The Perfect Choice

Chapter 24

"Are you sure it's a good idea?" Theo asked from the other end of the phone.

"Of course Theo, it's going to be fun but please promise me you won't tell him anything when he comes to pick you up. Okay?" Grace replied excited.

"Fine, but have you told mommy yet?"

"Nope, but I'm going to tell her over dinner."

"Okay, see you later then."

"Okay Theo, see ya soon."

Grace hung the call and ran to the kitchen where Gishnetta was laying plates for them. Gishnetta was already home when Grace had arrived. They had unpacked all the shopping bags together and put the things in the cupboard. Gishnetta had suggested Grace to take some rest while she made dinner.

Grace waited until dessert to start the topic.

"Ohh mama, I completely forgot to tell you something," Grace said with her mouth full with chocolate ice cream.

Gishnetta smiled and wiped Grace's mouth, "what is it honey?"

"Tomorrow is Theo's cousin Micheal's birthday, you remember the blonde hair girl."

Gishnetta nodded.

"Well Theo has planned to give her a surprise at midnight and he asked me to help. Can I go? Please, please, please... "

"Of course you can Grace but please baby call me when you reach.. okay?"

"Thank you mama, Theo will pick me at eleven thirty. Love you."

Grace hated lying to her mama but this was necessary because if she would say the truth, her mama would never let her go. Grace prepared her backpack. Three torches, a rope, a bottle of water, and a first aid box, in case, she thought.

It was ten forty and Graciento had to move. Either to the airport or to pick Theo and Grace, he had to make a choice, now. He was pacing in his room when Davis entered.

"Sir we should leave."

"You are right Davis, ' we' should leave." Graciento said and flashed Davis a devilish smile.

Graciento pulled in front of Theo's house sharp at eleven. Theo was already outside waiting for him.

"How did you get to know where I live? Grace didn't told you as far as I remember." Theo asked jumping in the car.

"Sao Paolo is not a maze, you know, where someone's address can't be traced." Graciento replied smiling as he continued driving to Grace's house.

Grace checked upon her mama who was sound asleep and sneaked out of the house waiting for the guys outside. Finally Graciento's car turned up. She waved to them and Graciento slowed down for her to jump in.

"So where are we going?" Graciento asked curiously.

"Drive, we'll guide you." Grace replied making herself comfortable on the passengers seat at the back as she eyed Theo a reassuring look.

After a thirty minute drive, as they opted for a shortcut, they finally arrived.

"This is it, stop the car." Grace instructed.

"What! Here at this ruin! Are you serious?"

"Welcome to Joelma building." Grace said beaming as she got off from the car and admired the creepy place.

"What now?" Graciento asked as he and Theo got off too.

"You wanted to be forgiven... right?"

Graciento only nodded to that.

"I dare you to enter this building and stay there for 30 minutes."

"What!!! You made me drive all this way at midnight only to make me stand inside this ruin for half an hour? Are you crazy?" exclaimed
Graciento.

"This is not a simple ruin, " Theo started, " One of the urban legends surrounding this building is the alleged reports of 13 people who became trapped in one of the elevators while trying to escape from a fire.

Legend has it that these 13 people were burned alive in the elevator and were unidentifiable.

They are reported to be still haunting the building to this day." Theo finished in a slow and steady way trying to sound creepy.

"And you think I'm afraid by ghosts?" Graciento asked with a sarcasm as he faced Grace.

"This is true, not a story." Grace replied.

"We'll see." Graciento said as Grace handed him a torch.

Graciento sneaked into the building making sure his torch light doesn't alert the watchman outside. He had pulled his car to the back side of the building.

Grace giggled when she saw Graciento tip toe into the building and then she stopped right away when Theo gave her a worried look.

"That's not funny Grace! What if he falls into trouble? This is one of the most haunted places in Sao Paolo for God's sake! I'm getting sick." Theo cried out in frustration.

Grace was thoughtful for a while and then she sighed.

"I guess you are right! That was too childish from my part! Let's go get him," she suggested.

Theo agreed and both of them flicked their torch on and with their backpack on the shoulders they entered the building. Grace never got scared! She has always been strong. Theo clutched Grace by her arm as they walked in.

"Where did he go?" Theo whispered.

"How am I supposed to know Theo," she whispered back.

Grace felt a cold breeze over her neck as she passed by the elevators which is now completely destroyed. She didn't utter a single word about this to Theo as she didn't want to frighten him.

They continued walking in silence.

"I think it's time to call out for him." Grace reasoned.

"Are you out of your mind Grace? If we call out his name loud, the spirits might hear it!" Theo whispered again.

"Theo, we don't even know his name! So shut up!"

"Mr Richie Rich, where are you?" Grace screamed on top on her voice.

No response!

They continued walking and Theo stumbled on something and fell down. His head landed over something strong. He laid there for a moment and heard a sound, it was continues and it had a rhythm. He thought for a while and when realisation struck him he got up quickly and hugged Grace.

"It's a body, it's a body, I heard the heartbeats. " Theo cried.

"Theo relax," Grace said and then pointed her torch towards where he had fallen. To her great shock, she saw a pair of legs, she moved her torch upwards and what she saw took her senses away.

Graciento was on the floor, and there was blood all over his shirt!