The Beautiful and the Psychotic

Chapter Three

I had a flashback there in the doorway. I was five years old, playing with my cousins, 19-year-old Lucas, 16-year-old Jamey and 14-year-old Ruby. They were all blonde, tall with green eyes. Jamey had a scar on his head from his childhood when he'd fallen out of a tree. Their dad, my uncle Will, had always creeped me out, so I rarely played at their place, only when he wasn't home. I remember when we were playing tag, and Jamey was It. He had chose me to chase, but when he went to tag me and pushed too hard, I fell to the ground. My knees were covered in blood thanks to the concrete path. Ruby and Lucas immediatly rushed me inside for medical attention. But when I looked back at Jamey, his eyes were cold.

Only a few months later, Jamey disappeared. And so did many people in the area around his age. Police caught who they thought was the kidnapper- my uncle Will. He had been found to have previously molested his children, and the police guessed that Jamey was kidnapped and killed when he threatened to tell.

Only now did I realise he wasn't the first to be kidnapped. He was the kidnapper.

With that knowledge rushing back came everything else.

Bella looked at me, worried. "Are you okay?" she said, eyebrows furrowed.

I turned to her. "My name is Alexis Chloe Hemmingsworth. It's my 16th birthday. I'm a virgin. And he," I said, pointing my finger at Jamey, or 16 as he was called- it must've been his age when he started this place- "is my cousin."

There was a few seconds of confusion, muttering between David and Jamey, before David grabbed the bracelets and pulled me out of the office-like room. I got one look at Jamey's cold green eyes and the telltale scar before the door closed.

Bella had disappeared at some point, probably staying in B403. David led me up a few flights of stairs, gripping my wrist so tightly it hurt. He pulled me into another room, A1000, and slammed the dor shut.

"I'm not supposed to use the civilian rooms but we. Need. To. Talk." He sat on the table, flustered and a little angry. "You just made things about five times more difficult," he groaned. For a minute or so he grumbled to himself, things like "Why did she have too.... I mean.... cousin.... what..... how.... will he.... UGH!"

I waited patiently, not wanting to anger him.

David calmed down a little and picked up the hotel phone, dialling a number. I lay down on the bed and looked around the hotel room. It looked so.... normal. Not like it belonged to a slave driving, prostituting, experimenting cousin of mine.

David appeared to be calling Jamey. "Um, hi. I just think we didn't sort out everything. Yes, I'll supervise.... I have a plan for the catalogue, yes. How about the welcome.....? Yes, I thought not. What did you want to do about that......? No, I don't know...... Okay, sounds fine. Celebrations....? Good. I'l let Oliver know. Bye."

David finally looked at me. "You obviously have a special case. Most virgins who come here lose their virginity to 16, but that isn't happening today. We're just going to leave that for now- you're anyone's game. No, it's not fair, but that's how it is. Since it's your birthday, our celebration planner, Oliver, will pull something together. As for me, I'll supervise your training. I can guide you around, but here are the basic people you need to know. 16, of course. Bella, the stylist and evaluator. Oliver, the head of celebrations and overseeing. I'm one of the trainers, but there is also Naomi, Ethan, Amelia and Mia. Isaac is the head trainer. Sophie is the photographer. Sienna the doctor is the go-to if you have problems. There are 51 girls here and 29 boys, as well as the 21 managers and 16. That's 102 people to know, so it may take time. After your party I'll get together a schedule."

I laid back on the bed as he made calls. Today was going to be a long day.