Chapter 4 I Will Follow You

~ WILLA's POV ~ On Saturday night, I was ready and dressed to kill. One of the perks of being a model was the designer freebie. After fashion shows and fittings, designers would give away clothes like they were candy. This was good for me, especially that I needed something to wear to this party. I didn’t know what it was gonna be like, but I researched the place well in advance. The Garrison was an old established pub in the heart of Greenwich Village. It was an elegant place with moods like a speakeasy bar, often frequented by famous celebrities and rich Wall Street guys. I had to look the part if I wanted to blend in. So thank God for my Prada dress and Louboutin shoes. “Wow! Are you going out?” Mom passed by my room and saw that I was dressed to the nine. Her eyes were wide open as she stared at me, looking like a movie star suddenly and out of nowhere. “Only for a few hours,” I smiled at her. “Well, don’t be home too late,” she said. Her tone was laced with worry. With Wes still unconscious in the hospital, I was all that my mom had. She was looking at me like I was a little girl, she was afraid to lose me. “Of course, mom,” I said reassuringly. “Don’t worry, I’m just going to a party,” “Okay, baby… be careful. I love you,” she pulled me down and kissed me on the cheek. “Aw, mom, I love you too,” I replied, hugging her back. As mom stepped out of my room, my eyes darted back to the mirror, studying my reflection. I put a lot of work into looking good tonight, hopefully it was gonna lead me somewhere. Seeing Wes’s journal on the edge of my bed, I turned around grabbed it. Call me crazy, or whatever, but my gut was telling me something. Wes’s accident was not normal and I believed the things that he wrote about in his journal could give me the answers I was looking for. I flipped the journal open randomly and it landed on the page filled with the word “HELP’. I swallowed hard and closed the book. Wes was going through something difficult and he was asking for help. I wasn’t there to help him before, but not now. Not tonight. Shoving the journal into my purse, I picked up my phone and checked the notes. - - - - - - - - The Ride or Die Annual Gathering. Meet at the Garrison. 7 pm. Saturday, September 15th, 2018. Mask On. - - - - - - - - What kind of a gathering is this? So far, to me it sounded like a secret club. I tried Googling them, but nothing came out. So if I wanted to get to the bottom of it, I’d have to see it for myself. I was convinced that this secret club, whatever it was, had something to do with Wes’s accident. Feeling determined, I walked towards my closet and pulled out a box filled with old junk from my high school years. I opened the box and pulled out a black masquerade mask. It was the mask I wore to a Halloween party years ago. This would be perfect to match my black dress and heels. Something weird happened as soon as I put on that mask and saw my reflection in the mirror. I felt strong. I felt powerful. I could be anyone and everyone. And tonight, I was gonna get to the bottom of things. Wes, whatever it is that happened to you, I’ll figure it out. Just wait. I’ll protect you. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * I arrived at the Garrison a little over 7 PM. To the outside world, the place looked like any other normal pub. But the moment I stepped in front of it, I knew this place was full of secrets. For instance, there was a hostess standing next to a bouncer looking guy in a suit at the front door. Pubs didn’t use bouncers. I decided to wait outside and staked the place out for more information, pretending to have a smoke. A few seconds later, I saw a pair of an older couple walking in. They looked like an elegant couple, but they weren’t wearing a mask. The hostess took their name and gestured for them to come in. After the older couple, came a younger couple that was around my age. They were wearing masks. I was immediately intrigued. “Are you here for the gathering?” the hostess asked the couple. “Yes,” the guy replied, his smile was brimming with excitement. “Then please answer this question. I will break if you don’t keep me. What am I?” “Uh, what?” the guy gaped. “A… bottle? A glass…?” the girl stammered. “I don’t know,” “Sorry, that’s not the right answer. I can’t let you in,” the hostess smiled sinisterly. “What? But we’ve come all the way out here, we wore a mask and everything!“ the guy yelled in frustration. “Is there a problem?” the bouncer spoke up and stepped forward. The young guy looked at him and staggered back. “N — no,” “I’m gonna have to ask you to leave,” the bouncer said again. The guy was absolutely humiliated. “Fuck this shit!” he spat and turned away. “This is stupid!” he pulled his mask and threw it to the ground. “Hey, wait —“ the girl called out and chased after him. Interesting, so that’s why they need a bouncer. I finished my fake smoking and threw the butt away. Walking confidently up to the hostess, I told her, “Hi, I’m here for the gathering,” “Sure, but please answer the following question,” she said firmly. “I will break if you don’t keep me. What am I?” “A promise,” I replied. The hostess blinked and a small smile curved up her face. “Right this way,” She pulled a curtain revealing a side door that was different from the front door. Guess that means I’m in? I turned to my heels and pushed the hidden door back, revealing a dark hallway. Suddenly, the hostess closed the door behind me and everything went dark. Shoot. What did I just get myself into? * * * To be continued