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Frowning at the message, I wondered what this was all about. A solitary gym session, a private lunch, and time alone in the music room? It was almost like I was being rewarded or something. Unless it was some twisted version of an apology from Sam. Was that it? Did he feel bad about knocking me out? It didn’t track with what I’d learned about him, but maybe that was it. The asshole had forced me to be alone with Kaden, knowing he was unstable.
As little genuine free time as I’d had here, I wasn’t going to question this. Hurrying to the music room, I didn’t see anyone else in the house. The others must have still been preoccupied with their tasks. In the music room, I found a large sandwich wrapped in plastic, a bag of chips, an apple, and a bottle of water. I ate everything as soon as the door clicked shut behind me, and then sat to play the piano.
Remembering the way Drake had played, I did my best to get the sounds right. I was nowhere near as good as he was, but I was better than the last time I’d tried. It made me wonder if I might have some innate talent. Maybe if I’d had a different upbringing, I could’ve had parents who would’ve paid for lessons when I was younger. Going down that line of memory wasn’t what I wanted to do. I could still see my father’s ruined face and body, and that wasn’t where I wanted to go. Instead, I played and practiced until it was time to go back to my room. It had been the most relaxing day I’d had in the house, minus my small freak out that morning.
We weren’t sent to dinner that night, which I thought was weird, but when we got to the Game Room, I saw why. On one wall a table had been laden with food items. Walking over, I frowned. It looked like a spread you’d see at a Super Bowl party. Dips, sliders, hot wings, and chips. This place got weirder by the day.
“Who’s ready to play?” Bri said as she stepped in the room.
Liam and Elise followed and Drake brought up the end. Drake’s bruises stood out even more now. Maybe it was because I hadn’t been around anyone all day.
“What game is it?” I asked.
Bri chuckled and walked over to the set of chairs around the fireplace. “Looks like, whatever it is, it’ll be fun.”
She pointed to a table I hadn’t seen when walking in. There were four bottles of wine, a case of beer, and two bottles of liquor.
Bong. “Good evening, housemates. Welcome to Family Game Night. Tonight’s game is something I like to call, Take Turns. You will sit in a circle, and take turns rolling the dice. If you roll an odd number, nothing happens. If it’s even, you will use the tools on the table to brand the person on your right.”
My eyes went wide when I glimpsed the small piece of metal on the table and the lighter beside it.
“Each time you are branded, you get the chance to tell a secret about yourself, and then take a drink. No secret, no drink. Enjoy yourselves.”
The mood changed as we settled in. The piece of metal was a small rod attached to a metal handle. At the end was a simple circle that would be burned into our skin. I didn’t like getting burned, it was one of the things I hated more than anything. Though, having been here I knew there were much worse things that we would have to do to each other.
Elise picked up a bottle of whiskey and grinned, her brown eyes glowing with glee. “Now we’re talking. A few burns ain’t shit as long as I can get hammered.”
Liam leaned down and picked up the die. “I’ll go first, I guess.”
He tossed the die down and it bounced chaotically until coming to rest on four.
“You’re first buddy,” Bri said and picked up the brand and the lighter, and heated the circular end up.
“Piss,” Liam hissed.
After holding the lighter to the metal for thirty seconds Bri nodded. “Where do you want it?”
Liam extended his forearm. “Just get it over with. I could use a drink.”
Bri jammed the red hot brand onto Liam’s arm. He let out a groan of pain and clenched his teeth. The metal hissed for a second as it was pressed into his skin. Staring on in mild panic, I watched as Bri finished and pulled the metal away. A small bright red circle had been left on Liam’s arm.
He gestured to the alcohol. “Vodka. Now,” he said through gritted teeth.
Elise took a small paper cup from a stack that was beside the bottles and poured him a shot of vodka.
Liam reached out, but Elise pulled it back and grinned. “Secrets. Don’t forget.”
“Oh for fuck sake. Fine. Uh, shit, okay. When I was fourteen, I looked out the window next door and saw my neighbors having sex through their bedroom window. I, uh, maybe jerked off watching. How’s that? I’ve never told anyone before.”
Elise gave a little mock gasp. “A peeping tom, what a sicko. Here you go.”
Liam took the glass and downed it. He winced and then sighed. “Oh, that’s the stuff. So good. Who’s next?”
It went on like that for a while, my first roll was a three so I got to get skipped. Bri was the next to get burned. She then let us know that she found a wallet on the street once. It had nearly three hundred dollars in it, but the ID was inside too. Even though the guy’s name and address were there, she took the money and tossed the wallet in the trash.
“I’m a bitch, I know. What can I say,” she said, and then took her drink.
When it was my turn again, I watched in horror as the die bounced and spun until it ended on the ‘six.’
