It has been a fracture of a second, a fleeting glimpse that Ishtar saw the smile of the girl, accompanied by a little nod even, before it ended with an ellbow. The girl next to the smiler, a pretty thing, who could have been beautiful if her face were less serious, dug it into the girls side. The girls head lowered, and didn't dare to look up again, for the only thing she would have seen, would have been the reproachful faces of the three girls next to her. A bully group. You greet only who we deem to be greetworthy, understood?

Ishtar had classes... no time to lose. Besides, the nice girl had been carried away already by the flood of girls which were heading for their classes.

Ishtar saw the smile from the girl out of the corner of her eye. Ishtar turned puzzled, had she met this girl somewhere before. Before she could ask, the woman was elbowed by one of the nearby students. The mystery girl was scolded for her transgression by her peers. The blue haired student was flabbergasted that a group of students would act so rudely to another student.

However, before she could say anything. The students were gone, carried away by the rush of students heading for their class. In fact Ishtar would have been late herself, if this had not happened near her class. Reluctantly, the blue haired student went into class, puzzled by what she had just saw.

Things tend to become blurry after awhile, Ishtar would have been used to that. The class didn't leave her much time to think about the girl, consciously enforcing transfer into the long term memory. Her head had to be somewhere else. So there was no way to tell if the little sign of affection left a deep enough impression to survive till the evening, when there was time to ponder the subject again, or not.

There was a knock at the door and a female voice. A student, the voice did not seem old enough to be a teacher. Or strict, for that matter.

"Ishtar? Ishtar? Are you there?"

Definitely a student. Otherwise it would have rather been "Miss Rocha? Open the door please" or something along those lines.

Ishtar would not know the voice.

Ishtar was woken up by a knock at her door. Hearing a voice at the door, the blue haired student struggled to sit up out of bed. She got up out of bed and tugged on her oversized pink t-shirt she was using as a nightie. It covered Ishtar's nubile body down to her just past her panties. She made her way over to the door, all the while trying to figure out who it was at her door. She didn't recognize the voice but she was sure it was a student. One moment. Ishtar opened her door to see who it was that had come at such a late hour.

It was the smiler. She was smiling again. Actually she was quite pretty too, sort of a classic beauty. Big Eyes and a generally happy face expression gave her a naive touch though, which would do her no good in the presence of her bullying friends. Of course she was not alone. She began with "Hi Ishtar..." but couldn't get any further in her sentence, because she was interrupted by Miss Ellbow. Miss Ellbow was standing to the right of Ishtars door, just outside of her focus as she opened it, but now, after stepping up, clearly visible. Her Arms were entwined before her breasts, and she was leaning with her back at the wall, her left leg partially raised, foot against the wall. Her face showed an expression of coolness and indifference. If there would be a blade of grass protuding from her lips, it couldn't have furthered her display of disinterest any more. The other two girls were present too, standing on the opposite site of the corridor, though didn't seem to be similarly at ease.

"...Do you remember us?"

asked Miss Ellbow, hushing Miss Nice with just her presence.

Umm....sorry, no, no I do not. Ishtar's memory had failed her once again as she tried to rack her head on who these people were. It wasn't that their faces weren't unfamiliar, she just couldn't remember anything about them. Still it was clear the one that was leaning so casually against the wall was the girl in charge of this particular group, why she had the nice girl knock she wasn't sure. But there she was surrounded on all sides as by the girls, it was a little disconcerting. Still she had to be polite. May I help you?

"You already did" said the boss girl, and then she nodded, barely noticeable. But before Ishtar could realize what this meant, the smiling girl already pushed forward, trying to catch Ishtar by surprise, and push her over, into her room. Playing Volleyball, Ishtar would not be unathletic, but that naive girl... she was strong. The other girls followed close up, pushing Ishtar furher into her room by their sheer number, before the leader, who was the last of course, closed the door behind them all. Ishtar would have to struggle against the three other girls, but especially the Smiler. The smilers body was incredibly agile, and feeling her body pressing against hers, Ishtar would note, how hard her abs seemed to be. This girl was trained like a pro.

"Ishtar, dont fight. When this is over, you will be grateful to us" said Smiling Girl, and Ishtar would not be able to discern it as lie or not. Judging by their behaviour, they all could easily be some of those sociopathic loonies, which could trick a lie detector.

The overall attack had probably lasted ten seconds, as Ishtar would find her arms restrained by Smiling Girl, who was pushing her down onto the floor of her room, while the other two restrained her legs. The Boss Girl was taking out a large piece of cotton from her pockets, improvising a makeshift gag, before she leant over Ishtars face, obviously in the intention of putting it to use.

Ishtar was shocked when the smiling girl suddenly overpowered her. Ishtar struggled to move but the smiling girl petite frame hid her raw strength. Even if it was just the smiling girl alone, the blue haired student would find it difficult to win against the smiling girl. However she had brought friends, friends who in a matter of seconds had the young woman pinned to her floor of her own dorm in nothing more than a t-shirt and panties. No....please let me go! What are you doing?. It was then that the blue haired student noticed that the leader approached with a large piece of cotton, determined to shut up the young woman. Somebody...anybody...please help me. Ishtar didn't know if anyone would even here her, but this was her only chance before she was silenced.

The girl put the gag into Ishtars mouth without hesitation. Calm and determined she began to circuit the poor girl, to first bind Ishtars wrists and than her ankles together, using some rope she was producing from her handbag.
The smiling Girl was still sitting on Ishtars torso, holding her arms in place for the Boss Girl to finish the job. Her smile was unsettling. What did she want to accomplish with it? To make Ishtar feel better? Didn't work at all. It actually achieved the opposite result.

In the end, the girls even bound the ankles to the ropes holding Ishtars wrists, leaving her almost completely immobile. They lifted her from the floor, and carried Ishtar out of her room. The boss girl went first, opening up all doors, and checking if there were witnesses. Ishtars hope would be the exit hall, because next to it was the office of the janitor, but this hope was soon shattered. After all the Boss girl suddenly seemed to remember her nice and charming side, and she put it to use to lure the Janitor away with a good placed "lonely helpless girl having problems with getting back into her room, because she left the keys inside, could you please help me mister..." He didn't hear Ishtars "Hmphs" as he left.

Once outside around this time, the girls carrying her could basically go anywhere they want, and they went towards the woods, where they reunited with the boss girl and a fifth one who was carrying a camera, one of the big things, which were property of the school. Ishtar wouldn't recognize her either.

And Smiling girl was still smiling in an encouraging "Hey... it will be great" way. It didn't seem nice anymore. It seemed mad. Smiling Girl was obviously a case for the madhouse.

Ishtar struggled as she tried to fight off her attackers but the girls were simply still too much soon they had her hands and ankles bound in rope. The blue haired student could only look on as the smiling one continued to give that really creepy everything is okay smile. The girls picked up the helpless Ishtar and began carrying her downstairs. The boss girl moved ahead and distracted the janitor so the others could carry the bound blue haired student outside. Despite her best muffled shouts, Ishtar's pleas went unheard by the janitor.

Soon the girls had carried her out of to the woods, where the boss girl and a student with a huge professional camera had joined them. Whatever they had planned, they were going to make a big show out of it. And with the way the smiling girl was smiling, Ishtar began to really fear where this was going...

The nastiest part was the insecurity. What did these girls want from Ishtar? All in all they seemed to be one of these bully groups which took pride in turning the life of others, which were different, into a living hell. But this... this was so drastic. Girl bullies were much better in hurting someone with a few nasty remarks here... and ... here, without risking to be expelled. Something was clearly wrong.
They could impossibly think that they could pass with this behaviour. But probably the camera was their insurance. Tell anyone and the world will see...

It was a little remark of the camera girl that turned it into a horror trip.

" Do you think van Zant would have imagined Ishtar with blue Hair?"
" Dunno. Keep Moving"

Having Ishtars little problem with short time memories tend to be enerving, but it did not only have drawbacks. It took time and effort to learn things, but as soon as they were learned, they tend to stay.
Unfortunatley though it was trash which really seemed to stick, but this seemed to be a problem with anyone. Van Zant... where did she get this from? Oh yeah... Christine the movie geek and her insatiable hunger for meaningless facts. And the tendency to never stop talking.
Frank van Zant had been a horror author, sect leader, and not very successful movie director in the 1960ties and early 70ties. It was the time of free love and general rebellion, and he was a man with a vision of half erotic horror movies. Lateron his works became forgotten by most, yet it was his disappearance which caused quite a stir. It is said that there was a catastrophe occurring on set, which turned the main actress insane, and left van Zant and his crew missing from this day on. "The Cult of Ishtar" was the name of the movie he was working on, yet, of course, no one ever found the script. All in all, it all sounded like a big heap of bollocks, made up by dealers of cheap horror porns flicks, just to sell a little more, to be able to make a living.
Of course fans tend to have a different view on things, and students with an instable psyche could be prone to take it all a little too ...serious... almost religious. Van Zant had been a sect leader after all...

The group reached a small, secluded cave. Odd encarvings were scratched into the wall, and an... ugly... altar had been carved from a large stone. The work was that of laymans, yet this somehow made it even more unsettling. There were teeth implied, tentacles... ancient scriptures. The girls lifted Ishtar on it, and then, after untying her partially, bound her hands and feet to the "altar" exerting not a small amount of force. The camera girl positioned herself somewhere out of Ishtars field of vision, yet Ishtar would still hear her preparations and mutterings about the bad lighting conditions. What Ishtar could see, were four students, who took off her clothes, until they wore nothing else than a makeshift loincloth anymore. If the situation were not so... scary, it could have been funny. Smiling girl got a big book with a leather cover from somewhere, and stepped up to the altar, until she loomed over Ishtar. She was still smiling with an "Everything is going to turn out well" expression, yet now there seemed to be anticipation mixed into it.

"We all made this for you, Ishtar. Do you like it?"

Smiling Girl all of a sudden seemed a lot more dangerous.

Why are you doing? This is suppose to be a set for the movie. Ishtar was disturbed as the looked at the four students that had tied her to the the altar. The blue haired looked at the students as they took off their clothes and put themselves in loin cloths. It was then she realized she was being used in some sort of ritual, something they were going to reenact a scene from that half made movie. Please let me go. You are scaring me. She realized her words would have no effect on them, but she had to at least try.

It was probably the most boring ritualistic sacrificial ceremony Ishtar had ever seen (if she had seen one). Even though she would have been quite thankful probably. The girls did start to sing, and began an arythmic dance around the altar, yet there were no daggers involved, no axes, and no chickens or goats who had been used for strange or sick ritualistic practices. Instead of blood, sweat was flowing in rivulets. Not only with the chanting and dancing girls. It was getting quite hot in here, even for Ishtar, who basically lay on a cold stone altar in a cave which should have been cold. So why was she sweating too?
Though... granted, the text was strange, but probably it was because it was her name that had been chanted over and over again. At least it contained sex.

"Ai Rhuunir, Ai Heigliss, Ai Dahor, Ishtar is reborn. Take her mortal body for your ravenous lust. She who knows your desires, she who is the vessel of your desires. Goddess of the carnal sins. She is ready for the Taking. Whore of the void. Ishtar is reborn to please you.

Aishagga Nivur. Garthass Khalesh. Ishtar ai Ishtar thomagga Sanour. Ai Gorras no kleptra, in khus thai gi."

Over and over again. After 5 Minutes Smiling girl had sung herself into a trance, her movements seemed to indicate this clearly. They were slackly and misdirected. As was her gaze. Or she was an incredibly good actor.

The most eerie part was probably the fog which had come up soon after the girls started singing, and which was crawling into the cave, even though the warmth should have dissolved it. This and the fact that the girls could decide otherwise any second and turn everything into a bloodbath were probably the only things keeping her on the edge. At least the second prospect was quite successful in doing it.

This is was really weird. Ishtar watched as the mostly naked girls began to sing and dance. They just kept dancing and sing the same words over and over game. Most of the words didn't make sense to her, the young woman could make out her name being used over and over again. And there were statements of that she of her being used like a sex toy. She wasn't sure she liked where this was going. In fact, Ishtar began to sweat profusely. She didn't think she could sweat so much while wearing so little on a cold altar in the middle of a cave.

Ishtar looked up at the smiling girl. She had somehow began to sing herself in the trance. If she wasn't insane before, the smiling one was now. Her movements were misdirected at beast like she wasn't in control. She appeared to be in daze as she continued to dance and sing. If things were weird enough, Ishtar noticed the hot cave was being filled with fog. The blue haired student didn't think it was even possible, but that was going to be the least of problems soon enough.

The fog was getting denser and denser, but after some time, Ishtar would not describe it as fog anymore. Given the Heat, it had to be steam. It made it hard to breathe, making her feel as if if she was stuck in the school sauna, while someone barred the door.
The steam and her own sweat made her nightie stick to her body and revealed her curves. There was no one to see it though. One was barely able to see a meter in that soup, so thick was it. Everything was somewhat surreal… until…

"Hey Girls, thats it. I can’t make out anything in this fog. We have to call it a day. But i think we got enough material.“ That was Camera girl.
All of the four girls but one stopped singing. Given the voice, it was Smiling girl, who was still going on.
"Yeah, Guess you are right. Damn, where did that come from?“
"Dunno, but it gives the scene some nice eerie touch. Did any of you prepare it?“
"No, wasn’t us. Probably Sabine… she seemed to take it all a little serious.“
"Pfft… Method Actors…"
"....Ishtar ai Ishtar..."
"Can you wake her up? And then untie Ishtar? I will pack the camera."
"If i can find her… Can’t see anything in here…"
"Show her the vid first, ok?"

There was a small pause, and then there was the voice of the Boss girl again.

"I think i can see something… Sabine? …Hey Sabine. You can stop singing now. Sabine? Sabine? Sab… OH MY GOD… WHAT IS AARGH…"
"Janet… Janet? Something is not right… SOMETHING IS HAPPENING TO ME…"
"What ist that thing? Monica? Louise? I…AAHH… NO..NOO my arms…My arms!!! my mphlmph..."
"Jackie…AAAAAHHHH…Archhhgglll…"
"....Ishtar ai Ishtar..."
"Whats happening to me? Whats happening to meeee?"
"AAAAAAAAAAH, OH MY GOD...."

Ishtar would see a large tentacle emerging from the fog, twisting and twitching, somewhere between green and dirtyish grey. It was barely missing her with its spastic movements, before it vanished in the fog again.

The screams of terror coming from the fog remained.