Total pages in book: 181
Estimated words: 181613 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 908(@200wpm)___ 726(@250wpm)___ 605(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 181613 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 908(@200wpm)___ 726(@250wpm)___ 605(@300wpm)
Suddenly, a spray of icy-cold water hits us in the face, and I splutter to keep it out of my mouth. The water doesn’t stop until we’re soaked and shivering in place.
Something is scooted underneath my knees, and I fall right onto a chair.
Someone binds something to my legs and arms, keeping them tightly secured to the chair.
Did Apollo lie to me?
Is this an initiation? Or an excuse for torture?
A bucket is placed under my feet, and my shoes and socks are ripped off, while my feet are placed in water that feels like it was meant to boil a crustacean.
“Does it hurt enough?” someone else asks.
“Please, make it stop,” a pledge begs.
I don’t respond.
My head is tilted back, and a big splash of icy water is dumped over my head before I’m hosed down from the front with hot water. The alternating temperatures makes it feel like I’m burning.
Someone screams into my face, “How much pain will you endure for the Phantoms?”
“As much as it takes,” I respond, trying to keep my sanity.
I can hear them throw the water over someone else’s head while I shiver in silence.
When everyone’s had their turn, someone shoves my head back, and a knife is pushed underneath my chin.
“Are you willing to die for the Phantoms?”
The knife inches closer and closer, nearly cutting into me.
“Yes.”
The knife coaxes out the blood before it finally leaves my neck, and the one next to me is threatened instead.
One of the guys breaks. “No, no, no, this isn’t what I signed up for. Get me out of here.”
He jerks the ropes and tries to get up, and I can hear some shit going down, but I can’t fucking see.
Suddenly, the bag is pulled off my head, and I look around. We’re in a giant warehouse, God knows where. The two guys next to me still have their hoods on, and they’ve pissed themselves while crying their eyes out.
The bucket of water is pulled away from underneath my feet.
As Apollo stands in front of me, someone else cuts through the ropes behind me, freeing me from the chair. The next two guys beside me are also freed.
“Stand up.”
We do as we’re told.
The two crybabies with their hoods still on are set free.
They immediately rush off, and Apollo looks us dead in the eyes and says, “Will you kill for the Phantoms?”
Apollo places a gun in my hand.
The other pledges are given one as well.
“Wait, what?” one of the pledges says, shivering from the cold. “You can’t be serious.”
“Who?” the other asks, but the Phantoms merely stare at the people running away.
Both of the pledges glance at the metal in their shaky hands, as though what they’re being asked is despicable. A test. A crime.
But all I can think of is Apollo’s warning. This is a place no one sees alive … unless you’re a Phantom.
I raise the gun to eye level.
BANG!
Another pledge joins me.
BANG!
The two runaways who couldn’t commit drop to the ground like sacks of potatoes. The last thing they ever saw was the jute they’ll be buried in.
“Application terminated,” Apollo says, snorting.
Apollo snatches the gun from the one pledge who asked him if he was serious, points it at his head, and shoots.
BANG!
The last one to dissent falls to the ground.
“There is no room for errors, no room for takebacks, no room for regrets. Loyalty is what the Phantoms demand.” Apollo tucks the gun into his pocket and holds out his hand to both of us. We surrender our weapons to him, and I look at the other pledge who’s shaking on his bare feet.
“That’ll be one hell of a cleanup,” he mutters through clattering teeth.
I nod.
Apollo holds out his hand to both of us. “And you two have paid the price with your souls. Welcome to the Phantom Society.”
CHAPTER 26
Aspen
It’s not often one of the girls from the sorority pulls me out of bed while I'm reading to go open the door. But when I get downstairs and step outside, I immediately understand why.
Grey is completely soaked, and his hands and clothes are covered in blood.
My eyes widen.
What the f—
I glance around to see if anyone’s looking before I grab him by the arm and drag him inside.
“What happened?” I ask. “Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m fine,” he replies stoically.
I close the door and look to see if any of the girls are around. Luckily, it’s only the one who got me out of bed.
“Is he okay? That’s a lot of blood,” the girl says.
“I got a nosebleed while swimming,” he responds.
The girl narrows her eyes at him, but he keeps glaring back until she finally walks away to the kitchen.
I breathe out a sigh and pull him upstairs. “Let’s go.”
I take him into the bathroom and lock the door before I look at him up close. That is definitely not from a nosebleed.