Book of Secrets

Chapter 16

uh gosh guys. im so sorry for not posting in a reeeeealllllyyyy long time. whoops. no motivation. go read the big break i guess. :)

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Emma's POV

My hand shakes- well, all of me shakes- as I point towards a large dark wood chest that is shoved up against one wall in the underground chamber. Fingers curled around the silver lock of the chest is a fragile, yellowed skeleton with empty eye sockets that are seemingly staring right into me.

The rest of the chamber seems normal- smooth hard-floors and bare walls with no windows or lights. A thin layer of dust covers the only pieces of furniture in the room- an old chaise lounge, a small chair, and a wooden coffee table. 

I hear footsteps from behind me. I turn around to see who they belong to, and I'm not surprised to find that it's Madi and Kylie. Madi is still limping a bit and Kylie is helping her down the staircase. 

Kylie gasps as she notices the decaying pile of bones against the wall and Madi lets out a little whimper.

"We need to get into that chest," Madi declares.

I look at her. "Are you crazy?" I yell. My voice echoes in the chamber, amplifying my words. 

Madi shrinks back as Kylie comes to her rescue. "Come on, Emma! This is what we came here to do." She walks to the chest and pries the skeleton's long, bony fingers away from the lock. 

"Look for a key!" She calls, taking a bobby pin out from her hair. 

While Madi and I comb the room for a matching key, Kylie fiddles with the bobby pin and the lock, trying to pick it open.

"This always works in the movies!" She groans, as her makeshift key fails to work.

Suddenly Madi shouts from behind the chaise lounge as she victoriously holds up a small, silver key in her right hand. "Found it!"

I rush over to her, take the key from her grasp and bring it to Kylie who then shoves it in the lock.

Before turning the key, she whispers to Madi and I. "Are you ready?"

I nod, my red curls brushing against my cheeks. 

Kylie inhales sharply and twists the key. With a faint 'click' the lock breaks open, and my friend lifts the lid of the chest up.

A small tear falls from her eye. "There's nothing in here."

My lower lip trembles. Was all this for nothing?

Madi sighs in disappointment. "Come on guys. Let's go."

As we all dejectedly start up the stairs, the trapdoor that had allowed us entry to the chamber slides closed. I hear a wicked sounding laugh from above. 

A wave of panic shoots through me, causing my limbs to freeze up momentarily. Madi has the exact opposite reaction. She runs to the top of the stairs and starts pounding on the bottom of the trapdoor. Screaming as salty tears ran down her face, her fists continue to hit the door in the ceiling.

Kylie slides down to the floor. "We're stuck."