There were times Wednesday night when I wished I'd taken the Brotherhood up on their offer to take it easy on me. By the time we were done at three A.M., my body ached with exhaustion, and I was grateful to sink down on the floor with my pillow.

"I'll be down to wake you all in a few hours-around five," Marc said with a smile. "Nice job, guys. Tomorrow morning you need to clean the chapter room-it has to look like you were never here. If you see a brother on campus tomorrow-you cannot speak to him. Tomorrow night, you must be dressed up and lined up underneath the basketball hoop. In a paper bag, you have to have your pledge uniform. Congratulations, guys, on making it through the week."

By six in the morning I was curled up in my own bed, completely exhausted. I slept until three-screw class, I decided to take the day off, and at promptly six P.M., I was lined up underneath the basketball hoop with my pledge brothers.

"What do you think tonight is all about?" Eric whispered. "We're not going to be initiated until tomorrow night."

I shrugged. "Final test, maybe?"

Marc walked out of the house and across the parking lot toward us, probably for the last time. "Good evening, guys." He gave us his broadest smile. "I am sure you are all wondering what is in store for you tonight." He took a deep breath. "Tonight, you are to meet with the National Examiner for Beta Kappa fraternity. He has the final say as to whether you are Beta Kappa material or not. So it's very important that you treat him with respect, answer his questions, and remember-this is the final test for you all. Now, single file follow me into the house one last time."

So, carrying our bags, we followed Marc into the house and into the Great Room one last time. He lined us up against the wall again, and the entire Brotherhood was gathered there, solemn looks on their faces. The room was dead silent.

"So, pledges, do you know what tonight is?" Marc asked in a calm and reasonable voice.

No one answered.

"Not one of you knows?"

We glanced at each other puzzled.

"It's fucking Hell Night!" he screamed. "Get into your pledge uniforms RIGHT THE FUCK NOW!"

And the Brotherhood started screaming at us, came right up into our faces. Bewildered, I took off my tie as two brothers screamed into each ear. Blair winked at me, and said, "Put your clothes into the bag," he told me, and as I got each garment off I just shoved it into the bag. I was shaking, I couldn't stand having people yelling at me. I fumbled out of my clothes and put on the filthy stinking clothes I'd worn all week. And then, just as suddenly as it started, the yelling stopped.

"Big brothers," Marc intoned solemnly, "remove a sock from the bag."

They all did.

"Tie it around their left hand."

Blair stepped forward and knotted the sock tightly around my left hand.

"Pledges, the sock is now your pledge pin. You cannot let anyone take it away from you. If someone gets your sock, you are finished at Beta Kappa. Do you understand me?"

"SIR! YES SIR!" we shouted back in unison.

"Big brothers, blindfold them." Blair tied a blindfold over my eyes. "Pledges, turn to your left and put your right hand on your pledge brother's right shoulder." I put my hand up on Ted's shoulder, and felt Chris's hand on me. "DO NOT LET GO OF YOUR BROTHER! No matter what, you must not let go of your pledge brother. Do you understand me?"

"SIR! YES SIR!"

"Forward march!"

We were led outside. I could see nothing, but knew we were outside because I could smell the grass and feel the wind. As we stood there, someone commanded that we sing the fraternity song, so we started singing in low voices. I don't know how long we stood there, but after we finished singing, brothers would move up and down the line. They would try to pull my hand off Ted's shoulder, or Chris's off mine. Others tried to take away my sock, so I finally crossed my arm and tucked it into my right armpit. "All right, pledges," I recognized Marc's voice, "you are about to be led on a journey. You must hold on to your pledge brother. When you reach the end of the journey, I will tell you to let go. Until then, YOU CANNOT LET GO! Do you understand me?"

"SIR! YES SIR!"

And we started moving. They were leading us in a serpentine pattern through the parking lot, and then we went back inside. Once we were inside, it sounded like we had entered the bowels of hell. That horrible tuneless noise made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. They led us through the house, up a staircase, down a staircase and around and around. Finally, we were led into what had to be the Great Room, and that noise was even louder. Marc whispered into my ear, "Let go," and I dropped my hand. Someone else grabbed my hand, led me somewhere, and then spun me around three times. "Sit down," an unidentifiable voice whispered, and I did.

I don't know how long I sat there on the cold floor. Every so often, someone would grab my sock and try to get it away from me, but I held on doggedly. No one was getting the damned thing away from me.

Finally, someone whispered into my ear, "Stand up." I did, and they took the hand without the sock, and started leading me somewhere. I heard three knocks on a door, and a voice called, "Enter." I heard the door swing open, and the person who was leading me said, "I have another candidate for membership in the Brotherhood here."

"Can you recite the Greek alphabet?" I thought it was Jerry Pollard's voice asking.

"Alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon-"

"Too slow! Get this maggot out of my sight!"

Stunned, I was led out of the room down the hall. Again, the three knocks, again the pronouncement "I have another candidate for membership in the Brotherhood here." "Do you know the year Beta Kappa was founded?"

I relaxed. I knew this. "Beta Kappa was founded at the Univer-"

"I don't need a fucking history lesson! Get him out of here!"

I was led back into the Great Room and told to sit. Again, I have no idea how long I sat there. It seemed like hours. Then, someone tapped me on the shoulder and told me to stand up. I was led to another door, where again there were the three knocks, the pronouncement, and I was led into a room thick with cigar smoke. I was seated in a chair. I could tell there was more than one other person in the room, but I couldn't tell who they were, or how many there were. I sat there in silence.

"So, you're Jeff Morgan. The brothers have told me a lot about you." A deep, gruff voice said.

"Sir, yes sir!"

"Do you know who I am, maggot?"

"You're the National Examiner, sir!"

"You're goddamned right I am." I heard the sound of a glass filling with liquid, and he drank something. I thought I smelled Scotch when he leaned close to me. "I suppose you think you're hot shit, don't you, boy?"

"Sir, no sir!"

"Always knew your lessons, did what was expected, even took a beating for one of your pledge brothers." He went on in a reasonable voice. "Very, very commendable."

"Sir, thank you, sir." I let out a breath. This wasn't going to be so bad.

"I DON'T GIVE A FUCK WHAT YOU THINK PLEDGE! IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE FUCKING BROTHERHOOD THINKS! I AM THE ONLY PERSON WHO DECIDES WHO HAS WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A BROTHER OF BETA KAPPA!" he screamed at me, spittle flying into my face.

Stunned, I opened my mouth and nothing came out.