The Miller Twins (1)

House of Crushes

Fabian's POV

Nina's voice rings in my ear as we watch the ceiling descend to the floor. The only way we'll be able to get across is by crawling as fast as we can to the other side, which I encourage by shouting, "Go, go, go!"

So we immediately go, getting to slithering quickly like snakes to get to the other side of the tunnel. I makes it to safety first, followed shortly by Nina, and Amber, but Amber's shoe had fallen off while she was crawling and she reaches out to grab it.

Fabian" Amber no"

Amber" Sorry, sorry, no shoe left behind"

Fabian" Amber, I'm sure if you are about to be crushed by the ceiling you can change that"

Amber" Look Fashion matters above all else Fabian"

I look at Amber as she is putting her shoe back on as the wall starts to rise again. Then Nina points to the floor and we notice some symbols we hadn't seen before.

Nina" It looks like some sort of pattern I didn't see this before"

We all then jump as a man's voice, the same voice that warned us that if we went into the tunnels without protection we would be blinded for twenty-four hours, sounds, "Traverse the grid with step or hop. Follow the sequence, do not stop. All must complete the hopscotch test before the ceiling stays at rest."

Amber "Hopscotch, Of course, it's a hopscotch court"

Fabian" We have to play hopscotch in order to get across? Are you kidding?, I can't hopscotch to save my life."

Nina" Well, you might have to Fabian"

Fabian" I know, that what's annoying"

Amber" Look, I've got this guys, I was school hopscotch champion two years running,"I wonder if I've still got it." She tosses the rock onto the court and begins to hop toward it, but the ceiling starts to lower again.

Nina" Amber, wait come back"

Amber makes her way back to to us.

Amber" But I did it right, that was how it goes doesn't it"

Fabian" Perhaps the Egyptians played a different version to what we do"

Amber"Well It's obvious the ancient Egyptians did not know a thing about hopscotch then."

I step over to get a closer look and look at the others.

Fabian" Well this has to be different look there is no numbers it's got animals on it instead"

Nina" Yeah they are like symbols, ls that a duck and perhaps a cow"

Amber" That could be a cat"*points at the symbols*

Fabian" I'll take a picture"*reaches for his phone*snaps a pic* Maybe we should call it a day and come back tomorrow"

Nina" Fabian is right, we need to think about this"

Fabian"But even if we do learn the sequence to this, what about that chasm? How do we get over that?"

Amber"You know what Pink Power Ranger would do. She'd long-jump it. Or pole-vault it. Which javelin..."

Fabian "Amber, you're just listing sports"

Nina" How many traps between us and the mask, ten a hundred maybe even a thousand"

Amber "A hundred thousand? A million?"

Fabian" Amber, now you are just listening big numbers and it's not helping"