Elizabeth

Chapter 5- Alone?

They stopped outside her room, "Goodnight Elizabeth," Mary smiled "Sleep tight." June and Kaitlin nodded and they all turned round in synchrony. Elizabeth smiled, despite being curious about that thing in the maze. "I must go back there tomorrow and search..." Elizabeth mumbled turning the doorknob to enter her king sized bedroom though the horrific sight took her by surprise. She ran over to Charlotte's empty bed which had a gigantic claw mark across it. There was no doubt that this was the strange beast from earlier, but how did it get in here? Why Charlotte? Questions rattled in her head, as she fell onto her knees, pouring tears into Charlotte's bed. Elizabeth wailed into the pillows and gripped the ripped sheets tightly. A silver glisten caught her eyes, it was the bracelet that Charlotte had given her when she first came here. Elizabeth matched the beautiful trinket to her own and both matched beautifully, twinkling in the moonlight. Though she was glad to have something to remember Charlotte with, she was slightly upset. If there was any chance at all that Charlotte was still in the ballroom this bracelet, lying discarded on the floor had just proven her hope wrong.

Sobbing onto the bed, she heard a gentle knock on the door. "May I come in?" asked Jacob's soft voice. Elizabeth only scrunched the empty sheets tighter. "I was walking down the corridor and heard cries coming from this room..." Jacob looked up at the clawed sheets and sighed. "It was that thing from earlier wasn't it...?" Elizabeth mumbled into the sheets. Jacob didn't answer, instead, getting up to get a better look. It was true that a huge claw mark visibly ripped the sheets, so it could only have been that thing in the maze. But how could it have gotten here so fast? And why Charlotte? Elizabeth leant against the bed and spoke his thoughts "Why Charlotte? She was so lovely." Elizabeth looked up at the kind man in front of her, "We should stop seeing each other like this." Jacob darted around with wide eyes. "Why is that? I want to help you" he pleaded. Elizabeth stood up and tenderly took his hands, "Because everyone I've tried to happy with has died. I don't know why I'm not dead, it should be me. Charlotte hardly had anything to do with this whole thing, unlikely she even knew about it. Laura was fine until I came along. Everyone I've truly been happy with has been killed and I just can't ever imagine losing you." Jacob looked down at her and embraced her tightly. "I promise I won't ever leave you" he looked down at her with his sea blue eyes, giving her a small kiss on the forehead and squeezing her tightly in his arms. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around him in response and cried into his shoulders. "Will you continue searching with me?" he asked. Elizabeth wiped her eyes and sniffed, standing straight and looking him dead in the eyes. "I will." She replied.

Jacob grinned and gave a devious smirk, "Good because I might know where to get some answers." He led Elizabeth down into the ballroom again. "Rumour has it the sisters know everything around here, they've been here long enough." Elizabeth looked at him strangely, "And why would they tell us?" she asked. Jacob grinned, "Follow my lead." He led her down to where the two sisters had parked themselves, cackling around a table of wine like witches and a cauldron. Margret's eyes darted to the two as she stood up and marched towards them. Jacob gave them a toothy grin, "ladies please. I'm incredibly sorry about my dear Elizabeth. She just isn't used to this place yet. I hope you will please forgive her." The sisters glared at Elizabeth who had caught on, "I'm very sorry," she whimpered, bowing down and waiting for the sister's approval (as humiliating as it was). The sisters looked at Jacob's award-winning smile once again and rolled their eyes. "Yeah yeah, you're lucky this time," Meredith spat at Elizabeth. "Anyway, what was it you wanted, Hun?" asked Margret as both girls edged closer towards poor Jacob. "Well I was wondering if you could tell us a bit about this place, I thought lovely ladies such as yourselves would know a thing or two" Margret and Meredith exchanged glances, "You've been to the library haven't you?" asked Meredith to Elizabeth a Jacob, both nodded in response. Once again Meredith and Margret gave each other devious looks. "Come with us..." Margret gestured as she made her way out of the ballroom and through the maze-like corridors. Meredith followed boldly as Jacob and Elizabeth trailed at the back.

They continued trekking through the extravagant castle until they reached a familiar door. It was a dark brown, archaic looking door with a brass handle and small keyhole. It was the door to the library. Elizabeth had been dying to go in there ever since Laura had disappeared however she hadn't gotten the chance since she didn't have the key. Meredith fished around in her back pocket and handed Margret the same complex brass key Laura had. But how could they have gotten it? Elizabeth's stomach churned at the thought as though her stomach was telling her not to go with them. She nudged Jacob and looked up with pleading eyes. Jacob took her hand and grasped it tightly; he gave it a small squeeze of reassurance. The door suddenly swung open as they tiptoed inside. They both walked forward, Jacob was astounded by all the books however Elizabeth noticed the candles were already lit. It couldn't have been... The door swung shut behind them and the lock clicked into place, "A trap!" shouted Elizabeth. Jacob gasped and ran back to the door, frantically turning and pulling on the knob, though it was no use.

A familiar hooded figure stepped out from one of the shelves and hovered in front of the petrified Elizabeth. Her eye's widened as the huge beast finally came into view. Though she couldn't distinguish its specific features, she recognised it seemed to be the size of a hippo, but with more of a wolf-like body. Its head was large and it snarled at Elizabeth with its large, looming mouth filled with razor sharp teeth. The only visible colour on this beast was its demonic red eyes, Elizabeth felt as if she'd looked into the eyes of the devil himself. The beast lunged forward, though Jacob charged it from the side with a large knife, creating a gaping wound in its side. "Run Elizabeth!" he shouted. Elizabeth needed no more hints as she ran into the cover of the shadows followed by the hooded figure. She zigzagged through various bookshelves and in-between small gaps. Perhaps she could hide in the hidden room from earlier. Elizabeth traced the spines of the books as she ran though none of them felt unique like before. Before long she found herself face to face with a large wall. With nowhere to run, she tucked herself into the shadows and prayed that he wouldn't find her. She went so quiet that she could hear everything around her. She heard grunts of agony coming from Jacob and echoing roars from the strange beast. She had to hold cover her ears to stop herself going after Jacob as she heard his shouts and cries for help. There was nothing she could do; his sacrifice couldn't be in vain. Her eyes watered as she realised how helpless she was, Elizabeth knew it was a terrible idea to get him involved, this was all her fault. Her guilt and sorrow were interrupted by light footsteps which seemed to be getting louder and heavier. Elizabeth braced for impact and shut her eyes tightly, suddenly the door once again slammed open. "Elizabeth?!" called a familiar voice. Elizabeth's eyes lit up, not only was she saved but it almost sounded like Charlotte. Light from the corridor reflected into the humongous library, the figure and the beast were gone...as was Jacob. Charlotte ran into the light and out toward the corridor. It was June, Elizabeth stopped in her tracks. "Oh, June." She almost sounded disappointed. Elizabeth still ran up and hugged her, "You've saved my life..." June looked confused. "Oh really?" she asked, "Some girls told us they saw you walking down here with Margret and Meredith, I was worried they had blackmailed you or something so I searched every room I could for you, as did the others. Mary and Kaitlin are still searching; I need to go tell them I found you. Everything is ok thought right? You're fine from here?" June titled her head. Elizabeth's eyes seemed glossed over as she nodded and watch June run back into the maze of a castle. Looking back at the library there was no sign of the beast, the hooded man or Jacob, even how June got in (there was no key in the door after all and she swore she heard it lock). The last thing she wanted was to be left alone, though somehow it almost felt right. At this point it felt like anyone who was around her would be killed, so it's only natural to be more comfortable alone. That way she wouldn't be responsible for any more deaths.