Corbin ran back upstairs just as Solomon ran out of the bedroom. "She is coming," he said. The two of them sprinted to the room. Becca was already under the bed. She reached out to pull the boys under.
Granny meandered in with a bloody grin. "Where are you?" she asked the seemingly empty room. She looked about then pulled a small bear trap from her gown. She fiddled with it for a second then dropped it. She turned out and walked down the stairs.
Corbin pulled himself out and closed the door. "It didn't fit," he reported. Becca and Solomon sighed. "Great," Becca said. "Now what?"
"I think I know where it goes," Corbin said. "Remember the Locked Room Miranda told us about?"
"The cabinet!" Solomon said. He held out his hand to Corbin.
"What?" Corbin said, confused.
"Key," Solomon said, like it was the most obvious answer in the world. "You get to distract Granny this time. Becca and I will unlock it."
Corbin took a step back, gripping the key protectively. "No. I found it, I get to see what it unlocks. We'll all just keep an eye out for Granny."
"Who died and put you in charge?" Solomon said. Becca gasped at his choice of words. Solomon tried to retract. "I mean, not like that. What I meant was you are not in charge. I get to make some choices too."
"Admit it," Becca said, "Corbin is a better leader than you."
Under his dark skin, Corbin could tell Solomon was flushed. "Fine. Fine!" Solomon said, throwing his arms down in defeat. "We will follow Corbin. He can kill us all off, one by one. Just like Flint. Just like Miranda and Elvyne-"
He hadn't finished talking before Corbin was on top of him. Corbin slammed him onto the ground. Solomon's head smacked the ground with a horrific thud.
"Take it back!" Corbin screamed, not caring to keep his voice down. "You take it back!"
"Stop it!" Becca said, trying to pull Corbin off. It was no use. She was too small am deathly Corbin was too angry.
Corbin's fist collided with Solomon's nose and there was a crackle. Solomon howled and abandoned trying to get Corbin off and his hands went straight for his gushing nose. Corbin took advantage of this and pushed Solomon's huge hands into his mouth. Solomon gagged.
"Guys, Granny!" Becca said. She opened the wardrobe door. "Get under the bed or something!"
With a roar, Solomon grabbed Corbin's wrist and twisted. Corbin didn't even notice.
Suddenly, black and white glass went flying and Corbin's eyes rolled back into his head. He slumped over to the floor. Becca stood above him with the remnants of the vase in her hand. She seemed shocked at what she had done.
There were footsteps and the door began to rattle. Solomon rolled under the bed. Becca followed him. She looked at Corbin's still body and gasped. She had just pulled him under as Granny threw open the door. She stared around the room. She stepped forward and walked on top of the pile of shattered glass. She smiled and picked up the pieces. She slipped them into her gown and left the room.
Becca crawled out and closed the door. Corbin was coming to now. He groaned and rubbed his head. Solomon got up and glared at him from above, blood running freely from his nose. Corbin opened his eyes then scrambled to his feet. Becca stood between them. "We're done here. Okay?" she said, looking wearily from boy to boy. Corbin and Solomon glared at each other for a moment before nodding. "Fine," Corbin said. "Becca's in charge."
Becca's jaw dropped. "I didn't mean-"
"Clearly you're the only one here that is capable of forming a thought without also wanting to kick the snot out of another person," Corbin said. He handed her the key. "Keep it safe."
Becca stared in disbelief at Solomon. He nodded. "He is right, I am afraid."
Becca pocketed the key. "Okay," she said, after taking a deep breath. "Because there is only three of us left, we can all hide very easily around the house. So, I think we should all go together to unlock this cabinet."
"Can I say one thing?" Solomon asked. Becca bobbed her head. "I think one of us should check on the TV stand downstairs."
"Why?" Corbin said. "What's the point in that?"
"We haven't really checked it out yet and I think you could crouch and hide by it if you need to."
"Then we'll all check it out after we unclock this cabinet," Becca said.
"No!" Solomon said sharply. Becca raised an eyebrow. "I mean," he said hastily," That is unnecessary. We send Corbin only." He wiped his mouth and coughed a little.
"Why not send you?" Corbin said. "You clearly have some idea of where you want to look."
"You broke my nose," Solomon said. He looked at Becca with a sad look. "Please?" She thought for a second. "Maybe we could do that. We might get out of here faster that way. Corbin, you will go downstairs to examine the stand and Solomon and I will unlock the cabinet. No arguments."
Corbin finally gave in, even though he didn't agree with the plan whatsoever. "Alright. Do we go now?"
"We'll wait until we know for sure where Granny is."
"I might have a better idea," Corbin said.
***
Becca and Solomon were waiting in the car. They watched Corbin from the back window. Corbin held a framed picture that had hung by the stairs in his hands. He took deep breathe then flung it into the sauna. He turned right around and ran to the Lockerbie near the bottom of the stairs leading down into the garage. He closed the door as quietly as he could and waited. He had only counted to 36 before Granny came running down the stairs. She walked past the locker and the car and headed right into the sauna. Corbin opened the locker and jumped to the sauna and closed the door behind her. He pulled a board down to lock her in.
Becca and Solomon came out of the car and stood by Corbin, large grins plastering the their faces. "She's trapped," Becca said in awe. She high fived Corbin. "Nice work!"
Granny banged on the door answer screamed at them. They could see her through the small window on the door. She glared at them and yelled something. Solomon cocked his head and cupped a hand by his ear. "What was that?" he asked. "I couldn't hear you with this locked door between you and I."
Becca laughed and Corbin gave a small chuckle. "We better go up," he said. "We don't have to be as careful with her down here now."
"Will you go to the TV stand?" Solomon asked him. Corbin sighed. "Yeah, I will. Seems pointless but whatever."
"Go look around and then we'll come get you," Solomon said. "Just wait."
"Yeah, fine," Corbin said, waving a hand. The three of them marched up the stairs and separated at the landing, Solomona nod Becca heading for the tunnels upstairs and Corbin into the living room.
Corbin walked through the nearly empty room with the desk and I to the living room. The TV was tucked away inthe corner, sitting on a stand with a few shelves.
He crouched down and looked for anything important. He ran his hand over a VCR and a sheet of dust turned to powder, finding its way up my nose. Other than that, there was noting here. He wandered the room, searching closer in the couches and in China cabinets. Finally he collapsed into a an armchair, sending more dust into his nose. He sneezed a few times then settled down, waiting for the other two.
It was silent in the house, apart from old house creaking and moaning. He got comfy in the chair and leaned his head back into the cushion, grateful for this time to rest his eyes.
He didn't even know if he fell asleep or not but his eyes shot open at the sound of a voice.
"I felt a Funeral, in my Brain, and Mourners to and fro, kept treading—treading—till it seemed, that Sense was breaking through—"
Corbin shot to his feet and looked for a place to hide. He finally crouched in between the TV and the wall, heart pounding. Not her. Please, not her.
"And when they all were seated, a Service, like a Drum—kept beating—beating—till I thought my Mind was going numb—"