CHAPTER 12

I can't fight it anymore so I sleep in the empty patient beds. In my dream I see a ring, it seems to be similar to the promise rings I bought. It is somehow on the floor and I recognize it's mine. In that room where the ring is, I see an open coffin and it gets a bit blurry. There seems to be something in it that is shining so bright and I walk closer to it. There is someone in the coffin and when I look at the face I can't see a clear face. What is shining is the same ring, similar to mine. This is Maritim, I can't see the face but my haunting process has begun. I feel like I am awake but I can't really get up. I hear a cry from somewhere but I don't get to see the person nor figure out where the cry is coming from. At this point, I can't take a step. I try to move my legs and they are so heavy. "You dug the grave, yourself", the woman who was crying stopped to say then kept wailing.

Maritim was buried with the ring on his finger. I don't understand why I can't see the face. I recognized the watch too, it was the one shining. He wasn't with it when he came to see me. I was attending the funeral by force. I try to make I step and I can't feel nor move my legs. I suddenly feel someone or something start pulling me. It was pulling me forward and if I don't resist I will fall into the coffin. The coffin starts sinking to the ground and as it sinks the force pulling me forwards starts increasing. I don't have enough strength to keep pushing. I feel my feet move from the ground and I let out a scream.

I wake up and see my workmate in front of me. He has been trying to push me to wake up by pulling my arms and raising me off the bed. I wake up and there are sick patients in bed and one in the furthest corner was crying for help. The other was asleep and I was shocked. The person I heard crying, was it this patient, or did I hear another person. Today is Maritim's burial and I refused to go give him a proper send-off so is he trying to make my life miserable without him. My hand instantly stopped hurting and I wasn't sleepy but I felt so tired.

My workmate, Trevor, says he has been looking for me for about ten minutes so I might have fallen asleep 15 minutes ago. I am in shock trying to understand what I saw in that dream. He leaves me there for a while and goes to perform the tasks that I was to do since I didn't do them. What if he didn't wake me up, would I have woken up? I felt like it was Maritim pulling me to go with him, the ring and watch were to lure me into seeing he loves me and so I could be happy he is wearing them.

I don't know where my phone is and maybe Ezze tried calling me several times and then decided to leave. I was in sleep paralysis, as much I was pulled by my mate I laid on my back again. He was getting scared and he called my name but I just managed to look at him.

If these are the night or days I will be having after he has been laid to rest then I should find a way to stop it or I join him. Derek had made it clear to me that I should ask him anything else regarding the truth we had found out So how will I get help? What should I do?

"I am fine, it was just a nap let me get home." finally some words are coming out of my mouth. She hadn't been there for long, I can see a missed call, two minutes ago. I text and ask her to give me two minutes. I still don't believe what happened to me a while ago. She doesn't complain I took long, if my mate didn't wake me up then I wouldn't be here right now, probably in the dead world. "You had a great day I hope," I ask her.

She seems not so much in a great mood and she tries to hide it and insists that her day was fine. Since we have chosen to lie I also go with the acting fine. She stops to buy some groceries since it's her day to prepare food. I need to pick more and more clothes each day so we pass by as I pick more clothes. We rarely said three statements to each of her and it seems as if we have some bad blood. I go to my room and she proceeds to cook. I never see Derek go to school so I don't know what he does or if he actually ever goes. He studies Psychology if I remember it so well. I think that's what he said on the first days we met. I find them in a happy mood and when I just don't want to talk I find them in moods for conversations or games.

I pass my greetings and seclude myself. The sharp pain resumes and I am almost crying. It makes me have a clear vivid picture of the dream I had and I start looking for the ring. It was the first thing I saw. I get it and start staring at it, remembering the day I gave it to Maritim. The pain is subsiding and I fit the ring back to my middle finger. The pain miraculously goes away. Wearing this ring seems to be what Maritim wants me to do but wearing it makes me filled with guilt. It makes the scene seem like it happened two minutes ago and I couldn't handle all of that. On the other hand, the pain was exceeding every time it came back after going away. It seems like me having peace of mind will remain to be a wish. I can end it all once and for all and join him since that's what he wants. I am afraid to even sleep. If it took fifteen minutes for me to have that nightmare what can happen to me if I sleep an hour or more. There is a possibility that I won't even wake up.

I heard a knock at my door and I didn't want to be around anyone. "It's me, Derek, I have something important that can't wait. Just let me in and I will tell you what brings me here," he says.

I wipe off my tears and open the door. He is sympathetic and he hugs me and tells me I will be fine and I am confused. What does he know? Has Ezze told them anything? I don't know how long I have been here maybe they were having dinner and she accidentally said it.

"You can just book a flight and go see him you know. At least you know you can go and find him unlike me, I can't even visit her grave. That isn't what brought me here anyway. I've had a weird dream and I saw you in it or someone who resembles you. I didn't really understand it. It wasn't a pleasant one though, it is like the first ones I experienced after I killed my girlfriend. I thought they had come to an end until today after I attended my lecture late in the afternoon. I can also sense something is not okay with you. Are you sure you are okay?"

How does he sense something is wrong with me? I know I am the one letting this thing control me. He notices things very fast and I can see he is looking at my ring but he doesn't say anything. I am sure now he has thoughts and he will go think it over. I asked him how long they did last and he said it took several months he really didn't keep count. I wonder why he doesn't get a new girlfriend. He is good-looking and is kind and humble except when he is provoked. Is it by his will or because she can't let him have one? "It never works", he says. This doesn't mean that the same thing will happen to me. We go have dinner since it is ready by now. I am not the person I thought myself to be. Some things about me have changed and maybe I like Ezze I just don't want to accept it. What if I say it to her aloud? Will she turn me down? I know she has liked me for a while but she has been acting differently of late.

There is a mood down here and I know I will be out here better than I came. The food is sweet and I don't know if I found it sweet because Ezze was the chef. I have tasted Derek's too, it was sweet too but Ezze had magical hands and hers was sweeter. Bartram compliments the food too.

It feels like a small family and these guys here qualify. They are the most understanding and non-judgmental people I have met. I want to follow Ezze and talk to her since she has been quiet today. Yes, she has made jokes earlier with us but she still isn't fully in her moods.

Let me leave her maybe she will be okay tomorrow morning. The ring is still on my finger and I think it is the only thing that could make me sleep peacefully. I will have to devise a way that will stop all these weird dreams I get. I remember what Derek was trying to say to him but I am so tired I need to retire to bed.

I wake up sweating and I am out of breathing. The person I saw in my dream in the coffin isn't Maritim. The person was familiar and since my mind was clogged I was taking time to see things as they were. That scent was familiar, I thought of dad but then no that isn't his cologne. It must be a guy or a man. I didn't understand why it wasn't Maritim he was the only dead person and the ring on his finger was just the one I had. That watch actually is Alasdair's. The body was purely Maritim's but the scent and cologne were that of Alasdair something isn't clear here. When I look at the face, I see my little brother. I went to touch his face and ensure I am seeing my younger brother but then there is a cry in the background. That is my mom's voice.

'You dug the grave yourself'. There is a voice that says the words again. In the dream, I don't see my dad and my sister. I can't see my mother too but I can hear her cry. Why was it so easy to wake up this time around? Why is the same dream recurring?

There is a text that bleeps my phone. I can't reach the phone right now. Whose grave did I dig? I know I took Maritim's life and I am not sure if that's the grave the voice says I dug. Why are there parts of my younger brother involved in it? Another way to make me have mercy on him and get closer to him or touch him? Another text at this late hour of the night. I don't know how long I had slept but it didn't dawn yet. I get up and take the phone. The light coming from the phone hurts my eyes and I am shocked to see Derek text.

'I saw you again in the dream. This time a little clearer than last time but I still don't understand what is wrong or what the message is.' this is his first text.

'I think we need to talk tomorrow once you are awake'. And this is what his second text reads.

Should I wait till morning or I can just go and try to understand what his dream is about and if they are the same as mine? I text him, 'I am already awake'.

I think he hasn't gone to sleep yet and in a matter of seconds, he says he is coming. Everyone else I this house is asleep and I hope we don't get to wake up any of them. He is without a shirt and has some shorts on.

"Are you having such dreams too? Please tell me what it is that you see." I tell him the story and stares at me and says, "That is just a dream he is okay but I think he might be in danger that's all."

He doesn't know Maritim is dead and I almost thought that is what he saw in his dreams. I can't keep hiding this from him. With the dreams, he is having he will soon come to know the truth, and also maybe if he gets to know we might find a way out of this. I tell him of the accident and he stays silent for some seconds. "What? Did he hurt you in the process? I am glad it was him not you" why does everyone who gets to know to say these words.

"Then this is what my dreams have been trying to tell me. I don't know what I am supposed to save you from but I know that I should. With the ring, you don't get to feel the pain you were feeling before?" I nod.

"I didn't experience that, maybe I hadn't made such a promise." But we will survive all this.

We try to divert a bit and eventually I fall asleep. We wake up in the morning and it seems a bit late. We go have breakfast and the reaction of these other guys is wild. Ezze stares at me as if I did something wrong and Derek is smirking at her. I thought she don't want me no more and actually, nothing had happened between me and him. I will leave it at that and let her think of whatever she wants.

Seems like we are to spend the day with him. He drops me on our way to school and he will pick me up later. He almost tells me to opt-out of the internship and I shouldn't bother with bills and food if I am choosing to stay at their mansion. I have to do it for some more months. We can call it paying the price of escaping justice. I also need to buy myself a car soon enough I get tired of waiting for cabs. I don't think my dad can get me one this soon.

What is Derek supposed to save me from, what danger might I be in? What can we do to have the dream again just to see it more clearly? We find Ezze in the house and I try say hi to her but she doesn't even respond. I follow Derek to his room. He is actually clean, things are well arranged and I didn't expect this, it's even neat than mine at the moment. He changes into a shirt and I see a tattoo on his back. I didn't see it clearly but it looks much of something I have never seen before. When I ask him what he saw he says he sees nothing he can recall except for my face and the "save her". I have told him everything I saw in my dream but his still doesn't make sense.

"After my dead girlfriend's burial, I found myself doing better than I was. In school and also in the game. I played basketball and I was making great shots and my team was winning tremendously. It seems like she wished me all the best and gave me her blessings. I started having disturbing dreams but I think these were caused by the other dude. In the dream, they were both in love and were doing so well. I got jealous and mad at seeing them together and then I am the one to blame. They went to their own world where they haunted me and made me regret even killing them. Every night I saw her and him" he says as if he didn't want to say it. "They were growing better and their love increased each night to a point she got pregnant with his kid. I became violent and took my anger on my team. That picture of them came to my mind every second and I found it hard to not see it. This is when I had the news about my brother being gay and I abandoned him. I didn't leave for that reason though, I was starting to get distant from almost everyone. She was denying me happiness in all the ways. The basketball was my life, I spent most of my time there but I got suspended for being violent, and when it was time for going back I was unable to. By this time I am now alone, with no friends nor family just the disturbing dreams of my girlfriend doing so well. I decided that enough is enough and I will fight all this with others and forgive myself. I made reconciliation with my brother and I don't remember how we even got to make this idea of staying here. It was a hard journey but I got to make her leave me alone, I would talk back to her anytime she tried provoking me and I killed her twice in the dream too. This is when I stopped having the dreams and she left me alone."

I just wish I would wake up from this dream of mine for sure. I have so much guilt for killing him so, I faced him again in the dream to kill him was the hardest choice I would make. I did want all this to end so I have to be a little stronger so I would have peaceful days and nights and also let go of this filthy ring. It was ugly now, not like before, I saw it to be so beautiful. This meant that I would take off my ring and maybe spend the night alone. It felt hard as if I was facing my death but if only I get strong then I will be able to put l this to an end. I also wasn't comfortable with Ezze being mad at me so let me finish all this tonight and in the morning I will talk to her. More so it's even a weekend I have some days to rest. Derek gives me a hug and promises that all will be okay. I am sure if it was Ezze I would want to kiss her, and the next time I am not taking my chances. I gather all the strength I can and I face my devil. I wasn't wrong, the ring and having company really did prevent the dreams. Just a recurring dream, with the ring first. The coffin wasn't down the hole but it was a few feet deep. I didn't hear a cry anymore but this time I had Maritim call out my name. "You want to kill me again right? Isn't the first one not enough, what happened to us and the promises we made to each other? I bet I wasn't enough, I knew not having so much money was going to be a problem. How many cities has she taken you to? I work my ass off very early in the morning and go late so I can save up and at least pay you a visit and this is what you do to me?" I can't do this, he makes so much sense why would I kill him again,it's already so heavy for me and as if he were just a stranger to me I am here again to try, not even try, to ensure that I kill him.

'Leave me alone then, why are you in my dreams? In the first place, you are even the one that started all this. Have you thought of it? If I didn't kick you then I would be the one in that coffin right now? If you actually hadn't let jealousy and anger control you right now, we would both be alive right now.' how is he even trying to blame it on me?

"You have the chance to kill me now, I can't fight you. You will never see me in your dreams nor will you have those dreams and an excruciating pain anymore. Do it, baby, I also want to be set free. I don't want to see you anymore killing me. If you might think it to be selfish then do it for me. It is always hard seeing my love betray me and that is what makes me angry and causes you the pain. I also can't control it, it comes naturally I want to forgive you but I can't." he says out louder than his previous statement.

I want all this done so, there are the glasses he broke on the floor. I pick one up and I don't have the strength to do it. I started feeling the pain in my left hand and he said the more I hesitate the more the pain increasing. I raised my shaky right hand and I pointed the sharp side of the glass just on top of his chest and tears were flowing like a river. The pain for sure was increasing and before the pain had me down I pressed the sharp glass on his chest and closed my eyes. The pain stopped instantly and I heard my mom cry. I opened my eyes and in the coffin was my brother. I had killed my own brother. I don't understand, it was Maritim and he did speak to me but as I open my eyes it is Alasdair. Blood is coming out from his chest. What have I done? I can't bear this anymore, killing my own brother and my boyfriend. I had to just take away my own life since this is something I will never handle. My own blood, my dearest brother. No! I take the glass and turn it to me. I should just kill myself too, I slowly ring it closer and as I apply more force, someone grabs my hand.

I wake and this is Derek standing in front of me and he is waking me up. "I had the voice and it said 'Save her, now' and I ran, thank God you left your door open." He insisted that I tell him what happened and I just stared at him. "This was just a dream right?" I needed some assurance. He nods and he is coming closer. He was to save me from killing myself. This is just a dream of course, but my pain had gone away completely. Had I really killed Alasdair or Maritim? I have never been so confused in my life than right now. What if this is not just a dream?

I just needed water and we went to the kitchen. Derek kept telling me all will be well and that I will wake up well and it will never bother me. Maybe that was Maritim trying to trick me so that I would also take away my life too. I also took a painkiller since my head was aching a bit. He insists on keeping me company the rest of the night and I had to assure him I will be okay. To be honest, I know I won't be okay, I just need Ezze right now. She has been mad at me for two days now and I have nothing about it, so should I wake her up or wait till tomorrow. I go to my room and I call her. She doesn't pick on the first ring so I call again and she still doesn't pick up.

I won't call again I will just go and find her. Or I can just wait and talk to her tomorrow. I had a pencil somewhere and since I didn't have a drawing book, I take one of my books and I start to draw. I don't know what exactly I am drawing but the urge to draw was just so much. I found myself drawing the tattoo that I saw on Derek's back. I didn't even know how it all came so clearly in my head. I had never seen this tattoo and I had to know what it meant. I started paying so much attention to it and it was just a tattoo. After I was done with it, I went to sleep. I actually had a very beautiful sleep I didn't even wake up to pee.

I wake up and I am the only one in the house who is in the living room. I don't even know who is supposed to make breakfast but I offer to do it today. I put on some music that isn't too loud to wake anyone in the house who is asleep. They might be awake but just in the rooms, I do it so many times.

I make tea and I go to place the coffee flask on the dining table and Ezze is walking out some chick. She isn't trying to sneak her out but she just walks her out and she is in her shorts. She has her car keys and I think she will drop her at her house too. She passes and acts as if she didn't even see me. Thank God I didn't even go to her room last night. It would be a very embarrassing moment for me. I have known she is that type to have different girls almost every week. Maybe she came in yesternight as we were having a conversation with Derek. I haven't actually had some time with Bart. I have been so distant from him but since all my problems have gone away I will even offer to go out with him and refresh.

She walks out and I continue doing my work. The people in this house always know when breakfast is ready. It happens so many times after you serve and finish everything you will just start hearing footsteps downstairs. One by one, they start joining me. Bart is down and he hugs me. I have missed him, to be honest, and we have our breakfast and we haven't been out for a while so they are already planning a trip. I wanted to go with Bartram but seems like I have more company. I don't know where it is that Devon suggests but I know I will enjoy it. We haven't put Ezze in the plan since she is not there, but there is a possibility she mightn't agree to be there.

I thought of her and her car drives in the compound. She walks in and says Good morning in general and we do return the greetings. Of course, they didn't see her take a girl out of her room a while ago but I did. Maybe Dev and Bart saw but of course, it's not a new thing. They are used to it plus there is still enough privacy for everyone.

As if it's obvious she asks what has been planned since it's obvious they do go out frequently. She didn't bail out just because we weren't on talking terms. She did seem to be in a happy mood actually. She didn't even bother to text or ask me why I was calling her yesterday at around midnight. She took breakfast and was laughing as she typed on her phone. I should mind my business and go tidy up that room. Before we go out later in the evening I felt the need to go for a walk with Bartram.

It has been a long since I walked to school or even just around the garden. We actually watered some flowers and had a best friend conversation. I talked to him about me visiting home in a few months and if we can go together. This is after this hectic semester is over. He is really the best and he says it's okay. I know he told me he doesn't go home frequently just twice a year but he promised to be there with me. I needed him to take me to Maritim's grave, I really didn't say it and I haven't even made him aware of what happened but I will later. We went back in after walking ten minutes around the estate and watched the latest celebrity dramas since that was almost what we always enjoyed doing. I really do need a dog and I don't know if anyone in this house loves dogs. We passed a neighbor as we were walking who was also taking his dog for a stroll and I missed Lauzon. Soon we will be done with the debt we owed the police and I will save up to be in a new place. I will have the freedom to have a dog or anything I wish there. I love that living together is fun and someone can save some dollars but some things didn't sit right too. I don't love people in my space and with Ezze he will keep bringing strangers in here and it seems like I am the only one bothered by it. Is it bothered or am I even jealous? I don't know but I just don't like it at all. I found them in this house and I can't start making rules here. I will be here for a short time anyway.

After some good gossip, we head out to get ready for our group trip to visit some game parks and some scary treats. I love animals a lot and once I get a house can't wait to have several of them. Actually, we were visiting one of Joel's hotels in Greece. I think it will be a similar experience to the one we had with dad. It might be much better and more fun with these friends since I am sure after it there will be so many jokes and insults. I find Ezze in my room. "What took you so long, you went to Derek after your walk?" she asks and is beginning to provoke me.

"What brought you here?" I hit her with the question.

She stares at me and is telling me to cut the shit. I don't even know what she means but if it's about that girl then I don't have anything to say. She is asking about the missed call and I just told her I needed to be with her but I ended making it till morning by myself. I know I said I will take the chance but I think my chance is gone already. How had she even managed to be with Chloe for that long? I don't know how long they were together but the three weeks or is it four I have seen them together. I don't know how long I will act okay but I keep doing it until my feelings for her go away.

"I am sorry I didn't hear my phone. I have always wanted this moment and I know this is the second time I am wasting my chance," she says as she is seated from the bed. "I swear I didn't hear it, if I heard it I would come over for sure. Can I make it you for you after the trip or Derek will be coming over?"

Why does she have to say his name? If I wanted to be with Derek I would have. He is so decent and he should actually be the one I am tripping over but I am here having the feelings for Ezze. Ezze is a good soul too and anyway she is the one I will get to visit cities with. We would resume working together partly in some weeks' time and we needed to clear the air. She promised to give me some time this evening and I will talk to her and tell her everything.

We got ready Devon was the driver today, I really hate it when he is the one driving but I had Ezze seated beside me so there would be stories and I would not panic until we get where we are going. Derek and Devon did smoke but we restricted them from it. There were some party cups but also drinking right now was risky. Especially if Devon was the one drinking and of course he won't refuse a sip. If this is how he drives while he is sober then we can have our drinks once we get back. Bartram assures us of some good time and since I have tried that I know it's a great scary time. They introduced the 'scary road to hell' thing just a while ago and so they hadn't visited it later after the changes. At least I had an experience and I won't be as scared as I was the other time. We arrive and Ezze is already regretting to come and I am already laughing since it is about to get interesting. We get some VIP treatment since we are with Bartram Joel. If there was a group waiting to go next they would have to wait of course. Okay being exceedingly rich buys you so many things in this life. We get to the virtual reality room first and this is quite fun. The group that was in the scary room was out already and the VR was just to pass some time. This one is quite darker than the previous one and I thought it might be quite easier but I am doubting that already. There were scary drawings on the walls and they were glowing.

Derek goes, "This was actually a very bad idea". At least that's a relief that I am not the only one seeing these things on the walls. This time, there are seats that can spin. Once you are on it spins automatically then stops, when it stops, the side you face is the road you get to take. Basically, there were three places on a wall. A road that was filled with skeletons, a road that had spiders on the floor and the third had echoes of very disturbing voices. I would rather walk on spiders and let them climb me but not any of the other two. There is a spin for our names too, to see who goes first. Bartram starts and he gets the skeletons road. Everyone else goes and I am the last one to go. I get the skeletons road and I am a bit lucky not to be by myself like Derek. He gets the last road by himself. That's a lot scarier now, he will get to hear so many voices speak to him and he might get carried away.

When you have someone else with you, you get to hold hands and motivate each other to the end. Another benefit of being alone is that you will see your partner move and you will have to keep moving. A lucky ticket I get, Ezze also was in the skeletons, before we even start I see a photo on the door and it is the tattoo I saw on Derek's back. Oh my God, they skipped the part where the skeletons might move or even make a sound. Ezze held my hand and we started moving, this shit was scary and she was also cringing. There are skeletons everywhere and we can't see past one since there are so many behind us. The lights also keep changing and some wind keeps whirling. We are supposed to make it throughout of here and I can't even see a way, we have to split so we can get to see the way out. The problem is we had no description of it and what if one will walk out before she knows and leave the other one?

We will do it together, we can maneuver and if possible we can get to use some force where applicable. We begin walking and the first one is just cool, all of them are ugly but some are way uglier. I trip and fall on one of them. Others are lying on the floor and I wasn't even looking down I was focused on the damn door. As I get up, it grabs my leg, I don't if it is really grabbing it but I feel something on my leg and I am jumping and screaming. It feels like watching a horror movie on a 5D screen. Ezze pulls me and we run to the left side. Why did we even agree to this, we thought ourselves brave but here we are being proved wrong? A skeleton starts running after us, and I remember the instructor said that you will know you are almost out when it gets scarier. Maybe it's chasing us since we have found the way out and they are trying to tease us. More speed is all we needed to do, as we added the speed so did it and now we are left with no choice but to hit it since we are almost out of breath. We pick another still skeleton and hit it with it. "You are trying to kill me again? Come on aren't you tired" I don't know where this sound is coming from but I don't even want to know if it is up or dead again but we keep running. I feel like we are getting lost and if we go further, we might get lost and that means we would have to go back.

We actually have reached the end of this left road, there is no door at all, just walls and a bunch of these filthy things. "I think we got the wrong way darling." Ezze is struggling to say the nine words. "You that to them isn't scarier we have to get a little more of it to get out of here, what did I just bring myself to."

They are even better they didn't know how the experience was for them but for me, it felt different why would I even accept to come back here again as if the first one didn't scare the hell out of me. We just have to get away out. We are going back, no other plan. There is either the right turn or we move forward from where we came in through which we don't know the way to navigate back. The creatures look the same so we can't use any of them as a mark except for the one we broke. I might call it Maritim since it almost sounded like him.

We walk slowly to save our breath on the last part where we would have found the way. The wind is getting wild here and it is so strong that it can carry the skeletons. I wasn't wrong they started falling on us and I think I had all the goosebumps on me and extra ones from somewhere else. The wind was even drying the sweat from my body. Ezze kept cursing but we still kept moving. They were now all over the floor and running was hard because one might trip and get hurt. The wind cooled down and now there was a sound of rain and somewhat lightning, this is to tell us that there is much worse to come if we don't get out of here. This is a day to remember, if we actually get out of here, it didn't sound like a game anymore.

I feel a tap on my back and I look back. Ezze is pulling me since there is no time. The tap was somewhat tender and when I looked back the skeleton brought its hand close to mine as if asking for something. I suddenly get the urge to stand and Ezze is telling me we have no time there is a storm coming. The skeleton is a bit handsome, just a bit not like the rest and it makes me stop for a while. I don't get to know what it wants and I don't think there can be any of them here that is good enough to not finish us. I can't even know which it is since Ezze is pulling me away from it and it seems to have dropped its hand.

There is some storm for sure, Ezze gets knocked down by two skeletons she didn't see in front of her. I should have been the one getting knocked since I was still looking back for the needy skeleton. She doesn't even want to stop for a millisecond, the sound of lightning striking comes out from the side we are moving to and there is an echo. Is that a sign we are moving in the wrong direction? We can't afford to go and come back again to move to the other way and this is when I realize the skeleton was pointing to the opposite side to which we were moving. I have a second to think and I tell Ezze that this is the side we are supposed to go. She asks how sure I am but since I am not sure I just begin to push her the other way. There are cobwebs here and they are making my hair a mess right now. I don't know what I will say to her when we find out this is not the way.

Some of these webs are too strong for us to come out of. We have to keep helping each other and we start seeing some light. Well, I hope that's a sign it's the right way. The temperature here is very high. We are sweating and soon we might dehydrate and collapse. There isn't enough oxygen and we are going to collapse if we don't get out of here soon. Why do they have to do all this to us? There is a door at the damn corner but some big skeleton is there and it seems to be stuck. We don't really have enough energy to push this thing right now. There isn't even enough air. We kick it on its knees and it collapses and we push the lock and we are out.

We fall on the floor gasping for some air and wiping off our sweat. Some of the guides bring us water and we find a couch that we relax to get some air. I will never accept this thing again even when someone offers to pay me. We are the first ones out, Bartram and Devon aren't out to ad neither I poor Derek who is alone. Maybe the voices triggered him to quit and he is stuck there. But that doesn't sound like Derek at all.

In a matter of two minutes, we are okay. All of them come out at once and Derek is holding his stomach as he comes out. He seems to be in pain and we pull him out since he seemed to have seen the door and thought he was out. After a few seconds, he stopped holding his stomach and it seems the pain had gone away. He curses several times and Bartram himself looks so weary. It looks like it wasn't really easy for anyone of us. We started laughing at that and we all swore to never ever step foot here or something of the sort. They offered to let us watch the clips but none of us wanted to see that. What we experienced was more than enough.

There was a table that was prepared for us and the service here was top-notch. We ate as we all gave our story of how scary our experiences were and each and everyone's story was so funny. At least we got to laugh it out and we actually didn't have time to go to the animal park. We were to just grab some lunch and go but we had the urge to go through hell and ended taking much time in there.

We ate all kinds of dishes and we took our time here. I don't know even know how many times I ordered something new but that's all we kept doing. I didn't know Bartram's dad was around and he also didn't seem to know it too. He just appeared at our table and we saw Bartram waking up to say hi to him and introducing us. His dad did look like some rich lad and he interacted with us for some minutes before he took his son for a while. "Maybe we have ordered more than enough and that's why he was here," Devon says.

It is somehow funny but he didn't seem to be the type to be bothered by the amount we spent. We just hope that that isn't the case at all. We had already ordered and although it did feel a bit hard to keep eating we had to finish the food anyway. Bartram was back and he was carrying some bottle of champagne and it seems like we even had ordered a little. "I have some good news guys, so of course you had me call him dad and he has offered us to spend the night here. He was paying a surprise visit just like we planned this morning too." Bartram says as he places the champagne on the table. I didn't know Greece would offer me such privileges. I thought the UK would have been better but I don't regret being here.

Some waiter brings glasses and we toast together. We had no specific thing to toast for so we made a toast to at least making out of that scary place. Their hotels are always so classy and sassy. This was a place to drain your money if you were a foodie. There are three-bedroom houses and we are given one. We dance all evening and order more food for dinner. We play cards and the first winners get to choose what others will do for them. Devon and Derek win the first two rounds and I know Derek is just going to say some weird shit. We are all a bit tipsy and we still are having shots.

Derek goes first and I thought he would ask me to do something and he goes and directs his dare to Ezze. "Ezze, it's always so easy for you to get girls right?" he asks Ezze and she nods but still confused at what he was going to say next. "I want you to go and get a pretty girl at this hotel right now and invite her to sleepover. If not, you tell us your deepest darkest secret." A tough round here. Derek knows very well that it is Ezze who helped me out and he wants her to tell Bart and Devon, on the other hand, he knows I like her and if she brings a girl over I will get jealous especially since we had picked a room already. He is choosing revenge and either way it will hurt both of us. Ezze did out him the other day and she made him say it and so he is also making sure she says it too.

We all look at Ezze and I just don't know what she will do. If she ends up doing nothing Derek might just run his mouth ad say it. But anyway what are Devon and Bartram going to do anyway? I feel like saying it myself until Ezze agrees to go and get a girl. Well, it is not the first time Ezze is doing this so I will just bear for the night and we can have our time another day.

As Ezze goes to do what she chose Devon goes ahead and directs his question to Derek. A winner would still ask the other winner there weren't any other rules. Ezze waits to listen to what Devon has to say to him. "Do you ever sit and realize that you made a mistake and ever choose to repent? Does it ever cross your heart that those families ever deserve justice?" maybe we shouldn't have started this game. It was to be fun and games until they all chose to be personal.

Derek is so pissed right now and he asks him "Have you also ever considered that being gay is a sin and also went to repent? Do you think our parents will be happy and proud of the things we do and what we have done? Maybe you would have also thought of that. Bartram is the peacemaker and he stops both of them. It is clear that these brothers have never confronted themselves about the matters and it was time for them to know. We gave them the space and Ezze didn't even go to get the girl, I am happy that Devon provoked him otherwise he would have pushed her to do it. I decide to tell Bart since it seems like the truth will come out eventually. It is better if he hears it from me. I explain to him while Ezze is there and he is shocked but not as much as I thought he would. He even offers to pay the remaining debt for us the next day since his dad had promised to take him out and he would add him more money. We weren't that close with Devon so even though he heard it from another person's mouth I won't feel as much guilt as I would have if it was Bartram.

Looks like it was some confession time for me and Bart and the brothers. In an hour we were good. They also finished their speeches and we met to sip more wine and have more shots as we said all our embarrassing moments. None of us didn't drink and we were all wasted in a matter of time. We did bond together and grew stronger as a family.

I was so wasted waking up from the dining table. Ezze actually had gone outside. She came back with some girl and the alcohol almost left my body. I thought she had let her go, so we sleep the three of us? I will actually go join Derek. Ezze stops me and I am literally staggering. She is Derek's sidepiece tonight. The girl didn't feel insulted by Ezze's words. She actually knew what she was coming for. She asks her to wait and Ezze goes to Derek's room and it feels like he really needed someone. He is always alone and I can't deny I have also pitied him several times. Ezze isn't much drunk like I am and she carries me to bed. I have my hormones stimulated and I hold her so she doesn't leave and she kisses me. I have waited for the moment for quite a while now. I kiss her back and I didn't know what to do next and so I keep kissing her. I am not sure I still had enough courage to kiss her first but she did me a favor. We got intimate and I felt satisfied, I can't lie but it felt better than the other times with Maritim.

I don't remember blacking out but we were too drunk yesterday. There is always much joy in the evening but when you wake up with the headache and hangovers it is always a different story. I just wanted to keep sleeping and I did continue sleeping since we weren't in a hurry, we could even leave late in the evening. "I hope you haven't woken up sober enough to remember what happened last night and you have regrets," Ezze says her insecurities aloud. I don't even want to open my eyes leave alone my mouth.

"I don't regret anything, I remember every detail and let the alcohol leave my system and I will tell you how much I enjoyed it. Okay?" I assure her and we keep sleeping anyway.

We really did have so much fun and it is a day to remember. We got back home and Bartram went to meet with his dad. Derek did seem a bit lively unlike other days and at least he did have some company. Ezze did care about him even though he was trying their friendship. We stop at the mall so we can get some ice cream since there wasn't anymore left. Some coffee will do since I still am on some hangover. It might show but I know I have added some weight. In some time I will start joining Ezze and Devon as they join the gym. I actually think there might be a gym in the house too. There are other rooms here and I have never checked them.