House of Bone

Chapter 8

People have died here. This was not normal. Or whatever normal is these days? It was bad enough with the testing, but now? I sigh, shaking my head. I have to investigate, I would normally stick to the rules, but in those circumstances, death didn't tend to be a recurring theme, and I couldn't live with myself if anyone else dies here with me doing nothing.

So I have to.

Tia left my room a couple of hours ago, and now I'm trying to find a way to escape the Shelter. I look around my room trying to see what could be of use to me. I see an air vent and an idea springs to mind. After dinner I would somehow attempt to climb up to the vent and look around, hopefully finding out what they're doing in the process. I sigh and go to read a book. As I'm looking, I recall the book from yesterday. Passage of the Unknown By Yoran Idyotte. I pull at the spine to see what it's about but once again, to no one's surprise, it doesn't come out. I pull harder and jump back in surprise as I hear a clunking noise. I expect the book to come flying with me, but it stays on the shelf, attached by a hinge. The whirring noise continues as I slowly approach the bookshelf. Then, suddenly with a click, the bookshelf slides to the left, directly under the vent. I look on the floor and see neat little slits, that act as rails. Almost invisible if you don't know what you're looking for.

That will certainly make my attempt at climbing the wall easier. Then I turn my focus to the empty space where the bookshelf had been standing a few moments ago, and I see a large map of the entirety of the Institute. The Shelter, the Lettering room, the Language rooms, and last–certainly the least thrilling of my life here–were the testing rooms.

I look at the map trying to find the best way to the testing rooms, so I could get to the floors below. I don't know what exactly is down there, but there was certainly something worth noting down there. And I intended to find out what it was, and hopefully save Shade and Tia from this awful fate, I may not make it, but the least I could do was keep them away. I sigh, thinking of home, thinking of Ora.

I blush, remembering my promise to her, I said I would write to her every day, but in the rush of everything I'd forgotten.

I rushed out of the room, it was time to eat dinner anyway, to ask Tia if I could write letters.

"Tia, or Shade," I ask "Can we write letters to those outside?"

Tia ruffles her blue hair "Well, yes..." she begins

"But..." I say prompting her to continue

"But," she continues "They read everything we write so it's hard to get anything out. And if you use code, that immediately goes into the fire pit. Oh and mails arrives every Monday."

I smiled, luckily Ora and I were smart and made little devices that shared messages, but they had to be close to work, so I could send mine along, and she'd use it then send it back.

"Thanks!" I say and sit down for dinner, I had a lot to do and so little time.

***

After we had finished dinner I rush into my room and start writing furiously.

Dear Ora,

Oh how I've missed you! It's only been a day but I've missed you every second!

Sorry I haven't written sooner, I was busy getting adjusted here. There's not much interesting to report. Hasn't been that long and I'm already anticipating our next encounter.

Can't wait until I see you again.

Love,

Kyra

I finish my letter and add anything I thought they'd burn into the bone chip. I slip it into the envelope, fold up my letter and use my custom seal, which looks like the Bone seal, but it isn't, to stamp it down. I poke my head out my doorway.

"Tia, where do I put the letters?"

I wait a moment and then I see her poke her head out of her doorway as well.

"Just put them in the box over by the side entrance, someone will clear them out by the morning."

I nod in thanks and put my letter in the box. I hope Ora will know by the opened seal that she can't say freely what she thinks. She's smarter than she looks, and she's certainly smarter than the average heir, including myself.

I go back to my bedroom, after giving Tia a high-five (at her insistence), and pull out the book by Yoran Idyotte again. I hear the whirring noise again, but this time I know what it is, and it slowly moves to the left and under the vent. I go and lock my door to make sure no one comes in, then start to climb.

After making it to the second shelf above the ground I jump down in defeat. I had tried to climb a bookshelf in a gown, which wasn't the smartest idea. So I look in my armoire, hoping to find something of use. I quickly note down various pairs of pants, some formal wear and others less so. I changed into some that looked comfortable and marvelled at how easy it was to walk. I had been living a lie. Why did men have to walk so easily when us women had to deal with all these gowns and dresses? It was infuriating, was it so we looked "proper"? Why didn't men have to wear gowns and spend three minutes just trying to get down a simple row of stairs? I sigh and start climbing again, this time reaching the top with no hassle. I cling onto the top with one hand and reach out to the vent with the other. Closed. I suppose that'd be expected. I try to pull it out to see if that will work but all I achieve is falling back down to the floor.

I sit back up in time to see my door open.

"Are you alright?" Tia asks "I heard a loud crash so I came in to check."

"I'm fine." I say quickly "But did you know that trousers are so handy? I mean like–" I lift my leg up to show her how easy it was to move.

"Ha!" she beams cheekily "The only time I was ever allowed to wear pants was at athletics. Other than that it was "dress this" and "gown that"."

I laugh "I know right!"

Then I remember about the map and realised I didn't want Tia to know about it just yet. I liked her, but I didn't know her enough to trust her with it. I only met her the other day after all. Luckily she decides to go away on her own without noticing the map.

"Well, have a good night Kyra!" she says cheerfully and leaves.

I sit up and look upwards at the vent. I can see screws holding it in so I guess I'd need a screwdriver of some kind to open it. Where in the Houses would I find one of those? And it had to be of the right kind, I wouldn't want a Tear screwdriver for a Shadow screw. That would just be completely stupid. I wonder, just maybe, that one of our mentors would have one. I climb up the bookshelf one last time to check what type of screw was holding the cover in place. Bone screws. Thank the Houses that it was the most common type of screw around. Either this place really wanted me to find out what was happening or they didn't think that anyone would try to climb inside the vents.

I carefully climb down the bookshelf, this time making sure I don't make a sound, and change out of the shirt and trousers into my nightdress. I sigh, and find myself missing my maid, Fala. I guess I'd have to attempt to undo my hair myself tonight. I eventually manage to get my hair out without tangling everything up and hop into the plush bed and fall to sleep.