Show Me Your Teeth

One step in the front of the other, don’t look back, don’t worry about the surrounding darkness. Don’t be afraid of the sounds in the dark, it’s just the resident creatures living their lives.The leaves crunch under my feet as I try my best to stay in a straight line, trying to stay focused on the distant glow that signals the clearing where we are supposed to meet. Ryan caught me at school after the first bell, a wicked glint in his eyes.

“You’re still coming down to the woods right?” he asked, holding my hand and running his thumb in circles on my skin.

“Oh I don’t know, my parents want me to make sure I study tonight. You know finals are coming up.” Part of me knows my parents would probably fail to even notice if I was home or not. They probably wouldn’t even be there themselves. Not with the bright lights of the new casino calling.

“It’s Friday night babe. Surely one night away couldn’t hurt.”

When he smiled dimples formed in both of his cheeks. He was impossible to turn down when he turned that smile my way. I smiled back at him and he pumped his arm in the air in victory before quickly kissing me on the cheek. 

The light is getting closer, I can hear some laughter. I think he invited a few of his friends as well. He has always tried to get me to be more social, I’d rather get lost in my books. I finally made it to the clearing and took in my surroundings.. Beer cans were spread everywhere amidst cigarette butts. Smoking always was one of his worst habits. He sits on the left side of the bonfire, by himself. At least five other people are scattered about. I recognize a few. Casey and Angelina are the couple making out on the opposite side of Ryan. Lena is on the cheer squad. I recognize the others though I can’t recall their names. Jocks of course. That was always the crowd he ran with. Ryan was the star soccer captain after all.  He didn’t turn and acknowledge me as I came to sit next to him. His attitude was always a lot chillier when he was around his friends. He always needed to look like the “cool guy”. I smoothed my skirt down across my knees and looked at the opened case of beer sitting at Ryan’s feet. It was already half empty. I was slightly tempted to reach in and grab one, to not only ease my nerves but show him I could hang with his crowd. I could fit in. But then again I also hated the bitter taste of beer on my tongue. 

Casey and Angelina started laughing and I redirected my attention to them. He was tall, broad shoulders, curly brown hair that reached his shoulders. Football player. She was a petite blonde, a ballet dancer destined for a major company in New York. They were one of those picturesque couples everyone tended to envy. They looked perfect on the outside, but inside they were still just as flawed as the rest of us. Lena stood and shushed everyone, unsteady on her feet. I wondered how much she had drank before I had arrived. She raised her drink in the air, a Cheshire cat grin spread across her face.

“I would just like to thank you all for coming out on this special night. As you all know by now, Ryan won the bet.”

They all started hooting and clapping and I joined them, unsure of what they were talking about. I glanced at Ryan, his head was lowered with his eyes fixed on the ground. I can’t recall him ever being so stoic. His shoulders are tense, exposed by his tank top. Black ink swirls across his chest, just peeking out. He got the design as soon as he turned eighteen, only three months ago. His mother was of course shocked, fretting that it would be seen in his graduation photos. 

“He has proven he has WAY more balls than the rest of us,” Lana continued. “Don’t you guys think he deserves his reward?”

She made eye contact with the others in the circle, but she avoided my confused stare. All the others nodded their agreement, smiling and looking at Ryan. Lana sauntered her way around the fire towards Ryan. She kneeled before him, her hands placed on his knees as I watched in shock. What the hell did she think she was doing? What was all this? She reached into her pocket and pulled out what seemed to be some kind of dagger. I jumped to my feet and took several steps back. She laughed as she ran the blade along her pierced tongue then looked at it longingly. 

“You did so well tonight.” She placed her other hand under Ryan’s chin to raise his gaze to her’s. “You truly are one of us now.” 

He only nodded his head and she rocked back slightly, just enough to quickly run the blade up her forehead. Her skin parted and a rush of blood flowed from her. But yet she made no sounds of pain. In reality she looked like she was in a state of ecstasy. I watched in horror as my brain screamed at me to run, but it felt like my feet were bolted to the ground. She offered her arm to Ryan and he wordlessly took it in his hands, his eyes fixated on the wound. And oh so slowly, he lowered his lips and began to suckle from the cut. Was this some kind of weird Satanic shit? What the hell were these kids really into? I looked at the others who appeared unfazed by the offering, they were nodding their heads as if in approval of this horrifying act. I heard a low moan escape Ryan’s throat as he continued, Lana’s head was thrown back and her eyes closed. 

Minutes felt like hours before he finally pulled away, crimson running down his chin as he gasped for air. Lana leaned her forehead against his and gently stroked his hair.

‘What a good boy you are.”

Finally I had had enough. I ran at Ryan full force, ready to shove some sense into him. But when my hands should have made contact, I found myself falling. I literally fell right through him. I hit the ground behind him with a thud. Shocked, I got to my hands and knees. I pushed back my hair and realized that this nightmare wasn’t quite over yet. A guttural scream as I saw a reflection of myself. Eyes wide, hair matted, and blood spattered across my face. Cheek down in the dirt, clothes torn. And then, I realized that it wasn’t a reflection at all.