The Crimson Chariot

10 | Confessions of a Sinner

"Ethan was Janet's knight in shining armor when they first met. He defended her against bullies who insulted her for her background and hence came across as her savior. She was instantly smitten by him," Archie explains.

"Did Ethan feel the same way for Janet?" asks Aiden and Archie shrugs.

"It was difficult to understand at the time. I had never seen Ethan be so happy and...in love!"

Damn good of an actor he was, I think to myself.

"He even asked her out by making her a bracelet made of roses!" Archie says and Aiden and I share a look. Ethan's wrists had ligature marks on them, resembling those of thorns. Janet must've been sending a message!

"So, they started dating after that?" Aiden asks and Archie nods.

"Thomas and I became best friends with Janet and her friend Paul," he continues.

"Paul?" I mumble. "He wasn't a part of the original group?"

Archie shakes his head. "Paul and Janet were the two scholarship students that joined Sacredmore that year. Paul was happy that Janet was happy to have us around. He was her only friend at Sacredmore before the three of us came in. Before we knew it, we were hanging out more often than not. Sneaking out and going on long midnight drives, getting high in our rooms, smoking joints, and blacking out, life was good, man!" He looks exhilarated for a second as he reminisces about the past, before falling quiet out of nowhere. Like there was an intervention in his perfect life.

"Something went wrong, right?" Aiden asks him and a pause later, Archie nods. "Tell us," Aiden insists.

Archie takes in a long, deep breath and starts again. "It was New Year's Eve, another one of the nights of getting wasted, but things went a little too far this time..."

He pauses again, longer than before. I know what's about to happen, and yet, I need to hear it from the bastard.

"Talk!" I snap. He shudders against my voice and from the corner of my eye, I can see Aiden looking at me.

Archie swallows and then begins again. "The alcohol knocked Janet out that night and Ethan took that opportunity as one of his conquests. He passed a signal to Thomas and...they had sex with Janet while she was unconscious."

"I don't think sex is the right word, Archie," I say, clenching my jaw, picturing how horrifying it would've been for Janet. How her body was taken advantage of that night by people she trusted. And to think this is the reality for thousands of women every day is what sickens me the most. How women are the ones to suffer for these monsters' actions, while said monsters roam around freely, unscathed, unharmed.

"Where were you and Paul when that happened?" Aiden asks with a hardened jaw and folded arms. His face is reddening just like mine.

"Ethan asked me to record as they..." Archie stumbles again.

"And where was Paul?" Aiden asks.

"He was...watching."

"With interest?"

"No," Archie answers, "he was frozen seeing what they were doing to his best friend."

"Did Janet find out what you four did to her?" I ask.

"Yes," Archie says. "After Janet woke up that morning, she realized what had happened. Ethan threatened to leak the sex tape if she ever told anyone about it."

"So, Ethan never went on to violate Janet anymore?" Aiden asks.

Archie meets his eye and shakes his head. "Things only got worse."