Re: Central Park

[Guest]

Jacob looked at Seth and the guys theb fixed his dark eyes on the door. Luke had been right they didn't know what was back there and whatever it was, this dare could go from fun to deadly in seconds.

James handed the flask back to Seth wondering if Jake was going to go through with it.

Jacob gulped and looked at Seth, "If I stay in for five seconds what do I get out of this?"

[Tiger-Lily]

Seth frowned. "You give me a crazy-ass dare? What do you want?" His hand rested on the metal sliding lock on the second door as he waited.

Luke shifted on his feet, checking the hallway behind them.

"I'll be right here," Seth added cheerfully, "to pull you back in case something tries to rip your head off." He felt buzzed and somewhat buoyant.

[Guest]

Jacob didn't know if it was the alcohol effecting his sense of rational thinking, not that he had much of one to begin with.

He looked up at Seth and said, "Alright I'll go in."

Jacob walked to the door and took a deep breath, the metal door opened, with large creaking sound and Jake walked into it, it was dark in between the tiny space between the second door and the third caged door which he couldn't really see through.

Jake felt his heart beating a billion times per second, and he tried to calm himself because he knew animals could detect fear, and whatever was in there he sure didn't want to become their dinner.

Although he noted it was a bit too clam in there, which scared him a bit more then it should have, which it shouldn't have because maybe whatever was in there was sleeping.

[i]Or its probably stalking around in the shadows to kill me...[/i]

He pushed that thought aside getting closer to the cage of the third door, it obviously wasn't something cuddly like a dog back there, otherwise there wouldn't be three doors keeping the beast locked back.

Jacob stood for a moment, breathing out, he heard nothing, and he figured he had stood there long enough because obviously Seth dared him to do this because Seth would never do something this insane.

Jake turned to leave and he heard a low growling sound, that sounded sort of like Seth's stomach when he was ravenously hungry. Jacob turned back slowly only to hear the low growling stop.

He knew he would regret this but he inched a little closer towards the cage, he scanned the dark cage, and soon the whole place was filled with an ear shattering roar, as he saw the large stripped tiger pounce on the cage rattling its metal bars.

"Holy shit!" Jake screamed, the tiger roaring ferociously and clawing and swiping at him attempting to shred him like paper.

***

James heard the roar, and multiple chills ran down his back, as he also heard Jacob scream, the tiger or whatever it was probably made him a snack.

James turned to Seth, "Dude! That thing is going to eat him!"

Jacob came running out and yelled at Seth, "Close the door, now!"

[Tiger-Lily]

Seth paled and reached thorugh the doorway, grabbing Jake's jacket and yanking him back. He slammed the metal door, threw the lock and then collapsed agianst it, breathing out.

Laughter bubbled up in his throat at Jake's petrified expression.

Seth doubled over and laughed so hard his eyes teared up. "Oh man, that - " he panted, " - was awesome."

Luke didn't know if it was the crazy alcohol talking, but he found himself laughing along with Seth. "Dude, I could've sworn you screamed like a girl!"

[Guest]

James looked at the guys and couldn't help it either, he started laughing too, "Dude that was hilarious!" He found himself doubled over laughing.

Jake narrowed his eyes at the three of them, and straightened, "Oh yeah cause you guys would be all calm if a tiger attacked you."

James attempted to stifle his laughter, "Oh whatever, you're fine so lets go see what else there is to do back here, maybe we can feed Luke to the bears."

James felt like his insides were he didn't know why he laughed at Jake almost dying, but he just died of laughter, again thinking back on Jake's expression, he started to press forward towards the other locked doors.

He found a door which seemed similar to the tiger door and he looked at Seth, "Hey do you think you'd last longer in there than your friend here?"

[Tiger-Lily]

Seth snorted and walked past James and pulled the sliding deadbolt on the door with a cocky air.

Luke ensured the last door was locked before following them. Seth stepped inside the first door adn then blinked. THere was no metal door here.

"Sucker," he muttered to Jake. "Watch the hallway, somebody."

"Too late," Luke mutteredm rounding the corner. "THere's somebody headed this way. I saw their zoo hat."

Seth glanced around at the other boys. "What now?"

"Shit," Luke muttered, peering around the doorway to the hall. "Shit, she's here!"

Seth grinned maniacally, slid open the lock on the grate and slipped inside the cage. "Quick, get in!"

[Guest]

They both ran into the door. James pressed himself against the wall.


Jake snickered trying not to laugh too loud to attract more attention to themselves.

James looked around the dark room , "I wonder where we are now?"

[Tiger-Lily]

"In an animal cage, about to be eaten," Seht said, swinging shut both doors. He pointed behind Jake to where there was a clump of little shrubbery. "I suggest we lie down there - "

The door from the hallway swung open and Seth fell silent, shoving past James to flatten himself by the wall.

Luke ducked behind the nearest shrubbery, dragging Jake wiht him as the zookeeper appeared behind the grated door.

"That's weird, the first door was unlocked," he heard her say into a tiny radio clipped ot her collar. Across from him, Seth sniggered.

***

"We're visible here if she's coming to feed this thing," Seth muttered to James. And then a thought occurred to him.

"If she's feeding the animal," he continued calmly, "it means we'll be seeing this animal very soon. And we'll be on its side of the bars."

Luke's jaw dropped. "We're going to get killed if we stay here," he muttered to Jake

The zookeeper swung open the smaller door in the grate to push thro ugh a couple slabs of meat. Seth's eyes widened as they landed near James' feet. Seth waited till she had walked out, closing both doors and effectively locking the first door that led to the hallway.

"Shit," he muttered. He looked around at the leafy exhibit. Very rainforest. What carnivore lived in a rainforest?

A low growling nearby answered that question. Seth's breathing caught in his throat.

[Guest]

James looked down at the slab of meat, and froze he didn't know what to do but he just stood there staring wide-eyed at Seth and waiting for the beast to come across.

Jake silently prayed to himself, hoping they would go unnoticed, by the coming predator as he heard the familiar low growling he heard right before the wild cat had launched at him, he looked across to Seth and a terrified James and said,"God damn it how many tigers do they have in this damn place?"

James piped up, "I don't think its a tiger, I think its something else, but I don't know what."

Jacob no longer heard the growling the but the sound of footsteps padding through the leaves on the ground making its way towards the food. Jake closed his eyes and muttered a prayer softly, " Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done,on earth, as it is in Heaven...

[Tiger-Lily]

Luke glanced over at Jake. "What the...?"

He exchanged a glance with James, unsure if he should be amused or horrified that they were so near doom that even Jake had embraced religion.

Seth's voice broke through Jake's praying: "Hey, hey, hey," he chipped in as if this were an exciting school field trip. "I got this!"

"I'm sure you did," Luke muttered unhappily. Still, he figured if they were about to be chow, they might as well go down laughing at Seth.

Seth stepped away from the wall, picked up the slab of meat and flung it far from them. It disappeared into the bushes a few meters away. Seth glanced around. "Now e got some time while T-Rex chases after its airborne dinner. " He threw himself at the metal grate and attempted ot shove his hand thorugh the bars to reach the sliding lock.

His hand didn't fit. "Fuck," Seth commented cheerfully. "We're done for."

A sinister feline growl, like a Lucifer on Red Bull and steroids, cut through the still air. It sounded suspiciously close.

"I don't think it went after the meat," Luke said.

"Quick, help me open this," Seth hissed. "Whose hand can fit through?

[Guest]

Jake smacked Seth away, "You moron! We're gonna be cat food, and you're giving up!"

James felt reality sinking in after he heard that roar, and he panicked, "Gah! Luke do something, you're skinner or whatever fit your hand through there!"

"We need to distract the beast anyway, if it sees it it will just attack us." Jacob thought quickly about what to do and looked back at Seth, "Seth since you've had the most experience with demon cats, you have volunteered do distract our new friend while we open the door."

[Tiger-Lily]

Seth shook his head, brown hair flipping into his eyes. "Yeah well, you've had the most experience with demons, period. Your girlfriend for one. You tame it."

Luke stifled a grin, glancing at James out of the corner of his eyes. He nudged Seth and Jake aside and attempted to shove his hand through the bars.

[Guest]

"Can you seriously knock it off? We're about to die and you keep mentioning her!" Jake grit his teeth in frustration at his idiot friend.

James quiet annoyed with Seth's constant mention of Evelyn, walked to him and shoved Seth into the open area, "Here kitty! We have fresh meat for you!"

[Tiger-Lily]

Seth pulled at face at Jake as he straightened. "I mentioned her exactly thrice. And you're acting like I'm talking about Rachel," he retorted carelessly.

He shrugged James off, saying "Fine, fine."

The growl came closer. Seth glanced around and then stepped further towards the cat/T-Rex/Boogeyman behind the bushes. He had an inkling it was crouched just feet away form him as he moved away from the other boys.

Seth caught his breath, lowering his hand to his pocket and pulling out his Blackberry. He glanced down at it, flipping to the flashlight option. He flicked it on, and then swung the ray of light towards the bushes nearest to him.

"Reeeoooowwww!"

A black cat leaped from the branches of a nearby tree, landing in front of him. Seth opened his mouth and couldn't really think of anything to say. This wasn't a cat. It was the size of a damn lion.

"Nice panther," Seth breathed, stiffening. The panther gracefully swung its head, hind legs fluid as liquid when it turned to face him. Bright golden eyes mysteriously like Lucifer's met Seth's blue ones.

"Come on, boy, I don't taste very good, at all," Seth found himself saying. He really hoped Luke had gotten through to the lock. He kept eye contact with the panther, not daring ot look away.

The panther let out a menacing hiss just like Lucifer before he attacked Jake's face.

If I get out of this alive, I'll ensure Luce never torments Jake again, Seth thought desperately. He was way too young and good-looking to die as cat kibble.

Seth swallowed - and just then, his phone began to blare heavy metal.

"(Can you feel that?)
(Oh shit)
Ooh ah ah ah ah!
Ooh ah ah ah ah!"

The cat and Seth stared at the phone. "Oh shit, sounds about right," Seth remarked.

The panther bared its teeth and curled its lips into a snarl that made Seth shake in his sneakers. He did the only thing that came to mind: hit On on his phone's flashlight and shine it in the cat's face. Its confused look doubled.

The panther jerked backwards at the sudden floodlight. And Seth turned and tore back, hearing the panther roar behind him.

Luke had gotten the grated door open and he, Jake and James stood on the other side. "Come on!" Luke yelled, standing back and holding out his hand.

Seth raced towards them, wondering if he was going to make it in time. He heard heavy padded feet behind him and with a burst of survivalist strength, threw himself through the doorway just as the panther erupted into view. Luke slammed the grate shut and slid the bolt home as the cat threw itself against the bars, nearly taking Luke's eye out.

Seth staggered sideways, feeling his knees turn to jelly as hysterical laughter bubbled up his throat. He grabbed Jake's arm to steady himself. "Oh, oh - man, I think I'm gonna...." He swayed and then collapsed against the wall as his legs gave out. A freaked-out laugh burst across his lips. "Let's...do that again?"

Luke watched the panther trot back into the bushes, chills breaking over his shoulders. "Shit, it's huge."

[Guest]

James and Jake both stood in front of the cage where the panther was, the both of them panting, James looked back in the cage and saw the panther walking around its cage and calmed a bit, after realizing it was rather large, "Um yeah no shit he's huge he almost ate us."

Jacob stared at Seth, he had really thought that Seth had lost his mind although, the whole almost getting eaten thing was kind of a rush in a weird way,then again he just wanted to kill Seth because he was just getting on his nerves tonight, he kept mentioning Evelyn, when he honestly didn't even feel like talking about her at all, which would probably make Luke and James suspicious as to why he was so against talking about his alleged "girlfriend."

Of course on top of being eaten by twice by two different jungle cats, why in the hell did Seth find it necessary to bring up his ex who he hated with every fiber of his being? Rachel was the last person he ever wanted to think about, and he hated whenever anyone mentioned her because it always brought down his mood, and he didn't come out to be reminded of his old flame, and his now fake girlfriend.

Jake figured it was Seth just being annoying as he usually was but it was bothering him tonight more than usual, cause he was deliberately being a jerk to him.

[Tiger-Lily]

Luke wriggled the door handle of the first door. "How do we get out?" he asked bluntly, trying to keep his voice steady.

Seth shrugged, rubbing his hands over his pale face. If Luke didn't know better, he'd say Seth looked almost scared.

If Seth hadn't started whistling right then, he might have looked scared.

"I don't know," Seth paused his whistling to say. "Anybody got anything to punch through that glass window?" He glanced up at Jake who stood over him. "What's wrong with your face?"

Seth paused and added deliberately, "Looks like Lucifer took a dump on your head."

[Guest]

Jacob shrugged, "Nothing's wrong." He lied, then looked at the first door now beginning to wonder how they were going to get out as well, "Don't they make these glass or whatever real strong so the animals can't get loose? If a two ton panther can't get out how the hell are we supposed to?"

[Tiger-Lily]

"Nah," Luke said, rubbing his buzzing head. "THe panther's kept back with that grated door. This should be easy." He grinned loopily at James. "Do the honors?"

Seth snickered and nudged his knee into Jake's leg. And then decided he'd better not say what he wanted to. Jake looked weirdly depressed.

[Guest]

"The honors?" James asked a bit out of it, and then looked at the door and spotted the window of the door, remembering what they needed to do, he walked up to the door and examined the window, turned to his head to the side a bit, he figured that he wouldn't cause that much damage. He lifted his shirt ripping his white wife beater and wrapping it around his knuckles sort of like athletic tape.

He brought his hand back and rammed his fist through the window hearing the glass shatter into a million tiny pieces around them, he reached his arm through and got a hold of the bolt lock, he slid it open and pushed open the door, "And that's how its done." He smirked walking out of the door.

[Tiger-Lily]

"How many people do you wanna bet heard that?" Luke asked, following him out.

Seth attempted to get to his feet, failed when he realized his legs were still wobbly, and grabbed hold of Jake's arm again to pull himself up. He staggered and then muttered to his roommate quietly, "You better hope he never uses that fist on your face, buddy. It'll be kind of hard putting the ten thousand pieces of your face back together."

Seth let go and followed Luke out of the tiny room back into the hallway.

[Guest]

"Pft yeah right, cause he'd be able to do that, its just glass even kids can break glass if they hit it." Jake snorted, walking out into the corridor leaving Seth behind him.

James arched an eyebrow as he unwrapped his shirt from his hand, "Are you saying that you could win against me in a fight?"

Jacob shoved his hands into his leather jacket and looked at James, "You'd seem like you'd put up a fight, but in the end I would win of course."

Was he for real?

"Oh really?" James asked amused, at this idiots need to want to get his face punched in, "Listen I could rearrange your face before you even lifted a fist." James glared at him.

"Uh huh sure, yeah cause its those fighting skills of yours that got you your girlfriend, wait a minute... she's actually with me." Jake said icily.

James couldn't believe this idiot, at first he thought he was alright, but now he had really crossed the damn line, where the hell did he get off even saying something like that to him when he didn't even know. Using the same hand he used to punch in the window James punched Jacob dead in the jaw like he had done to Lucas a few nights ago.

Jake's head whipped to the side, and he felt the stinging in his jaw, not only had Evelyn chosen to hit him there but James decided to leave his mark as well.

Jacob's jaw clenched and he brought his fist back feeling it impact with James' nose, James' head reeled back and he felt the blood flooding out of his nose onto his face, he wiped his mouth and his hand was covered in his blood.

James shoved Jake straight into the wall, ramming his arm into his ribs, Jake grabbed a hold of James' arm, and twisted it around his back bringing James down to his knees and kneeing him in the back, James grunted falling to the ground he rolled getting back on this feet quickly and growling, he delivered another punch towards Jake's face.

Jacob grabbed James' fist gripping onto it, forcing James back down, James held his posture and brought up his other fist which Jake swiftly grabbed, and was pushing James down.

James straightened himself, and he realized he was caught in a fierce hold, so he did the only thing he could think of, he brought his head back and gave Jacob a fierce head butt. Jacob moaned releasing James he held onto his head and it instantly began to pound.

"You're dead!" Jacob spat.

"Not unless I kill you first!" James shouted tackling Jacob to the ground.

[Tiger-Lily]

Luke was watching all of this with a slack-jawed mouth. Seth meanwhile, was stifling his laughter.

He edged closer, using his fist as a microphone, dancing around the two fighters. "And Darko gives one to the head. Salazar takes it without a flinch, ladies and gentlemen," he said, even if there were no ladies around, "we got ourselves one tough battle here. Let's just hope that redheaded demon appreciates this."

***

"You're a tool," Luke interrupted angrily. He shoved Seth's shoulder to try and wipe his stupid grin off. "That was a deliberate move, wasn't it?" he hissed. Seth glanced at him and cracked a wider smirk.

Luke resisted the urge to punch him. "God, you...you odn't even knwo what went down between James and Evelyn."

"And I don't really give a fuck," Seth replied simply, turning back to the match. He had fifty bucks riding on Jake, after all. "Jake got the girl, didn't he?" He said this part loudly enough for James to hear.

[Guest]

James punched Jacob continuously in the ribs, Jacob grabbed his arms throwing him down on the ground and pinning James' arms down his side, Jacob got up kicked James in the side. James grabbed Jake's leg twisting it and bringing him down to the floor James got up after hearing Seth's words, he almost killed Jake right there, he picked up off the ground but Jake grabbed him and shoved James into the wall.

Jacob punched him across the face a few times, James grabbed his fists and twisted his arm back as Jake yelled out, James shoved him back into the wall and swung at his face again, making contact wit his mouth again.

Jake felt the blood oozing from his lip and grit his teeth, punching James in the face, and James teetered back, he felt his eye starting to swell and he glared up at Seth.

"Not gonna attract those ladies with your eyes all swollen." Jake said.

"Yeah let's see how many girls you get once I punch your fucking teeth out!" James said giving Jake one hell of an uppercut, Jacob staggered and nearly fell over.

The two of them huffed like raging bulls and they both charged at each other beating the crap out of each other.

[Tiger-Lily]

Luke darted forwards, realizing Jake and James were dangerously near the glass shards James had punched out. "Guys," he called in a sharp hiss. "We're going to get caught - "

Footsteps came down the hall. James and Jake's racket had alerted a horde of zookeepers.

"We're fucked, screwed, totally doomed," Seth commented happily, surveying the fight. "I'll go distract them."

He ignored Luke's stunned glance and started down the hallway, pulling out his phone again.

Looking around a corner, he saw the crowd of zookeepers running towards him. And he threw himself into their midst with a cry of "Hey!"

"What're you doing back here, kid?" one guy snapped. He was probably their leader. Seth widened his blue eyes, panic over his face.

"I heard a girl, my friend, in one of the rooms down there, she was crying out for help so I ran around looking for somebody to..." Seth paused dramatically and his eyes grew wet.

"Oh my God," one of the female zookeepers gasped, reaching out a hand to touch his shoulder. "Don't worry, honey, we'll help her.

"What're you doing back here?" the guy snapped, still not quite letting go of that topic. Bastard, Seth fumed silently, but kept his troubled face on.

"I'm looking for my friend. And she's about to die!" he exclaimed, pointing over their shoulders down the hall.

The zookeepers told him they were going to escort him out, while some of them went to get his friend. Seth groaned, because he'd never know who won the fight between James and Jake.

"I can't leave my friend here!" he pointed out heroically. "I'll wait here. Please hurry!"

"Stay here," the woman said sa they all turned and went back down the hall, checking all the doors.

Seth raced back to the boys, keeping an ear out for the zookeepers.

[Guest]

Jacob and James both pulled away and their shoes crunched over the shards of broken glass around them, each of them picking up a shard like a deadly blade.

"See you in hell in Salazar." James threatened him.

"Ladies first Darko." Jake's voice low. The both of them charging at each other and getting each other in a hold both holding the glass close to each others jugulars.

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