I'd heard about the hazing that awaited me, but nobody wanted to tell me exactly what to expect.
Not knowing was the worst part. Left to its own devices, my mind conjured the most horrible things. Beatings, cutting, depraved acts inflicted on me just as someone else had done to them.
One guy told me to wear loose underwear, but I couldn't tell if he was being serious or not. I did it anyway, just to be sure.
"We're here!" the voice of Jeffrey, the most popular one of the group, signaled it was time to take off my blindfold.
My eyes were perfectly adjusted for the darkness after that long trip. The moon, though it was not full, seemed to illuminate everything perfectly. There was a door on the ground, like a house had formerly stood here and only the metal entrance now remained.
"Come on. Hurry up." a short guy I didn't know took me by the hand and all but dragged me toward the object, his fingernails pressing into my skin with excitement.
"It's a door." I stared down at the rusted thing, befuddled.
"Ha!" the tall, skinny guy laughed right in my face, then turned to the others, "He thinks it's a door! Just lying there... just a door!"
Jeffrey pulled the door open, revealing a dark space below.
It was a disaster shelter.
"Oh, no..." I shook my head and backed away, "You guys, I can't. I'm sorry, I can't go through with this!"
"Too late!" the short guy smirked, "You wanted to be in the group, and this is the way we do it. There's food, water, and even a toilet though it's probably putrid by now."
"I can't..."
Jeffrey walked up to me and put his hands on my shoulders.
"C'mon, guy. It'll be fine, we've all done it. Just 100 hours and you're one of us. Forever. We'll be brothers, and that means you'll get to do whatever you want."
"I don't know..."
"Take him, for example," Jeffrey gestured to the slim one, "He gets into shit ALL THE TIME. Think he's ever had to pay for it? No way. Anyone who could do anything about it is either one of us, or knows we exist. Nobody would touch a hair on his head... if he had any hair."
"Hey!" skinny protested.
I looked down into the shelter. I was more than a little apprehensive about the whole thing. In my mind, I did the quick math and figured out how many days 100 hours would be.
"In you go!" Jeffrey boomed as he shoved me through the door, down the staircase. I struck the rotten stairs hard, splintering the soft wood with my shoulders and head.
Laughter followed, then the metallic slam of the door.
I righted myself quickly and, frantic, I climbed the remaining stairs. I raged at that door... struck it with my fists, tried to pry it open... it wouldn't budge.
"Please!" I screamed, slumping back to the bottom of the staircase, "Let me out! I can't stand small places! I can't stand the dark! Oh God, you have to let me out!"
I screamed until I was hoarse. I laid on the floor and yelled until my insides hurt. There was no reply.
Realizing the dire situation I was now in, I blindly searched the walls. Finding shelves, I discovered cans of food, a can opener, and... most welcomed... a flashlight.
The beam of light cast strange shadows within the cramped shelter. Cobwebs hung from every possible surface. Roaches scattered as I lit them. To one side of the room was a bare cot, and next to that was a toilet. It was just as disgusting as I'd feared.
