The Devil's Game

Chapter 20

Amanda was standing at the wall, waiting for Michael. "I heard a dog barking," she said with a raise in her vocal pitch.

"Someone set up a warning system to protect their cinema."

"Cinema?"

"I'll tell you later, but I found what we need." Michael showed her the shovel and said, "This should work."

"Fantastic. Here is the hollow space," Amanda tapped her delicate hand against the wall.

Michael banged the shovel several times against the wall.

"I think you need to hit it harder," Amanda encouraged him.

Bang, Bang, Bang.

Michael laid his jacket on the ground. His head was red and sweaty.

Finally, the wall started to crumble.

"We are getting there," Amanda's voice was loud.

Michael's arms were getting heavy.

Bang, Bang, Bang.

A big chunk crumbled off the wall, creating a small opening.

"Let me look," Amanda said, rushing her words.

She shone the light through the hole.

"There's an open space behind this wall. Keep on hitting against it," she said in a loud tone.

After several minutes, Michael was able to create an opening big enough for them to slip through.

The phone's light only let them see a glimpse of the room they were now standing in. The room was dusty and filled with cobwebs.

The light wandered along old wooden shelves filled with candles and paper rolls.

Amanda suddenly felt cold to her core. The light illuminated a skeleton hanging from the ceiling.

Michael took slow and easy breaths. He walked over to the skeleton. Torn pieces of cloth were covering parts of the bones.

Michael stood still, his facial muscles were relaxed. He looked up at the skull caught in a heavy rope.

"Is that who I think it is?

Amanda gave him an understanding nod.

"He hanged himself?" Michael mumbled.

"Mr. Adams, I understand that you must be overwhelmed right now, but we must find what we came here for," She said using an even, serious tone.

"How come no one ever found him?" Michael said, turning inward.

"Perhaps this room was only known to him, and with all of the reconstruction happening over the centuries, the room got isolated," she said casually and walked to a small, wooden table.

A large book covered in dust was lying on it. She blew the dust of the open book and could now identify letters on the page. It was old French.

Amanda read it intensively and then turned to Michael.

"I believe this means something like: I have found a way to defeat him. Because of what I am about to do, I will never know if it really worked. I can just hope and trust in God that it will work. If the evil will ever find a way to start again what I am about to stop, read the following and you will know how to stop it. Follow my exact instructions or it might not work. Go to Houska Castle. That's where you will find the roulette wheel to stop everything," Amanda said slowly, taking many pauses to think of the right translation.