Chapter 3

Jada and Emily were somewhat amazed to see a normal-looking party before them. People were chatting spread out over a very comfortable and well appointed lounge area. The area was pleasantly heated and very spacious, and the two women gladly took off their coats.

Jada guessed the lounge to be about 240 square meters in area. It had very square proportions except for two slightly beveled corners on the wall containing the elevator. Jada turned around and studied the elevator as its door closed. Exiting 90 degrees from the direction they had entered surprised her greatly. She had been in numerous elevators in her life which opened on both ends, but never one like this. Facing the elevator, she also noticed a door to its left. Jada assumed it would lead to the stairwell she saw in the basement.

Jada turned around again and joined Emily in examining the room and the party. It looked like a very nice place. There were generous four-meter ceilings in the lounge and also in a huge kitchen area further on. Jada took a few steps and paused. She felt a bit light on her feet, a little out of balance. She took another few steps and sensed her body adjusting. After a moment everything seemed fine. Jada shrugged and thought it might be an aftereffect of the strange and terrible pain.

Meanwhile Emily had done a quick headcount and was standing there frowning. There were a lot fewer people here than she had been expecting. Besides Jada and herself, there were perhaps a dozen women and only three guys, with everyone looking about undergraduate age. She sighed in disappointment and examined the room again. There was some soft disco music coming from an impressive sound system along the wall behind them, and a very expansive buffet was laid out on their right alongside a long bank of dark windows. The food smelled enticing, enough to make Emily feel hungry.

A handsome young guy noticed the new arrivals and came over to greet them. “Welcome to Kappa Alpha land. I’m Mark.”

Jada had a good first impression of the man. He was polite, very good looking, tall, and most importantly his eyes were both cheerful and respectful. Jada nodded at him but felt compelled to complain. “Thanks for having us. I’m Jada and this is my roommate Emily. Mark, we really have to mention your idea of an elevator is horrible.”

Mark raised his eyebrows. “Oh sorry! I didn’t mean to deceive you. I’m not from Kappa Alpha. We just got here a short while ago. Are you that car that pulled in behind us?”

Emily cocked her head. “Uh huh. Us?”

Mark turned to Emily. “I came with my kid sister and two of her friends. They’re all seniors at BHS.” Mark turned back to Jada and gave her a long, curious look. “Do I know you from somewhere?”

Jada laughed. “Oh, I’ve heard that pickup line before!” She was surprised to see Mark give a genuine blush.

Emily spoke up, coming to Mark’s rescue. “BHS?”

“Uh, yeah, Burlington High School. And I agree with you, that elevator is one weird piece of work.”

Emily nodded and then recognized a couple of her classmates getting seconds from the buffet. She excused herself and wandered over to say hello. Three other women came by and said brief hellos to Jada but seemed more interested in the elevator. Mark filled Jada in. “We were just having a discussion when you arrived, what would happen when the countdown hits zero. This is my sister Madison, and her friends Ashley and Hannah.”

“I’m betting the boys of Kappa Alpha finally appear,” said Madison. “We’ve been asking around. Everyone here is a visitor. No one has seen a host yet.”

“Really?” replied Jada. “That sounds ... so odd.” She turned and looked back at the elevator. In the frame was a triple digital display, somewhat similar to what was in the basement below. A white number was now registering 17:20:35, a green number 00:01:34, and there was also a static blue number registering 037:112.

Jada felt a shiver as she watched the green number count down. She had the weirdest feeling her last chance to escape was somehow slipping away. She looked at Madison. “Well, we’ll find out soon enough. So you think we’ll meet our hosts, huh?”

Ashley piped up. “My guess all the lights will go out and we find out how haunted this”

“Oh, knock it off, Ashley! I don’t want to hear it!”

Jada turned to Hannah. “You’re worried?”

Hannah blushed. “A little. That elevator ride was creepy!”

Jada nodded sympathetically. “Yeah, it really was.”

They waited around for another minute, watching the final seconds expire. Zero hour was a bit of a disappointment. The only visible change was that the green number changed to red and remained a static 00:00:00. Curious to see what would happen, Jada pushed the button to open the elevator and it opened immediately. After stepping inside, she tried the keyboard console and found it was without power. Suddenly feeling nervous she quickly left the enclosed space. A few seconds later the door silently slid closed.

They chatted for a few minutes and then headed to the buffet. The food selections were fabulous, fresh shrimp and lobster, spicy chicken and prime rib, and an unusual seafood entrée that tasted somewhat like scallop but was the size and color of a golden pancake. There were also platters offering a great variety of tasty vegetables and delicate sauces. Jada and her new acquaintances loaded up their plates and sat down, and then enjoyed their meal so much little was said until they were finished eating. After a bit of persuasion by Madison, she and her two friends began busing a large pile of used dishes into the nearly kitchen.

“That was remarkable,” Jada finally commented.

Mark nodded and looked up fondly from his empty plate. “Yes, exceptional. Madison and I spend summer vacations in Europe with our foodie parents. We’ve eaten at The Fat Duck in Berkshire, El Bulli in Spain, Pierre Gagnaire and the Guy Savoy in Paris, nothing was ever better than this.”

“Really? But who could cater something like this here?”

“I don’t think this was catered. Look at these serving trays. See the Kappa Alpha logo? I think the trays all came from the frat’s kitchen.” Mark thought for a moment. “Maybe Kappa Alpha has a world-class culinary prodigy.” He blinked his eyes. “And that large golden scallop, I’ve never tasted anything like it. Fabulous stuff.”

Jada laughed. “I know nothing of gourmet food! I agree, the dinner was great and redeems the frat from their horrid elevator. But I was commenting on the fact that your sister persuaded her friends to help clean up.”

Mark smiled and shrugged. “Well, our parents taught us to be considerate. I feel like helping out myself.” Mark looked around at the lounge. “Wow. This place is a real mystery.”

Jada studied their sofa and nodded. “Is this genuine leather? It looks very expensive.” She focused for a moment. “Maybe synthetic. It’s too perfect to be leather.”

“Not just the sofa. Look at this place! It’s a beautiful palace, not at all what I was expecting from a frat house. And the fact that no one from the frat is here...”

“Yeah, that’s really bizarre. Aren’t they worried some uncouth guests will start trashing the place? Such a beautiful room...” Jada paused for a moment, her hand on the sofa idly stroking the soft luxuriant surface. “Uh, were you serious about helping to clean up?”

“Sure.” A moment later they joined the clean-up crew in the kitchen.

In its own way, the kitchen was just as opulent as the lounge room, though half the size. Like the party room, the kitchen ran the full width of the building, Jada guessed about sixteen meters, and its depth was about eight meters. On both of the long ends of the kitchen were pleasant eating areas adjacent to large banks of windows. Between the two eating areas was a fabulously well-appointed kitchen. There were polished granite counters, gleaming stainless steel sinks, restaurant-grade appliances and sparkling white and blue and gold tiles everywhere. There was a soft ding from the dishwasher. “They can’t be done that fast,” said Hannah as she opened the appliance. “I just started the cycle a few ... Wow, all done; nice job too. They’re even dry.”

Jada and Mark started telling each other about their lives as they worked with his sister and friends. Mark talked first, describing growing up in a rich section of Burlington. He was now a junior at the university majoring in physics and was an avid amateur astronomer. After the girls left, Jada gave back a little of her own history as she dried dishes with Mark, talking about growing up in a poor section of central Indiana. She avoided telling him about the horrific family experiences of her high school years.

“So you’re only eighteen and already a sophomore?” he asked. “I’m impressed. That’s my sister’s age, her two friends too.”

Jada nodded. “Yep, that’s me. I’m a millennium baby. January 1, 2000.” Jada gave a yawn and stretched, realizing she felt a little ... what? Sleepy? No, not exactly, though the thought of cuddling in a warm blanket seemed to have an unexpected appeal to it. She looked at the kitchen clock, 18:57:01, certainly too early for her to be tired. But she wasn’t tired, not exactly. She paused from her work and took a moment to stroll to the windows, trying to figure out what her body wanted.

It was very dark outside, with two lit covered walkways meeting at an angle nearby. Beyond that Jada stopped paying attention. She felt a little sleepy, but not exactly sleepy, a little tense, a little ... a little what? Excited? Yes, sort of, but it felt like a child’s excitement, awaiting the coming of tomorrow’s birthday presents. Jada blinked in surprise. She hadn’t felt like this in years. She felt eager, a child’s eagerness clear and strong, as if she couldn’t wait for the future to unfold.

Meanwhile Mark had finished putting away the last load the dishes. He then opened a large walk-in refrigerator and peered inside. “Almost full,” he called out, “but still a bit of space. How about we save the rest of the buffet? That stuff is so good, it would be a crime to let it go to waste.” He gazed at Jada kindly for a moment as she stared out the window. She appeared to be preoccupied. “Jada?”

“Huh? Oh yeah, sure. Save the buffet. Good idea.”

Taking down the large buffet was a bit of a job. As they worked, Jada commented how much she liked the food storage facilities of the kitchen. It wasn’t just the walk-in refrigerator and freezer. There were numerous shining metal cabinets that closed with a positive hiss and snap vaguely electrical in nature. They seemed superbly designed to seal their contents.

Hannah wandered back into the kitchen looking a little flushed and offering to help. They were a cheerful team for a while, and then Hannah started flirting with Mark, nothing outrageous, just bumping into him, putting her hand on his arm or shoulder as she passed near him. Mark looked surprised at first and then just amused at how affectionate Hannah was becoming. And then Hannah took the flirting to the next level. The pats on his arm became caresses, and Hannah would lean on him looking as if she expected to be kissed.

Jada didn’t understand the dynamics of what was going on. Mark’s facial expressions were very hard to read. It seemed he was looking for some polite way to tell Hannah to cool it while simultaneously desiring to accept her advances. Jada began to feel she was intruding on a complex emotional situation, and was just coming up with a polite way to excuse herself when Hannah reached over and hugged Mark and held him tightly to the front of her body, grabbing him low on his butt and pressing her pelvis against his, making a slow sensual gyration with her pubis directly against his groin. The gesture was lewd and the proposition unmistakable.

Mark groaned with desire, grabbing the sides of Hannah’s hips to lock her position. He arched his back to thrust his hips forward and grind into this delightful vixen. But then he gave a strange cough, gave Hannah’s butt a playful swat instead, and pulled away from her grip. They stared into each other’s eyes for a brief moment.

“Hannah, what the hell are we doing?”

Hannah was panting with sexual desire, but her face was a mask of confusion. “Yeah. I’m so sorry, Mark. I’m acting like a clown.”

“No, it’s okay.”

“No it’s not.” Hannah took a deep breath and shook her head. “I’m heading back to the lounge,” she said abruptly. A moment later Jada and Mark were along again in the kitchen.

Jada cocked her head. “What was that all about?”

Mark looked truly bewildered. “I honestly don’t know.”

“Are you two going together?”

Deep in thought, he just stood there motionless.

“Did you ever?”

Jada’s persistent questioning seemed to wake Mark out of a daze. “Huh? With Hannah?! No, not at all. She’s just my sister’s friend.” He paused. “She’s is a wonderful person. Maybe a little shy socially, but ... Hell, what just happened here is way out of character for her.” He took a moment to shudder. “And the strangest part is...”

“Yes?”

Mark looked directly into Jada’s eyes with his own eyes somehow asking for forgiveness. “For a moment I wanted her.”

Jada shrugged. “Well, she is a very pretty girl.”

“Oh, it’s not that. I know the true Hannah. She thinks of me as an older brother. The true Hannah would be horrified if I...” Mark seemed to have trouble completing the thought.

Jada smiled slightly as she heard this. The feeling of eagerness was back, stronger than ever. Her body felt tense, excited... “Excited?” she thought. “Am I hot for Mark too? My God, am I?!” She said out loud, “It seems a little stuffy in here. Do you feel it?”

Mark looked at her and blinked. “Yeah, I guess I do. It’s a bit hot ... I feel revved up ... a little strange actually. My mind doesn’t want to let go...” He didn’t finish the thought.

“Want to head back to the lounge?”

“Uh, yeah.” Mark shook his head as if to clear it. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to keep an eye on Hannah for a while. Want to sit together?”

Jada felt her heart race as she heard his question. “I’d love to,” she blurted out immediately.

“Jada!” she thought to herself angrily. “Don’t act so easy! You’ll scare him off!” And then she paused for a moment astonished. “Scare him off?! Why did I think that? What am I afraid of?” She tried to reflect for a moment. “What do I want?”

She grabbed a drink of water by the sink and took a moment to think. Her mind seemed to be going in unexpected directions. “I’ve only just met him. What am I expecting?” She felt confused, and just hoped again she didn’t sound too eager. Mark brushed his hand against hers as he walked by, and Jada put down her glass and happily accepted the offer, glad to have latched onto one of the few guys at the party, and this was such a nice one. Hand in hand, they walked back to the lounge.

Jada and Mark were surprised to see the party was almost over. Both the music and lights were turned down low, and most of the remaining people were drifting off through the door to the left of the elevator. Hannah was near the music console chatting with Ashley, and Madison and Emily were sitting with another woman Jada didn’t know. Everybody else was leaving. Jada and Mark found an empty sofa across from Hannah and Ashley and sat down.

And the evening wore on. Mark and Jada continued to hold hands as they chatted with each other. Both seemed tired, and when Mark finally put his arm around Jada she accepted his affections at once, snuggling into his arm and wrapping her arm around the front of his waist. She sighed in contentment and nestled her head into his side.

They shared a first kiss, and then spent some quiet time engaging in gentle foreplay, simple caresses and kisses, nothing overtly sexual, not in the demanding sense. Everything was light and playful. Mark caressed Jada’s cheek with his fingers for a while. He was smiling at her, his eyes full of hope. After a while Jada leaned back and the arm behind her head became a comfortable pillow. Mark other arm came to hold her body, caressing her lightly by the side of her ribs. He was delighted by the feel of her muscular body. “You are so incredibly beautiful,” he mumbled as he petted her.

Jada giggled. “Oh, I bet you tell that to all the girls you make out with!” But she was pleased with his comment, and she sighed and reached up and gave Mark a long sleepy kiss. Her kiss wandered, ending in a dry tongue that licked his ear, long soft strokes up and down the ridge of his ear. Mark shivered with the ticklish sensations. And then her teeth finished the job by giving a playful nip to his earlobe. It was all the approval he needed. A moment later his caressing hand wandered up and cupped a soft breast.