It doesn’t take us long to track it down, and when we do, we all stand in front of it, staring in awe.
“Fuck,” Rick says, looking at the eerie old barn.
I peer up at it. In its day, you could see it would be a grand old place. It’s situated behind the main house, down a long path, behind a heap of thick trees. It sort of sits on its own, parts of it collapsed from time and weather, the other part still standing. Bits of old timber make up its structure and two huge barn doors at the front have been padlocked closed.
I could sit here for hours and write, just staring at this place. All the things it has seen, all the stories it could tell. A creaking sound has me jumping and shuffling closer to Kara. “I have to admit, there is no way in fuck I’d go in there now,” she tells me.
I laugh nervously.
Me either.
“Fuck, are you sure about this?” Nathan asks Rick suddenly less enthused.
“Don’t be such a fuckin’ pussy,” Rick scoffs. “It’s an old barn that hasn’t been used, the stories are just stories. Come on, let’s take this bottle and drink until we pass out.”
Taj looks back at us with a grin, then they all walk to the front of the barn. None of us follow, I’m not going near that place. The stories are definitely myths, but that doesn’t mean this place isn’t haunted, or at the very least, might collapse on us. Nope, I’m good right here.
We probably should do the adult thing and tell the guys to come back, but watching them hesitantly walk toward it is kind of funny.
“Imagine the rats and snakes in there,” Emily calls.
They all pause, looking back at her.
“Go on,” she continues. “Don’t be scared, ladies.”
Taj flips her the bird and then they sneak through an opening in the wood, one that has just deteriorated over time. I can see their flashlights as they go in, noticing they stay very close to the opening. A loud shout is heard a few seconds later, and Nathan comes running out through the gap, swatting at himself.
We all lose it laughing.
“Get it off, get it off,” he shouts, waving his hands all over the place.
“I told you they couldn’t do it,” Kara taunts. “Girls.”
“Fuck you, Kara,” Nathan shouts, and then after a few moments, goes back in.
I shiver, it’s so damned eerie. Poor guys.
Grace and Maria arrive with their tent, pitching it outside the barn before setting up a few chairs, pulling out a bottle of vodka and making themselves comfortable. We join them, laughing at the sounds coming from the barn and enjoying a drink with them.
I have a few too many vodkas, and of course, gain some liquid courage.
I should go and find Rhett.
He did tell me earlier I should come and find him later if I get the chance.
I tell the girls I’m going for a walk, to which Kara proceeds to act out a humping motion and Emily nods, mouthing ‘go girl’. I roll my eyes and leave them by the barn, drinking and laughing.
I figure they’re safe enough.
I walk up to the main house, stumbling just a touch because oh boy, am I drunk. You don’t fully understand just how drunk you are until you’re walking in the fresh air trying to get your bearings. I make it to the patio of the house and I can hear commotion inside. I walk up, curious, and peer through the window to make sure I’m not interrupting something.
I can’t see anything at first glance and after trying the front door and realizing it’s locked, I figure maybe they don’t want visitors. Curiosity gets the better of me, and I move around to the side of the house and peer through the window where I see Rhett, Enzo, and Elias all standing around a man who is sitting on the sofa, only he’s not sitting there by choice. Madden is standing behind him, his hands firmly on his shoulders and Lake is walking around with what appears to be a crowbar in his hands.
I blink, not sure what I’m seeing.
When the man on the sofa turns, I gasp.
His face is bloody and his entire body looks black and blue with bruising.
I press a hand to my mouth and find myself unable to look away as Lake raises the crowbar and brings it down over the man’s knees. His screams echo out the closed windows and I scurry backward, hitting the railing. I turn and rush as best I can, making it to the stairs where I proceed to tumble down because I’m moving so fast.
I fall down one, two, three, and land on the ground with a thump.
My shins burn and my ribs ache, a small fall but god damn, it hurt.