Dead End [#Wattys2016]

CHAPTER 6

My internal feeling of doom didn't last very long as a glint of metal caught my eye. I turned my head ever so slightly to the right to see a golden key hanging casually off a hook. The slight sway of its movements seemed to be mocking me, I could almost hear the slight jingle of its judgemental laughter. I found a tinge of concern had tackled its way into my body as I seemed to realise I was thinking about a key actually being able to laugh at me.

I sighed at my stupidity as I snatched the key off of the hook with a growl of irritation. My dramatic entrance to the basement was ruined. Without a moment's hesitation, I jammed the key in the lock and twisted until I heard the satisfying click that meant I was allowed entry. My hand once again touched the cool metal of the handle as I turned it again,but this time the door opened. The darkness greeted me like an old friend, though it was anything but when I was as distressed as I was.That was when one thought popped into my head, ruining any plan of me going down to the basement. How the heck am I supposed to see anything? Even though I felt some relief flood through me, did not mean I wasn't greatly annoyed that there was still one room of the house that might go unseen.

Not letting that stop me, I started searching through draws and cabinets, looking for anything that would give me some sort of light down in the dark. The smooth scraping of wood on wood seemed to be all I could hear as I opened countless draws, all seeming to come up empty. I was about to close another one in frustration when I heard something rolling inside it, but when I looked inside again, it still appeared to be empty. I was just about to give up and close it again, I swore I was losing my mind, when the corner of my eye had caught something. A slight fold of the cardboard was in the corner of the enclosure. With curiosity swimming in my eyes I let my fingers pinch it firmly and yanked it upwards.

My eyes were the size of tennis balls and a small smile grew on my face, denting my cheeks with dimples.

I seemed to have uncovered a secret compartment in the draw, but in my eyes it might as well have a golden glow encompassing my face and be filled to the brim with treasure because my eyes were met with the most welcome of sights. An entirely black, hand gun that slightly shone in the dim lighting of the room lay before me, along with a full carton of the matching bullets. An orange torch, that had black rubber hugging it in some places, rolled carelessly in front of the other object lighting a ray of hope within my eyes again.

In my head I had started to chant 'Please work' in hopes that it would help the item to light up when switched on. My frail hands cautiously picked up the torch, holding it like it was the most expensive china in the world. I hadn't realised I had been holding my breath until I felt that it was getting harder to breathe. Taking a small gasp of fresh air and closing my eyes, preparing myself for the likely failure, my thumb flicked the switch and I heard a satisfying click resonate across the room. My eyelids snapped open, eager to know the results of the torches functionality. I wasn't disappointed when I saw a light cone its surroundings, making the area brighter. I quickly shut it off, not taking any chances of the power running out,I needed it for as long as I could.

With the carton squeezed into one of my trouser pockets and the gun weighing down on my free hand, I paced towards the open door of darkness, making my heart stutter in my chest as the butterflies came out to play.Reassurances were muttered in my head, the only thing that was keeping my feet walking forwards.

I can do this. It won't be that dark with the torch. I have protection just in case. It's unlikely anything too dangerous will be there.

Only some of the sentences that were circling around my mind.

The same time my foot had touched the first of the old, wooden stairs, I had my torch flashed on, illuminating a part of the room for me, settling my nerves a little bit.