Primeval

Chapter 6 ~ Merchant In The Theatre

A deep gloom fell over the room, the sun barely risen and the birds half asleep. Not a soul wondered this building's walls, just the excessive costumes, motionless props and vacant seats. Backstage was reticent, nothing moved, nothing breathed, it was so still not even the dust fell to the ground, it sat happily on the many objects and lighting. But with an enchanting sound, the crystals on the glittering chandelier began to swing in the gathering breeze which had no source., until the golden shards of glass began to appear in the air, forming the gateway as it always did.

Accompanying the sweep of her scarlet skirt, her black boot stepped over the threshold and into a new domain. From soft setting grass to indurate flooring her hell echoed through the desolate halls of the theatre. Her light brown, soft curls cast to one shoulder, she wore a white baroque shirt with a short brown coat and a silver necklace holding a ring. With a hint of caution in her step, she walked forward a little before scanning the room with her deep brown eyes. Once certain the room was unoccupied, she beckoned the others to follow she through. A man with a sour face and jet black hair and the women he struggled to her walk through the abandoned room. One vigilant step followed another until a door fell upon her gaze, Twisting the brass handle and with a gentle push, she opened the aperture and ascended onto the stage. Before her lay the many cardinal seats, "This way," her voice was a raised whisper, she led the two others in to the seating area and down the isle to another carved door.

Breaking the once eerie silence the man tried the door but it was chained and unbreakable. The leading woman held the sick other in her arms, "You're okay, you're fine," She comforted her almost lifeless friend, holding her hand.

"They have medicine here, she'll be okay," the man sounded positive but his eyes glistened with fear of loosing her. The frail woman coughed weakly her eyes slowly drooping.

They tried another door, and the ill woman was placed in a chair. She was much smaller than the other the, her hair a dark brown and with her pale face she looked like a ghost. The other woman knelt in front of her, "Charlotte, it's Emily" she tried to get a response from the dying girl, "Try to stay awake Charlotte,"

The feeble woman managed to say a few words, "When I'm gone, look after him; he needs looking after," Charlotte said, "Emily...."

The man had stopped shaking the door and looked over to Charlotte and Emily. Charlotte's eyes closed and her chest stopped moving, her once beautiful smile faded and she died in Emily's arms.

"Ethan, Ethan, I'm sorry," Emily turned to him, tears filling her eyes.

Ethan reached for Charlotte's hand, the woman he once loved lost in a place he could not reach.

"This is all your fault," His voice was deep and full of hate, Emily turned to him speechless, not knowing what he meant. But a cold look of madness filled Ethan's eyes.
~
"God, did you crank up the volume on that thing while we were away?" Connor laughed. The anomaly alarm ran through the ARC hitting every wall and red lights flashed through the building.

Connor ran a little ahead of Anna and Becker, "Okay what have we got?" he asked Jess who sat at her anomaly detector.

"It's a theatre on Cooper Street," Jess answered

Becker threw each of them a black box, this was their tracking device so Jess could track them just about anywhere, apart from through an anomaly. "Let's go," he said.

Matt wasn't at the ARC, no one had seen him all morning and he wasn't answering his phone.

Connor!" Phillip shouted, Connor turned and the other three stopped to listen, "I need you're help,"

"Ah, there's an alert, I should -"

"This is more important. I need you to run the new security protocol check, for glitches."