We're Fine

Page 13

Chapter Three: Nerves

I walked down the dimly lit hall and tried not to look suspicious. I'm not normally one to do any wrong so not looking like I was turned out to be more of a challenge than I had thought. In turn, I rolled my shoulders, kept my eyes sheep-like, and kept strolling. I still couldn't believe I had been suckered into this. All I'd had to have done was make a mad dash into the hall and to the stairwell. It only would have taken a few seconds, but no. I just had to have Adrian with me.

I slipped past a sleeping guard, holding my breath and cautiously approached Adrian's door. I slowly turned the doorknob and peered inside. Adrian stood up from his bed, looking as emotionless as usual and handed me a scratchy, white blanket.

"Wouldn't want you to freeze to death." He said quietly as to not stir the armed guard.

"Do you have any idea how hot it is outside?" I questioned with an eyebrow raised.

Adrian leaned forward with his eyebrows raised at my apparent ignorance. "Have you been in a cold, damp basement surrounded by ice cold ghosts?" He was testing me. He wanted me to be scared when we got down there.

"No." I said under my breath and swallowed. He smiled, getting what he wanted out of me.

"Let's go then." His face turned to stone as he grabbed my wrist and pulled me out of the room. I closed the door behind me and my heart really began racing. The hair on the back of my neck prickled and I wished he would walk slower. Even though we were making physical contact I wasn't close enough to flesh and blood to feel like I wasn't alone in this nightmare.

"Ladies first." He taunted and opened the door. I was so caught up in my fear that I hadn't realized we were there already. I peered down the dark hall knowing that hesitation was a terrible idea.

"That isn't funny Adrian." I mumbled, not being able to find my voice well enough to talk clearly. "I don't want to...I don't think I can go in there again." My body shook and electricity ran through my spine like it was a lightening rod in a storm. The air that blew as gently as a breath from the room was cold and I understood what Adrian had meant.

The basement was alive. It could breathe and move and had a pulse. It radiated emotions of sadness and anger and unbearable fear. To take a step in, especially now, might as well be a death sentence. There was something there. It felt like there was a whole community of horror packed tightly into the hallway. I was terrified that all the energies weren't human.

I looked at Adrian as he took a steady breath.

"Gale, I'm stuck here. My chances of getting out and being free are nearly nonexistent. I have to know what's going on here before I end up like Alice." He was trying to hide the criticalness of his words with his irritated tone, but I understood and sympathized.