A Box Of Kittens

Chapter 40

(your name) leaned her back against the door, breathing out a sigh. With all the moving around they were doing, the corset currently squeezing all remaining breath out of was beginning to become extremely uncomfortable. Her pinned up (hair colour) locks were sagging, falling out of their holds, and were sticking to the back of her sweat-soaked neck; her cheeks were flushed a light, rosy tint, and her breathing came out in short, raspy breaths. She stood up and, after straightening her dress, took a candle from its bracket set in the wall, and made her way steadily down the corridor, the flickering candlelight her only guide. (your name) looked around, squinting in the semi-darkness.

With each step on the carpet, plumes of dust and dirt flew into the air. (your name) cringed, the light from the flame licking at her face menacingly.

At the end of the hallway, (your name) came to a dead end. She looked around, confused. She stepped forward and her shoe connected with a wooden surface. Looking down, she saw that she had stepped on a trap door. Of course, why wouldn't there be a bloody trap door? (your name) thought sarcastically to herself. She put the candle on the floor next to her and crouched down, lifting up the trap door- the hinges creaked loudly, almost as if they were screaming in agony. (your name) picked up her candle and shone its light into the hole. There were stone stairs at the bottom, leading even further down. 

"That looks like a long way down," a voice said. (your name) jumped and spun around, punching the person in the face: it was Undertaker.

"What the hell?" (your name) yelled, sweeping off his hat and smacking the top of his head with it. Undertaker laughed madly, long grey strands of hair falling out of their pins. "Not cool!"

"Many apologies, my dear," he giggled. "Didn't mean to startle you."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

Undertaker dropped down into the hole and landed awkwardly on his feet, stumbling dangerously. "It's a lot further down than it looks," he giggled. (your name) shook her head, smiling to herself, and lowered herself down into the hole after him, Undertaker catching her around the waist to help her down easily. Undertaker took the candle from (your name), shining it out in front of him: the stairs only continued to go down.

They set off down the steep steps, the staircase going down in a downward spiral. They reached an old, wooden door, and Undertaker turned the handle, opening it. They appeared to be in a wine cellar of some sort, barrels and bottle galore stacked up in shelves along the walls from the floor to the ceiling. At regular intervals along the shelves, more candles were set in brackets, casting a dismal mood over the room. What looked like furniture was covered in dusty white sheets and at the end of the wine cellar, a cloth was hastily thrown over something. It wasn't entirely covered and the bottom of a cage could be seen. From within the cage, voices could be heard, as well as a gentle sobbing sound.

(your name) and Undertaker looked at each other, confusion plastered across their faces. "You don't think that could be...?" (your name) asked.

"Only one way to find out," Undertaker strode forward, (your name) following close behind. He set the candle down on a nearby clothed-table- at least, it looked like a table- and swept the cloth off of the cage. Its inhabitants squeaked in fright, cowering away.

(your name) looked into the cage. She counted: Ciel, Alois, Grell, Ronald, William, Agni and Soma, as well as many others. Alois perked up as soon as he saw her face. "(your name)! Thank goodness it's you!" he cried, throwing himself at the bars. Undertaker took his hair pins out, his fringe falling back in front of his eyes.

"(your name)? Who's (your name)?" Nina asked, intrigued.

"The girl who was looking after us!" replied Soma, also trying to squeeze through the bars to get at her. "Oh, thanks the Gods, you are here to rescue us!"

"(your name), Undertaker, where are Sebastian and Claude?" Ciel asked.

"Yes, that's a good question," Undertaker replied. "I'm afraid I have no idea meself, but I believe (your name) here may know."

"The last I saw them, they were busy trying to attack Drossel," (your name) shrugged. "Then I nearly had a heart attack from Undertaker sneaking up on me in the darkness-"

"Yes, yes, that's all good," Grell interrupted. "But I have two problems right now. One: I need to get out of this crowded cage, and two: BASSY ISN'T THE ONE RESCUING ME?!"

"Sutcliff, do be quiet, you're causing my head to pound," William said irritably, massaging his head with a paw.

"I'll be quick," Undertaker said, stooping down so that he was eye-level with the lock on the cage. He pulled out a hair pin and bent it, sticking on end of it into the lock; he jostled and jerked the hair pin around inside of the lock, hearing a satisfying click as the lock fell away. He pulled the cage door open and kittens spilled out.

"Do you know what? I'm not even going to question that," (your name) said right before she was attacked by fluffy balls of fur launching themselves at her. She fell over backwards, landing on the floor. "Jesus tap dancing Christ on a stick!" she cried out in shock. "Calm down, you're getting fur all over my dress!"

"That won't be the only thing ruining your dress," a dark, menacing voice said from behind them.

So, I updated again this week. Early, yes, I know. I just felt like writing :). Also, I don't know whether you'll be happy about the chapter ending there, since it does end in a cliffhanger there, but whatever. Enjoy it, anyway.

Word count: 968