Control: A Novel of Psychological Horror and Suspense Page 7

  “You haven’t told me what I’d need to do.”

  “To save your fellow Housemate, you will have to give them the chance for life.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “Your time starts now.”

  The red light around the door illuminated green, allowing Jack to exit The Control Room.

  “What is that it? That’s all you’re going to tell me? I need to know what you expect me to do. What? Do I have to change places with them? Is that it?”

  There was no answer. He waited a moment longer than entirely necessary, reached forward, grabbed the two pills and left The Control Room.

  “What the fuck was that about? Is everyone okay?” he asked as he hurried down the stairs and back towards the living area where the Housemates were still gathered.

  “You need to see this,” said Chris.

  Jack realised they were all still transfixed by the plasma screen hanging on the wall.

  “What is it?” he asked. He pushed past so he could see. There, on the screen, was Jordy. She was in a different room, one that none of the housemates recognised. She was strapped to a cross, naked. Above her head, hanging from the ceiling, was a large drill-piece. She was blind-folded. Her screams and pleads for help revealed she was also scared. “What the fuck?” The drill span into life. A loud buzzing noise but not a lot else. It wasn’t moving. It wasn’t coming down. It was just there, spinning, as though to tell her - this is what will happen to you if Jack doesn’t save you; this is how you will die. Jordy screamed. “What the hell is this?” Jack shouted. He turned to the camera hanging from the corner of the room, “Let her out of there, you sick fucks!” He turned to the rest of the group, “Did you guys hear what was said in The Control Room?” he asked. “Did they stream it through to the television?”

  “Yes. Yes they did,” Kate said. She couldn’t take her eyes from the screen. “They said you will have to give her the chance for life if you want to save her.”

  “The chance for life? What the hell is that even supposed to mean?” Jack frantically asked.

  “Show me those pills,” Chris snatched them from Jack. “Mate, they’re viagra.”

  “What?”

  “To save your fellow housemate, you have to give her the chance for life,” Paul said. “Don’t you get it? It’s quite clear - either you fuck her or The Controller does. The chance for life is a metaphor; they want you to cum inside of her.”

  “What?! They want me to have sex with her? With a fucking drill above her head? They want me rape her in order to save her?”

  Paul shrugged, “You fucked with their fixtures and fittings. They’re making you fuck something else. This should be easy for someone like you.”

  “I can’t do this.”

  “She’ll die!” Karen said.

  “Jack, just swallow the pills. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, I agree but… You need to do this or she will die.”

  “So what?” said Paul. “From what they were saying - we’re all going to die anyway. Well, nearly all of us. One will live. Let her die, it’s one less to be eliminated further down the line, right?”

  Jack snatched the pills back from Chris and necked them, “I’m not like you,” he hissed at Paul when they were swallowed down. He turned and ran towards the stairs and back up to The Control Room. Paul almost looked sad.

  “Where is she?” Jack shouted at the camera as soon as he was able to gain access to The Control Room. With no words, a door on the opposite wall clicked open. He walked through and into a room with a black ceiling, black walls and the horizontal cross in the centre of the floor space.

  “Who’s there?” Jordy called out over the sound of the drill bit above her head. Her voice was shaking, as were her limbs on closer inspection.

  Jack hurried over to where she lay. Her wrists and ankles were cuffed to the cross. Metal cuffs. There was no way these were getting undone without a key. Jack looked up to the spinning drill. He realised that - slowly but surely - it was coming down.

  “Who’s there?” Jordy called out again. “Please. Get me out of here. I don’t want to die.”

  Jack looked around the room to see if there was anything he could use to try and get to the drill bit in order to rip it from the wall but there was nothing. Just him, the spinning drill bit, a camera in each corner of the room and the bound and naked girl.

  His racing heart stepped it up a notch when a loud clanking noise echoed throughout the room and the drill bit dropped a fraction - never once letting up with the spinning motion.

  Jordy screamed, “Get me out of here!”

  B E F O R E

  Jack laughed as his partner of three years tied his wrists to the headboard of her bed.

  “What are you doing?” he asked. They had been fooling around together in bed, their last night before he was to disappear into The Controller’s home for a while, when Natalie had pulled a scarf from underneath her mattress.

  “I’ve seen reality television shows,” she said. “They always put pretty girls in there!”

  “You’re jealous?” he asked.

  “Not at all…”

  “You’re tying me up so I can’t leave you?”

  “No, it’s a good opportunity for you.” She finished typing the final knot and leaned in close to his ear, “What I’m doing is ensuring you don’t forget about me out here in the real world…”

  He interrupted her, “I’m not going to forget about you!”

  She ignored him, “…by giving you a night to remember.”

  “Oh in that case - ignore me, I’ll shut up.” He laughed as she kissed her way down his naked body, starting at his neck. He sighed as he felt her lips engulf his swollen penis. “I should go away more often,” he said as he strained against the restraints holding him in place. “Fuck.”

  N O W

  The housemates were watching the plasma screen. Jack had his back to Jordy and his hand down his trousers. He was furiously tugging backwards and forwards. His eyes were closed while he tried taking himself to a ‘happy place’ to try and achieve the desired results with regards to getting (and maintaining) an erection in order to complete the task forced upon him.

  “What’s he doing?” Karen asked.

  Chris looked at her. The expression on his face said it all. Was she really that stupid? He played along regardless, “Guessing the pills haven’t taken effect yet,” he told her. “That’s quite a lot of stress to perform under. Can’t believe he is even trying to be honest.”

  “Because she’ll die if he doesn’t,” Kate fired him a stern look.

  “At some point she’s going to die anyway. Unless of course she has it in her to kill each and every last one of us,” Chris retorted. “Personally I think it would be doing her a favour - to let her die. Least it’s over with for her. I mean, do you know what else they have up their sleeves for us? They’ve crushed someone, had someone poisoned, had someone shot and served up as ex-housemate.”

  “You wouldn’t kill her yourself but you’d let her die?” Paul asked.

  “I guess.”

  “Letting her die and killing her yourself - aren’t they, on a basic level, the same thing?”

  The screen went blank.

  “What’s going on?” Fiona asked. She walked over to the television and reached up, giving it a tap on the side as though it would - by magic - turn it back on again.

  “I guess we’ve seen all we’re supposed to see,” said Paul. He turned away from the television and walked back towards the kitchen where he started to make himself a drink, “Anyone else want a cup of tea?”

  “You’re pretty calm about all this,” Georgia spat at him.

  “Do I have any control over what is happening in there?” Paul asked. He answered too, “No, no I don’t. What is the point in getting myself worked up over it. If she lives, great. If she dies - too bad but - there’s a lot more death to happen yet.”

  Karen turned to Kate, “Do you think he is saving her?”<
br />
  “Depends what you mean by the term saving.”

  B E F O R E

  K A T E E V A N S

  Kate was sitting in a room at the conference centre where auditions were being held. In front of her was a camera - pointed directly at her. Behind the camera was a black curtain which blocked off the other half of the room. The curtain - more importantly - blocked off the two people interviewing her. A cheap, easy to construct Control Room and a good way to see how the contestants would come across in the real control room if they were to make it all the way through the audition process. This was the third round. Kate looked nervous as she waited for the questions. She fiddled with her long red hair, twirling it round and round between her fingers.

  Only one of the interviewers spoke. The second person made notes as a back-up in case the camera stopped recording for any reason - not that it ever did.

  “Hello Kate,” the interviewer (male) spoke in an authoritative tone. Hostile, almost.

  Kate nervously giggled, “Hello.”

  “Well done for getting this far.”

  “Thank you. I think.”

  “What would it mean for you to get into the compound?” the question was asked before Kate had even finished her previous sentence.

  “It would be amazing…”

  Kate hadn’t told the producers that she had a son waiting for her at home; six year old Callum. He was the reason she was trying to get onto the show. She was desperate to make it as an actress but worked in a dead-end job due to lack of acting opportunities out in the sticks where she lived. The job paid the bills but didn’t leave much room for travelling to the city for auditions. Certainly not as many as she’d like to go to anyway. She thought the show would give her some much needed exposure and that she’d come out to a flood of offers. She also thought the fact that she had a son would dampen her chances of being selected.

  “And what would it mean for you to win?” the interview asked.

  Being selected to go in the house would definitely be the best experience of her life. One that would give her opportunities which would - in turn - lead to a better life for her son. Winning it, though, would be the icing on the cake. The fast track to the good life for the both of them.

  Kate smiled at the thought of walking away with the one hundred thousand pound prize fund. In her mind she had already spent the cash; deposit on a nicer home closer to civilisation, clear some debt and - just as important - Callum’s first holiday. She didn’t know where - she just knew it would be somewhere hot. Not just Callum’s first holiday abroad either, but also hers.

  “It would mean the world. To know people are voting for me to stay there above other people in the house… Well, let’s be honest, it is just a popularity contest at the end of the day, isn’t it? Who wouldn’t want to win that!” she said. She was clever to keep all mention of her son and change of lifestyle out of her answer. She smiled, looking directly into the camera.

  N O W

  D A Y T E N

  As far as Jack was concerned, the only positive to his current situation was the fact the drill bit was moving slowly. The pills were yet to work their magic and he was still unsure of what he was going to do. He didn’t want Jordy to die. He didn’t want anyone to die, even the ones he didn’t necessarily gel with but - at the same time - did he really have it in him to rape someone for that was what he felt he was being asked to do. Here was a girl - naked - tied to a horizontal cross who hadn’t asked to be put in this position. She hadn’t asked to be killed nor had she asked to have sex with a stranger.

  “Please! Who’s there?” she asked. “What’s going on? What’s that noise? Please talk to me!” the noise she was referring to was the ongoing scream of the drill.

  Jack walked over to Jordy and crouched down to her so his face was close to her own face, saving him the hassle of having to shout out over the sound of the drill. He wasn’t sure whether he was allowed to talk to her, to tell her what was going on but - considering they hadn’t told him he couldn’t - he figured it was his best course of action, “It’s me, Jack…” he said. He kept his voice low in the hope that The Controller wouldn’t be able to hear due to the sound of the drill. He knew it wasn’t likely to be the case, considering the state of the art microphones they were all forced to wear since being in the house, but even so - nothing to lose.

  “Jack? What’s going on? Where am I?”

  “You’re in a room away from the main house…”

  “What’s that noise…”

  Jack realised there was no easy way of explaining things to her, “There’s a drill above your head. You have been chosen for elimination…”

  “I don’t want to die,” she started to cry.

  “… And I have been given a chance to save you,” he said.

  “Please save me…”

  “To save you, they want me to have sex with you. That’s why you’re naked.”

  “What? I don’t understand…”

  “We don’t have much time. They called me into The Control Room. Said that - as I liked to fuck things - they’re giving me the chance to fuck something else. I’m so sorry this is my fault. I don’t know what to do,” he said, “I don’t want you to die but…” he hesitated.

  Jordy was crying, “Please - just do what you have to do. Don’t let me die.”

  It was exactly what Jack needed to hear. Permission - of sorts. She didn't want to die so was happy for him to take any necessary course to save her.

  “I’m really sorry for this,” he said.

  “Just stop talking. Stop wasting time. Get me off of this thing, please!” the desperation in her voice broke Jack’s heart. He hated them for what he was forced to do but, right now, he didn’t have time to think about what he would like to do to them given half the chance. He had to think about her. Not just the thought of saving her. He had to think of her as an attractive girl. A sexy girl. He had to think of her wet, tight pussy. Anything to help give the pills the kick start they needed. How long did these damned things take to work anyway? He looked up at the drill. It was moving slowly but it was still moving.

  He walked around the cross and positioned himself between Jordy’s split legs, as close to her vagina as he could stand. A quick cursing look towards the camera. He looked away. He knew he had to put them out of his mind; the people watching. He tentatively reached to her genitals with his shaking hand. He ran his thumb up the lips and gently pushed into them until he was able to move his thumb to her clitoris. She was still crying but he couldn’t focus on that. He started moving his thumb over her clit in small circular motions - careful not to press too hard. He hoped the process would help her juices flow despite the circumstances not being the most romantic of situations to be in. Jack looked up to her face. The blindfold was still covering her eyes - he thought it best to leave it there; couldn’t bear the sight of her looking at him whilst he was doing what needed to be done. Despite not being able to see the tears - he was sure she was still crying. He tried his best to put the emotions from his mind as he crouched down until he was mouth to vagina. He gently lapped at it with his tongue as he continued to stroke her clit - not only to make the process less painful for her, by adding spit, but also because it was one of his favourite sexual activities and if anything would help him get in the mood for sex; this would be it. He wondered whether it was wrong for him to like the taste and whether it was wrong for him to find any satisfaction in what he was doing - two thoughts he, once again, tried to ignore.

  As he continued licking her, probing his tongue in further each time, he fumbled at his jeans and undid the buttons helping to keep them up. Once undone, he pushed them halfway down. They didn’t need to come off completely. It would have just been wasting time. They just needed to be low enough to be out of the way.

  With his spare hand he started stroking his cock. It was semi-erect and not much good for anything. Another glance up to Jordy’s face. She was sighing now. Didn’t appear as though she was crying.
He hoped it was down to what he was doing and that his actions were enough of a distraction for her.

  “I’m sorry,” he repeated as he pushed into her as best as his semi-erect penis would permit. He closed his eyes, took himself back to a happier time with his girlfriend in the outside world, and started to move his hips back and forth. With the feeling of her wet cunt against his own skin it didn’t take long for him to stiffen. At least he presumed it was down to that. For all he knew - the pills could have now been starting to take effect.

  As he started to thrust harder, the drill slipped down another notch.

  B E F O R E

  S T U A R T R I L E Y

  The power drill tore through the living room wall with ease until it hit something a little harder causing the drill bill to stop dead and the machine’s motor to scream for help. Stuart cursed as he took his finger off the trigger, killing it within a split second, “Shit.”

  “You hear me calling?” a female was standing in the doorway. It was his girlfriend, Claire.

  “What? No. I’m sorry.” He continued, “I don’t know what the hell is under here but whatever drill bit I use - I just can’t get through it. Might have to pop to the shop and get some other bits I could try…”

  “I was calling because there’s a phone call for you,” said Claire - ignoring what Stuart was saying.

  “For me?”

  “Yes. It’s Pauline. She tried calling your mobile number but couldn’t get through.”

  “She did?” Stuart set the drill to one side and reached into his pocket. He pulled his mobile phone out and noticed four missed calls on the screen. “Shit.”