Zodiac Infection

Part 12

The light seeped through the blindfold. Then before I could even think, it was ripped away. And just as quickly, a blade sliced. I saw my hair fall to the floor. I was tied up to a chair and gagged. Now my hair was cut. I squinted against the harsh light. I looked around at the ballroom setting around me. Although the harsh light from a flashlight. It dropped when my eyes widened, adjusting to the light. Music played. Tango music. It didn't surprise me that Seth woke me up. I wish I could have punched his face right then and there. But of course I was tied up. And it probably would hurt me more than it would hurt him. Anyways I didn't need to worry. Johnny is coming. Seth just stood there, looking at me. I was sure that Tommy was either behind me or outside.

"Try. Try to break free. Try to escape." He waited but I didn't move. I knew that if I did he would set me straight. After what seemed like only a minute, I shook my head. SMACK! He slapped me! The nerve! I could feel a heartbeat on the right side of my cheek. It bled. I teared up, a reflex. I dropped my head. "Pathetic. You have lost all will to fight back. You would let Johnny kill himself against us. Are you that stupid?" I, of course, said nothing. He gripped my hair and forced me to look up at him. He came up next to my ear and whispered, "What do you think we are going to do to you when he is dead." Chills on my spine. Please John. I need you.

When Seth left, I was left in the darkness with the trapdoor closed. After a few long hours when I was asleep, I felt a finger tracing it's way from my forehead and stopped at my upper lip dimple. My eyes shot open expecting John but I was disappointed when it was Tommy. Although I was surprised.

"You are in Hugo's hidden room. You have been here for four hours. I'm not releasing you. But I swear if you run, you're going right back in this chair." I nodded vigorously with hope in my eyes. His finger went to the gag and removed it. I breathed well for once in a great while. I took a lung full, held it, then released it as a sigh. He was tearing away at the ropes. At my hands, around my ankles at each front leg, my shoulders, my abdomen and my thighs. Because I didn't struggle, I had no rope burns. I stood up, slowly, carefully. The blood flew and soared to my hands and my legs. They burned in pain with a tingling sensation. My legs were as helpful to me as jelly for when I took a step forward; I crumbled halfway to the floor when Tommy caught me. "Sorry. I should have let you out earlier."

"It's fine as long as it's a while before I go back."

"Deal." There was a pause then my leg were solid again. Then I let go.

"So why a dance floor?"

He shrugged. "I didn't get to choose." A pause of silence.

"What's it like having the moss in your head?"

"Well I'm gonna tell ya a secret.........I wasn't infected for too long, you see when the music played from earlier, Well it was too loud and it killed the moss. So to answer your question, imagine a song repeating in your head at full blast and it only stops when you answer it. It repeats commands like kill him, walk, listen, and etcetera. But we can talk to each other mentally. That reminds me, did you know that Jeromy is infected?"

"Wait what?!? Jeromy!?! But-."

"Yeah He feels really bad for what he did." Another longer pause of silence.

"Anybody else?"

He was silent for a little while there.

"Tommy? Is anyone else infected?"

"Well this will come to you as a surprise but ...Lindsay and Red...yeah."

My mouth gaped open. How many now? Five?