“Thanks,” I muttered and noticed Phoebe watching us, her mouth pinched.
“What do you think these chairs are for?” I asked.
Aidan gave a careful shrug. “My Grandpa collected antiques, he…” his eyes widened and he looked from them to me. “You don’t think that he used these, do you?”
Not feeling well enough for an argument and slightly embarrassed that it had been my first conclusion, I scoffed. “No, of course not.”
“They were probably just too heavy to put in the auction,” Aidan said.
If no one had been up here, why was the window shiny and floors swept? Only the bricks and chairs seemed affected by age and the weather.
Phoebe asked. “You’ve never been here before?”
Aidan looked to Phoebe, affronted. “No, I told you. Grandpa said it was too dangerous.”
“Not you,” Phoebe said, “her.”
I realized she was talking to me and froze. “You’re joking, right?” My eyes betrayed me as I glanced at the writing on the wall.
I had asked her not to tell, begged her! What was she doing?
Saving the day, Read almost ran into Phoebe. He was touching the red walls with his palm, as if he could absorb what he saw. “Have you guys noticed this?”
Robin sat down on the floor and crossed her ankles. She seemed to have noticed the lack of dust as well, otherwise she’d never have risked it. She was facing Cody and me in the chairs when she snapped at Read. “Kind of hard not to.”
“No, not the writing. The wall!” When no one reacted, he continued, “It’s warm in some spots, ice cold in others and even hot sometimes. It almost hurts to touch it.”
Phoebe touched the wall, patting her way around the room to confirm. “He’s right.”
Bewildered, Aidan joined them and the three slapped at the bricks, discussing the unusual temperature changes.
Robin tapped my arm with a manicured nail. Careful not to turn my head too fast, I squinted over at her. “Nora, your initials are carved into the back of this chair.”
“What?”
“That could be anyone’s initials,” Cody slurred. I wasn’t sure if it was because he was dizzy like me or if he’d drank while downstairs and I hadn’t noticed.
“N.E.F. Is written here,” Robin pointed at the chair.
“My middle name is Jean.”
“You’re name is Nora-Jean?” Robin imitated a southern accent with a half-smirk.
I would have swatted at her if I thought I could aim, but the wavering room wouldn’t allow it. “I don’t think I want to be up here anymore,” I said. “I don’t feel well.”
“Me neither,” Cody echoed.
Ignored, Phoebe spoke up, the urgency in her voice demanding attention. “What’s this? This wasn’t here before, I swear. I walked around the whole room like twice.”
I turned the other way in my seat to look. Instant dizzying waves slapped me in the face and I touched my cheek feeling that my skin wasn’t just warm, it was hot. Dropping my face in both hands, I wondered if I needed to vomit. Peeking up at my friends through splayed fingers I said behind them. “Guys, we want to get out of here.”
“Wait a second,” Read said.
Aidan took three strides toward Phoebe and Read to study the new find. “It’s a door,” he announced.
That’s it, I finally lost it. I’m wandering around in my head right now and I bet Phoebe is back downstairs explaining to the rest of my friends that I had a family history of hallucinations and it was bound to happen one day.
This strange door was small, maybe four-feet-tall, if that. I was reminded of the one from Alice in Wonderland.
Off the deep end, here I go. I giggled behind my hands at the thought.
Our new door had a brass knob that was as big as an eight ball. It wasn’t wooden like the door downstairs. It was a pale-blue marble, the color of…the color of Aidan’s eyes. It was as smooth and shiny as glass, reflecting the candles and single flashlight. I could see Phoebe and Aidan’s reflections in the gleaming surface.
“Open it,” Phoebe whispered loud enough for us all to hear though she was talking to Aidan.
Aidan looked back at me. “Should I?” He asked.
I wasn’t sure why he was asking me. Maybe because he knew I wasn’t feeling well and wanted out too.
My eyes trailed to the messages. I shook my head but at the same time, said. “Sure, why not?” The minute they escaped I knew those words weren’t mine.
Touching my mouth with my shaking hands, my lips felt numb. I wanted to yell, “NO!” Instead I wheezed.
Down, down, down the rabbit hole.
Aidan had turned back to the marble door and reached for the knob.
He turned it as if it might crumble beneath his palm, it sounded like two smooth stones grinding together. I jumped out of the chair, spooking Robin. She toppled back as I tried to scream.
Not even a whimper escaped my throat.
“Guys…” Robin called, her eyes on me while everyone else seemed focused on the new find. Everyone except for Cody. He was trying to get out of his chair behind me, but seemed to have lost control of his legs. He couldn’t run and I couldn’t scream to warn them.
The swelling panic brought on a strange warmth inside my stomach. At first it was ignorable, until I felt a pinch of pain, as if the warmth were growing too hot. Maybe I really did have to vomit.
Grabbing the armrest with my fingernails, I prepared myself to retch over the side when something happened. I can only describe it as a burst of energy escaping.
One second I thought I was going to vomit and the next, the hot acid rippled up my throat and was gone, as if it were never there but I was weakened somehow. The dizziness that almost had me to my knees evaporated along with it.
Choking, I half expected pain when I swallowed, but instead found my voice. “Stop!” The hoarse scream was worthless.
Aidan swung open the door and a shrieking wind exploded into the room.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Aidan’s sneakers grazed my knees as the wind lifted him off his feet and threw him against the opposite wall.
The candles were snuffed, leaving a swinging flashlight and faint moonlight.
Gripping the armrest, I twisted my body to try and see Aidan. My ponytail whipping past my temple like a spear.
It took a moment for my eyes to adjust before I could see that Aidan wasn’t falling. The wind wasn’t strong enough to lift me out of my chair, but it had pinned Aidan to the wall. He was red-faced and his arms were above his head, one leg poker straight and the other was bent at the knee. Neither foot touching the floor.
The flashlight rolled in front of me.
Moving to catch it with my foot I heard Robin scream. “Get away from…” Her voice melted into the howling.
I missed the flashlight as it swung past my foot and I scrambled out of the chair to catch it. All the energy I had before climbing those stairs had returned. The wind didn’t lift me up, but shoved at me as I chased the flashlight toward the stairs. My fingertips grazed the round handle before I was snagged. The wind twisted around me like a funnel.
Jerked upright with the force, I was spun around before I had enough time to comprehend what was going on. Flung like a rag doll, I twisted to face the room again, my mouth opening, but I couldn’t scream through the oxygen-stealing wind.
I squinted to find Phoebe not far from me, standing stiff as a board. Her face too was red and her hands balled into white-knuckled fists. Read was beside her at the wall, his hands up to his ears. The hollow whistle tore through my eardrums and I tried to wiggle my arms.
I couldn’t.
Moving my head wasn’t a problem, but every other part was impossible. My fingers would barely twitch on command. I stood as frozen as a statue, deaf and sucking in small breaths where I could. Something had just taken my voice and balance seconds before, which left me to wonder: what else was it capable of?
I felt a quiver begin
at the base of my spine and rattle through my body; working its way through the back of my head and echoing like a gong.
I wanted to ask Aidan if he was alright. Tilting my chin up I saw he was still pinned to the wall, immobile and struggling. What would stop it from doing that to me? From anyone in this room?
Swallowing hard, I tried to ignore the panicky sensation to run. Trying to twitch my legs, I knew I couldn’t but kept trying. You’re trapped, an evil voice in my head hissed.
Stay calm, I rationalized in response. The spidery feeling of dread was edging my mind. Was this it? Was I dead? Insane? Could this even be real? All I knew was, I wanted to leave.
Robin had already let the hysteria take over. I could see her screaming, but couldn’t hear her over the roar.
Cody’s long arm was frozen as he had reached out for his petite girlfriend, his bleached spikes blown tight against his scalp.
As abruptly as the wind had begun, it vanished.
Stunned, I took a deep breath, hearing the frantic gasps and Robin’s shaky sobs fill the tower.
Testing my limbs, I found I still couldn’t move. Every inch of me was a statue.
“Run for the exit!” Phoebe commanded. She was in the same position she had been when the wind had hit her. “Read!” Phoebe screamed.
Read was moving.
“Read run!” I joined in. Just finding my own voice was glorious. He was the farthest from the marble door other than myself.
His eyes were locked on Phoebe’s before he bolted. Racing toward me, he brushed past and on to the archway. As he reached it, I heard a sharp slap.
I jumped and lost my balance. The shock of being able to move again threw me off.
Stumbling, I saw the stairway was replaced by the same smooth brick as the rest of the circular room.
Standing straight I tested my limbs, curling my fingers, moving my legs, stretching my arms. Such simple actions sparked an incredible relief.
Aidan had fallen from the wall, landing awkwardly on his feet.
Read slapped the bricks, testing their integrity. “What is this?” He demanded. “We have to get out of here.” A wild fear had sparked in his grey eyes and he slammed his shoulders into the bricks.
“Read, stop, you’ll just hurt yourself,” Aidan’s voice was strained.
“What was that, Aidan?” Cody asked, his voice shaky and soft.
Robin looked up, tears streaking her thick foundation make-up. “Cody?” She sobbed, shaking so hard I was surprised the floorboards didn’t shudder beneath her.
Cody twisted, stood and reached for Robin in one motion. Though he was still pale he didn’t seem as sick as before. He pulled Robin up in his arms, protecting her, and I felt a pang of longing.
Fearful, my eyes flickered back to the wall where the door had been. The window was too small for me to crawl through. Even then it was a three story drop.
I looked to the opened marble door.
I didn’t move closer to see where the mystery wind had come from. I wanted to sink into the floor and disappear. This type of craziness didn’t happen to real people—to sane people.
I pinched myself hard and winced as the pain throbbed in my forearm. It didn’t feel like a dream. Or was it all a hallucination? Maybe this was all in my head right now.
In a feeble attempt to calm myself, I took a deep breath through my nose, releasing it through parted lips and stared at the only escape, now filled with an inky darkness.
The marble door hadn’t disappeared but beyond it was a black pit, giving no hint to what it hid.
Phoebe spoke first, anger and fear searing her voice. “What-the-fuck.”
“What is this?” I croaked.
We all waited for an answer, tensing with each delayed second.
Phoebe took a cautious step forward. “Where’s the flashlight?”
“It must have fallen through the doorway before the…” I motioned to the bricks Read was leaning against.
Phoebe sighed through her nose.
I heard a lighter spark to life and a blaze of color erupted beside me.
Aidan was at my side. I hadn’t even known he was there, and it took all I had not to jump. I’d always known when he was close, what had changed?
Aidan’s pale eyes narrowed on the darkened rabbit hole as he lit one of the discarded candles.
The mysterious opening was still dark. The door should have led outside. The main house was only two stories high while the connecting tower was three. At least that’s how it appeared from the outside.
He raised his candle higher but no shadows cast within the marble doorway. He didn’t move any closer and I didn’t blame him.
My imagination presented me with a variety of gruesome ideas.
“Maybe we can get to the roof through the window,” Cody said.
Read was shaking his head. “Who’d fit through there?”
Robin started to raise a shaky hand. “Maybe?”
Aidan stepped forward, closer to the hole.
I gasped and my hands clawed out to catch him. “Don’t.”
Aidan paused, stretching the candle toward the doorway as far as he could without stepping closer. Not even a shadow revealed itself. There wasn’t a floor or walls, just blackness.
Phoebe grabbed my arm and whispered. “Come on, the window.”
I reached for Aidan, snagging the back of his shirt. He didn’t resist as I pulled him back.
It was as if a gunshot went off when we all bolted for the window at the same time.
Read had reached the window first, but his hand never touched the glass. Instead he hit brick.
I ran into Phoebe, Aidan ran into me. Cody and Robin skidded just behind Aidan, almost colliding with the group. It could have been comical any other day.
All around us, there was a solid wall. The single candle provided the only light. I looked up to see the patchy room was sealed above.
It was plain luck that the flame hadn’t been snuffed in our race.
Robin’s breaths came loud and raspy from behind, each one a struggle.
No one dared to speak, but what would anyone say?
I touched my forehead. If I’d finally cracked I should be the one panicking, not Robin.
I turned slowly, my eyes falling on the little doorway again.
If it were possible, a darker shadow stood in front of it. “Guys,” I hissed.
Everyone turned and froze.
Aidan raised the flame and revealed a human-shaped shadow without a source. Defying all physics, the shadow didn’t disappear when struck with our candlelight. It remained perfectly still. There were no features other than the human shape. It seemed two-dimensional and it was definitely male. Broad shoulders and narrower hips, short hair (I think) even the stance seemed masculine rather than feminine.
“What the hell is that?” Phoebe’s eyes were wide and feral.
Robin was sobbing so hard that Cody shushed her.
Read inched forward. “This is a nightmare,” he whispered. “Just like early this week. It’s all just a dream.”
“Then it’s my dream,” My lips felt numb.
The perfect shadow had remained still against the bricks until I spoke.
Lifting off the wall it began to shift. The darkness within the shadow swirled like a living mist, reflecting Aidan’s light.
Read looked to us. “What do we do?”
That was a good question but no one answered.
As he turned back to the spectacle, it began to gain color, texture. Morphing from a shadow into the shape which held it dormant.
Faded at first I strained to see more, wanting to see every piercing feature before it manifested itself fully. My fingers had dug deep enough to peel skin near my elbows.
Then the shadow was gone, replaced by a man.
CHAPTER TWELVE
There were few explanations for what I was seeing.
I was either crazy, or bat-shit-crazy. I’d have to decide later.
Instead, I peeked at my friends to see the same shock.
It was a minor relief but it proved that I wasn’t completely mad. Right?
Blinking rapidly as if it could clear the illusion, I realized I’d just watched a shadow morph into a solid man who didn’t appear much older than us, though I doubted that was the case. Nothing that rolls out of shadows could be like us.
He was breathtaking and as hard as I tried, I couldn’t look away.
I’ve never seen a day-old-corpse before but I wouldn’t be surprised if it had skin like his; deathly pale and flawless. It made a shocking contrast to his midnight hair, like he was digitally remastered instead of real.
Without thinking, I stepped forward and spoke past the awkward lump in my throat. “Who are you?”
Even his voice sounded dark, low and resonating. “The question is, who are you?” His obsidian eyes sought me out and I unexpectedly felt violated.
Read was the first to recover and knocked on the bricked-up window. “We are just about to leave.”
I glanced at the strange man dressed all in black. The t-shirt beneath the vest subtly revealed broad shoulders, chest and arms. One had to look to notice and I was quite sure every female in the room noticed.
The man could have been dreamy if he hadn’t just popped out of shadows. Nothing that beautiful should exist, except maybe in a fairy tale, to tempt stupid, young girls into some perverse, sexual game.
“You can’t leave,” the shadowed man rumbled, “yet.”
Before any of us could stop him Read stepped in front and shouted. “Hey, man, what’s your problem? We don’t belong here! Let us out.”
The man in black smiled without showing teeth. “Well man, as an illegal transgressor you became my problem.” He managed to mimic Read so well, I had to replay the scene in my head several times to register what shadow-man said.
Gritting his teeth, Read lurched forward, fists white and tight. If it hadn’t been for Phoebe’s firm hand, he might have made a move he’d regret. “There’s six of us and one of him,” Read hissed at Phoebe.
“Yeah, one of him,” Phoebe echoed, “but I don’t suppose you noticed that he used to be a friggin’ shadow that came out of a four-foot door?”
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