Ashwock Academy ✓

C H A P T E R - F O U R T E E N

*takes deep breath in* you guys ready?

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Damien grabbed the handle of the trapdoor, swinging it open and revealing a long ladder and passage under the academy. Marisa swallowed. Just looking at it gave her the chills, and she definitely didn't want to go down there again.

"Let's just get it over with," Rafe said. She walked toward the trapdoor and started climbing down the ladder. Trevor followed her, then Damien, Teony, Jackson, Raven, Fletcher, Ella, and finally Marisa. She fell onto the hard ground, making a few pieces of dirt and dust fall onto her head. She looked around, seeing a few old couches and pieces of wood. Nothing's changed since she last went into there. Ella bit her fingernails, frightened by the darkness in the cellar.

"What are we supposed to find?" Raven asked. "Are there any more clues?"

Fletcher shook his head. "That was it." He walked over to the back of the cellar, looking around and feeling the wall. He slide his hand over the dirty barrier when he felt a small lump. He brushed dirt off of the area, revealing a small red button. "Guys, look!"

Everybody gathered around him, conflicted on what to do. "I say push it," Damien said without thinking. Rafe stared at him, confused on who would say that.

"Don't push it, are you stupid? Have you ever watched movies where the hero hits the red button? I have, and it doesn't end well!"

"Mr. Barla sent us down here for a reason, Rafe, what if this is that reason?"

"Sorry, Rafe, but I agree with Damien," Fletcher said. And he pushed it.

The wall beside him separated, making Jackson almost fall when he was leaning on it, revealing a passageway. It didn't look very finished, for dirt was still dripping off of the top and piling itself on the ground. Just like a hollowed out space.

"Wicked," Damien whispered. And he started walking without question. Fletcher and Teony followed him, then the rest of the group except for Ella.

"Guys," She started. They looked back on her, and she was biting her nails again. "I-I'm not sure this is the best idea. Plus, I h-hate the dark!"

Marisa sighed, coming closer to her. "It's fine. Just grab my hand." She held it out, and Ella took it reluctantly, and they all started walking again.

The path was longer than they expected it to be. It twisted a lot, and every so often somebody would trip, making Ella screech in terror. Marisa always had her hand, though, comforting her after it. Finally, they found a stopping place. There was a rough, wooden door blocking the rest of the path, and Damien grabbed the handle, swinging it open. 

The room inside looked quite a bit more finished than the outer basement, with a desk that was fully intact, a bookshelf filled with books of all different sizes and colors, and even a small desk with a few glasses of colored liquid.

"Look around," Rafe ordered. "Try to find anything that you can."

Damien walked over to the desk, opening each drawer to check for any clue, when he heard something different than the papers in the other drawers. He opened it to find a small golden key, and he put it in his pocket, thinking that it might be useful. Rafe looked through the books, examining each spine carefully.