“Hey, Andrew!” Liam knocked on the dorm room door. “Are you ready?”
Andrew was all packed, but he didn’t feel ready. He’d probably never feel ready, just as he’d never felt ready to go to college or even to graduate high school. It was a personal failing, yes, but Andrew wouldn’t let that hold him back. Finals were over. He’d been invited to join Liam and some other fraternity guys for a weekend at one of their parents’ summer houses out in Connecticut. It was time to take the next steps towards success.
Liam looked up from his phone as Andrew entered the hall. It had been a while since Liam buzzed his hair and his hair was covering the scar along the side of his head. Andrew still couldn’t get over how short Liam was - 5’4”, but he carried himself like he was six feet tall. Liam might not have been the best academically, but he was on the swim team and, most importantly to Andrew, Liam was in Delta Phi, one of the best fraternities on campus. You didn’t need to fake confidence if you were already near the top.
“Ready?” Liam asked.
“Let me tell Aiden he has the dorm to himself.” Andrew reached into his pocket for his phone.
“He’ll find out when he gets back. The guys are waiting in the loading bay, c’mon.” Liam placed his hand on Andrew’s shoulder, guiding him out to where the rest of his fraternity friends were. Liam had a tendency to be very hands-on when he wanted things done and if Andrew was being honest, he appreciated that. Liam’s slender fingers felt so good touching his skin. Andrew liked to imagine scenarios where Liam had a reason to hold him closer. Liam’s lean, muscular arms were good at giving hugs. It was a squeeze so strong that it lingered in Andrew’s memory for days.
Ford popped the trunk of the Mercedez when he saw Liam and Andrew approach. Andrew made space between the rest of the group’s luggage, then got in the back next to Liam. Ford turned in the driver’s seat to face them.
“What took you so long?” Ford asked. He looked more like what Andrew thought a frat boy should look like - strong jaw, wide shoulders, black hair cropped very short. Andrew hadn’t talked to him much, but he always seemed wound up by something.
“It was less than ten minutes, man, we’re fine.” Liam sighed.
“Dude, I don’t want to get caught by campus security.” Ford said as he started the car. He glanced at Nathan, the fat blonde man in the university sweatshirt sitting in the passenger seat. Andrew knew Nathan a little better - Nathan kept up with college basketball and Andrew made a point to talk about it whenever he came by the frat to hang out with Liam. Nathan would be a junior next year, he would be around longer than Ford would be. If Andrew wanted into the upper echelons, he needed Nathan’s attention. Right now, Nathan was glued to his phone.
“You got directions?” Ford asked.
“Yeah.” Nathan said. He pressed the address into Ford’s phone and attached it to the dashboard stand, then went back to looking at his own phone.
“Alright, onto Connecticut.” Ford declared. He drove unusually fast, even through the narrow roads.
“Slow the fuck down.” Nathan scolded him.
“It’s fine, we’ll be on the highway soon.” Ford said.
“When do your parents want us to be there?” Andrew asked.
Nathan looked up from his phone and turned to face Andrew.
“They aren’t gonna be there.” Nathan said, a grin creeping across his face. “It’s just gonna be us, the pool, and my parents’ liquor cabinet.”
“Hell yeah.” Andrew exclaimed. Nathan reached out his fist and Andrew returned the bump. He patted himself on the back for responding well.
“Sweet, do they have drink stuff? Like shakers?” Liam asked.
“Yeah, mom likes making cocktails so we have a fully loaded bar.” Nathan said as he returned to his phone.
“Nice.” Liam grinned. “I can show you all my drink skills.”
“Didn’t you do that at our last party?” Ford asked.
“Yeah, but Gregg showed me how to make martinis now. It’s easy. I’m SO ready for this summer.”
“Dude, how are you going to make martinis when you can’t remember to get ginger beer for a Moscow mule?” Nathan groaned.
“Hey, the Sprite was fine. Plus, it meant I didn’t have to get limes either! Eh? Eh?”
Nathan snorted.
“Bartending - it’s about technique, man. Not rules.” Liam shrugged.
“And you got the technique for martinis?” Andrew asked.
“Yeah, I’m gonna make you all great martinis, with the olives and everything.”
“Sounds good.” Andrew said.
“You’ll love it.” Liam smiled as he placed his arm around Andrew’s shoulders. To Andrew’s delight, he kept it there for the entire trip.
* * * * * * *
Nathan’s family’s summer home was baffling. The first floor was more normal, if tacky. The furniture was the kind of antique pieces Andrew expected rich people to have, but they didn’t go together aesthetically and they certainly didn’t match the walls. Every room was painted a shade of pale green. There was nothing on the walls, not even a sconce. Nathan’s explanations were all over the place - this staircase was used by housekeeping, this room used to be a photo lab, the three mismatched windows in this room were installed after a storm punched a hole in the roof. Every detail was shared with the detached air of a tour guide responding to questions for the hundredth time. Andrew kept his mouth shut and tried to stay close to Liam.
The only room Nathan was enthusiastic about was the living room. Not only did it have a view of the saltwater pool, but it also had a large television and a mini bar hidden in a bookshelf. This room must have been great for entertaining. There were fancy wooden cigar boxes and ashtrays in different places around the room. There was nothing on the walls and the furniture didn’t match either, but at least Andrew was distracted.
The crew spent the afternoon swimming. Andrew was surprised by the water - it smelled exactly like seawater and was just as salty. No one else said a thing. Andrew had never been in a saltwater pool, but he heard they were expensive. Something like this must be normal. Andrew played it cool, chatting with the guys about finals and listening to Ford enthusiastically talk about the girl he hooked up with once and now expected to marry. In the evening, they all retired to the living room, drinking poorly-mixed martinis and eating pizza. Andrew inspected the glassware - it’d be important to know what good drinks looked liked as he kept involved with the rest of the frat. The ones worth keeping involved with, anyway.
“Andrew!” Ford yelled. Andrew looked up.
“What?”
“I asked where you’re going this summer.”
“Oh, I’m working as a lifeguard back home.”
Ford snorted.
“Are there pools in Springfield?” His tone was dismissive and it made Andrew annoyed, not at Ford but at himself.
“I want to earn some money before the school year.”
“Yeah, working a summer job is great,” Liam laughed as he clamped his arm around Andrew. “Members of the summer job program, right here!”
Nathan chuckled and sipped his drink.
“Bartending in Martha’s Vineyard sounds cool.” Andrew said, grateful he never blushed.
“Have you ever been out there?” Nathan asked.
“No, I didn’t leave Springfield much growing up. We didn’t do vacations.”
“It’s not like Martha’s Vineyard’s much of a vacation.” Ford said as he stood up and walked to the now-exposed bar.
“It’s not bad.” Nathan said with a shrug. “I like Rockport more, but Martha’s Vineyard has its good points during the summer.”
“Whatever, I’m fuckin’ READY for the summer.” Liam exclaimed. He turned to Andrew.
“You should be too, man, you’re going to be a lifeguard! You get to watch everyone being hot and wet all summer long.” Liam laughed as he gave Andrew a little shake. Andrew laughed.
“You’re gonna be great during Rush, Andrew.” Nathan said with a smile.
Andrew’s heart skipped a beat.
“Thanks, man.” He tried to sound casual.
Ford appeared, carrying a bottle of vodka. He placed it on the table next to the wooden cigar box.
“It’s time.” Ford said.
Nathan glanced at Ford, then back at Andrew.
“You don’t have to be rich to join, y’know.” Nathan continued. “Not really. You just have to be impressive in something. You’re on academic scholarship, that’s enough. For now.” He placed his hand on the lid of the cigar box. Andrew was suddenly aware of Liam’s grip on him. It was tight, as if trying to keep him anchored to the couch.
Nathan removed the lid of the cigar box, revealing a large number of scalpels resting on a velvet pillow. The blades looked fresh. Nathan picked one up and pointed it at his ribcage.
“Do you want to see how to really join us?” Nathan hissed. He lifted up his shirt.
“No, c’mon, man, what the fuck-” Andrew tried to stand up and grab him, but Liam pulled him down into his lap. He squeezed Andrew so tightly he nearly knocked the wind out of him.
Nathan stuck the blade underneath his ribs and slid it down to his waistband. Water gushed out of the wound, filling the room with the smell of saltwater and fish. The skin rolled back and out of Nathan’s stomach protruded coral-like structures. Their lavender polyps rippled gently. Something wiggled deep inside Nathan’s body, too dark for Andrew to make out. Nathan removed his shirt and grinned.
“What’s the matter?” Nathan asked as he unbuttoned his pants. “We’re trying to be welcoming.”
Ford began to strip as well. Once Nathan had removed his boxers, he took the scalpel and continued the cut. Andrew flinched as the knife slid all the way down to the tip of Nathan’s cock. The skin curled back, letting the dark moving masses slide out into the light. They were Bobbit worms, long iridescent creatures with large jaws and hundreds of tiny legs along their side. They bobbed and weaved as if they were underwater. One of them slid out from the skin of Nathan’s penis. Andrew felt faint. Behind him, he felt Liam’s body begin to squirm.
Ford reached over and grabbed a scalpel from the box. He made the same cuts into his own naked flesh. Spotted eels burst forth from Ford’s body, even before the reef became visible. Salt water soaked the couch below him.
The reef inside Nathan slid out of Nathan’s skin. Everything below his ribcage fell away. He now moved on thousands of bristles, a wormlike creature covered in coral. Now that he was free from his skin, he rose up until his head nearly touched the ceiling. Water dripped off his body as he approached Andrew.
“Don’t you want to learn what this looks like too?” Nathan asked. He was still grinning. The bobbit worms swayed and snapped at Andrew.
Andrew thrashed against Liam’s grip. He managed to pull away for only a moment when one of Nathan’s worms caught his arm, digging deeply into the flesh and pulling him back. Andrew fell into the coral on Nathan’s body. The rocklike structures dug into his flesh and cut the back of his head. A second bobbit worm grabbed his other arm and pinned him. Andrew managed to kick off some of the coral structures. Nathan screamed as they fell off and hit the floor. Andrew tried to kick away more but was stopped when another worm bit into the back of his leg, severing his hamstring. Blood mixed with the sea water on the floor below him.
Andrew looked to Liam. He too had stripped down to nothing. He was handsome and Andrew felt a pang of sadness as the scalpel slit the lean muscle open, the skin fell away and the coral revealed itself. Liam was covered in sea anemones, their tiny tentacles swaying gently. One slid out of the skin of his cock and opened fully, revealing the tiny mouth surrounded by thin orange tentacles, all of them reaching towards Andrew.
“HELP!” Andrew screamed. Liam reached out a hand and placed it against Andrew’s face. It would be comforting if Andrew couldn’t see the sea anemones wriggling along what used to be his body.
“Shhh, shhh.” Liam said gently. “You need this to happen.”
“YOU’RE FUCKING SICK! WHAT THE FUCK!” Andrew cried out. He could no longer handle the pain of the worms digging into his muscles and he started to cry.
“Don’t you want to be like us?” Liam asked.
Andrew dropped his head as he cried in pain. Something slimy slid up under his shirt and bit him on the nipple, making him throw his head back and scream. It was one of Ford’s eels, its sharp teeth ripping his flesh. The shirt prevented the eel from getting a good hold on Andrew’s flesh and the skin tore as it fell off. Liam used his scalpel to cut open Andrew’s shirt. The eel had bitten off Andrew’s nipple. It spat the jagged piece of flesh onto the floor, where it floated on a puddle of water.
“I don’t think he’s going to be able to take it, Liam.” Ford said as he moved next to Liam. The eels slid along the blood flooding down Andrew’s chest.
“It’s too late to stop now.” Nathan said. He grabbed Andrew’s hair to keep him from leaning forward.
Liam cut off the rest of Andrew’s pants. The bobbit worms kept Andrew’s legs apart, his cock and balls dangling uselessly. One of Ford’s eels looked down at his penis. Its mouth opened slightly, revealing sharp needle-like teeth. Andrew pissed onto the floor in fear.
“Shit!” Ford jumped back slightly, the eels retreating as well. They were now dripping in blood.
“It’s fine, everything’s getting cleaned out of him anyway.” Liam said. He stepped forward. A few tentacles from the sea anemone on his crotch brushed Andrew’s penis gently. A stinging pain shot from the wound and ran up Andrew’s spine. His cock began to itch and grow hard. More of the tentacles embraced his cock, guiding it inside the anemone’s waiting mouth. The itching turned into a gentle throbbing as the soft interior squeezed around his erection. There was still a stinging pain on Andrew’s pubic area where the anemone pressed against his crotch. Liam’s rocky body scratched and scraped Andrew’s skin as he thrust. Liam’s lips pressed against him.
It’s my first kiss, Andrew thought to himself, and I’m going to die here.
He leaned as much as he could into Liam, kissing him back. Their tongues wrapped around each other. Andrew closed his eyes. The thin ridges inside Liam’s anemone brushed against Liam’s cock. It was so wet and soft inside there. The throbbing became stronger until finally, Andrew came. Liam kept his sea anemone locked around Andrew’s cock and the sensation became overwhelmingly sensitive. Andrew flinched and whimpered.
Something poked against Andrew’s anus.
“He’s too fucking tight.” Ford grumbled. “Goddamn virgins.”
“Go through his side.” Nathan said. “It’s easier to get to his organs that way.”
“Nah, it’s more fun like this.” Ford said with a cocky grin.
Nathan laughed.
One of the bobbit worms slid against Andrew’s backside, sliding up against his taint and along the crack of his ass. They left a sticky trail of something as they passed. The worm wrapped around one of Ford’s eels. It oozed the same sticky substance around the eel’s snout. Ford sighed with pleasure.
“Thanks, man.” He said.
The eel slid inside Andrew’s ass. Something deep inside Andrew felt as if his innards were tearing as the eel’s large head slid up inside him and curved around the bend in his colon. He felt full and sick. Losing his virginity was even more painful than Andrew could have imagined. Another eel, this one still covered in Andrew’s blood, bit Andrew’s remaining nipple. It was able to get a better grip and it held on as Andrew’s chest heaved. Something was dissolving, both inside him and outside. He couldn’t feel his cock. Andrew looked down. Liam pulled back. His pubic hair was gone, as was his dick. Instead, there was a mass of reddened, burned-looking flesh where it had been. Liam’s sea anemone now opened and swallowed Liam’s balls. The itching-turned squeezing sensation returned, but it was not enough to distract from the way Andrew’s stomach wriggled and distended. His body was a mass of pain, every type of pain Andrew thought was possible and more. He vomited a mouthful of blood down the front of his torso.
Andrew felt a bobbit worm crawl across his face.
* * * * * * *
As the sun rose, the monsters crawled out of the house and into the pool. One by one, they entered the pool. The water churned and grew murky. The scent of marshland emanated from the water. Luckily, there were no neighbors around to wonder about the strange smell, or about the writhing masses in the water. Blood washed up from the reef pressed against the floor of the pool. The water teemed with life, eels and sea worms and hundreds of colorful anemone, each of them swimming through the brightly colored coral.
The boys’s skin knitted together around their coral bodies. Facsimiles of muscle and bone slid into place until they emerged, the same as they had looked yesterday. The water cleared and the scent faded. Each boy got out of the pool and toweled off. They didn’t say a word. They didn’t need to. Their minds were perfectly synced, as they had been since the beginning.
They carried the emptied husk of Andrew’s body out of the living room and into the pool. Andrew’s eyes had been fully consumed and the empty sockets stared up into the morning sun as his corpse sank out of sight. The waters darkened and churned, hiding Andrew’s body from view. The scent of marshland returned and a dark miasma poured out of the water. One by one, they went inside.
- - -