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The heavy beat was like a pulsating heart, throbbing at regular intervals. I couldn’t help but be drawn in by its hypnotic thumping. Each beat seemed louder than the previous, as if its urgency was directed at me. The cold night air seemed crisp as the brightly lit house looked like it was beckoning me forward.

“Oh hey, Izzy,” said Drew from the other side of the car, “just shout if you need anything, ‘kay?”

I rolled my eyes at him as I closed the car door, “you’re too protective, you’re only two years older you know.”

He shot me a stern but loving look before walking up the steep hill to the party that was starting to unfold. I sighed as I watched my brother, my Drew, ascend the steps and into the house. I smiled and followed his footsteps, hearing the enticing beat grow louder. Many people were standing around the front of the house, beers held casually in their hands. I moved past them and into the house. It was a small house, one floor, and definitely not able to house this many people. After venturing around and carefully slipping past many bodies for a while, I finally stumbled into the kitchen. I grabbed a beer from a cooler on the bench before hearing a loud screech from across the room.

“Izzy!”the voice cried.

I cringed and turned around to see Billie. Her outstretched arms greeted me and she embraced me warmly. She was my best friend, but not the best company at these sorts of gatherings. She had a tendency to... let go.

“I missed you!” she laughed, a cigarette draped in her fingers.

“And I see you’ve already started on the drinking.” I snorted, opening up my own beer.

I took a sip from it and welcomed the burning at the back of my throat. “I need to find you a man!” Billie shouted over the loud music.

I shook my head, “No boys for me, I’m single and loving it!”

“What?! You’re 26 and only had a handful of men!” she shouted, as if dumb-struck at my love life.

“I’m fine.” I said, with a tone of voice that closed the matter.

“Nice place,” she remarked, trying to change the subject.

I nodded, taking a good look at the place. It was quite small, but what many would describe as cosy. It had a small deck out the back, followed by a large garden. We were situated in the countryside, although not too far from civilization. A brilliant location in my opinion.

“Who’s is it?” I asked.

“Who cares?” Billie giggled, throwing her hands up in celebration, “I have alcohol and I feel like dancing. C’mon babe!”

She grabbed my hand and led me to the next room .The loud music blasted from the huge speakers that were placed strategically around the room. I had to smile at that one. For the next half an hour or so, Billie and I danced as if there was no tomorrow. It was only when I felt the call of nature that I decided to abandon our spastic party.
I excused myself and quickly fled the awkward moving bodies that seemed to surround me. After a bit of exploring, I finally found the small toilet near the back of the house. Before I had the chance to rush to my sanctuary, a bulky body blocked my way.

“Howzit.” slurred the 20-something guy.

“Excuse me...” I said, trying to slip past the large man.

“What’s your name?” he asked, ignoring my request.

“Move please.” I tried again.

“Do you come here often?” he continued.

I suddenly had enough and turned my full attention to him. “Great line. It’s one of those original ones, right up there with ‘have I seen you before?’ Girls must be lining up to get with a clever one like you.”

That shut him up as he moved quickly out of my way. I rolled my eyes and darted into the small bathroom. I made a quick job of securely latching the wooden door. I laid my head against the wood before I heard banging on the door.

“I was just trying to make chit-chat!” I heard the man shout.

I relieved myself as the man continued to make pleas at me, as if it would help win me over. I started to get concerned when he didn’t stop his futile attempts after a couple of minutes. I sat on the white toilet, waiting for the intoxicated man to move. I rubbed my temples as he started to shout louder. I finally gave up on going out the door and tried to look for another escape route. The most obvious choice was the window that sat just above the toilet. I figured that I would have a fair chance of squeezing through the hole if I tried. I looked down at my black singlet covered with a leather jacket and black jeans, hoping that I would come out all right.
I turned around in the small room and leaned over the porcelain toilet, opening the latch of the window and swinging it wide open. I was relieved that no partiers were sitting around the back; they all seemed to be having a great time in the house. A few small bushes were lined along the outside of the wall, and I hoped that there were no thorns. I pushed my short black hair away from my green eyes and lifted myself onto the toilet. I hear the floor creak as I leaned over towards the window that was now fully open. The bangs on the door did not help my situation, as I felt sweat starting to become apparent. I hoped that my make-up wouldn’t be ruined by this mission. I put my head through the window first, gripping the top of the window before sitting on the frame. I let out a breath before starting to work my legs out. I scrambled over the wall, but at the last possible moment my feet got caught on the frame. My shriek was drowned out by the blasting music as I tumbled into the bushes below. Branches and twigs scratched along my body as I connected with the ground. I let out a small noise as I recovered from the unplanned fall. I groaned as I got to my feet, leaning against the concrete wall to support myself. When I was finally able to stand upright, I treaded lightly until I was out of the plants. I looked back and saw the window wide open, but decided not to risk another tumble trying to close it.
I looked down and myself to assess the damage. I cursed as I saw a large scratch on my hand, but other than that, I was fine. A string of curse words flew from my lips as I brushed myself down.

“9.5” said a deep voice behind me.

I quickly spun around to an attractive man. He smirked at me with apparent pleasure.

“What?” I asked, anger flaring through me.

“9.5, that’s your mark.”

The puzzled look on my face led him to say more.

“The entrance was shaky, but the finish was perfect.” He smiled.

His enthusiasm was contagious, and I couldn’t help but blush. He held a cool beer in his hand as he walked closer to me.

“But really, are you okay?” He asked.

I detected a hint of humour, but mostly I was touched by his genuine concern.

“I’m fine.” I reassured, “I’m a klutz. I’m really used to it.”

He grinned at that and sat down on the grass next to me. I sat down next to him, unusually drawn to the twenty-something man that had appeared from nowhere.

“Alex.” He stated.

“Izzy.” I replied, and we briefly shook hands.

“Having fun?” Alex asked.

I nodded, “yeah, it’s great to be out with friends. What about you?”

“I better be, I set up the party.” He smirked.

I couldn’t help but smile, “nice place.”

“Thanks, I mostly use it when I’m writing, but I thought I might as well have some fun with it.”

“Write?”

“Yeah, I’m a writer.”

“What do you write about?”

He shrugged, “whatever I really feel like at the time. Want some?”

He held out the bottle. I took it and took a gulp of it, feeling the cool liquid slide down my throat. I wiped my mouth and smiled, handing it back to him.

“Thanks. So what are you writing about right now?”

He gazed up at the glowing stars, “a guy that meets a gorgeous and charming girl at a party. He sits down to talk to her but screws it up. Big twist at the end.”

“What twist?”

He wagged his finger at me, “so impatient! I guess you’ll just have to read the book.”

“Writers.” I sighed.

He glanced at me, “what do you do?”

“I’m a student. Studying to become a nurse.”

“Do you like helping people?” He asked, a twinkle in his eye.

I nodded. “I feel like I’m making a difference.”

“I know what you mean.”

“Izzy!” came a screech.

I winced and looked to the sliding doors. “You’ve been gone ages! I’m all alone on the dance floor!”

Billie stood with a drunken swagger. “Have you had enough?” I asked sarcastically.

She looked at the beer bottle in her hand. “Naaaaah man. I haven’t even started! Now c’mon!”

I looked at Alex, “sorry.”

He shrugged, “friends first, right?”

I grinned, “that’s it.”

“Izzy!” Billie yelled again.

“I’m coming!” I shouted back.

I glanced back at Alex and gave a what-can-you-do look before I got up and walked to Billie. She stood with her arms open, “Izzy!”

She slung her arms around my neck and dragged me back inside to the thumping beat, not giving me a chance to look back at Alex.

The night carried on as I pushed Alex from my mind. It was only just past midnight when the cramps started. The room swayed under my feet, and I grabbed Billie’s hand before I completely fell. I staggered, but Billie helped me balance. I shut my eyes, trying to block out the loud music.

“Are you okay?” Billie shouted over the music.

My stomach knotted. “Outside!” I yelled, and she quickly dragged me away from the moving bodies.

I let her reassuring, but slightly drunken, hands take control and steer me away from the main room. I felt a cold rush of air as we stepped outside. I stumbled, but Billie caught me before I lost balance. I sat slowly down, trying to ignore my stomach that seemed to be getting more painful by the second. I scrunched my eyes closed and lay back on the cold grass, letting it cool my exhausted body.

“Are you okay?” Billie slurred.

I nodded, “I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll stay with her,” said a new voice, “you go inside.”

I opened my eyes and saw Alex crouching over me.

“Is that okay?” Billie asked.

“Go.” I whispered.

She gave me a kiss on the cheek, “I’ll only be a tick.”

Her footsteps were drowned out by the music. I didn’t move, but looked at Alex, so adorable above me. “Hey.” He said softly.

“Hey.”

“How you feeling?” He asked with a twinkle in his eye.

“Really stiff, cramps and my head is starting to hurt.” My voice seemed to crack under the effort.

“Perfect.” He stated, all the warmth gone from his voice.

Before I knew it, I was in the air, being lifted by his strong arms. He carried me as if I weighed nothing. He glanced around before hurrying down the gravel road.

“Wait.” I tried to scream, but it came out as a whisper.

“Don’t try, it won’t work.” He snapped.

My breaths came in small gasps as he continued down the road. It seemed that no-one had noticed the oddity of the scene. Suddenly I remembered taking a drink out of his bottle, but not once did he take as much as a sip. I tried to scream, but no sound came out.
We turned a bend in the gravel road and I saw a car, a big jeep lying in the shadows like a waiting monster. I tried to wriggle out of his grip, but my body seemed to ignore my minds orders. The jeeps door opened with a reluctant scrape before I was dumped in the front seat, propped up. He promptly closed the door before walking around the side, careful that he wasn’t being watched. My heart went cold as he got in and turned the keys, stirring the monster to life. He glanced at me and saw me glaring at him, as much as I could with my immobile face, and sneered.
The car jumped forward and left a dust trail as it began down the deserted road. Possibilities raced through my mind.

“...Money?” I finally managed to whisper.

“Ha!” He laughed, startling me. “You think I want money, I don’t want paper. I want the ending. My ending.”

He saw my quizzical eyes.

“For my story!” He snapped, “girls these days. Idiots. You see, the psychotic boy has lived all his life hating women, and then here comes one with no self-respect. He had to do something to stop it.”

I didn’t bother to defend myself, no use. The silence that followed made me sweat.

“Aren’t you going to ask anything else?” He sniggered.

“But... Your... Bach...”

“Perfect cover! Don’t you see? People won’t suspect the host!” He seemed to be brimming with excitement.

I tried to swallow before I asked the next question. “...Kill?”

He turned to me and gave me a wide smile, flashing his perfect teeth at me. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”

I closed my eyes involuntarily. “...How?”

There was a pause, as if he was thinking. “It has to be gory, people like gore. And creative. What’s gory and creative?”

Although I didn’t feel my body, my blood went ice cold.

“What about being quartered? ...Damn I got no horses.”

The jeep roared as it kept moving down the road, towards my death.

“I know! Cut off the limbs! Genius!”

He mumbled to himself as a small sob escaped my numb lips.

He looked over at me and pouted. “Don’t worry; you don’t have to be awake. I brought chloroform, you see, I was prepared.”

His evil eyes drilled a hole in me. “Do you want to be awake?”

I managed to shake my head violently.

“So cowardly.” I heard him say as he reached into the back of the jeep with one hand, while the other was still on the wheel.

I heard shuffling from behind my seat before Alex emerged with a cloth, slightly damp.

His lips curled into a devilish grin. “Don’t worry; I’ll make sure you’ll be remembered.”

He brought the cloth down to my face; I inhaled the suffocating fumes for a few seconds before my world went black.