Taken

Chapter 7

No one follows me into the tunnel―thank God. But then again, being alone in here isn't my ideal way of spending my Friday night.

            I feel as if I've been walking for hours. The cold emanates from the cement, seeping through my slippers and making my toes numb as my body shivers violently. I groan when I find myself at a crossroads; one tunnel leading right and the other left. Both look dank, dark, and uninviting.

            "Too bad I don't have a coin to flip," I mutter as I rub at my cold arms.

            After a moment I shrug, not caring about where I'll end up at this point. I take a step to my right, only to stop when the locket lifts off of my chest and points to the opposite tunnel. Raising an eyebrow, I grab the locket in my hand and examine it.

            It's made of silver, matching the chain and having small designs etched into its surface. The only redeeming feature it has is the clear crystal in the center, cut into the shape of an oval that matches that of the locket. The crystal seems to be where the source of the white glow is coming from, but when I attempt to open the locket, it refuses to comply. There isn't a button, a key hole, or anything that I can push or pull to get this thing open.

            I flip the locket over.

            What is going on?

            My thumb glides over a symbol engraved in the silver. It's shaped like a curve lined X with a small circle above and below it. A long thin line runs through the circles and X. It glows whenever I touch it, the color matching the ligh of the gem, only softer. I run my thumb over it again only to drop the locket when a shock courses through my body, causing me to wince.

            I shake out my hand as the locket lifts off of my chest again, pointing to the left once more. I sigh and let my hand fall to my side as I step into the left tunnel.

            The tunnel seems to flatten out the farther I go in, being led through twists and turns by the locket. It feels like I have been walking for an eternity, my feet sore and legs feeling like they are about to fall off when I see a stone staircase a ways in front of me. It leads upward at a steep angle.

            I'm not sure why, but something is telling me that the exit to this godforsaken place is up there. Relief consumes me at this thought, giving me a new surge of strength to climb the stairs at a much faster pace.

            When I get to the top, I am met by another bright white light that nearly blinds me considering the darkness that I have grown accustom to. I shield my eyes with my hand for a moment so they can adjust before I place the locket on the mark etched into the wood.

            The panel slides away and I hesitantly peek inside, afraid of where the locket took me when I realize that I'm looking into my room. The wooden chair to my desk blocks my path so I push it back and crawl out, the panel sliding into place behind me.

            I push my chair back into the desk and hang my robe on its hook, taking out the key in the process. I climb into my bed, feeling dirty since I am covered in dust and cobwebs but I'm too exhausted to get up and shower. Besides, that'd wake up my parents and after my second near-discovery in the study, I don't want to push it.