Haunted Waters

THIRTEEN

"A secret room is what you're implying," he stated with a hum before sending Lynn a crocked smile. "Let's find it, then."

The pair rushed back inside, leaving the awakening lake behind a closed door.

—

It had been a guess, an idea popping in her head and sending confidence to her veins. 

The search started with sheer determination, yet frustration was quick to take over. With no real proof of the existence of a secret spot, every minute spent tapping walls and rummaging through shelves dragged a heavier weight upon her shoulders.

"We're running short on time," she heard Andrew mutter before his shadow fell over her. "It was a good idea, but this may be leading us nowhere."

She could tell he was growing wary by the anxious glances he kept sending everywhere, as if he was waiting for a monster to jump out of the wall and strangle him. His dread was understandable, for Lynn herself was having a hard time keeping sane. Every sound they made seemed to echo throughout the house, giving her the impression the building was alive and silently waiting for them to collapse.

Self-doubt started taking control, attempting to drag her down a path of desperation and guilt. What if her idea ended up killing them?

"I've looked everywhere, Lynn." Oliver snapped her out of her self-destruction, and she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

With a heavy sigh, she stepped away from the bookshelves and rubbed her temples. Don't doubt yourself. Think, Lynn. There has to be a place no one has searched. Her eyes met the hopeless expression on Andrew's face from across the room, before she looked at Oliver, who was placing a glass of water next to the unconscious form of Nick.

Taking a deep breath, she ran her hands along her face and stepped out of the living room. Andrew said Mrs. Houston was obsessed with the supernatural, but we haven't seen anything related to that in the house, she mused mentally. There has to be a place...

"Meow."

She stopped dead in her tracks.

Molly stared at her with glowing, yellow eyes. As if realizing she had her attention, the strange cat tilted her head and sprung to her paws. Lynn didn't move at first, curious yet cautious, and merely watched her trot towards the hallway.

Much to her surprise, Molly didn't step into its long shadows; she stopped by its entrance, wagging her tail and staring upwards. Following her gaze, Lynn finally approached the feline and observed her closely.

"Meow."

Molly didn't bother returning her confused stare, too busy glaring at something above them. Frowning, Lynn glanced up. Its giant jaws were frozen in an empty threat; its eyes almost bugged out of its furry head.

The dead bear.

"Am I supposed to see something there?" she wondered out-loud, too proud to admit she was actually asking the cat.

Molly responded with a hiss, which caused Lynn to arch an eyebrow. However, the woman took a closer look. And then, a gasp escaped her.

"What exactly are you?" she breathed out, yet another question directed at the cat that went unanswered. "Guys, I found something!"

The reaction was immediate. Their footsteps made the floor rumble as they rushed out of the living room to meet her, but she didn't look their way.

"What is it?" Andrew pressed in an anxious voice, so different from his usual composed tone.

She pointed at the stuffed animal. "Look at its left eye."

"It's an eye," observed Oliver after a pregnant pause.

Much to her delight, the other man wasn't as blind. She heard Andrew let out a relieved sigh, stared at him as hope drew a wide grin on his face and lit a candle in his eyes.

"It's a button," he breathed out. "Look at its pupil, Oliver."

As said man did as told, Lynn wasted no time and lightly slapped Andrew on the arm. "Lend me your shoulders." Upon receiving a startled look, she rolled her eyes and waved her hands in the air. "Help me up so I can press it, damn it!"

Fortunately, he didn't make a remark and complied. His hands held her over his shoulders, keeping her in place as her finger hovered before the pupil-like-button.

"Pay attention to anything that moves," she said to Oliver.

He nodded, and she pressed the button.

The tense silence was broken by the sound of a lock opening, but before she could utter a word, Andrew let out a loud curse and his hold on her disappeared. With a startled scream, she followed him into the dark hole that had appeared right under their feet.