Truth or Dare

Chapter 5:

Jenny opened her eyes. She had another piece to the puzzle and now she had to play it right. The fact that they were being judged would make things easier for her. She sat there for a moment and then said. We are being judged. I keep seeing a person who is in the desert and – it doesnt matter. We are being judged for what we have done. I know that you dont care what I say but I swear this is the reason that we are having the strange dares. Everyone turned to look at her.

Nick scoffed We are all college kids. We have been in school all our lives, so we havent done anything to be judged over. Why are we being judged as you put it? We havent done anything. You know Jenny, youre being a pain in the ass. Shelly just got minorly electrocuted due to this fucking house. So, whoever is having fun with this, I want to know why that happened. Huh Jenny, dont you know?

Jenny looked at him. Her voice was ice cold and full of anger. You dont get it Nick. I dont have all the answers. I am figuring this out as we go. What I do know is that it is directly related to our past and something that we did. Maybe you should look at the way you have treated others. I dont know why. All I know is that we are being judged and it would have to be something with the way we are living our lives.

Steve went over and sat next to Jenny. His hand was throbbing, but he needed to understand what and why things were happening. What do you mean? How are we being judged? Jenny I am asking you to focus on that. Nick went to scoff at the questions. Nick shut it. Pissing off the one person that seems to know what the hell is going on isnt the brightest idea. Shut the hell up. We are in trouble here, big trouble. We need to figure out what is going on. Jenny has been telling us what she knows or has learned. There has to be a method to what we are going through. We need to figure out the reason why we are being put through this.

The dares the dares the dares; think about it, Steve. Everyone has something to hide. In the way we behaved or something. Your hand. Youre in med school, you need your hands. You have pushed others aside to make sure that you were the best. The injury to your hand. It isnt permanent but will leave a reminder of the way you have been. It is a direct representation of the pain you caused by pushing those away that want to help you. Pain but not a permanent disability to where you cant work. Just like the pain you caused by pushing those away that wanted to help you and be your friends. Jenny said. She could see the direct line between the two. She wasnt the only one that he had pushed away and therefore his pain and the scar would be a reminder of what he did.

OK, that makes sense in a twisted way. What about Shelly and the wires? Where is the connection? Matt asked holding Shelly close. She was shaken by what she had gone through. There is no reason for that to have happened.

The pregnancy that she terminated. The only connection that I can see goes back to the ancient ways. Electricity life force too much death just enough pain but you would live. Oh shit Shelly, you never told Matt about it. Jenny said. Those are the only things that would directly match up. Shelly began to cry softly. Im sorry, I thought that you had told him about it.

No, I should have told Matt about it. It was before I started seeing you and the person was seeing someone else, so they were pissed at the fact that I ended up pregnant. Shelly began to explain. They were threatening to beat the child from –

A card floated across the room and landed at one of the young mens feet. They bent down and began to read it. He got up and walked away. The clock chimed two times. Two minutes Steve said softly. Looking at the young man, James what is it?

Smash my knee. James said. I cant do this. This is my scholarship! My future, my education. The scouts to the pros are coming within a week. If my knee is shattered, then I lose everything. There has to be a different way to handle this. I cant lose my scholarship. A metal baseball bat rolled down the stairs. It landed at Steves feet.

We have two minutes. We either do the dare or the dare will do you. Steve whispered. He knew that this was no game and that James would have to make a choice. There has to be a way out of this. We saw what happened when I didnt do the dare.

No! This is insane! Steve, you fell and burned your hand thats all. You are not smashing my knee. This is my scholarship and my future that you are talking about. I dont give a damn about this house. How do we know that Jenny is tellin the truth? She is getting tons of attention and maybe that is what she wants. Isnt it Jenny? Being the center of attention, thats what you want. Have everyone rely on you? James said. He backed up and the bat was under his feet. Losing his balance, James smashed his knee into the stairs – shattering it. He screamed in pain.

Everyone went to James to help him get to the couch. They made a make-shift splint for his leg. Jenny gave him some Tylenol and began to worry about things. They were getting out of hand. She needed to find a way to protect the others from dying while they were getting what they deserved at the same time.

Steve looked over when Jenny didnt answer his question. She was rocking back and forth in almost a trance like state. She started to fall, and he caught her. Her eyes had rolled up into her head and she was whispering Stop hurting them please there has to be a different please who is the one you have chosen what then please for me. She passed out.