The Madness Within ✓

XXV.

„So that's what happened," Chris thought out loud, then looked at me. „We'd better be careful, or else we might be the next ones who will end up without an eye."

I shook my head, „We'd probably end up dead at this point. We've broken so many rules already."

Chris froze for a second, then nodded and put the notepad away.

„Alright, where should we go next?" Chris asked as he stretched out his arms, then looked back at me and waited for me to respond.

„The basement is next."

We got down from the attic to the library and put everything back as it was before we even discovered the attic, then headed down to the basement.

To be honest, I haven't visited this place properly yet. Maybe I was too afraid to check it out, maybe I felt like I didn't have to. Maybe both. But I couldn't avoid this place any longer. I had Chris with me, so even if something were to happen, I'm sure we'd be able to at least protect one another.
We entered the basement and began looking around. Bottles of wine were scattered all around the place, along with some strange objects that I didn't recognize.

„So, do you know what exactly we're looking for?" Chris asked as he examined each and every corner of the basement. I shrugged and looked around more as well.

„Maybe we'll know what we're looking for as soon as we see it."

By one of the corners of the basement stood a tall bookshelf. Five wooden crosses were placed on each of the shelves. Were they just a decoration, or was there more to it?
I walked closer to the bookshelf and looked at the crosses more closely. I picked one up and looked at every angle of it, trying to see if there was something written on them or anything like that. But there was nothing. They were all just normal wooden crosses, standing on the bookshelf and grabbing the attention of everyone who entered the basement.

But as far as I know, entering the basement didn't seem like a good idea. When the ladies paid me a visit, one of them clearly told me not to go to the basement. But I don't see anything dangerous so far. There's nothing here other than wine and religious items. Maybe they were trying to trick me. Maybe there is an important clue that I have yet to find and they were trying to keep me away from it. Or maybe they were trying to lead me to it by making me want to know what's hiding in the basement.

I don't even know whose side they were on. They were against my grandma and were ready to murder me as soon as I asked about her.

Either way, I'm in the basement now and there's no turning back. I can only hope that we can discover the truth here.

I looked at the cross in my hand one more time before putting it back to its original place. But as I was placing the cross back on the shelf, I noticed something. The bookshelf wasn't leaning against the wall. In fact, it wasn't even that near the wall, which seemed pretty unusual to me.

I took a few steps to the side and made my way to the side of the bookshelf, then looked behind it. Something was peeking out of the wall, blocking the bookshelf from getting any closer to it, which was why the bookshelf was placed that way. However, I couldn't see what the object blocking the bookshelf was. It was too dark to see, as the dim light in the basement wasn't able to reach there, since the bookshelf was in the way, of course.

„Chris?" I called out and looked around the basement for Chris. He peeked out from the other side of the basement and looked at me.

„Yes?"

„Could you help me pull this bookshelf away from the wall?"

At first, Chris was a bit confused. But eventually he walked to me and looked at the bookshelf.