Plagium (Keepers Book 1)

Chapter 25 - In Which They Navigate the Labyrinth

"Tracey?" Mr. Porter said more urgently, shaking his arm.

"What?" Tracey replied, her eyes flying open. "I'm sorry...I was just thinking of how we're going to get out of here..."

"I was asking how you got in here? Perhaps you can retrace your steps so that we all can leave this place?"

Tracey frowned, piecing together fragments of her memories. "...I don't remember," she finally said.

"If it helps, I walked here blindfolded," Charlie offered, casting a concerned glance at Tracey. "I remember I walked up a flight of stairs before I walked into a hallway." He peeked past them, looking out to the main hall. "That one fits the bill!"

Charlie squeezed past them and crept into the hallway.

"It's clear!" he said, beckoning to them.

"I heard the butler enter and exit from somewhere up here..." Tracey said as she and Mr. Porter joined Charlie.

"That would be from that door," Charlie replied, pointing to a lone door at the end of the hallway. "There are no other doors in this direction, and I'm certain that's where he'dve come from." He approached the door. "Let me check!"

"Be careful!" Mr. Porter said, making as if to step after him, but pausing in consideration of Tracey.

Charlie nodded in acknowledgment, then turned to the door. Slowly, he pulled it open. He looked into gap, peering within. "It's kinda dark," he started. "and I can't see very much in here..."

"Is there anyone in there?" Mr. Porter responded.

"No."

Mr. Porter glanced to Tracey, then walked to Charlie.

"Let's go," he said.

Charlie swung the door open further, then scrambled back. "Gears!" he exclaimed.

"What is it?" Mr. Porter quickly responded.

"There's no floor!"

"It must be the staircase then. We're in the right spot."

"Oh, you're right," Charlie said, peering closer into the dark space. "I'll lead!" he said as he entered the area. Tracey and Mr. Porter entered, and Mr. Porter paused to close the door behind themselves before they began to follow.

Tracey looked around as they descended the stairs. For a brief moment, a vague memory flashed through her mind. "...I remember this place," she slowly said.

"Do you?" Charlie responded, looking around.

"We must be on the right track then," Mr. Porter said with a small smile.

Soon enough, however, they hit a stone wall. "What's this?" Charlie said in dismay. "What sort of stairs lead to a wall?"

"That can't be right," Tracey said, peering ahead. She reached out and touched the wall. "There has to be some way to open it."

"There must be a button somewhere," Mr. Porter said, feeling against the wall. "I don't feel anything..."

"We could always just kick it," Charlie said with a shrug.

"Charlie, I don't think that kicking it will solve anything—," Tracey said.

She was interrupted, however, by Charlie's kicking of the wall. The wall smoothly slid open.

"See?" he said, a grin on his face. Tracey shook her head, her lips pursing into a tight frown.

They stepped out into the passageway below. "We really aren't on a boat...," Tracey said.