Behind The Locks || ONC 2024

Chapter 22: Behind The Third Lock

They all sat around Arielline, three candles lit in a triangle, and silver chains in a circle around her.

Something about the whole thing was wrecking her nerves. What if it failed? What if she died? What if the ghost had already consumed her soul? What if it all went awry?

The questions were getting more wild, and with them she felt like the border between her and the afterlife was getting thinner.

“What next?” Mirabelle was fizzed out with staying in the dark and she more than anybody else wanted to get out of the hellish cage. And upload a reel.

Zack went silent. Clearly, he was clueless.

“I honestly didn't think we would get this far.” The idiot had almost made Arielline pees on herself for what, half a ritual?

Back to plan A; wait for a miracle to happen.

Silence grew louder, oppressing darkness and ominous chills striking. The environment was depressing as the gloom itself and worse was the fact that Arielline was the casualty tamed in the heart of a silver-chained circle.

“We should try the other door,” Nick suggested. “Maybe it has something.”

The first hour of the two the ghost should have visited the afterlife was not over, so they had time to venture.

°*°

Zack immersed the key, just like the first time, against the door with the eleven pm mark.

After the first attack with fog they couldn't risk unlatching a door instantly. They took some moments to wait for whatever was to happen happen.

Fortunately, nothing happened.

Zack yanked the lever and ajerred the door wide open such that all four of them could see inside, he illuminated and there was a spear.

It was old fashioned like most stuff, but it was stained with a faded red color. It needn't a guess to tell that that was the spear. The spear that killed the night watchman.

For some reasons, Arielline was filled with goosebumps.

She knew the same could be of her path.

“Should we close it?” Zack noticed the fear in his sister's eyes.

“No, there could be something else,” she couldn't afford showing everyone that she was under fear.

Nick grabbed her by the waist and pulled her closer. Suddenly, the whole world felt better.

The walls in the room were bricked and infested with cobwebs, but unfortunately, apart from that and the spear dug on the floor, the room held nothing more.

They searched the room meticulously, but answers were not to be found within its walls.

They went back to the oppressive room, glowing under the shade of ragging candles.

Still, they couldn't tell where the superficial gust of wind was coming from, though it was clear from the candles that there was something inviting it.

Zack was still unsatisfied and stressed. He took the book and reread it, bisecting and trisecting every word he came across.

“What if it happens during the full moon? I mean that's when fog befell the valley.” Zack was getting insecure, which showed just how much he cared for his sister.

The last time he checked the fool moon was supposed to be dangling in the sky during the hour.

No sooner had he begun another statement, than Arielline began sobbing, not just in pain, for there was smoke escaping from every corner of her body.