The Matinbury Estate

Chapter Four: TeMpUs

September 16th 2006 8:59 am

The corridors down here were very dark and stagnant. It was almost suffocating. I wondered about Kassidy. What if she wasn't dead? What if the AQV had stabilized component X? I couldn't think about that. Superhuman strength wasn't possible. Kassidy was insane and was now dead. The idea of something like that being possible was insane with her. Warren was upstairs. When I did finally get out of this hellhole, how would I face him? He was strong. I remember that about him. I couldn't fight him in the way I fought Kassidy. I would have to stealth my way to freedom. The whole idea seemed ill planned. I didn't know where he was upstairs and I didn't know if he knew I was down here.

What choice did I have? The hallway abruptly ended. I was relieved to see the secret doorway again. This secret laboratory wasn't as complex as I had thought. I stepped out of the hallway and into brighter surroundings and was greatly relieved. The idea of the ghost girl stalking behind me in the dark was too much. Those popping yellow years glinting in the darkness. I was glad to be able to see my surroundings. If she was following me she was gone. If she was real. I imagined her hiding in the doorway to the secret laboratory, gnawing at those spindly fingers attached to her dangling arms. Why did her arms dangle the way they did? She was human. She had too much of a human face even though it had decayed into a gray empty expression like death. I don't know why I was thinking about this. She was a creation of this headache ticking in my head. Nothing more. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

I looked towards the stairs leading out of this place. I heard nothing. It was strange this silence. Even though I heard nothing a strange static remained. Tick. Tock. My head was throbbing now that I was out of the secret place. I had to go upstairs now. Warren was upstairs. Unless he didn't want anything to do with Kassidy. I hadn't thought of that. What if Warren wasn't dangerous. What if he had left. I found the idea comforting and it inspired something in me. I was tired. I stepped onto the first stair and heard them creak. I cringed and moved my next foot. This stair cracked. This house was too old for stealth. My best bet was to run. My heart began pounding when I realized this. I would have to run past Warren if he was up there waiting for me. Tick.

I breathed in. If this was my last breath it would be a brave one. I survived Kassidy. I could survive this. I ran. The stairs responded with a warning every step I made. I bolted up the stairs in as few strides as I could manage. I burst through the door to the stairs and bolted through the kitchen. I couldn't hear anything in my surroundings except the sound of the floorboards beneath my feet. Maybe Warren was after me. If he was, I couldn't tell. I turned the corner and ran along the staircase towards the front door. There it was. Freedom. I stopped abruptly with my shaking hand on the handle. Tock.

I remembered the box. Upstairs. I never opened it. Isa said it was important and it addressed some mistakes she had made. I couldn't leave without opening the box. In this moment of hesitation, I listened. I couldn't hear Uncle Warren or anyone else coming after me. Maybe Warren had left. I could have been asleep for days with that sedative that still simmered in my stomach. If he was gone and Kassidy was dead then the house would be safe. I could open the box.

I turned away from the door and shuddered as I looked towards the stairs leading to my bedroom. My hands were still shaking and I swallowed. Freedom had been offered to me. After all that had just happened to me I found myself fearing this far more than anything. Something about heading up these stairs towards those rooms sickened me and terrified me. I didn't recall a reason. Maybe instinct was my reason. Maybe she was waiting for me up there. Tick. Tock.

I stepped on the first stair and it creaked. I looked back and saw a strange stain on the floor again. Forget about that. I climbed up the stairs and looked into the hallway that lead to my bedroom and the guest bedroom. The Matinbury Estate never had guests. Headache. Actually, I suddenly recalled having one. Tick. Tock.