Project GoldCrest ✓

Chapter 9

Charlotte

"Stop, you'll ruin our cover!" I heard Mickey whisper yell from directly behind me. I realized that he'd pulled me to him, probably in an effort to stop me from getting loud.

I looked at them again, trying to muster courage. As I focused on the disgusting creatures, I wondered whether it wouldn't have been better to focus on the feel of Mickey's arm around me instead. Of course that's not better, just focus on the cockroach creatures. The creatures were so disgusting. I didn't even know what kind they were. Come on, be gone with you.

A few moments later they disappeared. Thank goodness.

I took a moment to calm down. As I breathed in and out deeply, I realized that Mickey still hadn't let me go.

"Let go of me now, I'm fine," I told him calmly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

After he released me, we crouched very low and leaned in. But that was before I noticed something.

"Stop!" I half screeched, half whispered.

Mickey looked at me like I was going insane. "What's wrong now?"

"Look at how dirty this thing is. The grime is too thick."

He looked closely at the drain and examined it. The rays coming from it were fewer and dimmer. "You're right. But how did it get so dirty."

"I don't know." I thought about the creatures that had suddenly came from the drain. "Maybe it was those things that came from here. Maybe it's poisonous."

Mickey considered the possibility. "Maybe," he agreed with me. "What do you suggest we do then?" He started running his hands through his hair, and I became jealous. My hair was tied up in a tight ponytail. Maybe I could run my hands through his ha- No.

What was the problem again? Right. "Try to clean it first?" I really didn't want to get sick. How would I explain that to my parents? I could just imagine a red rash all over my ear, my face and neck, even my arms and hands. The image was anything but pleasant.

A hand moved from side to side in front of my face. "Right. I have bleach in my car."

I wanted to ask him why but the sooner we cleaned the drain, the better. "Well what are you waiting for then? Go take it."

In a few seconds, he disappeared out out of sight and returned a few minutes later. He was carrying a plastic bottle and a cloth.

Wordlessly, he started trying to clean the drain. But the drain was having none of it. His actions proved futile in a matter of seconds. "It's not coming off."

"I can see that. Maybe I can try?"

"You're saying I can't clean now?"

"No, not at all." Nevertheless, he gave me the cloth and bottle. I put a little bleach on the cloth and started rubbing hard at the drain. The grime was thick and wouldn't come off.

A few minutes of scrubbing later, I sat there defeated.

What am I doing? I stood up and leaned against the wall, now about to get very deep in thought. I didn't get the chance to, because I heard fast footsteps coming our way. To the exact spot we were standing on.