Back to chapter 2
Drake began to feel better about his new school during the next week, as he mulled over in his mind over and over again his plan to achieve power in this Lakewood High School Society. Finally, he arrived at a singular plan. The next week he spent plotting out each and every exact move, and the week following, he spent gathering the necessarily information and supplies. Finally, nearly a month after that cool casual afternoon in class, Monday morning, after returning to school from it’s Fall Break, Drake put his plan to work.
During his first hour history class, Drake asked to be excused to use the restroom, going into the hall, he walked directly to and precisely to five individual lockers, slipping manila colored envelopes in them. The owners of these lockers, were: Lance, Travis, Jacob, Seon and Tye. Within each envelope was a withered looking piece of white paper with a different message to each, typed with an old fashion style typewriter. Lance’s letter stated the following:
Lance,
We have been watching you, and we feel you may have true potential. We are the Brotherhood, and that’s all you need to know for now. We control nearly every aspect of this place. If you think you’ve got what it takes to be a true leader who has true power, follow the directions listed below, precisely. If you do not have what it takes, destroy this letter immediately and forget we exist, for a person is never invited twice.
1. Hide this letter in your pocket, then run to the last stall in the men’s restroom directly to your left. Now!
2. Act as though your using the restroom until the bathroom is empty, and the class bell has already rung.
3. Tear this letter into twenty pieces and flush it down the toilet.
4. Then, exit the stall, and look underneath the sink, there you will find further directions.
Drake finished the task of distributing the letters, and then went back to History. He sat lazily in class head laying down on the desk, with the knowledge that everything was in place. Each of the five most prominent leaders would leave class, read their letters, and rush to follow all the directions. Each letter was different, with different directions and objectives, but all followed approximately the same path, except different so as to keep each of his experiments distanced enough not to realize each other exists.
Once Lance reached underneath the sink, he would read the outside of a this time heavier manila colored envelope, it said the following:
DO NOT OPEN THIS ENVELOPE, UNTIL PRECISELY 10:00PM
OPEN IT IN A PRIVITE PLACE, AND TELL NO ONE. THE LETTER INSIDE HAS FURTHER DIRECTIONS.
IF YOU OPEN THIS BEFORE 10:00PM EXACTLY, OR IF YOU OPEN IT IN THE PRESENCE OF OTHERS YOU WILL NOT BECOME A MEMBER.
REMEMBER, WE ARE WATCHING YOU.
NOW HIDE THIS LETTER, AND RETURN TO CLASS.
And that would be it, Drake thought to himself. Each member would reach their own destination, receive an identical envelope, then return back to class. Today’s work is done, tonight will be the true test.
That night, each of the five went to a private place. For Jacob it was the shed behind his house, for Travis it was his locked bathroom, and for Tye his childhood tree house. No matter where they read it, at exactly 10:00p.m. they were all opening the same envelope, which contained a Fossil watch and the message:
Good job, you have already taken the first step towards becoming a member.
The watch is simply your first benefit to being a member. Wear it at all times, Punctuality in the Brotherhood is a must.
Your next step will be harder, but you will achieve it, we know, because we know your ability. First, memorize the following generalized information:
-The Brotherhood has existed for years. No one knows exactly when it started, but long before any current member was born.
-The Brotherhood is a secret society. No member is allowed to speak of the Brotherhood outside of official meetings. Doing so will result in the expulsion and disposal of the member.
-The Brotherhood is a World Wide Coalition of small cells. Each cell is in charge of it’s own local community, and no cell has direct contact with the other cells, except through the cell’s “Brother.” This makes the society virtually indestructible.
-Every cell has one “Brother.” The Brother is unknown to the members, but in charge of the cell, and all it’s workings. No one may challenge the Brother, or take his power. To attempt to do so, leads to disposal.
The workings of the Brotherhood are both complex and unmeasurable, but for
tonight’s exercises, this is all you must know.
Tonight you will meet your cell. It has existed for years. You probably already know each of the members, and have for years, but they have kept the Brotherhood from you. Now in order for you to become a member, you must go to the official meeting, and act as though you have always been a member. Do not say anything about the fact that you are a new member, to do so is blasphemy against the Brother. You must portray yourself as if you have never been apart from the cell before. The members will not mention the fact that you are new, because that would disrespect you and the Brother.
At 10:30pm destroy this letter and get to 2589 N. Holland Street at exactly 11:00pm. Go towards the light, and remember, you are now a member, and have always been one.
That night, Drake planned the meeting down to every second. All the members arrived, then they walked towards a light torch in the middle of an abandoned yard. None of the five members said a thing as one by one they walked towards the torch and saw the others, whom they presumed each to have been members for a long period of time. The note on the torch instructed them that there was a new member in the Brotherhood, and even though they all knew who the new person was, no one, absolutely no one was to acknowledge him as an outsider.
The Letter also stated that they should go through the “usual” update period, where each member will inform the other members what has been occurring in his life to the greatest of detail so as to make each person speak five minutes. They of course did this, with the greatest of dramatics. Each person felt as though it was his obligation to prove to the Brotherhood, that he indeed did deserve a spot among all of these fine members who had been there for so long.
The meeting occurred as planned. Drake felt utter excitement as he watched the events unfold from his hiding place inside an old shack which resided on the premises of the vacant property. He had even planted a small microphone within the bottom of the bamboo torch so as to hear exactly what each member said. Drake was so precise in fact that he even took notes on what each member said.
Drake continued to control the workings of the meeting, through his previously arranged directions on the letter. Simple meaningless tasks were directed at individual members, such as,
Travis, get down on the ground and do twenty five push ups, so as to demonstrate the group your strength, then speak for two minutes about the necessity of healthfulness.
The group ate up every word, and even though each person was drastically different, and ordinarily none of them would have communicated, except to possibly Tye who was acquaintances with them all, now seemed to be actually enjoying themselves together in this newly founded secret society, which all of them though had existed for years, and there by did not feel embarrassed when asked to do menial tasks in front of the group, but rather thrived under the conditions, and impressed the group. Finally the group was to pass out the envelopes which dangled from the torch. Each had a name on it, and each person was to open it in private, at home the next morning at 7:00a.m.
The group then departed at 11:52pm, and went home. Each leader slept soundly, knowing his leadership position as a member of the Brotherhood was well secured. Drake though slept sounder than them all, feeling he finally possessed the power he had longed for.
To be continued . . .
Seeking Truth Now is (c)2002 Daniel M. Branum. Comments: seekingtruthnow@yahoo.com.
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