See No Evil (Anthony Lockwood)

chapter 56

The only light that led their way in the pitch black attic was a wispy orb that had floated up from the ghosts downstairs. Something lurked all around them, hovering and making it nearly impossible to breathe. It was as if a weight was pressed down on their shoulders.

Violet felt her head pounding from the pressure and she grasped tight onto her rapier, blinking rapidly to try to adjust to the darkness. Her mind was a flurry of thoughts and emotions. She quickly closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to relax her body. The sound of calm waves filled her ears, filtering out the thoughts from her mind until there was nothing left but silence.

Lockwood reached into his bag and drew out a lantern, flicking the switch to bask the room in a soft warm light. When Violet opened up her eyes again, she could see the features of the attic. It was empty with the exception of a few broken tea chests in the corner and the cobwebs that draped down from the rafters.

Violet quite liked spiders. Not for how they looked, but for what they symbolized. It told her they were in the right place. Spiders were attracted to places of psychic disturbance.

"Vi, now might be a good time for you to find the Source," George mentioned.

"Always me, huh?" Violet muttered, but she had already began scanning the room with her senses.

"We shouldn't be up here. Even I'm nervous, and I'm already dead," the Skull whispered.

"Can you cower more quietly in there? Some of us have important jobs to do," Violet snapped at the thing.

"Oh, I'm sorry, your highness. I hope you die first," it sassed.

"Been there, done that. Shut up before I toss you down the ladder."

"Vi, sweetheart, a little more focus, please," Lockwood said as he wandered the room.

"Why am I always the one in trouble?" Vi huffed before her eyes drifted up to one of the beams high above.

The beam was coated in a thick layer of cobwebs. Something seemed to be poking out of the darkness.

"We're overlooking the street. I can see ghost-lamps far below. Anything, Vi?" Lockwood asked as he looked out the window.

"Yeah. Up there." Violet pointed up.

Lucy followed the direction of her finger, "Is it me, or is there something lying on that beam?"

Violet stood right next to her, "No. I see it too."

"Ladder, George," Lockwood called.

George hefted up the ladder through the hatch, "Those guys are still down there. Just standing around the chains. Looks like they're waiting for something."

They set the ladder against the beam.

"You want my advice? The worst thing you can do is go up and look. Just chuck a magnesium flare and run away."

Lucy reported the skull's words to Lockwood, who shook his head, "If it's the Source, we have to seal it. One of us has to climb up. How about you, George?"

George gave him a look of offense, "Why me?"

"Because you went for the broom closet," Lockwood held out a net.

"Yeah, and you hid behind Vi the whole time. Why don't you do it?"

Violet rolled her eyes and snatched up the net, "Oh my God, i'll do it. My goodness, you two are good for nothing. Might as well just send Lucy and I to do the work."