Housemates 2: Keith Barker Audition

“You can’t be serious! They’re not even old enough to sign anything to participate in the show!”

“It’s the rules: once someone goes in they can’t get out.  It’s not something I have control of.”

“You’ve been able to get your equipment in there just fine, so I know you can get the kids out if you want to!”

“Well, if we are going to get them out we can’t just leave them running around everywhere, now can we? What do you expect me to do with two children while directing a show?”

“If you get them out, I will come to get them personally.”

Keith sat in the back seat of a black car with tinted windows driving down a dirt road to a destination he loathed to see.  The only thing that made him go this far was the knowledge that his niece and nephew were supposed to be waiting for him.

Even though it had been nearly six years, the memories of being on Housemates tore at his thoughts and reminded him all of the things he witnessed within the mansion.  The terrible monsters and gruesome deaths that had occurred within that house, especially those he had a hand in causing, still woke him up screaming and calling for his friend, Ethan, to help him.

In the distance, he could already see its silhouette.  A dark, formidable monster of a building that filled Keith with dread and made his stomach churn so badly he thought he might be sick.

He could see people milling around the fence that surrounded the mansion grounds, reporters most likely.  With them crowding around for a shot of the mansion it became nearly impossible for the driver to make it to the gate.

“Park here, I can walk the rest of the way,” Keith mumbled to the driver before opening his door.

“Sir, you may want to wait with all of these peop-“

“Your boss loves anything that can get his show some attention, this should help him.”

Upon exiting the car, Keith’s throat tightened at the wave of people before him.  Thankfully, security guards began rushing from near the fence to accompany him through the crowd.  Even with the security guards around him, Keith still had bright camera flashes blinding him and questions shouted in his ears that made it nearly impossible to navigate through the crowd.  He tried his best to remember what people had told him before interviews and reunions years ago.

One step at a time.  Focus on the guard’s back and he’ll lead you there.

He’s not taking you there! He’s leading you away! Don’t go!

The stress was getting to Keith.  Even with his medication, everything that had been happening caused him to keep experiencing schizophrenic episodes.  Even now, he desperately wished that everything was really just a massive hallucination and he would snap out of it soon.

“Sir, we’re here.”

The guards came to an abrupt halt just before a large, garish tent that had the Housemates logo printed all over it.  He ducked inside to find it dimly-lit and a bit cold with the only illumination coming from a wall of monitors that showed the inside of the mansion.  Before the monitors sat a large man at a set of controls, a dark-haired grizzly looking fellow Keith had never met before, and him.

Keith bit his lip and clenched his fists. Pure, unfiltered rage burned within him at the sight of that shit-eating grin, his expensive glasses, and that crisp, red beret.  It took everything Keith had not to grab the Director by his tailored jacket and throw him out of the tent.  

“Ah, Keith, it is so good to see you again!” The Director cried as he nearly jumped from his seat, “I wasn’t sure how many of you would actually return after the last season! But, you look like you haven’t aged a day!”

“Where are they, Director?” Keith growled.

“Keith, don’t be rude!” The Director chided, turning to the dark haired man, “I haven’t even introduced you to our new producer yet!”

“I don’t care about meeting your producer.  Where are Primrose and Rowan?!”

Ignoring Keith, the Director continued, “Keith, this is Kedde, our producer.  Kedde this delightful young man is one of our past contestants!”

The dark haired man rose from his seat and took a few slow steps towards Keith before holding out his hand.

“I’m sorry that this upset you, Keith, but I promise you they are both safe,” Kedde assured with an even, slow voice that nearly took the edge off of Keith’s anger.

“If they are inside that mansion, they are not safe,” Keith spat, ignoring Kedde’s hand, “They’re children; they have no place on this show!”

“Oh, Keith, you know how this place works!” The Director chimed in, “Like I said on the phone, once you’re in there’s no getting back out! And those kids are sure to stir up all sorts of media coverage!”

Before Keith could react, Kedde placed his hand on the young man’s shoulder to keep things from escalating.

“Keith, I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but they are in the house and they’re stuck in there for now,” Kedde admitted, “There is a way you can help us get them out safely, though. You can enter the house with me.”

Look what you did!  It’s happening again!  It’s all going to happen again! No! Don’t do it!

Keith’s eyes widened and a lump formed in his throat that threatened to choke him. Keith stepped away from Kedde and the Director until his back was against the canvas flap of the tent.  He could feel himself beginning to hyperventilate at the thought of entering the house again.

“No, no, no,” Keith said. “If we enter, we won’t be able to get out!”

“I can leave the house whenever I want.  Just ask the Director.”

“It’s true! I know I’ll never go in again after that!” The Director added cheerily and held up a familiar looking burned shirt, “We even found some memorabilia we could give away to boost ratings!”

“So, if you want, I will get you into the house so you can get the children out,” Kedde said.

Keith swallowed hard as his mind raced at all of the possible things that could go wrong.  He knew entering the mansion was a terrible decision. He knew it was like asking to die.  He took a few deep breaths as he tried to weigh out the possibilities before clenching his fists tight and glaring at Kedde and the Director.

“Fine, I’ll do it,” Keith choked out.

“Oh, ho, ho, this is fantastic! How do you do it, Kedde?” The Director cheered, “Is it your homeless looking charm or that wonderful voice of yours?”

The next hour was a blur as Keith signed waivers and recorded a few lines the Director had come up with to explain his return to the show.  The shock of what he was doing didn’t fade until he found himself standing before the large, wooden double doors that led into the mansion.

Wiping the sweat from his palms on his slacks, Keith put his hand on one of the doors’ handles and opened it to the shadows within.  Swallowing hard, he took his first few steps into the mansion. Keith looked over his shoulder to see Kedde standing just behind him.  Keith stopped in the middle of the lobby to give his eyes a moment to adjust to the dim lighting in this part of the mansion.

“Alright, Kedde, where are they?”

“Best of luck, Keith.”

Keith turned around just as Kedde flung the doors open and stepped back outside.  Kedde turned back towards Keith and grabbed the handles of the doors.

“What are you doing?!” Keith broke into a mad dash for the door, “You promised to help me!”

“I promised to get you inside so you can go save the children,” Kedde said just before the doors slammed shut.

Keith sprinted towards the doors and slammed his shoulder into the hard wood.  They refused to budge an inch, no matter how hard he pushed.

“YOU BASTARD!” Keith shouted and kicked the door in a final vain attempt at freedom.

Resigning himself to his entrapment, Keith slumped against the door and shook with anger for Kedde and fear of being in the mansion alone.  Standing upright, Keith tried to focus on his purpose for being here.  He took a few shaky steps away from the door.  He removed a small flashlight from his pocket and started off down one of the many hallways towards a distant light in hopes of finding his family before any new horrors found him.