Disturbing Artwork

The drive up to the castle was wooded, but that was about all I could tell from the damned fog. "Who the fuck builds a medieval castle in the middle of New York?" Sven asked. I shrugged. The driver turned his head slightly with a smile. I could tell he loved it when people asked.

"The castle and the surrounding structures as were built in the late 1800's. The keep however was originally built in the 13th century. Its from Bavaria." I whistled. Must have cost a pretty penny to move an entire castle, er, keep across the Atlantic. Something wasn't right.

"Wait, why not just build a replica? I mean, there is stone all over the place. It would make much more sense to just build a new one." I said. The driver shrugged.

"That's what they told me. I just drive the van." I wasn't convinced. There was something terribly off about this whole thing.

"Pretty cool location to shoot a porno." Sven chimed in. I had to concede that. The driver chuckled.

"Is that what you two think you are here for?" he said with a chuckle. What the fuck was that supposed to mean? Why else would we be flown out here with a bunch of what were almost certainly prostitutes from New York City? I hadn't really internalized that I had a pretty similar assumption. They had to get those muscleheads for porn from somewhere, right? the strongman circuit was a good place to look.

He rolled his window down as we approached the tall wrought iron gates, pressed a button, and waited. The box made a little buzz, and the old gates creeped open. We passed through into a fog-filled courtyard complete with two burning braziers set in front of of neoclassical lion statuary and a fountain depicting Hades seizing some nymph or Goddess from behind with one hand on her breast and the other holding the root of his erect penis poised to penetrate her from behind. It was a very explicit image compared to the more tasteful depictions of the more unsavory aspects of mythology.

Finally, we pulled up to the wide steps and parked. I took a deep breath and stared up at the dark gray stone walls, complete with arrow slits and parapets. I don't know why it surprised me, but a light turned on in one of the upper floors. I thought I saw a sillouette briefly pass by and even though I knew it was probably a security guard checking to see who had pulled up, it still gave me the chills. "Fucking haunted castles..." I said to myself. What had I gotten myself into?

We approached the weathered wooden door, complete with woodcuts. I glanced back to see that the driver was still in the vehicle and appeared to have no intention of joining us. "So do we just walk inside?" I asked. Why was this whole thing so damned secretive? Why was everyone being so damned close-lipped? He grinned.

"No. Just use the knocker." he said, starting the van's engine again. "I'll be back Monday to drive anyone not staying back to the airport." I nodded. That was reassuring at least. Worst case scenario was that I couldn't get it up for the camera and go back to moving pool tables with my uncle. Best case scenario was I get a fat check for fucking a thin whore. Or so I thought.

"Jesus." Sven said, pointing at the knocker. It was done in the old iron ring style, but instead of a lion's head, it was a smooth faced woman with a blindfold and slightly pursed lips with the ring hanging from a metal **** collar. I looked at Sven and the other guys. No one else was going to do it, so I grabbed the ring and pounded on the heavy door, the thuds echoing in the fog. Now that I was closer, I could see that the woodcuts all shared a similar theme. Satyrs, demons, werewolves in scene after scene chasing and defiling bare breasted women. This was getting weirder by the second.

Not going to lie, I jumped a little when the door latch clanged open from the inside. I shifted my bag nervously on my shoulder, and was prepared to see some guy in a cape and mask holding a torch. Instead, I was greeted by a mustached butler that looked more at home in a hardware store than a medieval castle. He nodded, and pulled the door open.

"Gentlemen, welcome. Make yourselves comfortable by the fireplace." he said. That sounded nice, at least. Once inside, I immediately felt more at ease. Rather than wall sconces and tapestries, the inside was more akin to an Art Deco hotel lobby. This was no castle in the absolute sense, rather it was much more likely it was some failed retreat for rich people that they had purchased. Getaways like this used to be popular for the wealthy and powerful. I remembered what the driver had said that this was all part of the newer construction. We weren't in the "Keep" proper.

I walked over to a Victorian era clawfooted chair, sat my bag beside it, and sat. The only thing left to do was wait. "Excuse me gentlemen, but you won't be joining your large friends. The lady has requested I escort you to your rooms." the butler said, separating Sven and I from the rest of the group. We looked at each other, but no one had any more clue as what that meant than anyone else.

"Maybe this is like that movie where rich people lure men into underground fighting pits where we have to fight to the ****." Sven said. I scoffed, but it was just as valid a theory as anything else. It would explain the secrecy and the remote location. If it came to that, Sven was fucked. I entertained that notion for far too long, but when the maid arrived with the drinks; we both knew that wasn't the case.

"I don't think so..." I said, taking a drink from the smiling young beauty. She chuckled at Sven, handed him his drink, and left.

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"Yep. Porno." Sven said, already rubbing himself through his pants. I glanced around for hidden cameras as she approached, but didn't see any.

"I don't think so..." I said, taking a drink from the smiling young beauty. She chuckled at Sven, handed him his drink, and left.

It was then the butler returned. We looked at him with apprehension.

"Lord Coal will see you now." he said. I slammed my drink, took a deep breath, and stood.