DIONYSIUS
By
Rev Jesse Penfield Gibson, MDiv, DMin
Copyright 2017
DISCLAIMER: This story is fiction. Any similarities to any persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental. This story involves consensual sexual activity between college students, both male and female, including bareback sex, group sex and bisexual activity. This story also has drug and alcohol use. If this is not your cup of tea, don't read it. If it is, enjoy.
Complaints and compliments to revjpgibson@hotmail.com
Remember to donate to Nifty to keep the stories coming.
NINE
When they got back, Simon handed him an envelope. Inside was a letter.
Since all the tasks are completed,' it read, here are the instructions for initiation. Please deliver your videos to me by no later than 7 pm tomorrow. Initiation fees are due no later than Wednesday at 7 pm in cash. Pay them to me. Please do not shave any body hair or trim pubic hair until initiation. Guys can shave facial hair through Wednesday. Please do not have sex or masturbate after Tuesday. Please be at my apartment Friday evening at 6 pm. You will need 2 changes of underwear, one change of clothes and toilet articles. Initiation weekend will end mid day Sunday. Plan accordingly. Do not discuss initiation with anyone, including your fellow pledges. Do not leave this letter laying around. Thanks, Simon"
Cass tore the letter up into small pieces and shoved them into the half empty coke he was carrying. He headed back to his dorm and dumped his stuff. It was easy to fall asleep that night since he hadn't sleep well on the ground. Camping wasn't for him. He was a city boy. But Dylan had impressed him. He was at home in the woods and had not backed away from anything. His first impression of his roommate had been wrong: that he was tight assed sissy. Actually, he found Dylan to be a pretty good guy and someone that he truly wanted to be friends with. Now that he was out, he was a different person: happier, funnier, more likeable. It was a shame he couldn't share his good news with Dylan but rules are rules.
On Monday afternoon, they were sitting in the room, allegedly studying but doing more talking than reading. A knock came on the door and Cass got up to answer it. There was a guy outside dressed in khaki's and a button down with the sleeves rolled up. He was carrying a leather folio. The guy was good looking despite the young professionals hair cut and glasses.
"Cass Morgan? I'm Dennis Korb, one of the Junior Class representatives on the Judicial Council. I need to speak with you," the guy said in an even, professional tone. He looked at Dylan and said, "if you don't mind, I'll need the room for about 30 minutes. If you could wait in the common room, I would appreciate it. I'd like to speak with you as well."
Dylan looked at Cass with a worried expression. Cass was worried too. He had thought that Chip had it all worked out and they were only making a show of going through the motions. This guy was serious. Dylan gathered up his books and left after telling Cass good luck. Dennis closed the door behind him and sat down on Cass's desk chair and motioned for Cass to sit on the bed.
"This is about the shower incident," Dennis said calmly, opening the folio and pulling out a sheet of paper. "Want to read what the asshole said?"
Cass wondered whether he ought to feel a massive sense of relief or not. "Is that allowed?"
"Why not?" Dennis said, smiling a little. "I saw the video. It was pretty good. I hear that she is a real piece of work, a real slut. I mean that in the best possible sense of the word. Don't worry, it's all taken care of. The problem with the task list, well with Dionysus in general really, is running afoul of the student conduct code. This is relatively easy to make go away."
"So you're not really on the Judicial Council?"
"Oh, no. I am. There are a couple of us that are. I'm also on the pledge committee. There is an actual complaint and this is the actual investigation. You're going to get a letter of reprimand. It's not serious. They shred it when you leave. Do you think that your roommate is willing to help you by lying? If he is, it helps, for lots of reasons and not just this."
"Yeah, he offered," Cass admitted.
"Good," Dennis said. He pulled another sheet from his folio and handed it to Cass. "Then sign this one."
Cass read it. It was a statement about what had happened. According to this, he and Nicole had been dating for a couple of weeks. She was hanging out with him, Dylan and Dave and it got late. So, Cass and Dave decided to walk her back to her dorm. But Nicole had to urinate, so they were standing guard so she could. That was when Adams walked in. They didn't think anything about it until they got back and Chip confronted them. It all seemed innocent enough and perfectly plausible, especially if Dylan confirmed it. Cass signed it and handed it back to Dennis.
"I got to hang out for a minute just to make it look good. You talk to Dex much?"
"My brother?" Cass asked, realizing it was unnecessary. "Not that much. He's in Atlanta working for Wachovia."
"Yeah, I know. I saw him a couple of weeks ago. We went out drinking. He was the one who put me down for the Spring List when he was treasurer. I owe him a lot. Well, okay. You'll get a letter of reprimand in about 3 weeks. Oh and don't fuck with that Adams shit. He'll be gone by the end of the year. His social life just went into the fucking toilet. We don't forgive and forget. See ya this weekend."
"Thanks dude," Cass said, a little bewildered.
"Happy to help. I'll go talk to Dylan now."
A little while later, Dylan came back. He was just as bewildered. At first, he didn't say anything, just gathering up some stuff to go to the library. Then he stopped and turned around, saying to Cass, "He was giving me your alibi. He all ready had this scenario all set up. All I had to do was sign."
"Yeah" Cass said as vaguely as he could. "Did you sign?"
"I said I would" Dylan answered. He seemed defensive.
"I appreciate it. I'm sorry you got involved."
Dylan sat down in his desk chair. "It's not that. I'm happy to help you. Besides, whatever happened in there, Adams should been a good guy and just let it drop. He shouldn't have ratted you out. That was wrong. But the thing is what that guy, Dennis, said: that you have friends that don't want to see you get in trouble. They're pretty good friends if they can cover things up for you. The kind of friends that smoke pot with professors, for instance. I'm pretty sure that Carlos left with Dr. MacMahon when we got back. To have sex. I think I know who you're friends are, at least what their name is. I'm not stupid. I've heard stories. Is that who you are?"
Cass inhaled deeply. He hadn't actually asked him directly. But he had gotten to the right conclusion quickly. He was amazed to discover that he valued their friendship and had grown to have respect for him so he didn't want to lie to Dylan. "Yeah, it is. Does that bother you?"
Dylan looked down momentarily at his hands and then looked Cass in the eye. "You're my friend. The question I have is, why was I there the other night? You, Dave and Carlos I can see. The twins too, I guess. But me?"
"Alex invited you. That's all I know. I think he has a crush on you."
"Bullshit" Dylan spat. Cass was startled. It was the first time he had ever heard Dylan swear. "That's not who he is. He might want to take my virginity but he doesn't have a crush on me. I'm the one going through the 8th grade again, not him. He has some other motive. The question I have is: are you part of it?"
"No, I promise"
"Okay," Dylan said. "I'm going to the library. I just need to think right now."
When Dylan left, Cass decided to call Alex and tell him what happened. To Cass's surprise, Alex was unconcerned. In fact, he seemed to think that his plan, whatever it was, was right on schedule. That didn't make Cass happy. A protective impulse came to the fore. "I don't think I like you fucking with Dylan. He's my friend."
"You don't have a choice in the matter," Alex said. ""I'm not fucking with him. He's being presented with options and opportunities. The choices he makes determines what happens. Where he ends up is up to him."
"He's a good guy and you ought to leave him alone"
"Sorry, Cass. All I will promise is that whatever he does, he will do voluntarily and knowing what it is he is choosing. See ya Friday. It's gonna be fun."
The rest of the week, Dylan said nothing more about it. He didn't ask Cass any more questions. To all outward appearances, their relationship was unaffected. Cass spent the week being pretty diligent about schoolwork since he had gotten behind some. Doing that kept his mind off sex, which by Friday was getting almost impossible to manage. Since he had first started masturbating at about age 12, he probably had gone very many days without an orgasm of some sort. A lot of times, twice a day. Going several days in a row without any release was being to wear on him. By Friday, he would have fucked a sheep if he could have caught one.
The boys headed out for Simon's apartment as a group. When they got there, Nicole and Maria were all ready there. They loaded up, Cass, Dave and the twins in Alex's jeep and the rest in Simon's Prius. They didn't have far to go. The house was on Adams Street, only 2 blocks from campus, opposite the northwestern gate of Napier Park. It looked like one of a thousand old houses in Macon, a wrap around porch supported by simple white columns and austerely plain. It was painted light blue and white and appeared to have the basic floorplan: 4 rooms with a central hall way on the first floor with a kitchen in back and 4 rooms with a hallway on the second floor. They pulled into the driveway and pulled around back. Piling out of the cars, Alex led the way, taking out a key and opening the back door. They entered through a fairly modern kitchen, complete with microwave and refrigerator and then went down a central hallway. The place was sparsely furnished. Alex led them upstairs and told them to wait and someone would come get them in a little while.
Each of the four bedrooms had a double bed, a night stand, dresser, full length mirror and armoire. The rooms were functional but not lived in. They hung around and speculated about what was going to happen since no one had really said. Cass noted that they were supposed to be gone for two nights and it looked like they would be staying here. After about 20 minutes, Simon came up and retrieved them. He led them back downstairs and into the front parlor on the right at the end of the stairs. There were more than a dozen people in the room arranged in a semicircle, with a pretty brunette in the middle. Seven fold out metal chairs were arranged in front of the draped front window in a line. Cass took the seat on the far end and the rest took theirs. Unsure what to do, Cass just went ahead and sat down. All the others in the room were seated. He looked around. Alex and Simon were there and so was the guy Brandon from the party. Emmy was there as was Chip, his RA, and another girl he recognized as an RA on MEP. Dennis Korb was there too and a few others.
"Hello, I'm Christie, this year's President," the brunette said. "Welcome to Intitiation Weekend. We like to start off by bringing you together with the officers and some of the people that have played a role in pledgeship. It's a chance for us to tell what we're all about and answer any questions you have. This is also your last chance to back out." She paused as if waiting for someone to get up and leave. No one did. So, she went on, "Emmy since this started with Selection, why don't you tell them about that."
"The Fall class is all about people we've had our eye on for a while. We have a Watch List. After initiation, we're going to ask you to list people that you went to school with, currently in high school or middle school, people from your hometown, younger brothers or sisters, people that you know that you think would be a good fit for us. All of you were recommended and have been on our Watch List. Three of you are legacies. Cass, your brother Dex is a member. He recommended you when you were 13. You've gotten other recommendations since then. Dave, your father was a member. He added you to the list when you were 10, which might be a modern record. Nicole, the same for you. Your dad added you when you were 14. It's rare for a father to recommend a daughter. Ryan and Joe, Luke Cresswell recommended you. Maria, you had 3 or 4 recommendations. Carlos, though, is the big winner. Practically every member from South Florida over the last 3 or 4 years have recommended you."
Christie laughed. "I know from personal experience why."
"We had 9 possibles, interviewed 8 to get a pledge class of 7" Emmy finished.
Simon talked a minute about the tasks they had to do. For everybody, at least one had to do with drinking or drugs, one was anti-religious in some way, and everybody had to make a video. The sexual tasks all varied, but Cass thought his were on the tamer end of the scale.
Then Brandon, the treasurer, started talking. "Dues are 50 dollars a month. When you leave Sunday, you'll get instructions about how to do direct deposit or, if you want, how to do electronic transfers monthly. There is a 100 dollar summer assessment. The bottom line cost is 600 dollars a year."
"Noah, why don't you tell them what 600 dollars buys?" Christie said.
Noah was a brown haired guy that oozed charisma even when he was silent. He was handsome with an open and friendly face. "I'm Noah Drayton and I'm the social chairman. We will have 17 events or parties this year. Some are open to the student body, like the party on Orange Street, and some are closed, like Initiation. The calendar for the rest of Fall is beach trip for Fall break. You need to let me know by Wednesday if you're going. Trips cost extra. The cost for this is 30 bucks, plus money for food and gas. You have to supply your drugs. Alcohol is provided, though. Then, later in October, we are co-sponsoring a show at the Abyss with the DriveBy Truckers. Tickets are free and you get a voucher for one drink. Then in November, we have Sadie Hawkins, which is invitation only by the ladies. Even if you're a member and you're not invited, you're out of luck, sorry. The girls can invite as many guys as they think they need to satisfy them. Guys, you're limited to the girl that invited you and no hot lesbian action, unfortunately. Then an open party in November, a pajama party at the Lofts in the Village. Of course, a New Year's Eve party downtown. In the spring, there will be another concert, a road trip to Mardi Gras, Spring Break, and several parties. Since we provided some of the capital for Harry's and the Abyss, and the owners are either current or former members, you don't have to worry about being carded or paying a cover there. There's poker night every other Wednesday, if you like to gamble. I'll let Alex tell you about his part."
Alex straightened up, put his feet on the floor and started talking. "I do two things. First, I am the Warden. That means I'm in charge of discipline and security. At a party, my word is law. If I say somebody can't come in, they can't come in. If I say somebody has to leave, they have to leave. When I say me, I mean the people appointed Warden for the party. I like to get fucked up sometimes too. Our mission is to make everybody gets to a bed safely and nobody gets arrested. If you do get arrested, I am the one who calls the lawyer. I also coordinate the cleaning up of your fuck ups, like say, for instance, getting caught making a porno in the shower of 2 Reade. If necessary, I will take the appropriate amount of flesh out of your ass later on. My second role is as candyman. I'm the guy you get your pot from. The going rate for a quarter right now is $40. You get high quality chronic at a 20-25% discount. If you want E, you can get it from me. It's $7.50 for 100 mg." Cass nodded. So far the prices were good. "2CB is the same for 10 mg. Those we have pretty much all the time. There are new deliveries about every 4 weeks. Other stuff – 2CI, AMT, Alpha O, Foxy, etc – are also sometimes available. When I have it, I'll let you know. I can get you K or G if you want but there's no discount. If you want coke, meth or smack, I can help you find it but I don't have it. That's it."
Christie looked around the room and then said, "Okay. A couple of last things. Once you are initiated, you are a member until you turn 25. You can come and go if you want. A lot of people when they graduate and move, they're done. You can always come back up until 25. For instance, Cass, Dex is going to be here for your initiation, so he paid this month's dues and he's welcome back. But when you turn 25, you're done. We don't reach out to alumni or have homecoming weekends or Founder's Day. You get 6 or 7 years to party your ass off and then it's over. " She motioned to Dennis, who started to pass out small leather bags on a long chord. "Now about initiation. The actual ceremony is tomorrow night. Tonight we're going to lock you in and let you have some pledge class bonding. Plus a shaving party. We want you to shave your pubic hair and any other body hair that you want and put it in those. It's part of the ceremony. And the other thing I need to tell you is that during the ceremony, you'll take a dose of LSD. Wanted to tell you that so that you won't be surprised. So, have fun. We're ordering pizza for you. There's booze and some fine skunk for your partying pleasure. We'll see you tomorrow."
True to their word, somebody brought in four pizzas. There was a 12 pack of beer in the fridge and a multiple bottles of alcohol. Now alone, they sat down in the front parlor and tore into the pizzas, talking. The first bit of speculation was about the small leather bags they had to put their pubic hair into. Cass thought that was a little gross and said so.
"It's not that big a deal," Dave said. "I think it's like this old Roman thing where a boy put the shavings from his first beard in the bag and offered it to the gods. They just use pubes so we'll have a reason to get naked and fuck."
"I haven't cum in 3 days," Carlos said, wolfing down a slice. "I don't need a reason"
They sat around and laughed about their tasks as they ate and drank beer. Carlos thought hr had to fuck 6 people in 24 hours because he had said in his interview that the most he had ever came in a day was 5 times. But he was still able to go on the sixth one and he was pretty proud of that. Nicole and Maria had a daisy chain lesbian thing which Cass thought sounded great. He wished he could been there to see it. Maria also had to give a guy a blowjob in a public place, which she did in the parking lot of Harry's. Dave had to eat a girl out until she came. He admitted to limited experience with girls. The twins were given tasks that made them go their separate ways sexually but they did get together to make their video together.
"You actually fucked each other?" Carlos said.
"Sure" Ryan answered. Joe picked it up, saying, "We do it all the time. It's not like we're going to have a two headed baby."
"True" Carlos admitted. "It doesn't weird you out, though?"
"I'd like to watch that" Nicole said. "That would be hot."
"That's true, too. Actually, wouldn't mind joining in." Carlos said.
Cass told about having to take it up the ass from Alex and Harry. Apparently Alex had managed to do all of them which didn't surprise Cass at all. Maria, in particular, raved about him. Ryan said that he was good but Simon was better. Joe, of course, agreed but it was because Simon had a bigger dick. They broke out the skunk weed and got high, still laughing and talking. The three in the shower told about that and getting caught. Now that it was over, it was funny. Carlos and Maria had made their video together.
"Are you two ...?" Cass tried to ask as he sat crosslegged on the floor facing Carlos.
"We used to go out when we were in like the 7th grade. We lost our cherry together," Maria explained. "But he couldn't keep his dick in his pants and so we hated each other for a couple of years. Then I became a slut and we started partying together. So, we're like fuck buddies."
Joe looked around the room. "Now we're all fuck buddies," he said. "It's a good thing we all can get off either way, with 5 guys and 2 girls."
"It's probably why it's mandatory that you be bi or gay," Cass observed. "A sex and partying club is going to have more guys than girls just because. If most people were straight, there'd be nothing but fighting. This way is better."
When they were good and high, they decided to get to the shaving. Soon they were naked and the boys were hard. They found some plastic sheets to put under them on the bed to so they could collect the trimmings. They decided to go one at a time. Maria went first.
Looking at her on the bed with her legs apart and a mound of black hair showing, Cass thought how sexy it looked. Every girl he had been with shaved all or most of her pubes anyway. Seeing a hairy pussy was a turn on. When he said it, the other guys agreed to his surprise. But they shaved her anyway, taking turns. Cass carefully scrapped away the hair on the side of her pussy mound before taking away the razor and giving her a good lick. The twins were up at her top, massaging and sucking on her breasts and kissing her as they rest of them shaved her down. They each took their turn, getting a little tease as they got shaved.
When it was Cass's turn, Nicole made a little nick at the base of his dick. "Be careful. I'm attached to that," he cried. She apologized and promised that he could fuck her extra hard as payback.
Nicole went last. She rested on her back, drew her knees back toward her head, and said, "If a hairy pussy turns you boys on, fuck me before you shave me."
Cass was game. They went fishing in the nightstand for condoms, which there were plenty of. They were racing to get one on but Maria had beaten them to the punch. She was between Nicole's legs going to town, eating her out. The lesbian action turned them all on, except maybe Dave. Carlos mounted her first and fucked her with abandon. He was such a beautiful boy doing such a nasty thing, Cass thought, but he looked good doing it. Cass had to be careful not to jack himself, as much as he wanted to, otherwise he would orgasm before he got his chance. Nicole called the tune. When Carlos was done, she took Ryan and he fucked her. Carlos sat over on the against the wall with Maria sitting on his lap watching. He was fingering her and massaging her chest as they watched. Both Ryan and Joe were Greek gods physically, the kind of guys that look like they could kick anybody's ass but were actually sweet and gentle. Joe was urging his brother on, slapping him on the ass. But Ryan was going slow and easy and Nicole was loving it. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close to kiss and fondle as they fucked. Cass was beginning to get overstimulated and was thankful when Ryan picked up the pace. Dave got to fuck her next. He was hot and horny and just fucked her straight out. Cass was disappointed that Joe got to go next. He was breathing hard and wanted it bad. He looked around as he heard Ryan encouraging his twin. Dave was in front of him, blowing him. Fuck, Cass thought, everybody else is on their second and I haven't had my first yet.
Then he did. He slid his tool into her well worked glove. She pulled him toward her and whispered, "Saving the best for last. Fuck me hard"
He had no option at that point. He just banged her slick wet pussy. He never felt more masculine than he did when he was fucking. He felt like an animal and he fucked like it. She was liking it too, screaming and moaning as he tore her pussy up. He picked up and positioned her so he could pile drive her hard. Then grimacing, he exploded inside the condom in a wild, brilliant orgasm.
She had been well fucked, but she still needed to be shaved. They descended on her and shaved her bare. Despite the sex, they were all still horny. After a bowl or two each, it was a free for all. Just 7 naked bodies, kissing and sucking. Cass was in the center of the pile, Dave and Maria sucking his dick and Ryan over him face fucking him so that he almost gagged. It was great. Then they shifted. He found himself blowing Carlos's long, thick tool, sliding his tongue underneath the Latino wonder's foreskin as someone male sucked him. Then he ate Nicole's newly shorn twat. Before the night ended, he had fucked Maria but didn't cum. He fucked Dave and did. The final blow was when Carlos fucked him. He understood why everybody seemed to think he was red hot in bed because he was. The kid could fuck. Without ever having to touch himself, Cass spewed semen all over his chest.
Relieved of their horniness, they decided to search the house and they ran around naked through-out. There wasn't much to see, though. The only mystery was that the basement was locked. Finally, about 4 am, they fell asleep. Nicole and Dave were in the bed with him.
He awoke to a hard slap on his ass. "Jesus fucking Christ, little brother, grow some pubes"
"Dex?" Cass muttered, trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes.
"Got some morning wood there, little brother?" Dex said, grabbing his stiff prick. "You didn't get all that worked out last night? Shame on you."
"What time is it?"
"The crack of one. Get dressed. There's food downstairs." Dex laughed. "Looks like you had a good time."
Sleepily, he tried to find his underwear and failed. He did see his shorts and pulled those on and stumbled downstairs. There were a dozen or so people down there. Dave stumbled down next and then Nicole. Cass looked around, recognized a couple of people and then stumbled into the kitchen for some water as he heard some friendly joshing going on. Eventually everybody made it down and was tearing into some pastries. People introduced themselves and welcomed them to Dionysus, asking about last night. Cass assured them that it had been good. Dex introduced him to a couple of his good friends and they welcomed him warmly and playfully. Others drifted in and introductions were made. Joints were passed around. There was laughing and talking, stories being told about other people's initiation weekend.
Eventually, Cass found his way back to the front parlor and sat down, a little worn out. He sat in a chair, thinking about all that had happened. Dex walked in and sat down next to him.
"So you had a good time?"
"Fuck yeah" Cass said. "So you recommended me?"
"Shit yeah," Dex said, patting him on the leg. "Couldn't let you miss out on this. This is what makes college great, little man."
"I appreciate, Dex. I always kind of thought that you considered me a sniveling little brat."
"You are" Dex laughed. "But you're still my brother."
"Well, thanks. It was really cool."
The ceremony itself was fairly simple. They were sent upstairs to dress in simple cotton tunic bordered in purple. The small leather bags went around their necks on a string. Alex, who was dressed in a white toga, lead them downstairs and into the basement. Along one wall was a bookshelf the whole length of the wall packed with hundreds of phallus's. Some were simple functional dildoes and others elaborate art pieces. Clearly, it was a collection that had been gathered for decades. Along the other wall was a mural painted in the style of the ancient Greeks depicting a Bachanalia. About 50 people were gathered up in the basement and standing room was tight. Christie, Brandon and Simon all had on the same white toga that Alex did. In the center of the room was a table with candles, plates of small cakes and several gold or brass goblets with wine in them and a triangular altar with smoking coals in a brass pan.
The first part of the ceremony had the 4 people in the tunics acting as a Greek chorus, reading speeches from the play The Bacchae by Euripides. It was explaining the mythology of Dionysus, the twice born God of the vine. The emphasis was on how the fruit of the vine could bring both joy and pain, freedom and excess. They talked in verse about the duality of life.
The second part re-enacted the ancient Roman rite Liberalia, associated with the God Liber Pater, or Father Freedom. Liber and Bacchus, the Roman form of Dionysus, were associated together. The Liberalia was a ceremony marking the transition from childhood to manhood for a Roman youth.
"You are wearing the toga praetexta, the toga of the child, and carry about your neck, the bulla, the childhood charm that protects you from the fiery and furious spirits of life," Christie intoned. "Now, at the moment of your virility, are you prepared to cast away the tokens of your minority?"
All of them standing in a line before the table answered yes.
"True born and strong, will confront the fears and ravages of life unafraid by the exertion of your own power?"
They answered that they would. She motioned for them to kneel. Christie stood in front of Cass with a small vial in her hand.
"Do you promise to support your friends with all your might, to make their cause your cause, to never betray your friends but to stand with them always?"
"Yes" Cass answered.
"Do you promise to share openly your innermost thoughts and desires and to guard jealously those of your friends?"
"Yes"
"Do you promise to keep private always the privy matters of the Society?"
"Yes"
She took a small amount of oil from the vial and smeared it across his forehead and moved on to Carlos, repeating the same liturgy. When she completed with all of them, Christie moved to the altar with the small fire pan. "In accordance with the ancient custom, you should offer the bulla you have made to the Gods of the Hearth"
In the same order that she had anointed them, Cass first, then Carlos, Nicole, Dave, Maria and then Ryan and Joe, they took off the leather pouch from around their necks and tossed it into the fire pan, one by one. Only seconds after Cass had tossed his into the fire, Emmy stepped forward and with a stick fished it out. They did the same thing in turn with a different girl rescuing the bulla. The significance of that escaped Cass and he guessed they reused them.
"In the fullness of time, the youth sheds the toga praetexta, the toga of youth, to don the toga virilis. With this act, you become a citizen of the Republic, freed of the domus of others, and able to take your part as an equal."
The purple bordered tunic was pulled over their heads and they were wrapped in white cloth as a toga.
"Take this the traditional meal of the Liberalia, the honey cake and wine" Christie said handing him a plate. Cass took a small cake and ate it. He could see that there were plates going around the room for the audience to take one too. She held up the goblet and walked in front of them. Handing the goblet to Cass she whispered to them, "just a small swallow or you'll be tripping off your ass."
Goblets were going around the room. Apparently everybody, not just the pledge class, was joining in. It didn't kick in immediately. He had enough experience with E to know that it wouldn't. While he was coming up, they had them sign a membership book in order. He was member 1676. Alex was member 1666 and Simon 1668. He looked for his brother and saw that he was 1620. That last bit of business done, he went to find a comfortable place to chill out and begin his trip. People came by to congratulate him. Then Nicole came and settled in between his legs, leaning back on him.
Music was playing, classical music. At first he didn't feel much and then came a sensation not exactly like anxiety but more like anticipation. Eventually, he found himself staring at a ceiling fan, amazed at its silent operation, finding beauty in its regularity. That was when he knew he was tripping. He drew Nicole tighter but they didn't talk. They didn't need to.
The music was great. The colors were vibrant and open eyed visuals amazing. He noticed that Maria was not doing well. She was hunched up in a little ball, crying. As much as he wanted to help her, and he desperately did want to help because he felt an intense spiritual bond, he didn't know how or couldn't find the answer how. He saw Alex sit down next to her and take her into his arms, gently rocking her. He assured her that it was just the drug and none of it was real. It was just the drug and it would get better. It was just the drug and she would get through it. He wouldn't leave her. Cass felt profound gratitude to Alex for being there for her. He rocked her and gently sang "row, row, row your boat" over and over.
He wandered about the room holding Nicole's hand, staring at little things, finding the amazing things about everyday things. But as amazing as it was in the basement, he longed for natural air. So they headed up, passing by a guy standing at the stairs. He walked with them up the stairs but as they headed out, he stopped and went downstairs. About a half dozen people were on the porch, talking quietly and staring at the park beyond them. Cass felt an instant connection to the display of life in the yard. For the first time ever, he could place his role in the universe: small but not insignificant. He felt at peace for being part of the chain of life. He felt the boundaries of self melting away and the part that was him melding into the greater whole. He could see the wind, taste it even although he wasn't sure that it actually existed.
After a long time on the porch, or perhaps a short time, Alex came out and guy that had been sitting by the door got up and went inside. Alex came and sat down next to them, their legs hanging off the porch.
"How's Maria?" Cass found him asking.
"She's doing better" Alex said
"Good," Cass said. "This is amazing"
"I know it is" Alex asked.
"You don't feel it?" Nicole asked.
"I'm one of the safety sitters. I'm entirely sober."
Cass looked at him, seeing him in a new light. "Thank you"
"Sure" Alex answered. Cass put his arm around him and hugged him.
"I wish I could describe it. How beautiful life is, how truly special it is." Cass said.
They sat there for a time, soaking up the beauty of the world. Then they got up. Alex told them not to leave the yard but Cass didn't want to. He looked at Nicole and supposed that she felt the same. Instead, they went upstairs. Forever, they laid on the bed in each other's arm. Eventually, they made love.
Sunday came and initiation weekend was over. As he headed back to his dorm, Cass felt like a different person. He wasn't sure if it wasn't lingering effects of the acid, but he thought and saw in a different light.