The first cycle was complete. Monday morning September received another letter. They gathered together before they opened it. Once everyone was there they tore into the pale purple envelope and pulled out the minty green letter.
My Dearest Friends,
No longer can I say that you do not know me. In these last few weeks I feel that we have come to know each other intimately. This closeness both stimulates and disgusts me. While I can now more readily share your zest for the performances of the tasks that will be set before you, I must also wallow lower and lower in your evil. But this is to be a temporary situation. The hourglass runs low.
At the bottom of this letter is a list of your names. The directions will be as before, only now, your names are to find their way from Column II to Column III. Due to the delicate nature of your tasks, they will appear in the paper in a secret code, befitting a secret club such as ours. Starting with the first letter, every third letter will make clear your duty.Some of you have sought to defy me. From experience you have learned how uncomfortable that can be. As your tasks are now more exciting, your punishment, should you choose to be stubborn, will be equally exhilarating. Remember, you have been told.
It has come to my attention that you suspect that I am one of you. Let this be made painfully clear; I am not.
Love,
Your Caretaker
Column I Column II Column III
________ September _________
________ JC _________
________ Mariette _________
________ Lance _________
________ Lulu _________
________ Justin _________
________ Jamieriquai _________
________ Joey _________
________ Tripetta _________
________ Chris _________
September's ad as it appeared in the paper read;
September~SJUTCLRIUESLAVAKEYNIEANVKYOEJLDOESEICYDHILOSLOFIAWLTIUPRNIOCNEHECTAIOPLMPOOLPREORLTOOOWLG
Deciphered it read;
September~Streak naked school lunch tomorrow
"I can't do it," September proclaimed, raising her tear stained face off of her damp arms.
Everyone was there except for Justin. After reading the letter he went to the paper to see if he could trace the personal ads.
"I can't do it," she said again. Lance stroked her hair, he was unable to console her.
"What if you wore a mask?" suggested Mariette.
"One of the gorillas on the football team would grab me and rip it off. I never could run very fast," she whispered.
"So what if they saw?" shrugged Joey. "You have a really nice body and. . ." he was cut off by Lulu frantically placing her hand over his mouth.
She had become much more docile and subdued lately. Everyone glared at him but no one glared more than Lance.
Eventually everyone offered their condolences and left, leaving Lance, September, and Jamie alone. After she was sure that everyone had gone Jamie cleared her throat.
"I have an idea. But it should probably be kept between the three of us," she said solemnly, in a hushed tone. "Leave," she stated flatly.
"Where can I go?" September sniffled.
"Anywhere. Just get away."
September nodded and left the room.
"Why am I here?" asked Lance, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.
"Go with her. Just keep her safe," said Jamie.
Lance nodded. "But where can we go?" he despaired.
"Take her to Mississippi! It doesn't matter! Just get her far away!"
September entered the room.
"I called my grandmother," she said, sitting back down. "We can stay with her. She lives in Naples," she said, looking at Lance. He nodded.
"I won't tell anybody," promised Jamie. "Not Justin, not Mariette, nobody!"
"But what about school?" asked September.
"You have everything you need to graduate. What's missing four days of nothing and a day of rehearsing how to walk up and shake some hands?"
Lance looked at September.
"We should leave tonight."
"Yeah," she agreed.
"Bye," said Jamie, getting out of her chair. "Good luck. I'll call you when this whole thing blows over. Ok?"
"Yeah. Thanks," said Lance.
"Bye Jamie," said September softly.
Jamie left and couldn't help but wonder, Is this the last time I see my friends?
Jamie threw her bag and keys down on the table as soon as she walked into the house. As she walked by the family room she noticed her entire family sitting stiffly and silently.
"Jamie we need to speak to you," said her father sternly. Jamie walked into the room and sat next to Corey.
"What'd I do?" she asked jokingly, trying to cut the thick tension in the room. Her mother glanced at her with tears in her eyes.
Oh shit! Jamie's mind screamed. They know about last summer!
"Honey," said her mother slowly. "We have some bad news." Jamie looked around and her eyes rested on Corey, sitting silent and still next to her.
"Corey?" asked Jamie softly. Corey looked up and she noticed how pale he was. Gone was his perpetual tan. He had tears in his big brown eyes.
"I. . .I have cancer," he whispered.
"We knew that Corey. You went into remission years ago," said Jamie stubbornly, not catching on.
"No I didn't. Everyone thought I did. . .but. . .the cancer spread. To my brain."
"No," whispered Jamie. She could feel the tears fall down her face. "You've known since Saturday and you didn't tell me?"
"We just got the lab results today," said her mother.
"Oh God!" cried Jamie.
She fell against her brother and began sobbing uncontrollably. Corey just wrapped his thin arm around her and held her. Jamie saw how much stronger he was than she when it came to dealing with something like this. She sat up and wiped her eyes.
"I'm sorry. . .but. . .how long?" she whispered, finding it impossible to speak in her normal voice.
"About a week," her father answered.
Jamie nodded her head tremulously. With all the shit in her life this had to happen now.
"You can't tell anyone Jamie," pleaded Corey. "I want my last days to be normal, not full of tears."
Jamie nodded and stood.
"I need time to think. I'm going to bed. I love you Corey," she said as she left the room.
"Joey," said Lulu, as they walked into the mall. "I was thinking that we should throw a party. It'd be cool."
"Yeah," agreed Joey.
He spotted a girl with red hair and his palms began to sweat. He was beginning to think that this game that he was playing was a bit too dangerous. Even for him.
"Joey? Joey Fatone?" he heard a female voice call from behind him.
He slowly turned and saw Sasha standing there. He knew that it was Sasha because she had on a slinky summer dress and she slanted a sexy smile to every guy that passed. Sammy would never be that bold.
"Hi," she said, walking over to them. She gave Joey a hug and turned to Lulu. "You must be Lulu," the redhead purred. "I'm Sasha, I've heard so many great things about you!"
"Ummm yeah. Sorry I can't say the same," Lulu said, glaring at Joey.
"Sasha is an old friend. We lived near each other when I first moved to Florida," Joey explained. Sasha just smiled.
"I'll leave you two to your shopping now," Sasha said, turning to leave. "Ciao!" Sasha slinked off in the opposite direction. Lulu noticed how Joey's eyes followed her hungrily.
"Did you fuck her?" demanded Lulu, once she was sure that Sasha was out of earshot. Joey looked guilty.
"Yeah. . .at one point," he admitted.
"I don't mean when you were a teenager! I mean recently!"
"Recently?" asked Joey innocently. "Why would I be sleeping with her when I have you?" he asked sexily, nibbling on her ear. Lulu seemed satisfied with his answer.
She kissed his cheek and they continued on their shopping excursion.
Jamie rubbed her eyes and picked up the phone.
"Hello?" she asked groggily.
"Hi Jamie! This is Gina!" Jamie groaned. She was in no mood to talk to her brother's girlfriend.
"Do you wanna talk to Corey?" asked Jamie. She wasn't about to tell Gina that her boyfriend of two years was dying.
"No. I actually wanted to talk to you," said Gina. "I have to ask you something."
"Sure," said Jamie, preparing herself on how to give a speech on sex, STDs, periods, or how to insert tampons.
"Is it true that you go out with Justin Timberlake?" Gina asked.
Jamie had no idea how to answer. She and Justin had never discussed that.
"Ummmm. . .well. . .we've gone out. . .several times. . .and umm. . .we enjoy each others company. . .so. . ." Jamie trailed off.
"Well if you weren't I was wondering if you could put a good word in for me?"
Jamie tried not to laugh.
"Gina, you have a boyfriend," Jamie reminded her. Gina sighed.
"Yeah I know. I guess that's it. Bye," she said hanging up.
Jamie hung up the phone and burst out laughing. It felt good to laugh.
Lance unfolded a shirt and placed it into the drawer. He looked around the room that he and September were sharing. September's grandmother was nice and accepted the fact that they were sharing a room.
Something was still making him uneasy though. Even though they were far away from Orlando and their problems he couldn't shake off his sense of foreboding that surrounded him.
September wrapped her arms around his waist and he turned his head to kiss her.
"Grammy said that she won't bother us tonight, that we'd probably wanna break in the bed," September giggled.
"You grandmother said that?" Lance gaped.
"No," September giggled again. "I told her that."
Lance turned and kissed her as he wrapped his arms around her.
"I'm glad you did," he said.
He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed. September's lyrical laugh rang into the silent night wind.
Lance worked his mouth down her neck and slipped the buttons of her shirt out of their holes. He slipped it off of her shoulders and snapped the clasp on her bra. His hands kneaded the soft flesh of her breasts and his tongue followed their path.
September's hands furiously worked at Lance's shirt, finally ripping it from his body. She made a sound, almost like the purr of a kitten, against his lips when her hands came in contact with his bare skin.
Lance slid September's pants and panties off, reveling in the feel of her soft skin, as September pulled Lance's pants off. They broke apart for only a moment when Lance sheathed his erect member in the soft comfort of latex.
Lance lifted September's shapely legs over his shoulders and thrust into her. As they continued their rhythmic thrusting they were oblivious to the fact that the headboard was slamming against the wall.
September cried out and Lance groaned as they climaxed simultaneously. September's legs slid off of Lance's shoulders and they collapsed into a heap of sweaty flesh and pleasurable sighs.
Lance ran his hands over her body, loving the immediacy of her response to him. Loving the breathy moans and sighs that she made when his fingers found a particularly sensitive spot. He loved the way her skin felt, soft and silky smooth, and how responsive it was to his touch. He loved the way she smelled, like vanilla, and he especially loved the way she tasted. She tasted sweet and good and. . .he loved her.
September wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed.
"I love you," she whispered.
"I love you too," he said, running his hands over her stomach.
September began kissing him and moving her moist mouth down his chest.
"Maybe we shouldn't do this," he said. "We made quite a bit of noise. We wouldn't want to keep your grandmother awake." September sighed.
"Yeah," she agreed. She looked at him with a mischievous glimmer in her eyes. "But tomorrow night, don't think that I'll be letting you off that easily!"
He laughed and pulled her close against his body. They snuggled together before drifting off to sleep.
If Lance had known that those were the last words that she uttered, he could have told her that he loved her. If he had known that that was the last time that they would make love would he have been able to love her any better?
Those were the thoughts that ran through Lance's mind the next morning when he woke up and September was gone.
