Natalie

Chapter 5

Plastic owl, plastic owl, plastic owl.

I searched the dark basement for the special bird. Looking around the basement, I remembered all the times I would find perfect hiding spots when playing with my uncle. Crouching behind old furniture, paintings or book stacks, climbing into boxes and crates, standing dead still in dark corners. I remembered it to be a lot more crowded, walking carefully through narrow pathways. Over the years he must have sold or thrown out most of that junk because the floor was actually visible. All the old books and paintings gone, empty boxes thrown in one corner and pieces of broken furniture in another.

Finally I spotted the grey plastic owl. Half expecting it to be dusty and grimy, I was surprised to find it perfectly clean, the fading colour being the only evidence of its age.

I waved my phone's torch around the room to find the dresser it needed to be placed on. Finding it on the far side of the room, I made my way there.

"What happened to all the furniture?"

I jumped and screamed at suddenly hearing Ashton behind me. He burst out laughing, leaning on his knees for support.

"Damn it Ashton Irwin! Could you not walk a little louder?" I said, irritated that I let him get to me.

Breathing heavily from his hysteria, he could finally form sentences.

"Apologies madam," he let out one last chuckle before walking to the desk and sitting behind it, "but seriously it's completely bare up there."

"The family probably liquidated all the assets," I said, trying to remember the position the owl had to be in.

"Wow, so they have no faith in the idea that he might get out?" he said, putting his feet up on the table, watching me move the owl to a new spot every few seconds.

"I don't know the details Ash, now could you be quiet I'm trying to hear a click," I whispered while moving the owl again.

"Why would you hear a-"

"Ssh!" I shushed, showing him my annoyance.

I moved the owl a few more times but still no click. I was past irritated when Ashton spoke up.

"Can I speak now?" He whispered.

I glared at him and gave up on the owl. Sighing as I leaned against the dresser.

"Can I speak now?" He whispered again. I blankly stared at him.

"What were we waiting for exactly?" he whispered, still relaxed in the chair behind the desk.

I sighed again before explaining, "We were supposed to hear a click, to give us the indication that the trap door over there," I said pointing to where the owl previously sat, "was unlocked."

"Oh, I'm not sure if it's the click we're looking for but there was a click some time ago," he said, finally putting his feet down.

A boiling started in my stomach and went to my chest.

I opened my mouth to speak when he interrupted me.

"It came from over there!" He said before I could yell at him.

He pointed to the trap door, I glared at him one more time as I made my way there. Where the owl once was, there was now a handle that wasn't there before.

I kneeled down and pushed the handle in before pulling it as instructed. I could feel the door lift slightly but was too heavy.

"Ash, help me," I said, straining against the weight.