“What. How?” Jace asked.
“Look at the ground,” I said. “Do you see where some stones are slightly darker than others?”
“Yeah,” he said. “But what does that have to do with anything?”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought at first but looked at where they are.”
Jace looked and then he smiled as he too saw the way. The shaded blocks were set in a line making an arrow pointing forwards. I stepped on the first block and waited but nothing came at us. I stepped on the next one and once again nothing came. I was about to step on the third one when Jace yelled. “Stop!”
I stopped in surprise. “What?” I asked.
“Do you hear that?” he replied.
I listened closely and then I heard it. A soft rumbling could be heard faintly but it was growing louder.
“It sounds like, a-,” The rest of my words were drowned out as the main city’s tram went by above us.
“We must be under the tram tunnels!” Jace exclaimed. I began to walk faster along the shaded stones. When I got to the end I turned around but Jace wasn’t there.
“Jace! Jace, this isn’t funny!” I called.
I heard a malevolent laugh from somewhere near. I felt something slam into my head and I fell to the floor, then the world went black.
I woke up and I was back inside the cell and the door was closed and the same two men stood in front of me. I tried to move but I was tied up with what felt like rope. Jace wasn’t anywhere. ‘Where had he gone?’
“Merissa, Merissa, Merissa. Poor, poor Merissa, you think you could escape here, oh but you can’t. This place is inescapable.”
“Where’s Jace!” I blurted out before I could stop myself. There was a moment of what I thought was hesitation until he spoke.
“Oh, we have him. He’s locked away.” I looked deep into his eyes for even a glimmer of hope that he was lying but they were set hard to the thought.
“Where is he!”
“Oh! Just shut up would you! You don’t get it ! You’ve lost, we’ve won! Now, let’s get down to business. Where is your mother?”
Why do you want my mother?”
“I want to use her against you.”
I hesitated but then answered his question.
“She’s dead.” I said sternly.
“Is she now.” he said. “Do you know by who?”
“No.” I said with hard eyes.
“Ok, now you’ve made me mad!” He reached under his shirt and drew out a long dagger. Blood stains were smeared on it.
“What are you going to do?” I said shakily.
He didn’t reply. He bent down and guided the blade to my hand.
“AAAAAAGGGHHHHHHH!” I screamed as the blade slit my hand. I felt my warm blood run down my hand and I heard it drip onto the floor.
He bent down and licked the cut. I winced in pain. He kept on licking and then suddenly he snapped back up to a kneel. His face wore a look of pain. He opened his mouth into a deafening scream and then something horrible happened. His mouth started to turn into itself. His whole body was being sucked into his mouth. A few seconds later there was just a pile of clothes on the floor. I almost forgot about the other one. He just stood there in horror. I looked at him waiting to see what he was going to do. He rushed out the door but he got about halfway when there was a high shrill scream. I shuffled myself until I could see down the hall. A hole had now opened in it and I could hear a faint scream echoing from inside. I guess he was in such a rush he forgot where he had to step.
“Ok, I need to get out.” I said to myself. I looked back to the pile of clothes on the floor and I saw a small gleam of the dagger. I stood myself up and shuffled over to the pile of clothes. I turned around and sat down. I managed to pick the dagger up from the clothes and I started to carefully cut the ropes that I was tied up with. I felt the tightness loosen and loosen until they fell off altogether. I rubbed my raw and chaffed hands. I ran out into the hallway and thought of how I would get across. I walked back until I was touching the wall. I started to sprint towards the hole. I leapt across it but fell short. The breath was knocked from my body as my stomach hit the edge. I slid back and was just holding on by my hands. I started to slip, my hold was loosening. Then, like the voice of an angel, I heard somebody call.
“Merissa! Merissa!”
It was Jace, he had come back.
“I’m in here! Help!” I called to him as loud as I could.
My right hand let go and I was holding on by just my left. I felt my grip loosen and then I let go.
