Six (Countdown book 1)

Chapter 16

"This is it?" I asked doubtfully, looking up at the small, old, rickety, boarded up building. "I don't think the word safe applies here." 

"This is it." Scarlett told me. "This is your new home, so you'd better get used to it. 

Great, I thought. Aiden drove the car around the back of the school. "Is there anywhere we can hide this?" he asked. 

Scarlett nodded, and pointed to the metal fence around the school. "If you open that, there's a secret entrance that leads straight down to the basement, which we could use as a carpark." 

I got out of the car, and walked over to the fence. I was somewhat surprised when I found that I could just push it open. No lock, no gate. It just opened. I already felt safe knowing that Hunters could just walk in whenever they wanted. I opened it wide enough for the car to get in, then moved out of the way as Aiden drove carfully through, avoiding my feet. I closed the fence again

He drove right up the building then paused. I knocked on Scarlett's window, and she wound it down. "Where's this secret entrance?" I asked. She pointed over to a big, unlikely-looking bush. I walked over to it, and pulled it apart, surprised to see a trap door underneath. 

"Are you sure this isn't an evil villain's lair?" I called behind me, opening the massive hatch with difficulty: it was very big, and very heavy. I glanced down into the dark. I couldn't see anything in the hole, but I trusted Scarlett. I gestured for Aiden to take drive down first, and he obliged, putting the headlights on so that he could see. I pulled the one torch out of the duffel bag, switched it on and climbed into the hatch. 

I almost fell over. It was sloped. I caught hold of the edge of the trapdoor, and righted myself. We'd have to take the front entrance from now on: this way was far too risky for anything other than a car. I reached up and closed the hatch behind me, and shone the torchbeam down the long, damp slope. I began walking slowly down, keeping close to the left wall.

I was walking for almost two minutes. At one point, I heard a squeak that made me jump and I couldn't sworn I felt something scampering over my foot, but when I checked with the torch, there was nothing there. When I eventually got to the bottom, the others were waiting for me, in a wide, open basement, that was easily big enough for three or four cars.

"You took your time." Mackenzie said, blinking fast when I raised the torchbeam to her face.

"I got in a scrap with a rat." I joked.

"A w-what?" she stuttered, taking me seriously. 

"A big rat. Must've been 'bout this long." I raised my hands about as far apart as one of my feet. "And it's tail was at least fifteen centimeters. It had these really big teeth, and huge, razor-sharp claws and-" 

Andy punched me. "Leave her alone!" she shouted. 

"Ow! I was just joking!" I snapped, clutching my arm. 

"There wasn't a rat?" Mackenzie asked hopefully. 

"No, it was probably just a-" I went to say mouse, but Andy gave me a poisonous glare, and I guessed Mackenzie must have a problem with rodents. "It was probably just my imagination. Should we have a look around?" I asked, moving swiftly on. 

"Good idea." Tony said. "How many torches are there?" he asked. 

"One." I replied, turning the torch upwards to cast my face into ghost-story-telling shadows. He snatched it out of my hand. 

"I'll take lead, then." he said. That was fine by me. He could lead through the creepy, mouse-infested school if he wanted. I didn't mind. 

He looked around for a minute, then found a staircase off to one side. He lead us up. We followed the corridor, checking each room. They were all abandoned classrooms, some with desks and chairs, some completely empty. We came to another set of stairs at the end of the corridor, and went up. We found more classrooms, including an old science classroom which was still stocked, much to my relief.