SO COLD (18+) currently editing

Chapter 15

CHARACTER VIEWS DO NOT REPRESENT MY OWN. Please be civil in the comment section.

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Monstrous wheels raced along the pier, the Shogun barely seemed to fit the walkway which creaked dangerously and acted as if the pillars were going to collapse and snap in half any minute now and plunge us deep under chilly and murky water. The music changed to a man's bottomless and resonating hum and the drums were slammed every other moment adding to the sparkling tension which flared like a house on fire. My senses buzzed in a way that felt like my teeth were being drilled into and an ache built into my jaw.

"What's happening?"

I didn't recognise the voice that seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Irvin screamed as if the angel of death was waving at the end of the walkway, menacingly with its black cloak and ghastly figure.

"Where are you? Tell me where you are!"

"Mr. Postman!" I choked on my words, dragging me to a past that was gloomy and misty; she ran, her pigtails slapping each cheek, eyes wide with excitement, her hand reaching for the door handle when a looming dark figure snatched her, throwing her to the wall. "NO!"

Time held no meaning or value and drowning in memories with the threat of being underwater with the inky octopus arms and the tiny orange fish who needed to go home, I found myself, unwillingly, unknowingly, sinking into oblivion.

+ + +

A sticky hand pressed against my cheek, heavy against my skin and appearing lifeless, a moment after regaining consciousness, my eyes fluttered open to a pale gold ceiling and a body next to me.

Too exhausted to make sense of what was happening, I fell asleep, once more.

When I woke next it was because someone was nudging me. I groaned into my pillow, murmuring for them to leave me alone, shaking their hand away. With my wish granted, I tried to fall asleep when a door opened. Seconds later, I shrieked as the duvet was ripped away and replaced with a wave of icy cold water. I bolted upright, gasping, soaked to the bone. Irvin swore loudly from besides me like a sailor when the tide is high. Cole stood at the end of the bed, a red bucket in his hand, his face hard. "It is evening. You've been here since last night. Why are you still in my house?!"

"I see they're awake," James appeared in the doorway, a smile on his face, clearly amused.

"This is your mess," Cole hissed in irritation. "You brought them here. This isn't a hotel, get them up and put them to work. Clean this damn room."

He slammed the bucket into James' chest, storming away, and Irvin attempted to snuggle the wet pillows. James looked around the room before asking. "Did you sleepwalk again, Irvin?"

A vase of flowers had been upended and the pink petals were scattered along the desk. There were finger marks on the large mirror and a painting had been pulled from a wall, placed on a cushioned chair. The room bragged of wealth from the TV and fireplace on a wall in the middle of the room to the heavy draping gold curtains, obscuring an impressive view of an ocean. "I don't even know what happened," I grimaced, pulling my t-shirt away from my skin. "And I'm so tired –"

There was a muffled thud; Irvin had rolled off the bed. "This carpet is so soft and warm and –"

"If Cole finds you asleep, again, then I wouldn't be surprised if he sets the room on fire with you two in it." James said. "Let's go, get up. Clean this room and I'll go buy breakfast."

"Shit. My car," I worried, standing.

"It's in the garage. Whose bright idea was it to drive while baked? You're lucky you didn't drive off the pier and I found you before someone else did." James left the room.

"Irvin?"

"Yeah?"

"Were those cupcakes...?"

"Yeah."

"Remind me to push you off a cliff."

"Sure."

+ + +

Almost an hour later we left the room to enter the kitchen. It was a giant of a room where Cole and James sat on a swivelling chairs in the middle of the room. The cabinets were stained a natural coffee colour, one wall was painted grey and the rest were white, and Charlie was standing beside the fridge, holding his cup to the ice dispenser. Pizza boxes were open on the table and simultaneously, our stomachs grumbled. "How long does it take to clean a room?" Cole asked, his mood seemed to have picked up and he was no longer irritated.

"Irvin kept complaining," I pushed the blame, greeting Charlie.

"You have cleaners who'll do a better job than we can ever do," Irvin said.

"Sit down and eat, you idiots," Cole shook his head like he'd given up the fight.

We didn't need another invitation. A phone rang, James answered and then passed it over to Cole after mouthing a name. I paused mid-bite into my pizza slice when I heard Cole speak Spanish. Irvin nudged me slightly, "He's Puerto Rican."

Charlie sat down opposite us, picking up a slice of pizza that was topped with red and green chillies. "How have you been? I haven't seen you in a long time."

"Okay," I shrugged.

"Are you two..." he added upon seeing our confused faces, "are you a couple?"

"No," we grimaced, answering.

James looked unnerved. "They're like twins. They're even eating the same."

"We're not twins," Irvin and I looked at each other. "We're friends."

"You should've heard them last night," James said to Charlie. "I called them and she kept calling me Mr. Postman, whatever that means and he was screeching. Completely baked, the pair of them."

Cole ended the call; he appeared complacent, tossing the phone back to James. I glanced at him to see he was staring intently at Irvin and I. Slightly wary, I was on edge as the men talked. "I'm going to need two people to come with me to China. Irvin?"

"Yeah, I'll come," Irvin said without a second thought.

"You?" Cole asked, raising his eyebrow at me.

"What?" I didn't completely understand what he was asking of me; too surprised to say something intelligent.

"You'll get paid. It'll be a two day trip. We leave tomorrow. Are you going to come?"

"You should come," Irvin said excitedly. "It'll be great!"

"But why? I mean, what are we going to do?"

"Nothing big."

Suspicious of Cole's intentions, I backed away. "I don't think Jade will let me."

"I don't think Jade will care much," Irvin pleaded, "say yes. I mean, what else are you going to do? Revise and stay in your bedroom? It'll be great to get away from everyone who's looking at you like you're a murderer like your father and you can stop being miserable, too."

"Wow, thanks, Irvin."

"You won't need to do anything," Cole sighed, his patience quickly running out and he snapped. "Yes or no?"

"Uh..." feeling under pressure and so reluctant to listen to reason, I said. "Yeah. Okay, I'll come." I think I regretted my decision immediately; I don't know entirely why I said yes, but there was some major part of me that enjoyed the freedom of my own choices and the danger that came with being around these men.

"Fantastic. Go pack, give your passports to James and we'll meet again tomorrow. Right now I want everyone to get the fuck out of my house – and take your damn pizza with you."

CHARACTER VIEWS DO NOT REPRESENT MY OWN. Please be civil in the comment section.