Hollace Graydem

Chapter 4 - The Door

   We do catch up with Coll eventually.

  When suddenly, whilst 'cruising' down the complex of corridors, I realize we actually have no idea where we are going. All the corridors look the same: oak wooden doors with numbers scrawled on using permanent marker; sickly lime coloured wallpaper peeling of the walls covered in mould and fungi and the occasional faded stickman drawing; tattered old carpet also faded that has not seen the likes of a hoover or someone with actual taste in years and not much else.

  Coll's running to fast for me to tell him to slow down with out drawing unwanted attention, when out of nowhere a sudden a web of numbers and arrows blurs my vision. I can barely make out what they mean before I find my hand reaching down for some sort of ammunition. I pick up a small round stone and hurl it at the floor. It bounces almost simultaneously of the carpet and onto the wall. The process repeats so many times I feel dizzy. The rock finally pushes into Coll's back. He gives a start and his face swivels around to see what happened. His face is shaped into an expression of terror, but as soon as it came it vanishes to be replaced with a foolish smirk. I grab Aedar's shirt and tug so he slows down with me as a sign to show Coll he needs to slow down.

  "Yes my fair lady? Ah am most sorry, was Ah running too fast yer little legs?"

  "Shut up.", I say playfully, mock punching his arm. " There's nothing wrong with my legs. Besides that's not the real reason I  called you. Do you have any idea where we're going? 'Cause I sure as hell don't."

 

  Coll scratches his head. "Now yer mention it, no. Ah don't know where we're going."

  "I swear Coll Danson your the most reliable person I know.", I exclaim.

  Coll bows slightly."Thank yer ma lady. Ah must say it is a great pleasure to be of service."

  "I was being sarcastic.", I drawl.

  Aedar strides forward with his index finger raised. "Technically so was he. Besides I thought you said sarcasm was the-"

  "Highest form of intelligence, yes. Moving on. I think we should go this way.", I say hurriedly. I point my finger down the right corridor of the fork and swiftly follow it's direction. After a few steps my mind slowly turns to the events of the past- How long has it been? It feels like forever but it also feels like seconds. I wouldn't say it's better than teetering on an unstable bed all day long though. That was when Aedar came in followed by Coll. Then Miss Carnie ran us ragged. Then we fell. I don't know what happened to cause the change in place. Maybe Clemson ( Miss Carnie's personal butler ) pulled us from the rubble and locked us in. Next we escaped. And know we're just wandering I suppose.

  Just as my thoughts find a more pressing matter ( what are going to do if we get out of here ) a deafening wave of sound knocks me right of my feet. I land on my elbows, causing a layer of skin to tear right of. My neck snaps back, my elbows give way and my head hits the floor. Stars float across my vision. Yet I am too shocked to cry out or do anything other than stare up at the inside of my eyelids awaiting the ambush.

  Silence. It smothers everything under it's thick cloak. Invisible but definitely there as it gradually suffocates you. Determined to envelop the sounds of you ticking body. The beat of your heart, the rasp of your lungs, the sound of blood rushing through your limbs and then through your head. The ticking is deafening if you take the time the time to listen. Time. Your body is like a clock ticking and ticking down to the time it stops. But sound always prevails, like light conkers darkness. After all what would silence be without sound.

Coll's strangled voice swims through the silence "What the ruddy 'ell was that". His speech sounds faraway like it does underwater. As if I'm sinking to the sea bed as he speaks. I make a move to rub my throbbing ear, but completely miss calculate everything consequently slapping myself in the face. I finally surface from the imaginary ocean and the world comes back into focus. Everything appears too bright and garish though, almost artificial. I sit up and sooth my momentarily whiplashed neck. I eventually become conscious of conversation which seems to steadily ascend in volume until the two boys are basically shouting at each other.

  "Sorry, what was that.", I stutter simultaneously vigorously shaking my head in an attempt to clear it

  "Well 'e's under the impression that we've bin unconscious for at least 10 mins. Whilst Ah think 'e's off his rocker." snarls Coll.

  "Well that's nice. But if you listened earlier you could here Miss Carnie shouting over there on her rounds." He points down the corridor the way we had come. "But now she's shouting over there." Aedar points in the complete opposite direction.

  I stagger up keeping my eyes shut tight so I can't see the world whirl around me as fast as a tornado. A hand ever so gently places itself on my shoulder, supporting me. I try to speak but it's only when the world stops spinning that my mouth finally opens. "I concur with Aedar. Sorry Coll but you know how fast Miss Carnie can move if she's doing something she doesn't want to, or paradoxically when he is enjoying something. But the question still remains." At this I look up at them both. "What was that?"

  " Let's find out" say the two boys and rush of in perfect sync. The thin carpet only just muffles the sound of their pounding footsteps.

.................

  I reach down towards Coll. He gives a yelp as I haul him onto his hole-ridden shoes and instinctively wraps his hand around his left wrist. His hair is littered with pieces of shattered glass which magnify the dust crawling across his follicles. But it's not glass that has damaged Coll's wrist. Not a single drop of blood on his pale skin. Yet it still hangs limp from his caressing fingers. I place my fingers on his and  begin to remove the hazardous glass from his drooping head. As I do so I feel Coll silently sobbing. Once satisfied that the glass is gone I give him a once over but find him otherwise visibly unharmed by the second sound blast. I put his chin in my hand and move it so he can see me.  "It's probably just a sprain. It'll hurt, but you'll be OK until we find you a doctor.", I say in the most reassuring tone I can muster.

  I take my pinafore dress ( now more of a short tunic ) into my surprisingly steady hands and rip off a long strip of material. I raise my head to look for some sort of support but instead discover Coll's surprised face. I allow myself a small chuckle. "I've always hated this old thing." I explain before moving my head to carry on looking. "When I was feeling really sad I used to pretend it was a glamorous gown fit for a princess." I bend down and pick up a piece of plaster that had rained down on us only minuets ago. I snap off the jagged edges and place it on the inside of Coll's wrist so that part of it juts out over his hand. The cloth I wind tightly around his wrist and the plaster, tucking the end into the makeshift wrist support. I stand back slightly and give a weak smile at my handiwork.

  Coll stares at the bandage and experimentally turns his wrist from side to side. "Better?" I ask.

  "Better." replies Coll. "Thanks. Though since when yer knew 'ow to do that Ah din na know."

  "It can wait, we need to find Aedar." I slide my hand into his uninjured one and stride up the corridor. We round a corner, but it's a dead end. Coll turns to saunter back but I pull him towards me. I then let his hand fall from my grasp. With caution I advance towards the wall with my head cocked to one side to get a different angle on it. Coll reluctantly follows. When I am right in front of the wall I discover that my eyes were not playing tricks on me. A doorknob. With an outline of a door cut out of the wallpaper. The cut is so fine it blends into it's surroundings like a tiger to long grass. I seize the knob surprising my self with my own powerful grip. I try to steady my beating heart and control my uneven breathing. My nerves stand straight on end as I fling the door open.

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  Thanks again for reading my book. I hope your enjoying it. Anyway Cliffhanger. What will Hollace find on the other side of the door? Dun dun duuuuurrrrr. Be patient and you'll find out.

  ~€vie

P.S Comments please