✓ DYING MOURNINGS, original

five : the tunnel

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𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 : 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐔𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐋

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"Do we go look for what's making that sound?"

"Jesus, Blaire, do you want to get killed?"

"Killed? How could we get killed?"

"We don't know what could be making that noise!"

"We won't know unless we look."

I did find it hard to take a few steps forward but I found my stride, where it ultimately disappeared in front of the staircase. The L-shaped staircase had a resting spot where it turned and I knew immediately that was where the sound was coming from.

It was the only spot that made sense.

"I think it's coming from there," I whispered once Pandora had followed, standing a few inches behind me, looking over my shoulder.

"The big stair?" she asked, voice barely a whisper.

I nodded.

"How do we even know it's coming from there? How do we know if anything is even below it?"

Thunk!

"Does that answer your question?" I murmured, wanting to take a fearful step backwards because that could be anything. For all we both knew, it really could've been a killer lying in wait.

Pandora moved bravely, inspecting the staircase and asked me over her shoulder, "Do you have a basement?"

I shook my head. "No, only this floor and upstairs."

I fought myself to move forward, I didn't have to be afraid. I grew up in this house, there was nothing to be afraid of...right? I got onto my knees on the first few steps, resting my ear against the floor of the large step and knocking.

The sound made my heart sink and my blood run cold, a sudden deep chill running down my spine. Nausea rolled through me and it was difficult to swallow as a lump formed in my throat. Oh god, oh god, oh god. I sat up, staring as Pandora crouched down next to me and asked, "What happened? What'd you hear?"

"It's hollow," I croaked out, turning to look at her with wide eyes. "Like, what the fuck?!"

"We have to find out what's in there, don't we?" she asked in a small voice.

I swallowed thickly before nodding, "Damn right we do, but-Jesus-I've lived here my whole life! And I've just now learned there's a secret room underneath the stairs, like what the-"

Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

My eyesight went gray around the edges and I blinked twice, three times, working the sudden blur out of my eyes as I sat dumbfounded. There was a soft pounding in my head, at the base of my skull and behind my eyes and I brought my hands to my forehead. I ran my fingers across my face, pulling at my skin, trying to work the pain out as I groaned, "We need screwdrivers."

We searched the kitchen and cabinets, finding two screwdrivers in the drawer by the sink. I held mine tightly in my hand, actually afraid of what we might find underneath the staircase. Could there be a secret room? Like the ones people find in old homes or creepy apartments? A whole basement we didn't know we had, left boarded up for reasons unknown?