The Haunted Orphanage

Chapter 65

Mark's POV

Once Chica broke off into a sprint down the right hallway, the rest of us quickly chased after her, cheering quietly. I heard several prisoners in their cells begin to talk and reach out through the bars, but I kept my focus on Chica.

We turned a corner to the left, then Chica abruptly stopped in front of one of the cells. We all skidded to a stop, but Thomas fell forward, landing on his face. Logan grimaced before walking forward and helping him up.

Once Thomas was back on his feet, we all stared at the cell we were in front of. It looked just as gloomy as the other cells, but this one didn't have bars on the entrance. Instead, a beat up metal door stood in front of us.

Chica approached it and scratched it excitedly. Dan and Phil smiled brightly while Jack commented, "Percy's in the only cell with a proper door?"

"It could just be because he's being executed soon," Logan replied.

Dan took a step toward the door, but I extended my arm to stop him. "Something about this doesn't seem right."

"What could possibly not feel right? Chica followed Percy's scent to the door!" Phil exclaimed.

"I agree with Mark," Jack stated. "Why would Felix let us come down here, fully aware that we would find Percy, and not do anything to stop us?"

"You two could just be paranoid because of everything you've been through," Dan replied.

Before I could retort, Logan sighed, "I'm going to have to agree with Mark and Jack. This feels way too easy." Thomas nodded in agreement.

Dan and Phil exchanged glances before Phil grinned. "I propose a compromise. Someone opens the door while the others wait here, prepared to attack if Percy isn't there."

A few seconds of silence followed while everyone thought it over. Thomas was the first to speak, "It's a good plan, but who's going to open the door? Also, what happens if all we end up doing is freeing some crazed lunatic?"

"Or if the person who opens the door gets dragged into the room and the door slams shut?" Jack added.

"You're all ignoring the obvious problem." Logan stared at the door. "It's likely locked, and I for one didn't grab a key on the way here."

"Alright, how about this: If the door's unlocked, that's a sign that Percy isn't in there and it's a trap. If it is locked, Percy's in there and we need to find out how to break in," Dan suggested.

Everyone thought it over for a couple seconds before Logan decided, "Sounds good, just make sure whoever goes to check the door doesn't open it if it's unlocked. The last thing we need right now is to fight personnel working for the king."

Chica scratched the door again and whined quietly. Dan pointed at her. "There's no way Percy isn't in that room. Why else would she be throwing such a fit?"

"She isn't throwing that much of a fit," Jack muttered under his breath.

"So who's checking the door?" Thomas inquired.

After a few seconds of no one offering, I slowly raised my hand. "I can do it."

I saw Jack tense up slightly out of the corner of my eye while Phil motioned toward the door. I turned and looked at Jack briefly before walking to the door. It's not like I'm going to get hurt. I'm just seeing if the door moves.

But then why had Jack seemed worried? I knew I'd be fine.

I shrugged away the thought as I reached out for the door handle. Maybe I'd just imagined him tensing up.