Sworn to Secrecy

Chapter 33 - Trapdoor

Lili's POV

The other two groups head off to there designated locations while Mitch, Lola and I stay at the entrance. It's only 5:52 pm, so we have a little while until curfew. "Where do we start?" I break the silence. Mitch looks at me, then away again before answering.

"The website didn't have anything specific building.. We could split up and cover more ground," he suggests without eye contact with anyone. Lola immediately objects against Mitch.

"Haven't you see a scary movie? That's always the worst idea possible. Let's stick together," she replies. Mitch and I exchange glances and he reluctantly agrees. I shrug and sigh quietly.

"Let's start with the main office," I offer up, Lola and Mitch agree. We head off in that general direction. We try to keep up a conversation, but we're all too nervous; another murderer could be on campus, one is enough.

Pushing past the crowds, my group slowly makes it's way to the office. The one day we need to get across campus, every student is out and about. The building comes into view, so we break out into a sprint.

We finally get to the main office and the receptionist is no help whatsoever. "The only Dean is the language arts teacher. There is nobody else," she keeps telling us over and over.

"No, not a Dean, a Sweeney. He's not Thomas Dean anymore, he's James Sweeney," Mitch explains for the fifth time. I run my hand through my hair and walk up next to Mitch, in front of the receptionist's desk.

"There is no Thomas Dean," she glares at him. I'm just about fed up with her nonsense.

"You know that's not what he's saying. He said Sweeney, we are looking for a Sweeney. Don't tell us that there is no other Dean, we know, we get it, that's not what we mean in the slightest," Lola smirks at me when I say that to the girl. She's been smirking and being different since we found out where to look for Thomas.

The receptionist purses her lips and breathes out heavily. "There. Is. No. Other. Dean. On. Campus. Get it through your thick skull," she looks me dead in the eyes. I look over to Mitch and Lola, they look ready to attack.

"Don't talk to her like that," Mitch says through clenched teeth. He steps up closer to the desk and straightens his back so he towers over the girl. "Your boss is in that room," he points to a closed door a few feet away. "I can get him now if that's what you want," she shakes her head. "Then tell us what we want."

The girl smiles sweetly. "This is not the Dean you're looking for," she then disappears into the back room.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Nothing. Not a single sign of anything out of the ordinary, let alone a crazed murderer. I'm about to give up when something catches my eye. A silver bar sticking up out of the ground. Leaving the others, I go to it and examine it. I assume there's something it's connected to, so I brush away some dirt, leaves and branches. It reveals a rusted trapdoor.

"What's that?" I hear Mitch say from behind me. Startled, I jump to my feet.

"My god, Mitch!" I laugh.

"Sorry. Now, what's this?" He kneels down and runs his hand over the handle. "Is it rusted shut?"

"I don't think so," I reply and sit down next to him. Lola joins us soon after. After looking at it, Lola tries the handle, but it won't budge. "Well... Maybe it is," I sigh. I try, but the rust cuts into my hand and I have to let go. "You try," I nudge Mitch.

"Okay," he reaches for it. Before he can place his hand on the handle, the trap door bursts open. His hand instantly moves away.

"Nope nope nopity nope nope," Lola says while standing up. "That's some paranormal stuff that I'm not dealing with."

"Well, I'm going in," I start to lower myself down why someone grabs my arm. I look up to meet Mitch's eyes.

"Maybe you shouldn't go down," he looks at the gaping hole in the ground.

"Well, we've come this far. It actually seems kinda cool to go down here. It's on a school campus, what's the worst that could happen?" I sit on the edge with my feet dangling in. Mitch cringes at the sight.

"Need I remind you that this school campus houses a haunted room and boarders a forest containing a murderer and possibly has another one lurking in the shadows?" He raises his eyebrows at me. I hear a sign from behind him.

"I'll go with you," Lola walks over to us.

"You're not serious?" Mitch gapes at us in disbelief.

"Oh, but we're not," I tell him and ready myself to enter the room below. "You're coming, right?" I ask him. Lola's legs are over the edge now, too.

"You're crazy. You're both crazy. This is basically a suicide mission," his places his hands on either sides of his head.

"Well... Come when you wa-" I can't even finish my sentence before a hand wraps around my ankle and pulls me down. I scream, it echoes off of the walls. I hear another scream, which I assume is Lola's as she's being taken, too. The last thing I hear is Mitch.

"Lili! Lola! Hold on! I-I'll find a way to get you!"