The Other world

Chapter 4

Alex turned left.

A pathway lead her down a narrow alley way, it was clean with a few empty bins piled in a corner.

But it lead nowhere, it was a dead end. Up ahead lay a concrete wall, with a rope hanging out a window.

Climb Alex.

She wanted to climb it, to figure out what was inside the window. What would she find? This voice in her was leading her to a strange place, could she trust it? Maybe, it was of course in her head, so it was proababl her voice.

Alex walked forward, and reached out for the rope. It felt familiar in her hands.

Gripping it tightly she began to place her feet on the wall. Just like what she was taught on a school trip, she just had to think of it as absailing in reverse. Easy!

Alex began walking up, carefully placing each foot so it wouldn't sleep.

She was so caught up in a rhythm, the rope had stopped going upwards, but was now leading into an open window.

It was dark in the room beyond, no lights were on.

She slipped in, in sure of what to do next.

There's a switch behind you.

Obeying the voice Alex turned around, a dirty switch was on the wall next to the window. She placed her finger on it and pushed down until she heard a click.

A small light bulb on the roof flickered on, revealing a grin room. Two sofas sat ppposit each other, both of them mouldy and rat eaten. In the middle of them was a decent wooden table covered in thick layers of dust.

On the other side of the room was a small kitchen, it's tiles chipped and dirty.

This place hadnt been uses in a while.

No one's been here in a while, this is good.

"So what now?" Alex asked, the voice was becoming like another person. She could talk to it. Or to herself.

Go through that door, you'll know what to do.

She walked across the wooden floor boards, they creaked with every step, no matter how silently she tried to walk.

The door creaked as she pushed it open. A sunlight room came into view.

An old dusty bed stood in the middle, it's unmade sheets drappingto the floor. Wooden cabinets ran up the wall meeting the ceiling.

Alex walked over to large cabinet that stood at the very end of the room. It was polished oak wood. Carvings of swirls and flowers were embedded into the wood, making it look vintage and delicate.

She opened the door, it didn't creak from rust, but swung open smoothly.

A mirror was on the back of the cabinet door. She could see her reflection. Her hair needed washing, it was dirty and blood matted. She had cuts around her face and her clothes were torn.

Yet everyone walking around on the streets earlier didnt give her a second look. Unusual...

Alex opened the second cabinet door, it was like she was about to step into Narnia but the closet was just filled with old clothes.

Alex was about to turn away, when something glinted at the back behind an old top.

She pushed the top back causing a moth to flutter out.

A single ladder ran up the cabinets back.

It was a dull metal, camaoflaged by the clothes.

Alex pushed past the clothes and began to climb up.

It lead nowhere.

It's a hatch, you'll have to find the lock.

Alex looked and ran her finger along the top, until she felt a dent. Following the dent around, it became a square. The hatch.

A wooden lock was screwed on, barely seen because of the darkness.

She slid it to the side. Pushing up the hatch fell backwards.

Alex climbed up.

Squinting her eyes she looked around, she was on a roof.

Great! Now jump on to the higher roof straight ahead.

What! This was crazy, she thought.

It's fine, trust me.

Fine! She took a deep breath and ran, jumping of the edge. Her hands caught the side of the higher roof, with all her might she pulled herself up.

This roof had a mini garden, it was low and couldn't be seen from down below.

A small door was on the other side, Alex knew she had to go in.

It was a metal door, with a small lock. But no key.

Alex looked around, maybe there was a spare one.

A small clutter of plant pots were beside the door. Alex started picking them up, checking underneath them.

The last pot was at the very back, it was a small cactus. She picked it up.

Bingo!

A silver key was underneath. Alex jumped up and unlocked the door.

She stepped down a couple of steps towards a well lit room. This one looked more clean and welcoming.

With a sofa and bookcases, even a small TV sat in the corner.

Alex didnt notice the water running in the background, or that it stopped a couple of seconds after she had walked in.

It had been five minutes and Alex was still looking aroumd taking in every detail.

A door opened behind her, she spun around.

"A...Alex...?"