Jacks And Jokers

9:The Corridors

The corridor past the door smelled musty. I don't know where it led to but I decided to find out. As I walked my eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness and the walkway seemed easier to navigate. 

Where did this lead? Sighing, I contemplated wether I move forward or not knowing I'd probably never be here again. I stepped forward hesitantly before backing away. What was so bad or secretive that The King himself had to hide it in the safety of his castle? What would happen if I were caught? I looked inside of the Sanctuary one last time and casually strode in. I looked inconspicuous right?

Finally inside I realized it wasn't really a musty smell but more of damp moss and dead mice and rats. It's a stark contrast to the pristine area I'd just come from. As I continued I finally realized that there were lights that started a little ways down the corridor.

About a third of a mile down I reach the first light and there's a door to my left. The hallway continues for a while with the same lights going as far as I could see. The door had a small glass window slightly above eye level. I get up on my tiptoes and look in.

The room inside is well lit unlike the hallway with almost minimal lighting. There are what looks like boxes with moving pictures inside of them, wait that was a tv. I'd seen a tv on the train and they'd played a thing called a movie on the way here. 

I opened the door to see what movie they were playing only to see a few familiar spots on the tv. Plenty of people looked to be hustling and bustling around in the ball room getting it ready for tonight. What was happening, why would they make a movie about this. But what if this wasn't a movie? What if this is right now? 

Then it hit me. Our teachers had talked about the olden days when the government had used things called cameras to spy on their citizens. Maybe that's what they were. If that's right then there were a lot of people coming down the corridor towards where I currently was. I looked around I finally saw a door to straight forward to where I'd come in from. 

When I got into the door the stench was the first to hit me. It was like the twos, but as if no-one got their weekly shower. My sight came back second, but I really didn't get a good look at my surroundings before I heard a slamming and people talking. I backed up expecting to hit a wall but, instead was met with a low growl. I swung around some natural instinct kicking in seeing a horrific sight. 

The beast was in a cage with a large hunched over frame and a few spikes coming out along its spine and little to no hair on its body.  It had slightly shorter arms than you would expect from an eight foot monster, with razor sharp claws at the ends. I backed away from the monster and it stopped growling, what could I do? Backing away I noticed that it was chained up at the legs feet and neck, and could barely even move except for back up and sit down. We were both sitting, looking each other up and down. I guess it was satisfied with my fear and lowered it's head.

When I'd seen enough of it I looked away. The holding area stretched down for a very long time. Then I noticed where the stench had come from. There were hundreds chained up. Some were looking at me, some dead, and most asleep. I felt pity for these creatures, but wasn't willing to try anything. Whenever the people in the room left I was getting out of here.

Then the king's voice came muffled from the room I departed not even three minuted ago.

"Are we ready for the ceremony?"

"Yes King, we'll be ready for anything. You're protection is first priority" Another voice answered.

The King's voice came again, "Okay everyone, I want you to take a break until then. Have a little bit of rest. If everything goes well this week we'll have a large celebration."

There was a resounding "Yes sir!" before everyone left the room. I looked back at the creatures before leaving the room. The screens were the same as I had seen them earlier. I listen till I couldn't hear the voices talking anymore when I opened the door. I looked left, then right and decided to head back before I got caught.

I took a right and headed with my head down walking fast. I got back to The Sanctuary at around 4:25 and hurried back to my room when I felt an older tingling feeling. Looking up at the glass dome I noticed the same man I'd seen earlier looking at me. His black cloak hung down below him at least two feet while he hung on to the railing holding the glass up. My heart racing I started to run.

My room was about two and a half minutes away from the sanctuary. I opened my door, went inside, and shut it. Breathing a sigh of relief I realized I was shaking. I got all of my clothes, took a shower, and got ready to go. The bathroom was a blinding white with something called deodorant and cologne to put on myself. Reading the instruction I concluded that the deodorant  was to go under my armpits and a small amount of cologne over my body. After the shower I changed to calm myself down.

It was around 4:50 when I left and I was one of the last person to be there. I got in my seat and looked around for Izy or anyone else I knew. No-one else was close to me. The King soon entered the hall with many people following him, some I assumed were his bodyguards. 

Not long after that all heads started turning towards the door I'd come in. Right inside the door was Izy. She had the white dress on and walked with confidence. Contrary to all the previous chatter the room was dead silent except for the slight noise of her heels hitting the floor. Izy was wearing the jade and diamond necklace which slightly swayed as she moved. 

Soon she sat besides me and everyone quit staring.