The Last Winter

Saturday: What Hides In the Basement (9)

Nelia
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"Don't worry Senpai, just get behind me. I'll protect you."

I stare with wide eyes as Maggie elbows her way in front of us, brandishing the new weapon she found: the metal baseball bat.

"Where'd you get that?" Oriana asks hesitantly, keeping her distance from the point.

"Never mind that," I say in annoyance, shoving my sister to the side. "We gotta go! Della's getting away!"

"What's going on down here?" I hear Michal's dry voice.

More footsteps follow, and cell phone lights are turned on. I would groan if the circumstances aren't so serious. Every second we waste is another yard of distance being put between us and Della.

Soon, almost the whole gang is down here with us: Michal and Nolan, Isabella, and Vena.

"You guys shouldn't be here," Oriana says weakly, after explaining the situation. "Cameron needs you upstairs."

"Dallas and Veronica are with him. He'll be fine," Vena shoots back.

I take a deep breath and prod Maggie forward. She stumbles into a dark hallway, holding her weapon out in front of her like a sword.

It's like we're entering a whole different world.

It's freezing down here, and I can see everyone's breath hanging in the crisp air. The walls look dark and half-rotten, almost completely stripped of wallpaper. Black scorch marks stain the ancient surface. The ground is riddled with various debris and decades-old layers of dirt.

Several rooms branch from the tunnel, and when we peer into them, we see barren bunkbeds. This looks like some kind of underground hotel, or a bunker that had been really nice at some point in the distant past.

We descend some steps and cross a series of more rooms, this time bigger and containing tables and chairs. Some sort of lounge, and a dining area, and--

Isabella gasps, and Michal shines his light on a dark doorway on the opposite wall. A few boards had been hammered across the center of the door frame, but someone could easily slip under it if need be. This isn't what was most disturbing, though.

Splattered across the frame and the boards was crimson blood. Fresh, by the looks--it's dripping down onto the floor.

I see Vena cover her mouth in horror.

"DELLA!" Michal shouts, charging forward and shining his light under the obstacle. He gets down on his knees and peers into the next room. "DELLA! DELLA, ARE YOU THERE?"

"Michal, shut up!" I hiss. "You're practically telling the killer where we are."

Silence. Nolan turns to me with wide eyes.

"Killer?" he repeats. "You--you mean Ronnie? Who said anything about him being a killer?"

I shrug my shoulders nervously, gesturing around us. "Look where we are--perfect place for a serial killer to be on the loose. This is the exact same thing that happens in horror movies."

"Well, if Ronnie or whoever it is can hear me, then so can Della," Michal says quietly, still looking into the dark room in front of him. "DELLA! DELLA, DON'T WORRY, WE'RE COMING!"

He starts to lower himself into a crawling position, and he wriggles his way under the boards.

"Michal, stop shouting!" Oriana says anxiously.

Just when his legs disappear into the next room, a loud crashing noise sounds from down the hall of which we just came. Vena jumps back, eyes wild.