Emerald

Chapter Fifteen- Ruby

As per usual on that little "trip", I woke up to a flash. I sat up from underneath the thick sheets of the bed and saw Rose and Ari with a phone.

"If you take one more picture with that stupid thing, I swear I'll throw it in the trash!" I yelled. They just busted out laughing.

"Come on, losers. It's 11:45 and we still have to snap out of it and get ready for our little 'gem adventure' part three," laughed Rose. I groaned and got out of bed, with Matt apparently, already in the living room.

After talking and getting ready, it was finally midnight. I already had a bad feeling about that night and we weren't even on the roof yet. Only one thought was on my mind as we walked out our doors;

Was that Shawn that I heard earlier? That voice sounded just like his and he was the only one to ever call me "Emmy-girl"...

When I had finally snapped out of my trance, I felt myself being pulled off the newfound stairs and up to the roof. There were many stairs, especially for being on the top floor of the hotel already. We were racing up the stairs so fast that we had to stop to catch our breaths.

"Why the heck are there so many stairs. It seems like this staircase goes on forever," said Rose, completely out of breath.

"Maybe it does..." I whispered. "Okay, in more dreams that I've been having, I can lift a small spark thing into the air so it can light up and entire place, or maybe an entire enclosed staircase. I want to see if it'll work outside my dreams, but I need you guys to trust me, okay?" They all had a dumbfounded look on their faces but still nodded in response.

I smiled at their reactions and gently held my hand out, concentrating on my magic. Suddenly, I felt a small heat in my palm and opened my eyes to see the spark. I smiled as I cast it up in the air so it could reach the top of the staircase.

But, my theory was proven correct, the spark didn't stop shooting up. The staircase was infinite.

"Oh great, well what are we supposed to do?" groaned Matt.

"Wait, what's this?" said Ari looking up. The room was still so dark that I couldn't see what she was looking at. I, then, willed my spark to come back down from where it was so I could light up the small area we were in. When it came back down, I finally looked up to see a small latch on the ceiling.

"I think it's some sort of door. But what's it doing right above us?" responded Matt. I had a feeling...

I unhooked the latch and pushed the door up and open. Suddenly, a small ladder came down through it. It was an old, chipping, wooden ladder with small, metal rims holding it together.

"Wanna try this?" I smiled. Ari wasted no time in hurrying up the ladder. I went up after her with Matt and Rose following close behind. I stared in awe at what surrounded me; an entire room filled to the brim with jewels. Just as Rose had made her way up the ladder, the door slammed shut and locked itself.

"That's not good," Matt began as he tried to open the door back up. He pulled with all his might, but the door wouldn't budge. It was then that I noticed an engraving on the wall.

"Wait, guys, look at this," I began. "A door shall open when what you seek is found. Let the heavens be your guide."

"Ugh, more riddles," groaned Rose.

"I think it means-," I began, but she cut me off.

"Oh, here we go again, Miss Emerald, the Riddle Master! Why don't give us a chance to do something!"

"But-,"

"No! That's it! I'm gonna find it myself with no help from you!"

"She's right, Em," began Ari. "You're trying to take control over everything! You know what, I'm gonna find it myself. I'm apparently the only one that wants my brother back anymore!"

"Me, too!" yelled Matt. "Shawn's my best friend and I'm gonna get him back, myself! Screw you guys!" What was going on?!

"Awe, poor little Emmy-girl is crying because of her best friends. Well, consider this friendship over!" yelled Ari.

"No! You guys are all I have left with me! I can't do this without you!" I cried.

"Too bad. You're on your own," responded Matt.

"Fine! I don't need you, anyway!" I gasped. Why on Earth would I say that? It had to be a spell! They would never say that to me! I would never say that to them..they were my best friends!

"You're right, little gem." I heard a voice say.

"Phoenix?" I asked.

"Yes. The only way for you to break it is to get one of them to find the ruby. They need you more than ever, right now. Help them. Help all of them. Help who read the riddle in the first place."

Of course! Everyone who read their letters were the ones that got the gems!

Where'd Matt go?, I thought.

Matt was behind me, digging through a box of gems. I walked up to him and grabbed his shoulders.

"Matt, can you trust me for just one second?" I whispered. "Matt, you're under a spell and you need to trust me." He turned around with fury in his eyes and put his hand to my neck. He was choking me!

"Why should I do that. It's your fault we're here in the first place!" he said as he squeezed tighter. Darkness was beginning to cloud my vision. Then, I had an idea.

"I love you, Matthew Deere," I said as I slammed my lips onto his. He let go of my neck and kissed back...but the choking had done its work. My body went limp in his arms from lack of oxygen.

Phoenix, please tell Matt what to do. You know I can't do this on my own...

That was the last thought I had...