6 Nights and 1 Day

Chapter 1

Six nights and one day.

That's all I have left to do. Well, I shouldn't say do, but survive. Seems fitting to me. Kappa Alpha Tau's notorious for having most kids drop this week, and I am determined to not be one of them. I mean, I've already eaten a live fish. How much worse can it get?

Luckily, my obnoxious roommate was out of the room when I started packing. Don't' get me wrong. We can live in peace and harmony, but Jordan is always in the room. Playing some weird zombie video game, or watching some weird zombie show. Not even The Walking Dead. I swear that dude has some zombie fetish, but no hate. None at all.

Tyler, a sophomore, told my pledge class that we should pack for "how long you think you will last this week." So, for me, I'm packing like I'm going on a week-long vacation. Except, this vacation is, sadly, going to the pits of Hell. At least it might be warm.

I began making a mental list in my head of what I'll need. Pants and sweatshirts? Check. Toothpaste and toothbrush? Check. Sleeping bag and pillow? Check. School bag? Check. A towel and soap? Check. Food in case they try to starve me (an upperclassman told me that last year all he could eat was a jar of peanut butter for the week. That's it.)? Check. Pledge suit? Umm...oh no. I don't have enough black shirts. The pledge suit consisted of a black shirt, black shorts, black socks, and black shoes. All black everything. It's supposed to symbolize some formality like a suit, but I think it's in case someone dies we'll already be dressed for the funeral.

I had five black shirts and, of course, plenty of the other articles of the pledge suit. Moments like these make me think the world is against me sometimes. Whatever. I should probably text in the group chat to see if anyone could spare me some black shirts.

Does anyone have two black shirts I could borrow? I typed

Oh, boi! Lucas is so dead, said Graham. I didn't expect him to help. Of all the kids in my pledge class, I liked him the least. I wouldn't be surprised if he dropped.

I just checked. Doesn't look like I have any. Sorry, said Josh. He was by far the nicest kids in the pledge class. I could tell the brothers felt uncomfortable hazing him before Hell Week because of how polite and proper he was. Just didn't seem right I guess.

I have two for you! said, Crew. With having a ten-person pledge class, the spring pledge classes are usually tiny, I think most would assume that everyone would be super close and tight. But, for my pledge class, that is not the case. Crew and I are basically brothers. We are like our own little clique—even though there is only two of us—and we do everything for each other.

I thanked Crew and continued to pack. It was now 6:37 P.M. and our Marshal said we must be in our pledge suits and in the basement lined up at 8:00 P.M. Less than an hour and a half until I lose all freedom for the next six nights and one day. I guess I should start counting my blessings now.

"Are you moving in or something?" said Dan, a sophomore, as I dragged my huge green duffle through the front door. Dan's body was sprawled on the gray leather couch that rested in the living room.

"I mean what does it look like?" I said back. I knew he was trying to intimidate me in some way, and I want this too much to let someone get under my skin.

"I like the confidence, and the tone Bridnge," he said getting up from the couch, "I guess I'll see you Tuesday." He began walking out the door but stopped before he closed it and looked at me, "that's if you're still around," he said with a snicker and closing the door behind him.

What a joke. I'm not letting anyone stop me from being a member of Kappa Alpha Tau. My Dad was in this fraternity, and I feel, as if, I would be letting him down if I don't make it. He had done this before, so he knew about six nights and one day, but he claimed it was different for every chapter. But, whatever is thrown at me, I'm ready for. I think.