Bookview Valley 3

Chapter Twenty-Two: It's Time

Monday, September 6th

We all gather around the cafe table, the clock ticking slowly down to the time to go. I'm glad I had time to say goodbye to Lexi before she left, though. I hope I get to see her next semester. I overheard something about classes being possibly cancelled until this Skeleton thing gets sorted. Apparently it's bad for reputation and all that. They're trying to start urging students to go back home. I'm unsure yet if I'm going back home yet, hopefully we can just end everything tonight. 

"Okay, we're all here except for your insider," Brianna says, "Are they going to show or is it just us?" 

"They're meeting me at the entrance," I inform everyone, "So, from here we're setting up our positions."

"Great, let's get started," Harper motions for us to get going, "I have other plans for tonight." 

Flynn snorts, "Yeah, like what?" 

"Sleep," She gives him a death stare, "I still have some recovering to do." 

I chuckle, "Alright, guys let's go over our places. Harper, you're on comms from your car. Parked not too far from where their hide out is supposed to be." 

"Right," Harper nods, "Just have to drive over there." 

"Dean and Flynn, you guys have the front entrance," They both nod at me, "Nick and Brianna you remember your places?" 

"Yep," Nick nods and Brianna gives me an enthusiastic smile. 

"Awesome, you guys ready?" I get a chorus of 'no' from everyone, "Great! Let's go." 

...

I shift nervously as I wait at, what Vincent called, the back entrance. The large, metal door creaks open and I'm motioned in by Vincent; though he's wearing his skeleton costume. I can only hope it's Vincent. I steadily walk through the doorway, understanding that I may not walk back out. 

"Are you ready?" The Skeleton before me asks. It's definitely Vincent.

"Not really," I reply, my nerves threatening to make me lose my lunch. 

"Great, let's go, and be quiet," He shuts the door behind me before leading me down a series of hallways. Fortunately, it seems like no one is interested in taking a walk. I hope the others are doing good too. Hopefully, they're not already dead. 

Vincent leads me down a series of stairs and through a curtained doorway. We walk out onto a long balcony. Glancing down, I spot hundreds of Skeletons, all cheering as people with bags over their heads walk out onto the long stage. Then I spot them. The Crimson Skeleton stands in the center of the stage, arms outstretched to the crowd. My breath catches as they turn to the group of people with bagged heads. 

Two of them have to be Dean and Flynn, but with the bags and the distance I can't really tell if they are down there. Hopefully they passed the security bit and managed to get in. Thanks to Vincent, they had the code for new admittances. I heard they'd have to pass some tests, but hopefully nothing bad. If they have to murder someone I know they're going to be pissed. 

"Come on," Vincent whispers, tugging me along. I follow him away from the balcony and towards another set of stairs. We keep going down and down and down. Until finally, we come out to what must be the basement. 

"Where is it?" I whisper. 

"Should be somewhere down here," Vincent mutters, glancing around the very grand room, "I think it's through one of these doors." 

I follow him through the first door to find a janitor's closet. We back track to the main basement room and head through another door. A bathroom. We leave that one too. Finally, we go through the third one and it seems like a very ritualistic room. There are stars all over the red walls, the floor has a black carpet, and in the middle of the room is a very antique desk. Vincent rushes over to the desk, searching the top of it before going through the drawers. 

"It was supposed to be in here," Vincent says, but the scratchy mask voice seems a little wavery, "I swear it was in here!" 

"Vincent, what's going on?" I whisper loudly, "Why isn't it in there? " 

"That would be, because our dear Vincent has led you into a trap," I spin around to face the Crimson Skeleton. They stand before me in full red, holding the red book I was looking for, "I see he told you the key to ending all of this was through this book." 

"I figured it wouldn't hurt, since she was going to die anyway," Vincent shrugs, the previous fear slipping off of him as he comes to stand next to the Crimson Skeleton. 

"What are you talking about?" I can feel the panic rising in my gut, "Vincent, what the hell?" 

"I'm sorry you were lied to," The Crimson Skeleton says, stepping closer, "But, I'm afraid you can't trust anyone. You should've learned that after your brother. I certainly did." 

I tear the mask off, feeling suffocated, "You killed my brother." I seethe. 

"For a good reason too," The Crimson Skeleton turns to Vincent, "You may go wait with the others." 

Vincent turns to leave, but another Skeleton stumbles down the stairs. Vincent pauses, staring at the other Skeleton, "What are you doing here?" 

"That's not Vincent," The second Skeleton says, "I'm Vincent." 

"Don't be ridiculous," The person I think is Vincent says, "I'm Vincent." 

The second Skeleton tosses their mask off, to reveal, in fact, Vincent, "No, you're not, Erin." 

The first Skeleton lets out noise before tossing their own mask off, "Vincent, what the hell?"

Erin stands before her twin, both of them glaring at each other. I glance at the Crimson Skeleton, but they seem to be enjoying this, "Ah, the Quinn Twins. What a mess." 

"What the hell is going on?" I mutter. 

"Erin, seize your brother and bring him with us," The Crimson Skeleton looks back at me, the skull mask grinning eerily, "Tonight just got a whole lot more interesting." 

Before I can scream they grab me, placing a clothed hand over my mouth, and drag me out of the room. I try to scream and kick as they drag me through some double doors and onto a platform. I pause my kicking as I realize the platform begins to raise up. Erin drags Vincent on behind us. My eyes widen as I realize we're going up to the stage. Shit. This couldn't have gone worse. Now not just me, but my friends are trapped in a building with killers. 

I tug harder and harder, trying to loosen the grip that the Crimson Skeleton has on me, but they don't budge. Tears threaten to spill down my cheeks as the luring doom fills me. I pull and pull until finally the Crimson Skeleton yanks me close to their face. 

"If you calm down I might spare you," They say, but I know they're lying. They seem to chuckle a scratchy laugh, "Or at least, one of you." With that I stop struggling as the platform finally comes out into the light.