Run

Chapter 18

“Here, Miri. Let me help you up.”

Wil grabs my right hand and hoists me up into the room. My left hand is pressed against the hard floor, pushing myself up. I bring my knees to the floor, successfully managing to clamber into the room with Wil’s aid.

I stand up, composing myself before taking a good look around. I definitely recognise this room; after all, we have been here before – though it is a lot messier now, almost as if a tornado had hit it recently and no one bothered to clean up after.

The once neat stack of chairs is now lying on the floor, scattered all over. Some of the plastic chairs have holes in them, resembling to what a strong acid would do to plastic. Others are cracked and broken. Merely one chair is still in good condition.

Shattered pieces of glass are strewn all over the floor. Broken glass beakers, conical flasks, test tubes and other lab equipment that are made of glass lie near the numerous shards of glass. Just under the wreckage is some sort of clear liquid that reflects the light. Not knowing what it is, I decide to steer clear of it.

The tables are littered with crumpled pieces of paper of all sizes, both lined and plain paper, as well as uncapped pens and markers, mostly black, blue and red. The cabinets are shattered and all the equipment in it is not in their positions any longer. If anything, they are everything but.

“I’ll be in the next room if you want anything,” Key says, addressing no one in particular.

She disappears into the next room, which is the home office, if I am remembering correctly. I sigh, silently debating with myself whether or not I should follow her. The curiosity to know what she is doing is gnawing at me, but at the same time, I feel bad for intruding on her. Perhaps she wants to be alone to complete her task at hand.

“Let’s just go,” Wil says to me. “It’s not like we have anything better to do here anyway.”

Looks like I have my answer.

I shrug nonchalantly, complying with his request. As I enter the office, I realise that, similar to the lab, it is much messier than it used to be. And that Key, who claimed to be here merely seconds ago, has vanished.

The table has several tall stacks of papers – documents, I suppose – and several journals. Some stray pieces of paper lie scattered on the ground, several torn at the corners. I turn back and notice that the wall separating the two rooms is back in place. Perhaps Aries and Aristelle have something private to discuss.

I’ve also realised that the arcane family portrait hung behind the office table is gone. I wonder who took it down and why.

“The door is locked,” Wil informs me, referring to the door that leads from this room to the rest of the house.

I nod in reply, not particularly interested in leaving the room anyway. It’s not worth the risk.

My eyes dart around the room, trying to figure out where Key could possibly have went. After all, there are not many places to hide in here. Outside, although possible, would be highly unlikely. Besides, she herself said that she would be in this room. She wouldn’t lie, would she?

The question remains. Where is Key?

My gaze lands on a small opening in the space between the front of the office table and the leather chair. It is dark, as are all other tunnels we have been into, but I can see a short drop before the stairs begin their descent, the end devoured by the darkness.

Seriously. What’s up with this family and tunnels?

“I think she is in here,” I say, pointing towards the tunnel.