It was my brother’s birthday today. He had friends over, they had a party, you know, the normal stuff.
His friends…I didn’t know them. Well, not all of them were unfamiliar, of course. I recognized his childhood friend, Jake, although he seemed to have changed greatly. A boy who used to be so cheerful and full of life in junior high had become a depressed looking guy in 12th grade, but it didn’t strike too odd to me. After all, people change drastically in their teen years. How can I, someone who had a whole 2 year ‘emo teen’ phase judge someone else?
All of the other guys were new to me. Since my brother was a high schooler, he obviously had a lot of girls over, although most of them arrived after our parents were out of the house.
The party was normal enough. They did the crazy stuff teens do, cut a cake and were having a blast. My room was obviously off limits to their crazy antics, and was thus saved from being covered in confetti, juice, food piece and what not.
Mum and dad had left them to their own devices, choosing to let my brother do whatever he wants with his friends for one night on the condition that he’ll be the one to clean up later. Fair enough, I guess. They were out on a date and planned to spend the night out. I had been offered to join them but didn’t wat to third wheel. Night out with parents…Ugh, so awkward.
The door was closed shut, all of my windows sealed. Still, the uncomfortably loud music found it’s way inside my room, disrupting the quiet atmosphere. It was alright for some time but then, it got even louder. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore and banged the door open before furiously searching for Blake.
“Blake! Blake, you little shit, get your ass over here right now!” I screamed, trying to get my words across the deafening music. No one took any notice, seemingly lost in their own world as they partied on. Someone seemed to have arranged some alcohol.
“Fuck, you guys are crazy-“ I remarked as I narrowly avoided stepping on a girl’s face. She was sprawled on the ground, her eyes closed. Her body looked unusually still for someone who’s passed out. It did seem strange to me, but at that time, I couldn’t care less about a passed-out girl not moving enough.
“Blake! Where the fuck are you?!” I shouted again, but of course, no one responded.
A guy was moving around, handing drinks to certain people. He approached the hesitant or out of place ones, offering them a drink. When someone forcefully tried to take one from him, he’ll smile and pull the tray away, muttering some words which immediately made people back away.
He looked at me, who was in her pajamas, looking angry and out of place. I seemed like a perfect recipient, or to say it more accurately, a perfect target for him.
“Hello, darling. You seem like you could use a nice drink, love.”
I shook my head to decline, “No, I don’t want a drink-“
“Now, now, darling. Don’t be difficult, alright? It’s just a wee little drink. Let loose a little, okay, sweetheart? One drink doesn’t harm anybody.”
He was being really pushy as he tried to hand me a drink. I waved my hands to decline again, but he didn’t seem to want a no for an answer.
He forcefully tried to hand me a weird looking pink concoction. Since he was being so adamant, I was just about to go with it and drink when someone stopped me.
“Wait!” It was Jake, weaving through the crowd urgently. He cried, “Wait! She- She’s off limits.”
The drinks guy raised an eyebrow, amused, “Off limits? I don’t remember anything like that?”
“She’s Blakes’s sister.”
“Still, I didn’t know anyone was off limits? Wasn’t it my choice?” He said mysteriously, “Wasn’t that ‘the deal’?”
“You know she’s off limits now,” Jake said in annoyance. “Hurry off, now. Find someone else.”
“-But I don’t really like changing targets though.”
Jake looked angry, ready to punch the other guy. I tried to step in, “Hey, it’s alright. You’re all Blake’s friends. Besides, it’s just a drink,” I took the pink flamingo glass and downed the whole thing. It was sweet, with a tangy fruity flower. Not too bad for a concoction made at a teenager’s party, I guess.
“Here, I drank it. Happy now?”
The drinks guy nodded in satisfaction while Jake looked horrified. He said lovingly, “It’s alright now, love. I hope you’ll be just as sweet later, sugar cube.”
He went away, leaving me and Jake alone in a corner.
“What was the deal with him?” I asked, frowning.
“No- Nothing,” Jake seemed to be somewhat recovered from the shock. He looked around nervously, seemingly lost in thought.
“Oh, anyways. Where’s Blake? I can’t seem to find him anywhere.”
“Blake? He- He’s doing something, I guess.”
“Doing what, exactly?” I asked.
“I- I don’t know,” He looked really uncomfortable as he said, “Might be…You know, just teenager stuff.”
I didn’t press on and shrugged, “Alright, whatever. It’s not like I specifically needed Blake or anything.”
“Listen, can you ask whoever the fuck is controlling the music to keep it down? I can’t concentrate.”
“Okay!” He agreed immediately, without a single protest. “I’ll do it! Can you, uh, can you please go into your room now?”
I was just about to go into my room anyway, but being ordered like this made me feel strange. “Why, you guys don’t want me here?” I asked teasingly.
“No- Just, please go,” He dragged me by my hand to my room. I didn’t have any strong protests, because honestly, the last thing I wanted was to stay in this hall jampacked by quirky teens.
He took me all the way to my room, made me sit down on the bed and said urgently, “Look, you drank that. It would’ve been best if you didn’t, but whatever. We can still make things right.”
“Hey, why’re you being like this?” I joked, “It’s not like that was poison or anything, right? If it was, then I must say, it’s quite slow.”
“Please don’t joke about this,” He was trying hard to keep calm at this point. “Alright, Rebecca, listen to me. Stay in your room. Whatever happens, please, please stay in your room.”
“Why-“
“Please. Lock it from inside, and stay here. Until morning.”
“You’re freaking me out now. What the fuck is going on-“
He had already shut the door, cutting me off. I tried to open it, but Jake had locked it from outside.
“Hey, you little fucker, open the damn door!”
No one responded. I tried a few more times before drowsiness came over me, making me collapse on the floor.
I woke up, my head throbbing. My vision was still bleary as I looked around my room half dazedly, trying to recall what happened before. Oh yeah, I drank something…
“What the heck…” I clutched the bedframe and got up, looking around.
I tried the door. This time, it opened easily, unlocking with a click. The sky was still black, but it seemed like it was about to be morning soon.
The house looked…like a house does after a crazy night, I guess. There was discarded cups, plates, lipsticks, someone’s underwear, passed out people, etc on the floor. I made my way to the hall and the sight…was surprising, to say the least.
Blake, Jake, drink guy and few others leaned over someone’s body. They had knives, plates and forks as they hungrily cut up the guy and ate. The people around them had some red thing on their mouth, looking like excessive ketchup on one’s mouth after eating fries like a gorilla.
The guy had been cut up pretty brutally. His stomach was almost all eaten, intestines spilling out of him disgustingly. Still, it seemed like Blake remembered his promise to clean up as there was polythene covering everywhere, not a speck of blood on the carpet.
“What the actual fuck are you guys doing?” I asked.
Blake straightened, looking at me straight in the eye. He stated simply, “Mom said I can do whatever I want as long as I promise to clean up.”
I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was horrified- No more than that, I felt betrayed, horribly betrayed. My brother, my only brother- He was practicing cannibalism, without me?
I smiled before going over, taking a somewhat clean plate from the ground.
“The brain’s my favorite part. Don’t you fuckers try to touch that.”
Jake looked surprised, but Blake nodded like the good brother he was. “Anything for you, sister.”