"Ms.winslow, can you hear me?" A lady in pink scrubs called out to me. My eyes fluttered slowly and the sound of beeping became louder the more I woke up.

I felt pain in my throat and esophagus. "Water." I called out. She poured me a cup and handed it to me. The scratchiness was soothed for the moment I sipped but returned after it was done.

" you're going to be feeling that way for a few days. You're lucky you didn't die last night laurel." She said tapping a pen on her clipboard.

"What happened?" I asked furrowing my eyebrows.

"Well you had a alcohol level of .399, you were one sip away from coma or death." She sighed.

"I almost died?" I choked. There were a mix of anger and adrenaline rush.

"Yes, but you didn't die so this means you need a lot of rest and stay away from drinking." She stated.

"What will happen if I drink again?" I ask twirling my thumbs around each other.

"Well it could possibly make you worse than right now, or you could die. You can drink if you wish no one can force you but know there's always another chance for something like last night to happen again." The nurse said before another came in for her.

My phone lied next to me in my jacket pocket. Grabbing it I texted Finn who had messaged me around 5am.

F: hey are you alright? The last thing I remember was that awful drink mixture and then some of the sisters started to panic.

reading finn's text made a flood of memories come back causing a headache and so much mixed emotions. i couldn't possibly let anyone else other than the participants know about this it could ruin everything, besides they did keep their promise about taking me to the hospital before i died. 

L: that mixture nearly killed all of us. but we made it to the next round right?

F: no one has said a word and i woke up in my dorm, i don't know how i got back here. i guess we just wait on the sisters to tell us what's next?

L: yeah I guess i hope it's not too long i don't wanna go through this torture forever or for nothing.

F: i get it, oh and laurel just whatever you do, don't say what really happened.to anyone. It won't be good.

I threw my head back in a groan. The big double doors of the hospital room I stayed in burst open revealing my mother.

Her curled brown hair was flowing above her shoulders and her minimal makeup was still perfect. She wore a tan cardigan over her white silk shirt along with army green slacks. Her 2 inch nude heels clacked against the tile as she made her way to my bedside.

"Laurel honey are you alright?" She asked panicked.

"Yeah I think so, when can I go back to campus?" I asked holding her cold pale hand.

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to go back." She said softly.

"What no, I'm fine." I shook off the near death experience.

"Laurel you almost died last night! If college is only going to make you stupid then you don't need to continue." She was now more stern.

"I know I did mother it was me that it was happening to! College isn't making me stupid it's called a party and I just overdid it is all." I rolled my eyes.

She left my side and paced back and forth resting her finger tips against her forehead. "What am I going to do with you?" She cried.

"I'll be fine mom, I swear." I begged her.

When the nurse came in she gave my mother the papers to sign me out of the hospital. My mom opened her big purse open and pulled out a clean outfit for me to wear.

"I appreciate you coming out here mom." I sighed leaning my head on her.

She rubbed my arm and kissed my head. As she signed the release forms, a nurse came in and unhooked the iv and heart monitors.

I quickly got dressed and brushed my hair throwing it up in a messy bun.

"You ready?" My mom asked sighing.

"Yeah." Was all I replied with before walking out of the hospital room and building with her.

-

"how are your classes going? are they difficult?" mom asked me as her would glance from the road to me. 

"they're not easy but not too difficult, i can understand the material." i reply looking out the window at the passing buildings. "i am a pledge for a sorority right now, it'll help pay for my semesters as long as i stay in the sorority and it gives credits." she side eyed me and didn't speak at first. my brow raised in confusion as to why she wasn't beaming with joy. 

"im glad youre stepping outside your comfort zone laurel but being in a sorority house isn't what it's made to sound like, i've heard some horror stories and i just worry about you hon." her grip tightened around the wheel. 

"what? no, mom i'm fine okay im just trying to lighten to the load of money we have to spend on my education just because im trying to be an english teacher. you've done so much already and it's my fault for not being able to do better in high school so i could have a full ride to college."

"it's not your fault laurel, you should have had better help than you were given. i should have helped you and your father should have too. i appreciate where you're coming from but i'm proud of you no matter what dear." i saw a tear roll down her cheek as she glanced at me. 

my heart filled with some guilt, and love and relief. i held myself together until she pulled over in front of my dorm building, i hugged her tightly as i could and didn't let go for a good few minutes.  

"Don't be afraid to call me if you need anything, no matter what time it is." She letting me go and grabbing my hand she squeezed it tightly.

"Mom, I'll be fine I promise." I gave her kiss on the cheek before getting out of the car.

I walked through the gates of campus as I heard her slowly take off. I walked back to my dorm room to find a note laying on my pillow.

The note read:
'Laurel meeting at zeta omega house, be there at 9pm sharp.'

Groaning I crumpled the paper up and threw it in the trash bin. I laid on my bed and decided to call the office to tell them my reasons for not coming to my classes today.

"I can't quit now." I mumbled to myself.

I didn't want to quit now, I've already beaten alcohol poisoning, humiliation, And exhaustion.

I want to prove Corinne wrong, I need to prove Corinne wrong. I'm not going to be labeled as a pussy, I won't go through that.

I laid in my bed thinking of all the possible tortures the girls could put us pledges through now as I drifted to sleep.

my eyes flutter open and my phone screen lights up. i turn my head seeing it was just random facebook notifications. the clock catches my eyes, it reads 8:30pm. i jumped out of bed throwing on my shoes and zipping up my jacket before running across campus to the sorority house.

i burst through the front door, out of breathe. one hand still on the door and the other on my knee, i look up to corinne sitting pretty in the living room to my right along with alyssa and courtney. anger bubbles inside of me at just the sight of them.

"3 minutes to spare, im guessing youre trying to see how far you can push the limit?" corinne snears.

"you almost killed me last night!" i lash out.

"you're being a little over dramatic, don't you think?" she says sweetly, a smirk appearing.

"if you're so mad at us, why did you run here?" courtney scoffed.

i straightened myself up more, taken aback by her comment. why did i run?

"th-that's not important." i stutter trying to figure out an excuse on the spot.

"oh but it is." corinne chuckled.

"you wanna act all tough, like you don't let anyone push you around, but the truth of it all is that you want to be accepted just like the pathetic freshman you are." corinne was now in my face, slowly hissing her cruel words, she scans my face with her big brown doe like eyes. tucking a strand of hair behind my ear and then leaning to whisper in the same ear, the hair was tucked behind.

"i wanna see how far it'll take to push you over the edge." her fingers caressed my jawline, then booped my nose, as she backed up slowly she gives an evil smile before turning away.

"shut the door will ya?" She commands just as much sweetly as condescending.

i slowly close the door with my foot and stuff my hands into my sweater pockets. the sound of my sneakers squeaking against the hardwood flooring were seconds off of the clicks from corinne's heels.

"the other girls are waiting for you in down in the basement laurel." corinne snapped her fingers making stacy suddenly move towards me putting a tight grip on my arm shoving me in the direction beside us.

i'm forced to follow stacy out the back door, to one of those basement doors on the outside in the backyard.

The heavy wooden doors were pulled open exposing the large basement. The basement acted like a storage room, only items from the house that weren't being used filled the room.

"The other girls aren't down here." I Stated moments before I pushed down a flight of concrete stairs landing on the hard concrete floor.

"I hope you're having a fun hell week as much as we are." Stacy gave a heinous laugh, then slammed the doors shut. I heard the sounds of chains being wrapped around the handles and the clicking of a padlock. My head started to pound, I could feel blood start to ooze from my hairline.

"I fucking hate my life." I groaned.

Standing up I looked around the room I was being held captive in. There were about 3 metal shelves to my left, containing boxes of mystery items, a couch with a white sheet shielding it from the dust over in the corner, and boxes stacked messily to my right.

Feeling my phone vibrate I pulled it out of my back pocket and instantly felt anger rise.

"MY SCREEN IS CRACKED ALL TO HELL!" I yelled in frustration.

I turn my phone on battery saver since I know it'll die quickly if I don't and click on the message from my mom.

M: hey hon is everything okay?

What do I tell her? Nothing is okay. Ever since I decided to rush for zeta omega my life has been hell! It's only been a week and they've already almost killed me twice!

As the darkness takes over the city I'm left blinded. It's pitch black in the basement and everywhere I go I'm running into things.

I feel my way to couch and lift the sheet off. I lay down trying to get comfortable until I hear squeaks.

"What the fuck?" I say under my breathe.

I rush for my phone and turn on the flash light. I scan the room and spot a rat sitting in the tiny window seal. "Just great." I mumble.

Afraid to go to sleep and wake up finding that a rat has started to eat me alive I decide to stay up.

I look around and my eyes land on one of the shelves that's full of books. Getting up and waking over I pick up a book about medieval torture. 

"Now I know where they get their cruel tests for hell week." I scoff. I open the book and with the help of my flashlight on my phone I begin to read about the most evil rulers and tortures throughout history,