WHISPERS TRILOGY

THE DOOR AND OTHER INDOOR INVENTIONS

Two o'clock the following day was an afternoon like any other. Teresa and Sheila were in the library looking through sections they had not looked through before. "We should definitely have looked through the History section first," said Teresa, "It has so many stories about the past!" "I think that's why it's called History, Teresa," Sheila ended up dropping the book she was perusing through and went back to the shelves.

She was about to pick a big red leather book when she suddenly stopped. That couldn't be what she was looking for. She moved systematically ahead, her fingers be over each book, until she stopped again. Her hand had stopped on a black leather-bound book. It was titled 'The Door and other indoor inventions'. "Odd name for a History book," said Teresa, coming up next to her and examining the golden inscription on the side, "that or someone really had a dumb taste in titles. Shouldn't we look at something that has 'amulet' on it?"

"I don't think we're ever going fun it if we use that criteria of search," said Sheila. "Cri-what now?" "Method. Method of search. And you know... this is a pretty dumb name for a History book." Instead of pulling the book out of the shelf, she pushed it in. There was the sound of clicks and gears moving, then suddenly, that whole shelf moved into the wall, then disappeared to the side. Sheila and Teresa moved back in awe. Before them stood a large metallic door.

It was black, with no inscriptions, no engraved markings of the sort; just a small circle with a pentagonal hole in the middle made it uneven. Nessa came rushing from one side. "I heard a noise. What's going on--" she saw the metallic door and joined the duo in awe-struck staring.

"Nessa, did you know this was here?" "I wouldn't be staring if I did now, would I? How did you guys even come across this?" Sheila and Teresa exchanged quick glances. "Accident." They said. "Well aren't you going to open it, Nessa?" asked Teresa. Nessa shrugged, "First off, I don't even wanna mess with stuff I don't understand. Second, I can't let anyone else see this or else we'll have the government on our necks every second." "At least let's see what's inside," said Teresa. "No way, now tell me how we can close this thing."

"Nessa, we found it. So we get to see it," said Sheila, "and if you don't, I'm telling Austin you have a crush on him." "How did you..." Nessa was lost of words, but she was cornered, "Alright fine." She closed the library after lying into almost everyone in there that there was a gas leak. Then she studied the hole in the door. "Odd shape for a key. Though..."

She walked off quickly, the two toddlers following close by. She walked into her employer's office and searched the room. "What exactly are you looking for?" asked Sheila. "For the past year and a half, I've uncovered hidden packages, locks and items in this office. Hidden in plain sight. There has to be something that can fit inside that hole." The others went to work trying find anything ordinary that might look extraordinary.

"It could literally be anything in this room," complained Teresa. Nessa stopped for a while and studied the room. "That chandelier has never worked." She went to the desk in the room and with the girls' help, pushed it to the middle, putting a chair on it and climbing it. The stem of the crystal-crusted chandelier had a circular knob on it. "Bingo." She turned it and withdrew a long rod with a circular top... But a pentagonal stem. Sheila and Teresa regarded her with admiration as they followed her back to the door.

"Okay guys, if I open up some kind of monster into the world, I'm letting it eat you two first," she said that as a joke, but it left a sick sense of de ja Vu in Sheila that left her feeling sick. Nessa inserted the key into the hole. Surprisingly, or actually not, it fit perfectly. She turned it, then a click came from the other side. She yanked the key out when the door suddenly started moving upwards.

It opened up, completely disappearing into the ceiling. What was revealed was a dark stairway heading down to Heaven knows where. "You think it's a good idea if we go down there?" asked Nessa. Her voice was edgy, with a thirst for adventure. "We worked hard to get that key. No reason to turn back now," said Teresa. Nessa shrugged and headed away a bit. A short moment later, she came back holding a lantern. "Let's go then, shall we? It's okay if you want to stay though--" "Not a chance Nessa." Teresa walked in. Nessa followed with the lamp.

Sheila didn't want to go in. She had a certain phobia for old metallic doors. She took out the amulet, took a deep breath, then asked it, "You think I should go in? Blink twice for no and once for yes." There was nothing. She sighed and let go of it, when it glowed once. She smiled; finally it responds. It was still around her neck, never would she take it off... except while bathing. "Is it safe for me to go in?" It blinked twice. Somehow, she expected it. "But you still think I should go in, to protect Nessa and Teresa right?" It blinked once. She took a deep, "Let's do this." and went in. The door closing itself and the shelf putting itself in place.