Echos In The Catacombs

Chapter 11: Elevator To Hell

A/N: I'm aware that 'elevator' is an American term, it just made more sense to put it rather than 'lift'
____________________

Lizzie's P.O.V

Her breathing rate had increased. She was taking in quick, shallow breaths.

"It's okay." I said softly. "We're here now. Everything is alright."

"But is it really?" Violet droned. The six of us snapped our attention over to her, scowls plastered onto our faces.

"Sorry..." She said in a hushed voice.

I turned back to face the girl with a soft smile. She seemed to have calmed down a little.

She opened her mouth as if to try and speak, but her voice was incredibly croaky. Almost like she was straining it just to try and say something. 

"No, no. It's okay." I assured her. "Don't put yourself through anymore pain."

She gave me a weak smile and pointed at the wall beside her with her left hand.

'The words.' She mouthed. 

I looked back at the words carved into the wall. 

"Nutûr i'thil Du vét kâhr (Nu-tur i-theel do vey kaa)" I spoke it fluently as if something had possessed my speech.

I looked at her. "And what does it mean?"

She lifted up her left arm. There is was, the words written, almost, clear as day on the underside of her forearm. 

'Humans are a dying breed.'

"What does it mean, Lizzie?" Angel spoke.

"Humans are a dying breed..." I said as I turned to face the others.

"So you're telling us that the bullshit scribbled on the walls means that humans are practically going extincted?" Vice folded his arms. "What else is new?"

I sighed and turned my attention, once again, back to the girl. She looked scared.

'Are they going to hurt me?' She mouthed.

"The people over by the door?" I asked, assuming she meant the others.

She shook her head. 'Guards.'

"No, as long as I'm here they won't be able to lay a finger on you ever again." I spoke in a soothing tone.

She gave me a weak smile.

"For goodness sake are you going to ask what her name is yet?" Pene drawled. 

"Assuming sh-she has o-one that is." Klaude stuttered.

"Oh my God." I blinked. "Do you know what your name is, Darling?"

The girl nodded slowly as she pulled something out of her pocket. It was a name tag, like the ones hospital patients get. She handed it to me and I noticed that it looked as though she had chewed it off her own wrist.

The name 'Riven Valentine' was written on it. 

"Riven Valentine. I believe that's what it says, it is written in cursive after all. They could've at least chosen someone with more legible handwriting." I sighed.

"Riven Valentine? I don't remember someone with a name like that going missing." Violet chimed in.

"You're Subject 0, aren't you Riven?" I asked and she nodded in reply.

"You're Alexandria Valtura..." I spoke softly. "Aren't you?"

"The girl who went missing from Brookbank Asylum?" Vice piped up.

"It must be. Subject 0 is the first person who went missing. The person who started this train wreck of events." Pene spat.

"Don't blame her, she's a child." Noire spoke gently.  

Pene just let out an irritated sigh. "Well does she know a way out of here or not?"

I exhaled softly. "Riven do you know a way out of here, that doesn't involve us making a pointless journey up several flights of stairs to a locked door?"

Riven simply nodded and held up four fingers. Then she held up 10.

"Is there a way out on level -40?" I asked as I turned to the others.

"Yeah, there's an elevator." Violet huffed. 

"If it went down it would surely take us to Hell." Noire muttered.

"It can't take us to Hell if we're already fucking here." Violet whisper-shouted.

"That's enough you two." I said, somewhat sternly. "To level -40 we go."

"Finally we can leave this damned place once and for all." Vice spoke in relief.

Riven sat up and got down from her 'bed'. 

I smiled at her and she returned one as she took hold of my hand.

"We're going to find the person who did this to us." I assured.

The 8 of us made our way down to level -40. 

A single metal door. 

Angel sighed and pulled the handle down. The door opened with an unsettling creak. 

The lonely elevator stood right before our eyes.

"What do we do now?" Violet piped up

"Get in the damn thing of course." Pene spoke impatiently.

Noire walked towards it and pressed the button to call it down.

Its doors opened with a 'ding' as we all got inside.

There were only two buttons so I pressed the one that had a 'G' written on it. "Ground floor it is."

What awaited us at the top was beyond any of our knowledge.
____________________

Hope you enjoyed Chapter 11 of Echos In The Catacombs
Chapter 12 should be out soon

Catch You Later~