Sundrop

Hotel Inn

"I'm Adonis." The estranged boy introduces himself, extending his arm to me. I stare at his large hand in wariness. He's too close for my liking. After he concludes that I won't be shaking his hand anytime soon, he places it awkwardly in his front jeans pocket. "Very well."

This kid...Adonis looks around confusingly in the restrictive chrome cage. My eyes never leave him as he examines every inch of the confinement. He's handling this situation with aplomb for someone who has just been locked in. Maybe he's so composed with himself because it's his decision to be in here. It could possibly be one of Cosette's wicked plans.

"What is this?" The boy continues to roam over every inch within the cage. He finally squats a few feet in front of me and a smirk stretches across his unfamiliar face. I haven't seen many smiles in my lifetime. Cosette is the only person I'd witnessed smiling lately, but her smile is cruel and tainted. This boy's smile is different. I can tell he has yet to be affected by the darkness. As for I, I've already been consumed by it. "Is this some prank? Are you apart of it?"

The only response I give him is the tilt of my head because his questions confuse me.

"C'mon, you can drop this creepy act." He plops to the ground and crosses his legs into a Indian style. "I have to give it to them. They really out did themselves this time. Those son of a bitches!" 

I gap my mouth at his loose usage of lurid language verbally. If Cosette heard him, she'll definitely retaliate violently and the outcome won't be pretty. I look worriedly around in fear for the young innocent boy.

"What are you looking for?" His strange masculine voice travels to my ears, temporarily stopping my search for any sign of Cosette lingering around.

This could be part of the plan.

Cosette put this child in here to tempt me. He's obviously been exposed to worldly things and he's trying to lure me in and make me sin. This is just another one of Cosette's tests and this time I won't answer the question wrong. I will show Cosette that I can be good and she'll have to grant me back to my room. This basement of filth is suffocating.

"Seriously, can you stop this? I'm starting to get freaked out by your muteness?"

"How did you get in here?" I interrogate, speaking for the first time to him.

"I don't know." He carelessly shrugs his shoulders and leans casually against the cage bars. "I passed out drunk at a party last night and I woke up here."

I scoot myself against the opposite wall to him, putting more space between us. I'm not sure if I believe him. In the little time he's been here, I've learned he uses vulgar language, consumes alcohol, and parties. This the epitome of sinful behavior Cosette warned us about.

"I guess I had this coming, huh? After all the shit I did to the guys when they had hangovers. If I wasn't the one being punk'd, I would enjoy this joke way more." His lips stretch into a peaceful grin. Again, I'm mesmerized by his smile. It's a breath of fresh air to see such pureness. Mahli has innocent qualities about him, but he's been touched by the darkness like the rest of us. Adonis might be a sinner, but he's a sinner who knows light. I can't go within proximity of the light without it blinding and painfully blistering me.

"This isn't a joke." I mumble quietly to the dusty floor. I find it difficult to look him directly in the eyes.

"Bravo!" I jump by the loud pounding of his hands slapping together. He sloppily claps randomly and releases short laughter. "Wow! You're a great actor. How much are you being paid for this? If this is James' doing then I'll kill that piece of shit."

"You're going to kill him?" I flinch at his threatening words. Cosette locked me in the basement with a murderer. At least now I know Adonis' purpose for being here. He's here to kill me. Cosette has finally had enough of me and like usually she doesn't want to get her hands dirty, so she got someone else to full fill her request.