Chapter 1
Colin looked out of the window of his new dorm room. Some of the majestic trees on the campus already started to show leaves in the colors of Fall. But it wasn't that, what caught the students eyes. Instead, he was mesmerized by the small palace, on top of the hill. The highest place in the whole campus, even towering over the university itself, was the looming Fraternity house. Adorned by two flags, one being the flag of the country, and the other one showing the colors red, blue and gold.
“It looks amazing, doesn't it? The Fraternity house is the most glamorous building in the whole city. It's marvelous.”
Colin turned around. He hadn't noticed someone coming through the open door. A guy, around his age, wearing a grey suit with a blue tie, nearly in the same color as his eyes. “Hey, are you my roommate? I'm Colin, they assigned me here”, he said, offering his hand.
Only as the other guy got closer, did he notice the lapel pin, in the already familiar colors of red, blue and gold. “Yeah, I'm Tyler. I guess we share this room for the year. Nice to meet you.”
Tylers grip was firm, but welcoming, his smile pleasant. Colin started to relax. Getting to know the person you would share the room for a whole year was a stressful prospect, but this guy radiated warmth and a sense of home. One of the persons who get along with everyone, because they are so plain nice.
So, you are a frat member, I guess?”, Colin asked, trying to strike up a conversation. Tyler looked slightly puzzled, before he continued: “I noticed your pin. It's the same colors as the flag at the frat house.”
He was awarded with one of the kindest smiles he had ever seen, turning into a boyish grin. “I see, you have a good eye for details. Yeah, I'm a proud member of the best Fraternity in the country.”
With most people, this would have sounded over the top, but it was obvious that Colins new roommate was just joking. The kind laugh made it clear.
“If you don't mind, please don't say frat. It's not much of a problem, but we members are pretty proud of it. Many alumni get into important positions afterwards, and we do a lot of good work for charities, while we are here. It's a very special community, always there for it's Brothers.”
Colin could have never resisted the soft tone of voice, and the kind look. “Sure, sorry. It's just the word that's most often used, when reading about fraternities. No promises, but I'll try to keep it in mind.”
Tyler nodded, getting closer to the window, his look full of aw, as soon as the small palace came into view. “Joining up was probably the best decision of my live, you know. I've been here for just a year, but it was the greatest year I ever had.” After a short pause, he continued, his voice and look getting brighter. “Doing charitable work, learning together, having parties...it is so much fun, spending time with my Brothers.”
He turned his look back at Colin, his eyes radiating joy. “In case you worry about getting in, there is no need to. It's a bit of work, but totally worth it. Everyone can make it, I promise.”
Colin was taken aback a bit. He appreciated the hearty welcome, but it felt like his new roommate had gotten a bit overexcited.
“Wait, no, sorry, I didn't plan to join any fraternity. I'm sure it's great, but stuff like that is not my thing. Just the things you hear about Hell Week, or whatever. I mean, I'm sure you guys aren't going as far as you sometimes hear, considering how you speak about it. But even aside from that, I have a really hard time with crowds, you know?”
The smile had lost some of its shine, as Tyler listened. The disappointment was visible.
“Oh, but everyone at this university joins the Fraternity. It's basically part of the program, you know? It's a major reason, why graduates don't have to worry about getting a good job, we are helping them. And even with other stuff, like when you are in financial trouble. Even now, if you can't pay for another semester, we got your back. No one here would think about not joining us, because one would miss out on so much!”
But Colin continued to shake his head. “Sorry, it's really not my thing.”
Tyler looked a bit like a hit puppy, not sure what to say. A last idea seems to have hit him, as he tried one last time.
“We even have our own tailor, you know? I guess you like casual clothes”, he said, looking at Colins red hoodie and the blue jeans, “but I promise, when you try on a tailor-made suit, you will never want to wear anything else. It's super-cheap too, because it's in the interest of the Fraternity, that everyone looks their best.”
Colin couldn't help, but laugh at this. “Sorry man, but that is just one more reason for me to stay far away. I don't like dress clothes, and while I do think that you look very good in your suit, I want to stay out of that stuff as much as possible.”
Tyler hadn't stopped smiling, but something was off about it now. It didn't reach his eyes anymore. The blue seemed to have changed, from a warm, light tone, to a piercing, darker one. At least it felt that way to Colin.
But it didn't stay that way for long. The bright smile came back a few seconds later. “Fine, fine, it's your choice, of course”, Tyler said, laughing joyfully. “And I do have another month, to make you change your mind, haha.”
Colin grinned, glad that his new roommate didn't take the whole thing as serious, as he had feared, for a few seconds. Just a disappointment, thankfully.
“If you want, I can show you around. The campus is so big, you will get lost on your own. And, to be honest, I'm pretty hungry. So, how about getting something to eat, too?”, the older boy asked.
Colin nodded. “Sounds great. Is the food at the cafeteria good?”
“Well, not really. And it's kinda expensive”, Tyler answered, a slight grin showing on his face again. “But you can get food at the Fraternity house, where it's cheap and delicious. You could even get in, as a guest.”
“Sounds great”, Colin said, but noticing the grin, couldn't help but ask. “Where is the catch? Do I get signed up automatically?”
“Haha, no. It's just that the dress code is pretty strict. Without a suit and tie, they won't let you in.”
Colin couldn't help but laugh. “Nice try, buddy. I'll at least try the food for normies then.”
While he didn't care to join, Colin still was interested in seeing the frat building up closer, so that's where their way first lead them. With each step, the small palace became more and more imposing, showing that the building was cared for, that the colors were still as clean and bright, as if they were new.
“I would like to see it from the inside, I have to say. Such a fancy place, crazy”, Colin said. Before Tyler could answer, he added: “Yeah, I know, I have to dress up. I guess it's ok, for an hour or two, one time.”
Tyler just smiled, seemingly in awe over the majesty of the building. It seemed to Colin, as if the building had some sort of mesmerizing effect on his roommate. He had gotten quieter, the closer they got.
When they were finally there, standing in front of the main gate, they stopped. There were two young guys, in black suits and ties in the color of the frat, positioned to the left and right of the door.
“In case you are wondering, these are pledges. They are on guard duty. Not that it matters, as no one would dream of getting in without being allowed to. But it makes a bit of an impact, doesn't it?”, Tyler explained.
His roommate nodded. It certainly did make an impression. But suddenly, it wasn't the main thing that caught his attention. He could hear a noise, from inside the building, to the right.
“Do you hear that, Tyler? I hear some noise, like voices, just...”
Tyler just looked at him funny. “What do you mean? I don't hear anything.”
But Colin wasn't satisfied with this. He walked along the wall, with Tyler following him. The noises got louder, more desperate.
“It's like...muffled noises. Screams, maybe. You really aren't hearing that?”, Colin said, before walking up to the wall, and pressing his ear onto it. Until it, suddenly, stopped.
“No, I don't hear anything. Look, you just got here today, didn't you?” The boyish grin suddenly came back. “Is the pressure already getting to you?”
Colin had no way of resisting the grin. “Oh, shut up. I know what I heard. Except that...”
He listened one more time. Everything was quite, again. “It's gone now. Strange. I know that I heard something.”
“Sure, man, come on. Let's go somewhere else, there is more to see on the campus.”
Colins followed his new friend, but as they got back to the front door, where the way was leading down the hill, he got a look to the other side of the frat house.
At two columns, on the edge of the building, there were two young guys. Both wearing suits and ties, plus the fraternity pins. And both were bound to the pillars, upper body and legs forced against them with rope. A leather gag covered their mouths and noses, with only two little holes, allowing them to breath. And, it seemed to Colin, with eyes that looked deeply scared.
“What's up with them? Why are there two guys tied and gagged?”, he asked, grabbing Tylers shoulder. His roommate looked at him, his cheerful smile still on. “Oh, just some Brothers who did something wrong. Let's go meet them, you'll see that there is nothing bad going on.”
As they made their way to the two captives, as they were seen by them, the look of terror disappeared.
“Hey, how are you? I hope you are learning, that we have rules for a reason.”
There was a short moment, when Colin thought he saw a scared look on the faces of the captives again, when Tyler started speaking to them. But it was gone in a second, replaced by a more amused glint in their eyes. They nodded.
Still, Colin didn't like what he saw. “Why are these two tied and gagged? What the hell is happening here?”
Tyler shook his head. “That's a standard punishment, if you break our rules. It's nothing terrible. These two broke the dress code, wearing hoodies to a lecture. Now they have to spend two hours in this situation. A simple punishment, but our experience shows that it's effective enough, for rule breaks like this.”
Colin still wasn't convinced. “Seriously? If someone doesn't behave, you tie them up? And for everyone to see? That seems pretty cruel. Also, doesn't the fraternity get into trouble with the university? Is the university allowing this?”
And here it was again. The smile, the charming smile, stripping Colin of all his resistance. That soft, calming voice didn't help either.
“Right, this must look really weird to you. But if you join the Fraternity, you are actively agreeing to possible punishments, like this. And even if not, there is always a choice. They could also accept to lose some privileges, like not being allowed to eat here, or being excluded from parties, for two weeks. Instead, they chose this. Because it's just two hours.”
To Colins surprise, Tyler undid one of the gags. The bound guy spit out some soggy fabric, before breathing through his mouth, enjoying the sensation. “This is Colin, a new student and now my roommate. Could you tell him that it's like I said, Luke?”
There was no fear in Lukes eyes, or anything that might imply that it wasn't as simply as what Tyler had explained. On the contrary, a smiling Luke nodded, looking at Colin. “Oh, yeah, he is right. It's no big deal, really. Way better than the real punishments. This is basically two hours of boredom, and a bit catching up on wearing our proper stuff, outside of the Fraternity house. It's fine.”
Before he offered his open mouth, ready to be gagged again, he said: “Nice to meet you, Colin. I hope you will soon join us.” The soggy cloth, caught by Tyler before, found his way back into Lukes mouth, and the mask was put on, too.
“See, nothing to worry about. No one is tied up against their will, I promise. Well, not completely, but you know what I mean”, Tyler said, moving away from the frat house.
But before Colin could follow, just out of the corner of his eye, he caught a last glance of Luke. And just for this one second, the look changed to one of deep horror. But, again, only for a second, with a decently content look, as soon as Colin turned his head towards the captive.
He followed his new roommate, who immediately started explaining more about the fraternity, as well as the university. And soon, with all the new impressions, this one was pushed back in Colins memory.
