Cryptic Asunder [Ver. 3 outdated]

25: The Pit

Chapter twenty-five: The Pit

            My body cringes closer to my core from the menacing atmosphere. These people, this place, it's so morbid. A cold hand snatches the nape of my neck and forces a petty whimper from my throat.

"Shut up," I hear that awful voice of Vensen spit at me. Without my will, I'm turned to face him with his sullen face inches from mine as he lowers his tone. "You will behave while you visit." Then I feel his tug on my neck as we walk down the hall to Methel knows where.

As we pass by, I watch hands reach out of the cells in front of me, but Vensen doesn't stop as the walls begin to close inward. Before we pass each confinement, the hands shy away and let us through. I can only see so much from the corner of my eye as I can't turn my head to see the caged people in fear of Vensen snapping my neck. His grip on me is so firm that I can't help but stand up straight and walk like a stuck-up princess.

At the very end of the corridor, we finally stand in front of two doors made of bars and wires that make it difficult to see through to the other side. Screeches of metal pierce my ears as the sound comes closer from underneath us until an abrupt halt jolts to our faces. The doors slide open with a high-pitched shriek to reveal a very tall and very burly man with a strange mask on.

Vensen removes his hand from my neck to grab hold of my arm and lifts me enough over the threshold of the elevator that's suspended in the air by multiple cords. After me, he steps in as well and releases me completely for the moment as he faces the opening.

The large man remains at his place near a board riddled with numbered buttons. Half of them look like they might not even work, let alone shoot sparks at anyone who dares to push them. By the long nozzle of the mask that engulfs his whole head, the man muffles out his routine and bland phrase, "Where to, Sir?" He doesn't even move, his body stands like a cold statue with the big round, glass holes he has for his eyes just staring into nothing.

Vensen, acting like it's part of his tedious schedule as well, bluntly answers, "The Pit."

Keeping his posture, the masked man lifts his heavy, gloved hand to push the button on the circuit board. It clicks and the two wait a moment for something to happen.

I jump at the sudden action of the doors wailing as they close. Another silence moans over us before the elevator finally scrapes its way downward, descending into the darkness. The horrible noises die down the further we go and quickly leaves the three of us in dumbness. I want to ask where we are, or just make some small talk, but the aura that these two give off makes me feel like I would get into trouble if I even make a sound. I'm so nervous, I don't even know what's going on.

"We're currently in the Archives," Vensen speaks, delivering the very answer I wanted at this moment.

Okay, I think I know where this is going. Is he trying to get on my good side by letting me visit Dad? I can sense a trap coming.

The Elevator stops and allows a way for us to leave through the broken doors. Before I can examine the macabre setting too much Vensen shoves me over the threshold again. I can feel the murky hall engulf me, slowly devouring my entire being. A warm hand gently grabs my arm and keeps me moving down the passage. I glance to the person escorting me from my side to see my own grandfather looking straight ahead with his deadpan face. Now I really do feel like a princess. I try to keep my head square like his as to seem presentable whilst staring at him from the corner of my eye. This is weird. "Um, Vensen..."

"Yes, child?" He replies almost like I don't matter to him.

The words become harder for me to form, "W-what is 'the pit'?"