Frozen Secrets

Duncan pushed through the swinging door into the kitchen, a string of low curses leaving his lips. He paced the tiled floor, his heavy boots thudding against the linoleum. Tessa slipped in right behind him, her shoulders shaking as silent tears streamed down her pale face.

Gideon grabbed a plastic bottle of water from the counter, twisted the cap off, and shoved it directly into Duncan’s chest. "Drink this and calm down."

Duncan gripped the bottle, his knuckles turning white. He took three massive gulps, crushing the plastic in his large grip. "How can she be so unreasonable? Has she never been disciplined a day in her life?"

Gideon turned his back to them, organizing the cutting board and knives. "If she wants to take care of him, let her. Besides, it might be a blessing in disguise for us."

Tessa wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve, her breath catching in her throat. She exchanged a worried look with Duncan. "What do you mean by that?"

Gideon paused his preparations. He turned to face the two of them, resting his hands flat on the cool granite counter. "Have you forgotten the exact words that elite guy told us? He said we have to come back alive before he will answer any of our questions. That implies this house is filled with hidden, lethal dangers."

Tessa’s small frame began to tremble anew, her fingers gripping the edge of the kitchen island. "What kind of dangers?"

Gideon shook his head, returning his focus to the vegetables. "I do not have concrete proof yet. But since the main task of this game is to take care of the patient, deductive reasoning suggests the patient is the primary source of that danger. It is safer to stay as far away from that room as possible."

Duncan pondered the logic, his tense shoulders dropping a fraction. He reached out and awkwardly patted Tessa on the back. "It is going to be okay. You are safer down here with us."

Gideon sighed under his breath, choosing not to burst Duncan’s fragile bubble of optimism. He moved to the industrial-sized stainless steel freezer in the corner and yanked the heavy door open. A cloud of frosty air billowed out, chilling his skin.

Inside, a massive stockpile of frozen meat sat stacked like a gruesome little mountain. Gideon eyed the sheer volume, estimating it to be well over a hundred pounds of raw flesh. He dug through the pile, pulled out a thick plastic bag labeled 'Beef', and tossed it into the microwave to defrost.

He reached to push the heavy freezer door shut. Before the magnetic seal could catch, a bizarre, round piece of meat broke loose from the pile and rolled across the frosty metal shelf.

Gideon picked it up, weighing the dense chunk in his palm. It felt unnaturally heavy, almost like a solid block of stone. There was no paper label on the frosted plastic wrapping. He peeled the frozen layers back to get a better look. The flesh bore a sickly, grayish-purple hue, indicating it had been buried in the deep freeze for an agonizingly long time. Dark, wire-like fuzz protruded from the icy surface. It looked like thick tufts of black hair intertwined with the muscle fibers.

Duncan walked over, leaning his large frame over Gideon’s shoulder. "What are you staring at?"

Gideon held the frozen lump out into the harsh kitchen light. "Look at this piece. The texture is wrong."

Duncan reached out his thick fingers to touch the fuzzy exterior. A sharp, ear-piercing crash shattered the tense quiet.

"I am so sorry! I slipped!" Tessa dropped to her knees, her hands scrambling frantically over the kitchen tiles to gather the jagged shards of a shattered ceramic bowl.

Duncan pulled his hand back from the meat and rushed across the kitchen to stop her. "Careful, you are going to cut yourself."

A drop of crimson blood welled up on Tessa’s index finger. Gideon rewrapped the disturbing chunk of meat, shoved it deep into the back corner of the freezer, and went over to grab a clean rag. With Tessa injured, she was forced to sit on a nearby stool and apply pressure to her cut. The remainder of the dinner preparation fell onto the two men.

Gideon quickly realized his culinary skills were practically non-existent. He stepped aside, letting Duncan take over the chopping, seasoning, and frying. The large man handled the pans with surprising grace, the sizzling oil filling the room with a savory aroma.

Gideon leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. "You are quite the cook."

Duncan cracked a weary smile, his calloused hands moving rhythmically with a wooden spatula. "Being a single dad forces you to learn. My daughter is always a bit careless in the kitchen, so I handle the meals."

Thirty minutes later, Gideon and Tessa carried the steaming plates into the dining room. The aroma drifted up the staircase, drawing the others down from the second floor one by one. They took their seats around the long oak dining table. Gideon did a quick headcount and noticed an empty chair.

Tessa placed a fork down, looking around the room. "Where is Chloe?"

Haley stabbed a piece of beef with her fork, popping it into her mouth and chewing loudly. "She is still upstairs. I have no idea what she is doing."

Gideon picked up his knife and fork, slicing into his portion. "Let us not wait for her. Eat while it is hot."

The sharp click-clack of high heels echoed on the wooden staircase. Chloe sauntered into the dining room, her blonde hair flipped perfectly over her shoulder. She rolled her eyes, scoffing at the sight of them eating. "Could not even wait five minutes for me?"

Duncan slammed his palms flat on the table, half-rising from his chair. Gideon reached over and clamped a firm grip on Duncan’s forearm, giving him a stern shake of the head.

Duncan gritted his teeth and sank back into his seat. The rest of the meal progressed in suffocating silence. Cutlery scraped against ceramic plates, the only sound breaking the heavy, awkward atmosphere.

As they rushed to finish their food, the world beyond the dining room windows shifted. The dim daylight morphed into an impenetrable, ink-black darkness in a matter of seconds. It was not a natural sunset. The shadows crept across the dining table, swallowing the walls and plunging the room into total gloom until the food on their plates became invisible.

A loud click echoed from the wall. The crystal chandelier above the table blazed to life, bathing the room in harsh artificial light. Duncan stood by the light switch, his hand still resting on the plastic toggle.

Haley peered out the dark window, her youthful voice tight with anxiety. "This place is creepy. Look at the clock. It is only seven. How did it get pitch black outside so fast?"

Edgar pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, his expression rigid. "The hostess already explained that we are in the rainy season. Unstable weather patterns and heavy storm clouds can block out the sun early. It is a normal meteorological phenomenon. There is no need to panic."

The professor spoke with a rapid, authoritative clip, leaving no room for argument. Gideon watched him. Edgar was an academic, relying on logic to build a fragile shield against the supernatural terror creeping into their reality. In a house like this, denial was the easiest way to numb the mind.

Duncan marched back to his chair. He crossed his thick arms over his chest and jutted his bearded chin toward Chloe. "Do not just worry about feeding yourself. You chose to take care of the patient. His meal is sitting in the blender on the kitchen counter. Go take it up to him."

Chloe sprang to her feet. Her wooden chair screeched against the hardwood floor. "Do I look like I need a reminder from you?"

She marched into the kitchen, returning moments later with a tall plastic blender pitcher filled with a thick, grayish sludge. She paused at the bottom of the staircase, shooting Duncan a venomous glare over her shoulder. "Some people need to learn to mind their own business."

The sharp clatter of her high heels faded as she ascended the stairs. Everyone watched her vanish into the heavy shadows of the second floor, and for some reason, their hearts tightened again.