Ghosting Around (Watty Awards 2012)

Chapter Five

“I don’t believe it!” I admitted, “This can’t be happening!”

Derek looked at me sadness illuminating his eyes and my stomach dropped. He knew and I knew who was upstairs and that they would do anything to get rid of me. I knew their secrets and I could expose them. But I needed proof... and time, which I was running out of. “I refuse to let them win,” I said as I peeped up at Derek. I was met with a mischievous grin which I reflected with my own.

Derek laughed and gave me a wink, “They won’t win, because you’ve got me.”

I rolled my eyes and moved closer to the wall. I studied it with the same certainty as before that there was something hidden behind it. I repeated my actions from before and as I neared the edge of the wall I felt a slight indent on the surface. I followed the indent down towards the floor before it stopped. I then traced it back up towards the ceiling before I stretched my arm out and felt for a horizontal line.

I heard a sharp intake of breath and I glanced back over at Derek. He was staring at the wall with the same amount of surprise and curiosity that I was. I twisted back around and after closer inspection I discovered that the indent ran across the wall horizontally and was about a metre long. The indent then travelled downwards and was approximately a metre and a half long.

With my body weight behind me, I pushed the section of the wall, but it didn’t budge. I tilted my head to the side to see the wall from a different angle and a thought struck me. I raised my foot and gave the wall a hard kick.

“Alina! What are you doing?”

I sighed dramatically and swung my gaze to focus on Derek, “There is something behind this wall. Pushing didn’t work, so I’m going to use a harder force.” Derek looked at me in horror. I shrugged and raised my leg to kick again but he jumped in front of me before I could. I looked at him questioningly and he responded, “What if there is another way?” I gave him a sceptical look before I nodded for him to explain.

“I have a feeling that they hid my body down in these passageways. If you think about it, they wouldn’t have put me in a wall and then re-cemented it. Then again, how would they know of any of the other passageways? They first time they’d been down here was when I showed them...” Derek scratched his head in thought, tousling his hair in the process.

“Miss Devonshield?” I stiffened. The woman’s high nasal voice echoed throughout the room, her words rebounding off the walls. My heart clenched with fear and my mouth gaped. I placed my hand over my racing heart as I heard her footsteps thump on the floor of the room above me. I held my breath as I listened carefully. Her footsteps where joined by another set, the new pair was slow and shuffled along the timber flooring. I heard their mumbled whispers, only catching excerpts from their conversation,

“I thought she was here?”

“...Her car and keys are still here,”

“...She can’t know,”

“..What if...No that’s impossible!”

Their voices rose into harsh, clipped shouts and I could make out who was saying what. “This was your idea! I didn’t want any part of it, how dare you blame me!” Meredith’s shrieks rang through my ears and I flinched from the noise. I heard the sound of George’s heavy wheezing and the anger that he bit out with every word, “You are a part of this, don’t forget that Meredith.”

After a seconds thought he added, “Do I need to remind you of what I’ve got against you? The power I hold over you?”

My ears pricked at his last words, was he blackmailing her? Their conversation ended and I flashed Derek a look, and he replied with a stern expression. I leaned in close to Derek and whispered softly, “What do we do now?” Derek remained still before he let out a rush of breath. He searched my eyes and lingered for a moment before he came to a decision.

Derek knelt down in front of the wall and beckoned for me to follow him. I took a sudden look at the open door behind me and racing over to it, I closed it. I searched the handle for a lock and with a smile, clicked it into place. Breathing a deep sigh, relief washed over me. Derek eyed me with suspicion, quirking his eyebrows. I shook my head at his wariness, “It makes me feel safer,” I confessed. With a jerk of his head, Derek turned back to the wall and I tip-toed back over to him.

Reaching for my hand, Derek attempted to guide me towards a section of the floor. He placed my hand on a floor board and I could feel air escaping from it. I furrowed my brow as I traced my hand along the timber flooring until I felt a sharp jut. I was just able to fit my fingers down and then underneath. I yanked my hand upwards but the floor moaned in protest. I pulled my hand out from underneath and hissed in pain when I saw the long cut that stretched across the back of my hand. I flipped my hand over and saw that I sported some deep splinters.

Scrutinizing the floorboards, I saw that they formed into a square with sharp edges outlining the shape. I saw Derek in the corner of my eye and I glanced at him. His eyes silently pleaded with me and I sighed in defeat. I reached back underneath the floorboards with both hands and gave a strong pull, but they did not relent. Derek changed position, settling back on his knees before he reached out and ducked his hands underneath. I smiled at him and he gave me a nod.

Together we pulled the floorboards up and were met with a musty smell. We released the floorboards, which now formed a trap door against the wall. I stood up quickly and advanced towards the lamp that was sitting next to the wooden chest. Grasping the handle with my uninjured hand I raised it above my head and walked back to the trap door.

Derek remained sitting as I illuminated what had been hidden underneath the trap door. A gasp escaped my lips as I saw a rickety ladder that led down into a dark room. I cast Derek a look but he was gone. Growling with annoyance I swung the lamp around and stifled a scream.

“Hello Miss Devonshield.”