Between Two Worlds - Book 1

Chapter 6

"Blaine come ! You have to see it ! I found a treasure !"

He hopped over, moaning exaggeratedly. I motioned enthusiastically for him to bend down and he knelt down to look inside the hole, not without difficulty.

"Who could hide that there ?" I asked him.

"No idea." he replied, bending down to try to catch it.

No matter how much Blaine twisted around, he couldn't reach the chest.

"Maybe we should remove another planks." I suggested.

"I don't think it's going to help me. Jump into the hole."

"Pardon ?!"

"Go ahead, you get the chest and I'll help you to get out. There's enough space for you to slip through the hole."

"Go yourself." I replied.

"Very funny, you'll never manage to get me back."

He had a point but I had no desire to slip into it. Besides the idea of having my feet teased by mice, I was a little worried that the floor below wouldn't support my weight.

"It's solid." Blaine tried to reassure me as if reading my mind.

"I saw that." I retorted, glancing down at his bleeding leg.

"There is concrete underneath. You risk nothing." he promised.

I still wasn't convinced.

"Come on ! Don't you want to know what's in that chest ?"

Yes, of course. I was burning to know it, just like him.

"You're sure, aren't you ?" I asked, sitting down on the very edge of the floor.

"Yes, trust me."

He didn't give me time to think any longer. Grabbing my arm to help me down, he gently push me down. His hand was warm against my cold skin and the mere touch made me shiver. As usual, he didn't seem to notice my confusion when he touched me.

He didn't let go of my arm until he was sure I had landed on both feet. The ground I was on was strewn with dust. I tried not to think about the possible rodents living there as I walked towards the chest. I bent down to pull it out from under some debris. I was about to lift it when I jerked up, screaming.

"What ? What's the matter ?" Blaine asked alarmed.

"A spider the size of the United States !" I replied, rubbing my skull that I had hit while standing up.

He chuckled, shaking his head, half mocking, half jaded.

- I almost put my hand on it, I complained.

- When you're done with your sissy, give me a sign, he replied without holding back laughter any longer.

I stuck my tongue out at him as I stared at the safe, no longer certain I wanted to take it.

"Catherine, make up your mind !" Blaine asked impatiently.

Making sure the furry monster was out of sight, I took the chest with over-cautiousness. It wasn't as heavy as I had expected and I didn't have too much trouble picking it up and handing it to Blaine who then helped me out of there to join him on the attic floor.

"You're heavier than one might thin." he laughed.

"If I weren't so well behaved, I'd show you my middle finger." I retorted, looking down at the trunk.

He grabbed the chest while laughing at my remark. He placed it on the window sill to expose it to the little light that penetrated.

"Looks like a handmade chest." I said. "My grandfather makes similar ones in his spare time." I added as I joined him.