[SYNOPSIS: Katja accepts to go on a date with her drug dealer and crush; Aryan, only for a series of unexpected events to follow after]

Soundtrack: Ebony; The Weeknd ft. Keyon

"Trust me, trust me, I love my baby."

***

I unlocked the latch on my door. Aryan asked me to leave the dorm door open so it'd be easier for him to drop of the packages during his visit. It would of course, render no suspicion among the dorm wardens. He was my 'brother' who brought in my laundry every two weeks and pick up the dirty clothes.

Obviously, he was not. I wouldn't even think to call him my brother.

"Hey, I refilled your Adderall, got the LSD you asked for, there's 5g of coke and 10g of pot; that's on the house." Aryan explained as he passed me the black bag of drugs.

"I'll have 0.02 bitcoin transferred over to you later, cheers." I replied, taking the bag and lightly dropped it on my bed. I opened my door once more showing him out.

"Katja, maybe there's something you'd like to know about me?" Aryan asked, hesitant to leave the room. I closed the door and checked the time on my watch. Fleur would be back from her parents' place at 6. It was half past four. I thought it would be a nice opportunity to get to know my drug dealer. I was crazy. I had been drug-sober for three weeks now. College stress does not compare to any other stress I'd ever endured. I needed some relievers.

"Why would you think so?" I asked slowly moving the pile of clothes and other college items on my couch to make space for Aryan to sit.

"My security walls have reported a breach three times in the past four months. I tracked down the IP address, but you're ghosting. It keeps latching onto whatever unsecured IP addresses. One which was your house in Ontario. It definitely latched onto that IP address longer than it should have. Meaning you wanted something from the computer back in your house." Aryan said picking a joint from his pocket and carefully placing it between his lips. He lit the end of the joint with matchstick from a matchbox in his right shirt pocket.

"Have you been trying to learn about me too?" I asked, a grin forming at the corner of my lips. I bent under the table of the sink to grab a can of beer and offered it to Aryan. If i was being completely honest, I had a crush on him. He was mysterious, cute and an aura of darkness radiated from him. Funny how he was dark, we'd met on the dark web after all.

"Since you're asking, I'd say yes. Only because I want to ask you on a date." Aryan said popping the can of beer open and taking a loud sip. I laughed softly. It was a joke right? My drug dealer and I, going on a date?

"A date? And where to, Aryan?" I asked, my mind already picturing myself in the cutest dress I had in my closet, sitting at a table across from him, our glasses of red wine clinking as we enjoy an expensive meal in a classy restaurant.

"You think I'd let you know so easily? Darling, where's the joy in that?" he laughed a deep laugh. He passed me the joint. I inhaled a puff.

"So it's a surprise then?" I asked, placing myself on the couch next to him. I turned my face to look at him. He took a strand of my long, auburn hair and twirled it in his fingers. His eyes were dark green and he had a scar across his eyebrow. I always thought he'd shape his eyebrows into that because it was an eyebrow style in trend. But now sitting so close to him and being able to actually pay attention to his features, it was not a style, it was an actual scar. He must have been through some hard times.

He leaned forward and placed a kiss on my lips.

"I'll send you a link tonight. Decrypt the code and the windows will take you to a site where the address will then be revealed. Don't take too long while decrypting it because it changes codes every 45 minutes and you lose all progress and you have to start all over." Aryan said, standing up and getting ready to leave.

"Wait, so that's it? Why can't you just text me the address like a normal couple do when they go on dates?" I asked, confused at his 'surprise'.

"Oh, Katja, we're not going to be a normal couple. Do normal couples meet on the dark web?" he asked, straightening his hoodie and flicking the joint in the dustbin. I had to admit, he did have a relevant point. He gulped down the rest of his drink and crushed the can with his hands before throwing it into the trash can.

"Wear something cute. I can't wait for tonight." Aryan smiled, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead before leaving my room.

My heart pumped three times faster, giving me the oxygen I needed to stop me from losing my breath. I had gotten a date with Aryan. The boy I had been trying to track down to learn about. The boy I think I was crushing on. The boy who delivered the illegal items I bought off the black market. Totally not a cliché modern day romance story.

I waited impatiently all day for Aryan to send me the link. I even transferred the money early so he'd remember to send me the link early because I was curious. My curiosity grew wilder every second that passed turning into impatience which finally concluded in me giving up. It was already 2 in the morning. I had skipped dinner thinking that he was taking me out, so I was hungry and angry for being stood up. It was a long day and I decided to end it with a joint and some leftover pizza.

Just as my mind was entering a state of a euphoric high, a billion of colours burst on the screen on my computer indicating that I had received a message. I opened it and as predicted, it was from Aryan, along with the link he'd promised. I was annoyed that he hadn't apologized for sending me the link this late but I was happy that he'd remembered enough to send me the link.

My fingers were so numb as I opened the link, leading into a direct variation of codes that I had to encrypt. I turned on piggyback so my IP address was once again latching on the IP addresses of the people who didn't care enough to secure it with VPNs.

It had a been a long time since I had enjoyed surfing the dark web; I'd usually only do it to decrypt the codes and hack but this time I felt different. The codes were harder than usual and every time I decrypted one, I was directed through another window with more variation of codes to solve. It took me almost three hours to decrypt enough codes to enter the seventh window which was probably the last because I was congratulated as soon as I entered.

"WELCOME TO THE MONKEYHOUSE!"

I was greeted with audios of applauds and a lady wishing me a warm welcome. The screen was a poster of carnival. The poster revealed stuntmen, magicians, animals of sorts. He was taking me to watch a carnival. At the side of the screen, a message popped up, instructing me to pick a username. I chose the username bittentongue and proceeded to open another link that led me through another window that led me to a web page.

"Finally!" I sighed softly, hoping not to wake Fleur up.

Another message box popped up at the corner of the screen.

***

defaultadmin: i hope it wasn't too much trouble to get into this page, i hope you enjoy your stay at this carnival, bittentongue! I see you're from Germany! I wonder what it's like to be there. Don't worry, as much fun as it is to be watch the carnival, it sure is better being a part of it. Do they have a MONKEYHAUS in Germany?

I turned off my piggyback. The site had tracked down my IP address. If my IP address changed again, they'd sense what I was doing and I might or might not be in trouble. I had to make sure my IP address was constant so they would not be suspicious of me. Either way, I was deep inside the dark web and it was a dangerous place. It was not a place to play around and I had to be super careful with my every move. One wrong key and some revengeful person could track me down and murder me.

I had a feeling it was someone actually speaking to me instead of a bot. I was confused as to why Aryan would bring me to this page. There was no address, I was weary about this. I started to think that maybe it was all just a prank and a waste of time. I was about to turn off my computer when another message popped up.

a1r2y3a4n5: Hiya bittentongue! 87th Yale Street. The key is under the third floorboard from the right. Turn off your GPS. A perfect date night awaits you. Wear something cute.

I was about to laugh. I mean was he playing hard to get? Or was he testing my intelligence and abilities? Either way it was early in the morning and I was ready to set a first date right.

I slipped on the dress I had pictured myself wearing earlier and applied some lip gloss. My mind then contemplated on whether I should wear heels or flats and ended up deciding to wear a pair of my ballet flats. I'd never worn them, it was from my sister who told me to only wear it on special occasions. This was definitely one occasion to remember.

Although I was filled with excitement for this breakfast date, I couldn't stop thinking about the site I had struggled to get into. What carnival was it and where was it held? Maybe he was taking me to watch the carnival up close and personal. It would be wonderful.

Quietly leaving my dorm room, I called for an Uber to get me to the address. The name of the street sounded familiar, although I couldn't remember why, it was an itch waiting to be scratched at the back of my head.

I didn't leave Fleur a note telling her where I was going because I knew she'd compete with me for Aryan. She'd probably just wake up and leave for her class at 10. As much as I hated to admit it, she had outstanding features and with her by my side, the only heads that turned will be to admire her. I couldn't have that. I liked Aryan and I wanted him all to myself without her in our life. She would be jealous and do all she could in her power to ruin that. It had happened once, I was not going to let that happen again. She would probably stop me from meeting with Aryan if she could because according to her, my 'skills on the dark web' was going to get me in big trouble. Imagine if she got to know that I was going on a date with someone I met on the black market? Heh, let her try.

Hacking into Fleur's social media accounts taught me that she had lost all her friends because of a scheme she pulled when she was in the 9th grade. She was cyberbullied until a point where she attempted suicide and her parents had her shipped off to a boarding school in Europe, far away from her home. When she came back, she was said to be a completely different person but her experiences with me proved otherwise. She's still the same scheming, manipulative girl in the 9th grade that lost all her friends.

As I got the in the Uber, the driver questioned me as to why I didn't just walk around the block to my destination. He said it was a waste of my money and that I had just contributed to air pollution. He was trying to pull off a joke and hoped that I wasn't too sensitive to take it in. He said it was early in the morning and he hadn't had his dose of coffee and so forth. I ignored this irrelevant man. He was wasting my time. I hadn't realized that the address was just behind my college. It was the only house in the area but it was big and luxurious. I was astonished. Aryan lived here?

I stepped out of the Uber and a whiff of fresh morning air entered my nostrils. My spirits elevated ten times higher. I prayed that he had coffee on him because if he didn't, I was going to fall flat on my face from the tiring all-nighter I had just pulled.

The third floorboard from the right made a tough creak as I pried it open with my bare hands. Under it was a rusted key and a note that read;

"Turn off your GPS and open the lock on the far left of the house. XOXO, a1r2y3a4n5"

I did as instructed and entered the lovely house through the back door which led straight into the kitchen. The smell of freshly brewed coffee lingered in the air above. I dropped my bag on the kitchen counter and walked towards the living room hoping to find Aryan.

"Hello? Anyone home?" I said softly, hoping that there's no one else in the house.

I see Aryan running down the stairs, pulling me into his embrace. It was so warm, I wish I'd never pulled away. But I desperately needed caffeine to kick start my system.

I explained my needs to Aryan as he ruffled my hair and walked over to the kitchen counter to make me a strong cup of coffee. He was wearing a pair of black sweatpants and a skin tight shirt which accentuated his muscles indicating he was definitely strong. He had a bandanna wrapped around his head, probably to prevent his short dreadlocks from falling onto his face.

"What are you planning to do later today?" he asked without turning around to face me.

"A breakfast date with you and back to my college for my afternoon class." I replied, my fingers straightening the hem of my dress nervously. Something about him made him look intimidating and I felt overwhelmed by the feeling.

"How about a breakfast date, Pure Molly and an entire day of listening to Wu-Tang. Don't reject the offer. I know a lot more about you than you think." he turned to face me with two cups of coffee in his hand and he passed me one.

I took a deep and long sip, immediately accepting his offer. I needed to keep my mind off reality for a while and I guess this date was the best thing to happen to me in a long time.

***

"Doesn't it feel good to be this high? Listen to some good music and just chill. Forget about everything?" Aryan asked me passing me a joint. I didn't think it'd be possible to be even more high. It was an overwhelming experience.

"Are you taking me to the Monkeyhouse later?" I asked him, without a single thought in my mind. I guess it was something I've just wanted to ask him since he brought me into the site.

"Of course, my love. How would you like to be a part of it rather than just a spectator?" he took my hands in his and asked. He was far gone. What did he mean? That was probably another surprise. I could be the magician's assistant. Maybe he was a magician. It was splendid idea.

"That would be splendid. I would love to." I replied without a second thought entering my mind. My mind was literally focused on the present. Not because I chose to but because the drugs made me feel this way. Pure Molly was definitely a lot for me to handle because I usually didn't do hard drugs. It was usually coke and LSD. The feeling of high was overwhelming I could feel my eyes shutting slowly.

I tugged at Aryan's shirt hoping that he'd get the message that I was not feeling too well. He leaned to my ear and whispered;

"Trust me girl, you wanna be high for this."

I heard his words along with Wu-Tang's 'Gravel Pit' playing softly in the background.

***

Blind.

The white light burns my eyes. Pulling my mind into a state of concentration, I realize that I'm in a washroom. A dingy washroom, mold all over the sink and the sickening stench of vomit. My head is ringing; obviously the withdrawals. I was coming down and coming down real hard. I rested my hands on the disgusting sink and lay my head low so I'd stop myself from falling over.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I realized I could barely recognize my face. Me eyes were baked and my hair was tangled. The cute red dress I'd come in with was tattered at the edge. It was as if I'd been thrown into a battlefield and escaped. There were bruises forming on my right shoulder. My lip was cracked and a line of blood drew itself on my right cheek. The side of my lips trailed a crust of dried vomit. My stomach twisted in more disgust.

My lips started quivering. I could feel tears falling down my right cheek, along with a stinging sensation where I'd been cut. I could not recollect my memories from the day before. I don't remember anything after entering Aryan's house. Strange enough, I could not feel pain in all other parts of my body except my face. I feel no sharp pain in my head. However the uneasy rumble in my stomach continues and I feel the bile at the back of my throat. I rush over to the toilet bowl and allow myself to get rid of the drugs in my system.

I finish vomiting and suddenly I feel refreshed. My body feels fresh and new even with the bruises and the way I look. I turn on the tap and allow the cold water to run through my fingers. I cup my two hands and bring the water up to wash my face. The combination of cold water and the stinging sensation on my cheek was somewhat a pleasurable feeling. I liked the feeling of pain. I did it again hoping to allow the pain to take over the feeling of numbness. However the second time I felt nothing. I was disappointed. I looked down on the cold floor and noticed that my shoes were gone. My new shoes were gone.

The bathroom was locked from the outside but there was a keyhole inside. I tried to scream but my voice came out as a pathetic yelp. I had lost my voice. I didn't remember doing anything that would make me lose my voice but the whole situation was mysterious enough. That's when I noticed the floorboards on the floor.

I moved my finger to the third one from the right; all the way on the other side of the bathroom and pried it open. Luckily, there was a key inside. I picked it up and quickly ran to the door to unlock it.

Little did I know that behind that keyhole would I endure a series of my worst nightmares.

I opened the door and there was a dead bird, lying still on the floor. It's body was dismembered and blood was oozing out of it. Mittens.

I feel a chill. I mean this was of course a mystifying scenario, but the chill was for another cause. My stomach rumbles. I think I'm going to be sick again. I hadn't been in this situation ever since I was eight years old. All I remember was that I blacked out and when I woke up the next morning, I was locked in my bathroom and Mittens was dead. Mittens was the best pet in the whole wide world. No one could find who the killer was until the morning Miss Krista; the psychiatrist diagnosed me with split personality disorder. I had been convinced that I killed Mittens until the vet said she was attacked by another animal and my diagnosis was inaccurate. I did not have a mental disorder, I had a sleeping disorder and my symptoms showed somewhat similar of a person with a split personality disorder. So why was guilt suddenly eating me up like I was some sort of pie?

The whole situation was horrifying, Mittens, my lost memory and the disgusting bathroom. Where was Aryan? I prayed that I was dreaming. This was not a nightmare I'd want to come true. Was it the drugs making me feel this way? I hadn't done much research on Pure Molly to know it's effects because I never thought I'd ever consume them. They were hard drugs and definitely way out of my budget.

I stepped over the dead bird and realized that I was probably in a basement. I could see all four walls of the area and it looked like a basement to me. There was single dim light hanging from the ceiling and a chair in the middle of the room. I looked around for signs of life and I found a pair of legs on the top of the stairs.

Picking myself up, I climbed the steps only to have a horrid smell fill my nostrils. I move closer towards the body and at a glimpse, I know the man is dead. His face is distorted, as if he'd be tortured in such a gruesome manner and his arms are missing. At his shoulder joints, the only thing left are the flesh of missing arms. Even with my nose closed, the sight makes me throw up on the other side of the stairs.

"How very un-ladylike of you, Katja, throwing up in my basement." I hear a familiar voice say. I jump in shock. Aryan.

"What is going on, Aryan? Where am I?" I ask him sternly, a hint of fear in my voice. I crouch by the staircase, hoping to hide myself. I had to get out of this place.

"Come down here and sit on the chair. Make yourself comfortable. You're about to be part of the Monkeyhouse." I hear the voice say again. I can't see anyone else in the room. His voice is demeaning and it scares me.

Only now does the realization hit me that I do not know anything about this boy. I was love struck by him that I had myself let him in easily and I was now in deep trouble. Not a single soul outside could save me. I had fallen right into his trap. What was going to happen to me? Wild thoughts circled through my mind as I placed myself on the chair. Somehow the drugs had taken control over my mind and it was manipulating me to do whatever I was asked to do.

It was a metal chair and it feel cold on my thighs. The smell of blood had been faint few moments ago but now it was stronger than ever. In front of me, there was a computer with a countdown.

00:00:43

I called Aryan again but this time I was greeted with a slap of a club by a masked man. Two other masked men walked into the room and grabbed my hands and legs each. I started to struggle but the club struck the other side of my face this time.

"Stop struggling and don't you dare scream. You agreed to be a part of the show. We haven't done anything wrong. And we thank you for your service." a distorted, computerized voice told me. I realized that the masked men each had voice distorting devices on their necks. Whatever scheme they had planned was going as they had hoped. It was well played.

The countdown ended with a round of applause the three masked men.

"Welcome to the Monkeyhouse. If you have all paid your money, I hope you get the privileges you have been promised with. If you have this downloaded, please be sure to destroy the hard drive in a month's time. Failure to do so has been stated in the terms and conditions. Besides all of that, thank you for joining the monthly carnival. Now that we have started, please send in your requests and offer the prices you are willing to pay." the distorted voice said once again.

The computer was so far away and the font was inexplicably small, I couldn't capture what was on the computer screen. My heart was beating so fast, I could hear it myself. The room was silent and suddenly the computer made machinery sounds.

I caught the words on the computer which read:

AUTO GENERATION COMPLETE

1. ye6fejf: slice the flesh on her arms!!!!! ($5960)

2. funlover: cut her tongue off ($5600)

The font started to decrease in size as the numbers increased. The first two requests had me mortified. What was going to happen to me? What was going on? People pay to have this cruelty imposed on humans?

I let out another yelp, but this time no sound escaped my mouth. I was stuck. I started to cry. A tsunami of tears broke through the barrier of my eyes. I shook my head no. It didn't show that I was begging for mercy. The masked man then pulled put a long, sharp knife that was covered in dried blood. Why was I so naïve? Why did I allow this to become of me? No, this was all a dream. It had to be.

I attempted to scream again, even though I knew nothing was going to come out of my mouth. I hoped that maybe in the vast nothingness a soul would be sympathetic towards my fate show me some mercy...