BLOODBOUNDBENEATH THE MOON

The Moon was out and my soul ached to be freed. To be let out to bask in the deep bright moonlight, and walk the same paths as the night dwellers.

It was a late Friday night in my one-bedroom apartment, I was hanging out with my two best friends Cassidy and Frankie. A night at Silverlake’s most exclusive nightclubs awaited us.

It had been an immensely stressing week, and a night out with the girls would ease my nerves of the past couple of days. I had a 4 hour job to keep up with my college lifestyle, and my classes at the college were getting more and more demanding. It was only my second year of college. Despite the stress I wasn’t ready to quit.

My girlfriends thought it would be a good idea to go out and get drunk in an illustrious nightclub.

‘I can't find my blue mascara, has anyone seen it?’ Cass asked.

I didn't carry around much makeup, though Frankie did. We decided to go with short tight skirts and tiny colourful tops. I wore the pink one with a black skirt, Cass wore a red long sleeve half top with a blue skirt. Frankie wore a black skirt and purple top.

I was buzzing. It was my first time going to the Pentagon. It was the biggest club in Silverlake and the second most lavish in the world and not just anyone could get in.

‘Here use mine. It makes your eyes pop out more anyway.’ Frankie said, handing the stick to her.

Frankie was a makeup wizard or witch. She did my makeup all the time. If she wasn’t busting her butt to become a doctor to please her parents then she would have been studying cosmetology.

‘You're the best Frankie,’ Cass replied.

Cassidy’s a regular member at the Pentagon because of who her father is… he's an ex-politician turned global businessman. She and Frankie would go out together in high school almost every weekend.

My mom was overprotective of me in high school and throughout most of my life… she still was but not so much now that I've moved out of her house.

I'm going to be honest I was enjoying my new life and independence, but there were times I missed her. Life got too much for me to handle. I kind of left home on a bad note. We had a huge argument about college and I just packed up and left. I stayed with my boyfriend until the new school year started. It makes me sad to think about it. But I’d been out of the house for nearly two years. We saw each other from time to time.

‘Let's go ladies!’ Cass yelled out the window, her scream echoed the empty streets of Silverlake.

‘Wait, do I look okay? Do I look… too exclusive?’ I said, momentarily glancing at the mirror.

Cass and Frankie stopped and stared at me.

‘I think you look fine,’ Cass said then started for the door.

I sighed, feeling the nerves in my stomach.

‘You look sexy babe. Now let's go we need a night out.’ Frankie said.

‘Let's go bitches!’ Cass yelled from the hall.

Gosh, what do my neighbours think?

She parked her grey Subaru Impreza on the sidewalk of my building. It looked majestic and super expensive under the street lights. My rundown second hand car was parked three cars ahead of hers.

I couldn't wait to get the night started.

‘I'm so ready. One night with my girls, no bullshit, no school and no boyfriends!!’ Frankie yelled, grinning as she turned up the volume in the car.

Cass screamed in delight I just smiled at them.

‘I can't relate to most of your problems Frankie, but yeah tonight's not for any bullshit so turn off your phones. We don't need Scooter calling us tonight.’ Cass said taking a turn off Johnson street.

Frankie sighed and turned away.

‘That means you too in the back seat. We don't need Rider calling to ask where you are either.’

I laughed as I pondered it, ‘oh please Rider isn't like that Cass.’

Rider and I had been dating for nearly two years. We began dating in our last year of high school. Something I kept a secret from my family.

‘Well, I know someone who does…’ she whispered. She was talking about Scooter… he's not the most ideal person who'd want anyone you know to date. He's a jerk and spoiled child.

‘Oh my gosh do you think Matt Leo will be at the Pentagon tonight I heard there was going to be a surprise guest.’ Frankie said, trying to change the subject and lift darkening mood in the car.

I was happy to cooperate.

‘Surprise guest?’ I asked.

Cass drove down the oddly quiet streets, it was weird it was only nine o'clock on a Friday night. Which was abnormal for Silverlake, it was like Vegas sometimes.

‘Yeah, Val. It's the Pentagon! They're trying to break into top spot so they've got celebrities doing surprise shows every Friday. Last week it was Usher.’ Cass said.

‘I've always wanted to meet Matt Leo he's so cute. Do you think we can meet him Cass?’ Frankie sounded like child outside a toy store.

Cass and I laughed. Cass has met celebrities before that's why she's massive on Instagram and was the most popular girl in high school.

Cass drove passed a red light but that didn't matter much at night especially in Silverlake. There's always some creep lurking about, ready to do just about anything. She got onto the highway and drove at 100 miles per hour.

So, the Pentagon was on a mountain, but not just any mountain it was on top of a cursed mountain. I know it sounds like a load of nonsense, but that's what the people of Silverlake believe. I personally didn’t believe in cursed mountains or anything like that but I was getting a bit nervous there were so many rumours about Barren Mountain, the mountain where roses never bloom.

So many deaths, then again it could all be coincidental. It's a massive mountain ancient and creepy, but not enough to be cursed. It was always dark up there all the trees were tall and hallow, grass never grew on its soils.

Cass started up the road to the Pentagon, the road was rocky and dusty. Cass drove at 90 miles per hour, the car shook violently, throwing me from side to side.

‘Damn Cass you drive like a maniac!’ Frankie said, gripping her seat.