Echos In The Catacombs

Chapter 20: A History That Still Stands

A/N: Here ya go! Second chapter of the day!
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Lizzie's P.O.V

"You made us run into the middle of nowhere for what reason exactly?" Violet huffed.

"Check your surroundings, Vi." Noire spoke gently.

"We're not in the middle of nowhere." Pene added.

"Hang on. That's Darcey Manor." Violet spoke as she pointed to the building in front of us. "To it's right is the Le Beau Mansion, and all the way to it's left is the building that we do not speak of." 

"What do you mean 'we do not speak of'? It's not Lord Voldemort." Angel chimed in.

"Yeah, I know b- hang on." Violet started as she turned to face Angel with a confused look. "I thought Harry Potter  wasn't around until the late 1990's."

"It wasn't, Avanstein just gave us a bunch of stuff from different time periods so we could educate and entertain ourselves." Noire answered. "Why do you think Lizzie referred to the tape player as a record player and not a gramophone?"

"You have to remember that time doesn't work as it should. The world around us hasn't changed at all. Almost as if it's stuck, like when a clock stops working." I added.

"This still doesn't answer my question." Angel piped up.

"Oh, back in the early 1900's the whole of Eastfell was governed by the three wealthiest families. The Le Beau's, the Darcey's and the owner of Manor Hill." I said, gesturing to the three buildings. "The Le Beau's and the Darcey's were very respected because of how well they helped the people. However, the 'gentleman' who lived in Manor Hill was, how do I say this somewhat nicely, a complete arse."

"C-can I just a-ask one thing?" Klaude stuttered, he'd been awfully quiet for the last couple of hours. "I th-thought the Darcey Manor h-had been turned into a t-tourist attraction.."

"It was in, like, the 60's and 70's I believe, because no member of the Darcey family had lived in it for a while.." Noire answered. "In 1987 a woman named Emily-Rose said it was her family home and that she'd like full ownership of the building." 

"Isn't the maze in the back garden still a tourist attraction?" Vice asked, he seemed a little nicer now. "The Nameless Maze I think they called it."

"They can't rename it if it already has a name." I spoke, slightly offended.

There was a pause.

"Would you care to tell us what that name is then?" Pene spoke impatiently.

"Oh of course, my apologies. It's Mortimer's Maze." I said.

"How the bloody fuck do you know that?" Violet asked.

"Because it's her house and Mortimer is probably one of her ancestors you twit." Pene answered.

"He is my great, great, add about a hundred more greats, grandfather. The first person the ever bear the Darcey name." I added.

I cleared my throat. "Anyways, now that we're in a safer area I can finally tell you what I read in this." I spoke holding up Riven's file. "They think that they've created something, something that's in her head. Riven refers to it as 'Brakten', it seems they think she's having conversations with Brakten in her mind which partially justifies her lack of speaking aloud."

Pene raised her eyebrow and folded her arms. "Anything else?"

"They haven't the slightest idea of what they've created." I spoke clearly. "I have reason to believe that Brakten is the embodiment of her conscience, and I'm sure that it is the one writing on the walls like it's taking control of her somehow."

"That would explain the writing scribbled across the walls on level -35." Vice chimed in.

"That would also explain why it used her finger to scratch the words into the walls rather than a pen or a different object. To put it simply, it doesn't know how to." I carried on.

"Why don't we just ask Riven?" Noire asked as she turned to Riven. "Can you read or write?"

Riven put her hand together to mimic a book and nodded. She then used her right hand to mimic somebody writing and shook her head.

"Grass is your uncle there's your answer. She can write but can't read." Violet spoke confidently.

"Vi, it's the other way around." Noire spoke softly.

"She can read but she can't write." Violet spoke again, second times a charm I suppose.
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Hope you enjoyed Chapter 20 of Echos In The Catacombs
Chapter 21 should be out soon

Catch You Later~