Whispers

Chapter 11

Erika and I woke up still in that circle in the middle of the maze. I woke up first. I crawled over to her and pulled her to me. I had no idea what would happen, but I think it'd be best to leave. Her eyes fluttered open when I moved her hair out of her face. She looked so spooked.

"Michael?" Erika looked so unsure. "Did that really happen?"

"It did," I whispered.

"Then we know one thing that has to be done." She sat up and looked around. "Find that door."

"Erika, I think we need to get back inside." I take her arms gently.

"No, you brought me here. You have been so curious why you've been drawn here. Maybe the answers are in this maze. Right under our feet." Erika wanted to help me so badly. I nodded and we began hitting the ground with our fists. "Wait, they moved that bench."

We stood up and grabbed the bench. It was so heavy that we could barely lift it. We managed to move it just far enough away to check the space. I began to stomp firmly on the ground. Then we heard a hollowed thump. We looked at each other in surprise. For that vision or whatever it was to be true scared both of us. I dug around in the grass and found a latch. I took a deep breath and looked at Erika.

"Whatever is in this... whatever this is... we don't say a single word." I gulp and try to swallow my fear. "I'll go in first."

"I'll be right behind you." Erika gave me a comforting smile as I took the flashlight out of my pocket. I turned it on as I pulled open the door. It fell over with a hard thud. Dust filled the air and I tried to wave it away. Then there was a smell. It wasn't putrid, but it wasn't pleasant. I put my arm over my nose and mouth to not breathe in the dust but to not breathe in that smell. I recognized it as mildew and something else. I stepped down the rickety stairs, more like a slanted ladder. It went down over fifteen feet down. I planted me feet firmly on the dirt floor and shined my light around. I couldn't see much. "See anything?"

"No, but it's safe to come down, though," I shout up at her. I heard her begin to move down the steps. She did it slowly and I was thankful because she was in a dress and heels. I moved a bit up ahead so she could stand on the ground.

"God, I'm so glad I know how to handle bad terrain in heels." She chuckled quietly. She moved the toe of her foot around on the ground. I turn to look at her and she points down. "It's cement. The dirt was probably falling down the stairs."

I shine the light on the floor and move the dirt around with my shoe. Yup, it was cement. I motioned for her to follow. She stayed close to me as I moved the flashlight around slowly. It was a small hallway with some doors. I stopped at the first one and touched the doorknob. It was freezing cold, but I held on long enough to turn it and push the door open. I swung the flashlight around the room. There was a table with some tools beside it. I held Erika's hand as we walked into the room. I shined the light around the room slowly. I figured nobody was there because the entrance was covered and judging from that vision thing, that entrance was the only way in or out.

We got closer to the table and saw what looked like rust. I got closer and held the flashlight between my teeth as I touched the table. Usually rust will kind of smear when you rub it. It didn't. I brushed off as much dust as I could and held the light in my hand again. I could see it better now. It was dried up blood from decades ago. I looked around the room more. Beside the table were tools. They were coated in the same near century old blood. I wanted to gag at what could have happened here.

"Let's keep looking around," Erika whispered as she tugged on my hand. I nod and we leave the room. We go further down the hall to the next room. Erika and I gagged as we got towards the door. There was a horrible smell coming from inside. "You would think that a corpse would be long since decomposed and no longer smell?"