on a flagstone pathway, which was entirely concealed by an arch of thick shrubberies. In fact, the ceiling of arched leaves was not very high and as they walked along twigs kept on scrapping and getting caught in his hair.
Nevertheless, the tunnel had an everlasting affect. Strange warm lights positioned strategically guided their way. "I'm usually not this cautious," Adrianna finally spoke, figuring it was safe to talk. "But seeing that you are the President's son - I had to take precautions."
"Understandable," said Kye shoving his hands into the pockets of his slacks. "Could you tell me what we are doing here? I feel like I just stepped into fucking Alice in Wonderland."
"So you feel like you are on drugs, then?" Adrianna asked slyly. "A feeling you of all people would undoubtedly be used to."
The subject was dropped. They were coming upon a fork in the path. Kye thought he heard the trickling of a fountain hidden somewhere in this maze of shrubbery. He anticipated which path Adrianna would lead him down, but was startled when she stopped just short of the fork and parted the wall of green leaves. Kye hesitated. "Go on," she encouraged, keeping the greens parted.
He had adopted the habit of looking around to make sure no one was looking - and after surveying the scene he decided all was fine and slid through the wall of shrubbery, having to turn sideways. Adrianna followed suit. Kye's eyes had a difficult time adjusting to the sudden blackness that enveloped them. They were now located in a vast clearing, the large stone wall with ivory creeping up the side stood to their left, behind them was the tunnel of leaves and warm lights, and ahead of them seemed to just disappear into the abyss.
Adrianna hooked her arm with his, propelling him forward. "This way," she informed him in a whisper. There seemed to be no true reason to speak softly, except for the fact that a normal or louder tone would penetrate the surreal darkness.
They were moving swiftly forward. Once they hit a chink of moonlight that partly lit the grounds - Adrianna stopped Kye. Her eyes glowed in the faint light. She allowed her shoulder bag to slip to the ground and began scrounging around in it. "I brought along some clothes for you to go incognito," she said in a hush tone, pulling out random clothing articles. "Hope you are a New York Yankees fan," she tossed him a Yankees hat.
Familiar with the incognito setup, Kye pulled the cap down tightly on his head and over his eyes, while prompting the question, "What is all of this for?" He felt slightly agitated that Adrianna was leading him on this wild goose chase without an explanation.
"You'll see shortly," she attempted to console him and took off into the darkness - with Kye trudging wearily after her.
Before long they covered the length of the grounds, putting a good distant between them and St. Francis academy. The next time Adrianna spoke she asked, "You are good climber, right?" Kye did not need to ask why, for they had reached the yards end where a stone wall stood. Sounds of traffic could be heard on the opposite side. Adrianna did not allow Kye to answer, "You go over first, I'll toss over my shoulder bag and meet you on the other side."
Kye laughed, but it was the laugh of a man caught unawares by something funny at a time when he saw nothing to laugh at in the general situation. "Adrianna, do you actually understand who I'm the son of? I have no doubt in my mind that he has men on duty throughout St. Augustine keeping an eye on me. It's not a big deal if I go out during the day - but I'll end up all over the tabloids the moment people see me scaling a wall late at night."
"Which is why you have that cap on," she persisted.
"A hat barely cuts it. I need a whole new body in order for me not to be recognized. If we want to leave campus - why don't we go out the regular way instead of playing fugitive?"
"Curfew is at two. Gates close at two. You're either trapped in or trapped out - unless you know how to climb walls." She explained hurriedly. "Just start climbing." Adrianna was becoming impatient. A mutual feeling held between the two of them.
Deciding that he has done worse things, Kye hitched up his pants, secured one foot on the base of the wall, reached out with his arms and pulled himself upwards. Other than having his foot slip half-way up, the climb was surprisingly easy and once on the top he made sure there were no men in suits present and then dropped to the ground.
"Here comes my bag!" Adrianna called out in a whisper. Sure enough seconds later her shoulder bag, which was securely zippered, came soaring over the wall. Kye caught it, but stumbled back at its unexpected weight. His foot slid off the curve and within moments Kye landed roughly on the pavement.
Agile Adrianna on the other hand, nimbly scaled the wall, leapt over the top and landed squarely on her feet in a crouching position. "Your bag," Kye groaned. His hands were scrapped and burned fiercely.
She took the bag, saying, "Thanks, Kye. It's not far now."
Adrianna took what Kye assumed to be a short cut, through an alley way that cut between the quaint buildings that clutter St. Augustine. They walked uphill (or what could be considered as uphill in Florida) to another quaint building - but this one was clearly abandoned and right on the shores edge. Sky and sea were indistinguishable. The waves breaking spread their white fans far out over the shore, sent white shadows into the recesses of sonorous caves and then rolled back sighing over the pebbles.
Stopping at the front doors of the abandoned building, Adrianna stole another quick glance around to make absolutely sure they were not being followed. But the darkness had washed down streets, eddying round single figures, engulfing them; blotting out couples clasped under the showery darkness of palm trees in full summer foliage. Feeling assured that they had been protected by the shadows, Adrianna inched the front door open.
Motivated by morbid curiosity, Kye stepped inside. The building was completely gutted and now stood as just one gigantic room, with floor to ceiling windows that looked out at the rolling waves. He had expected to have to adjust his eyes to the dank darkness, but was relatively surprised when he noticed a circle of candles burning cordially in the center of the room, splashing soft yellow and orange lights across the empty room.
From the moment Adrianna closed the door behind them - Kye knew perfectly well that they were not the only ones in the room. He jumped slightly at the sound of another voice not belonging to Adrianna.
"Kye Darryl," a familiar voice said. From the shadows emerged James Total. He was dressed properly in his St. Francis uniform: tie, button shirt, and good slacks. Once again, Kye could not help but to notice the paper-thin scar sliced through his left eyebrow, giving James the bad-ass appearance. "I was hoping you would come tonight."
Kye eyed up the burning candles. "Could I ask what is going on tonight?"
Adrianna left and walked to the opposite side of the room, skirting the perimeters, while Kye walked with James to the circle of candles. "To put things simply - we want you to join our society."
Kye gave him an eyebrow raise to signify surprise. "For this I climbed through bushes, went incognito, scaled walls, and risked being seen by the public? When we could have just done this at school?"
"It's a society us first years just recently established. It means eternal brotherhood for your time spent at St. Francis."
"So a Fraternity? With the addition of a few girls," Kye added, spotting Adrianna and a few other girls watching them.
James rocked back on his heels, hands rammed into his pockets. "You don't know much about St. Francis academy, do you?"
Kye paused, slightly bemused and amused at the same time. "Should there be more to know other than the fact that it's a strict school?" Following his question a few people still hidden by the shadows sniggered. James thin lips were curved into a tight, entertained smile.
"There's a lot to know," James said, still smiling at Kye's ultranaivete.
Kye's retort was quick. "Well, what makes you such an expert? You're a first year, as well."
"I spent the summer here."
James's snappish reply swept by Kye so quickly, it almost blew out the candle positioned between them. "Well - I'm sorry - but conformity isn't my cup of tea," Kye said simply. "I'll have to think it over."
"This is your only chance," James called out to Kye's retreating back. "If you leave tonight you'll be stuck learning through mistakes - or through Lucas."
Kye stopped. Turned. "This is really 'do or die' isn't?"
The tight smile slightly returned to James's face. "Something like that."
Kye looked around, speaking quietly: "James, no offense, but I barely know you. And this society thing," he waved a dismissive hand, "sounds like a bunch of BS."
"What better way to get to know someone than through a society?"
After intense contemplation of the allegedly immaculate society, Kye set aside his predominant wary feelings and prompted the question, "Say if I do join, hypothetically of course..."
"Of course," James said in his natural smooth tone.
"What is the initiation process? I can only assume it has something to do with these candles - and that table in the middle," said Kye, just now noticing the rather large mahogany table in the ring."
James cool blue eyes flickered alive. Sparkling in the candle light, like the blue sea sparkling under the sun. "It's quite simple - you lay on the table - completely disrobed - and I make two small incision: one over your right side, the second on the left side of your rib cage."
"Simple!" Kye blurted out before thinking. "You're completely mad if you think I'll let you cut into me!" His voiced echoed magnificently around the room. As far as Kye was concerned no one was getting a hand on him, even if James was good looking. For a brief moment Kye was at a loss of words, finally finding his tongue, he spluttered, "W-whatever happened to SANE initiation processes - you know - where I sign a paper, maybe do some godforsaken dare and the be done with it?"
"This is a different kind of society..."
"You can say that again!"
"...for a different kind of school," James continued, pushing aside his shaggy black hair, as if he had not heard Kye. James looked over his shoulder at the others, and, seeing them still eaten by the shadows, began to unbutton his white shirt. Once it was completely unbutton, Kye saw James slim chest outlined by the plain white t-shirt, which James was now lifting up to expose his chest.
Kye felt extremely hot under the collar. James did not have a six pack - but he had a nicely fit chest, and a quarter of his black Calvin Klein waistband poked up from above his pants, enough to expose the "Calvin" part before diving back down out of sight. But this was clearly not what James wanted Kye to notice - he was pointing to the marking on the far right side of his rib cage and on the left side, so that they were almost on his back but not quite. One was a moon and the other a sun.
Kye looked away and met James's eyes. "Does it still hurt?" James shook his head, no. "That's a lie," Kye spat, "you winced just now as you lowered your shirt."
"It twinges every so often that's all," James replied, buttoning back up his shirt. "Listen Kye, don't think I thought this was normal when I had it done. Practically slugged the guy who cut into me, but I have never regret it."
Shifting uncomfortably, Kye offered an alternative, "What's wrong with getting a tattoo?"
"Several unexplainable things." James left it at that.
Any intelligent man would have made a dignified retreat, but this was St. Francis academy lot, where dignity always runs a poor second to the pleasure of getting in someone's face.
Kye leaned forward, his chin just over the flame of a candle. "Cut me open, huh?"
"A small carving," James calmly corrected Kye. "This isn't surgery."
With fumbling fingers Kye started to remove his layers of clothing. Where "chivalry" entered into this, he thought ruefully, he was not entirely sure, unless it counted as chivalrous that he was not running out of here.
He could hear the constant ebb and flow of the sea, like some great, slumbering creature as he stripped off. Despite the warmth of Florida he shivered, and yet he continued to strip off until at last he stood there in his snug red boxer briefs, barefoot against the floor. James had moved to the table, with his back towards Kye, but he still called out, "Everything, Kye," as if he could see that Kye still stood in his underwear. "Nothing comes between the society and you."
Without bothering to look around - because surely the others were watching - Kye slipped off out of his boxer briefs and felt a chill run up his spine. He wasn't ashamed of his body - having the press hound you during vacation spots at the beach he had to stay in shape - he just felt awkward standing completely nude in front of strangers.
"When you're completely flat on the table - we may proceed," James said, back still turned towards Kye, who then grudgingly slid up on the table and laid perfectly straight, staring up at the ceiling.
James finally turned around. Not smiling. Not frowning. His eyes did a quick sweep over Kye's body and something was glittering in his hand. The other students closed in around the table - undoubtedly noticing every aspect of Kye's body, whether they wanted to notice or not. James coolly drifted up to Kye's right side - and Kye had this unexplainable urge for James to start touching his nude body - but Kye remained rigid, his facial expression contorted in anger.
"You'll feel a slight pinch..." James said, but Kye had already bolted up, scuttling backward.
"The fuck!" he yelled - noticing the glimmering thing was a knife. "Is that sterile!"
His startled reaction caused James to touch him - he laid a firm hand on Kye's bare chest, trying to get him back down - but Kye would not budge, his eyes were glued to the hand holding the knife. "I assure you it is sterile," James said.
"The hell it is," Kye snapped. "You just pulled it out of your pocket!"
"Kye," James said firmly. "The more you cooperate the faster we can get this done."
Anyone could tell just by Kye's bare chest rising up and down quickly, that he was suddenly panicked. At that moment a thought dawned on him, which caused his pulse to quicken, if possible. "Wait a second," he said in alarmed tone, "is this going to end up in the tabloids."
It didn't take much to turn James tight smile into a tight frown. "Kye," he said stubbornly. "If this were the tabloids wouldn't we be taking pictures? Now trust me."
Insanity corrupted Kye's body. That's the only excuse he could make for himself as he hesitantly laid back down on the table, gripping both ends. He stared up the dark ceiling, breathing heavily. The sound of the waves outside seemed to start crashing louder. And soon inside his head there was a cacophony of noises: his harsh breathing, the waves crashing, his internal words yelling for him to get the hell off of the table, then the breathing, the waves, the words...James fingertips still on his chest...the waves seemed to be raging...
Kye could do nothing to prevent it, James had a firm, and yet gentle hold on him...he dared not look at the knife nearing his body. He felt its point penetrate his side and blood seeping down his skin. It was excruciating pain. Kye bit down on his lip to prevent a bellow until he tasted blood in his mouth.
Seconds later, James slowly walked around to Kye's other side. From the pain of the first incision he was unsure if he could tolerate another carving - but before he could protest James pierced his skin.
After what seemed to take a few years - but was probably only a mere few minutes - James backed away from the table, smiling. Kye slowly and cautiously sat up, for his sides hurt more than ever. He examined both of his markings. One was a moon and the other a sun, though with the current blood oozing from the incision the figures looked indistinguishable.
"Fucking insane..." Kye muttered, using his finger to wipe up the blood. It wasn't until he saw his clothes lying on the floor that he remembered he was still naked. But his body was old news to the spectators in the room - so he did not bother to scramble off the table.
James was still smiling. "You belong to us now, Kye, night and day; you'll have eternal brotherhood and our protection."
"Protection? Well what if I don't need your protection?"
James smile turned into a smirk. "Trust me - you'll need it." He tossed Kye his clothes and exited the room, leaving Kye to not only bleed, but doubting that he'll ever need anyone's help.