BatIM Five Trials

Chapter Nine

As Jade searched, she found herself increasingly frustrated with her injury, seeing as it did nothing but slow her down. She knew this whole process would go faster if not for her being so careless.

Where are these keys? She asked herself as more and more searches went unsuccessful. She found herself back in the recording studio where the projector turned itself on again, and finally, there they were. Sitting on top of everything else within the small bin. It was like they were saying, "Here we are! Where were you?" Jade muttered to herself about Wally's helpful carelessness as she picked up the keys, careful to not put pressure on her injury and to not fall as she picked the keys up.

Now to go unlock the hall clo- She cut herself off with a startled yelp as the projector turned back off. Stupid projector. . . Jade added another thing to her list of ridiculous things she had gotten scared by.

She began the trek. . . or, limp back to the hall closet. It almost felt like a rhythm she followed now as a song played on her mental radio. She stepped to the beat of it, which unconsciously reminded her to be careful as she went. When she got back to the other end of the hall, the sounds of ink flowing drowned out her internal song as she unlocked the closet door. It came open, revealing a few cans of bacon soup, some candles, and a recording. There was no dustpan, however, and Jade chuckled to herself that Wally may have been lying. Looking at the recording, it turned out to be another one by Sammy Lawrence.

Wonder what he's going to say this time? She decided to answer that question of hers by pressing the play button.

"Every artistic person needs a sanctuary. Joey Drew has his, and I've got mine. To enter, you need only know my favorite song."

Jade leaned closer to be able to hear it over the sounds of flowing ink in the background.

"The violin shudders with a piercing voice. The drum thunders in triumph. The banjo playfully plucks. The violin again screams."

Violin, drum, banjo, violin. Odd song choice, but noted.

"Sing my song, and my sanctuary will open to you." The recording clicked off as a new sense of purpose flowed through Jade, as well as the curiosity to figure out just what was in this supposed sanctuary.

When she got back into the recording studio, the projector turned itself on for the third time as Jade quickly limped toward the violin and plucked a string. Afterward, she used the handle end of her axe to tap the drum, and then the plucked the banjo, and again she plucked the violin. After the final instrument, the projector clicked off loudly as a light turned on over the gate. It started opening, not nearly as screechy as the other two gates, and let out a bit of steam when it finished. Limping toward the gate, Jade smiled with satisfaction.

You couldn't beat me with your riddles, Sammy! She knew it wasn't really much of a riddle, because if it was, she would have been hopeless at it, but she took whatever victories she could get.

The first thing she saw inside this sanctuary were string instruments lining the walls and on the shelves. Three cellos lined the left side while two violins laid on shelves to the right. She limped by, further into the sanctuary, and after the hall, what laid to the right was a pentagram on the floor with an ink message reading, Sing a happy song, hum a merry tune, just keep waiting, he is coming very soon.

What on Earth does this mean? Jade thought in total confusion as she looked around the rest of the small space. She also saw a pipe with a bold FLOW sign over it, with the valve almost beckoning invitingly. Careful to avoid the symbol on the floor after what had happened last time, she leaned her crutch against the wall so she could use both hands to give the stubborn wheel a turn. It was much easier to turn once it had gotten started, and the system let out a hiss after the flow was turned off, and the wheel turned no further.