The Stern Mr. Bentley

Chapter 6

     I made my way to the giant door and wrapped my fingers around the gargantuan handle, pulling. It didn't budge. I furrowed my eyebrows and grabbed it with both hands, tugging on it, but it was no use.

     "Push, Lady Mallory," Mr. Bentley's cold voice rang from behind me, and I almost flinched at the sound of it.

     I quickly did as he said and pushed open the door. Once I was outside of the room, I took one last look into the ballroom. Mr. Bentley stood there with his hands behind his back, staring at me. I quickly shut the door.

     There was no one in the hallway. The ballroom was situated in a corner, facing toward one hallway that went straight and on the wall of another heading left. I had a feeling that I wasn't supposed to be alone in this hallway. I had no idea what I was supposed to do now. After a couple moments of thinking and really just wanting to move away from that ballroom, I headed straight.

     The halls were a plain stone grey, the king I would see in old medieval movies. The difference was that this one was much bigger than in the medieval movies, with spiraling columns and grand staircases around every corner.

     I found a hallway that led to a beautiful bridge-like structure where the grey stone shone golden. I looked out and saw the sun just peaking above tree-covered hills. It was like I was standing in a scene from Harry Potter. As beautiful as the whole situation might have looked, my head and stomach began to feel a little less beautiful. I held one hand to each, leaning against the railing to try and focus on keeping down the vomit that threatened to spill itself onto the brick floor.

     "Elaine!" an unfamiliar voice called out, and I snapped my head up, but no one was there.

     "Oh, Lady Walker!" another voice, still unfamiliar. I turned around in circles at the protest of my stomach to try and find there the echoing voices came from, but I was the only one on the bridge.

     More and more voices began talking in my head, but one stood out from the rest:

     "Lady Mallory..." It was the stone cold voice of Mr. Bentley, but somehow it sounded so different. It was deep and sharp and could command an army, but it sounded a little too... fond for my liking.

     I mustered up my ability to think from all the chaos and stumbled off of the bridge, back the way I came. The voices stopped. I leaned against a wall and slowly steadied my breathing, having no idea what had just happened.

     "Lady Elaine!" another voice called, but this one was different. It didn't echo, and it was familiar... The old lady!

     She briskly walked up to me and grabbed my arm, ushering me away. She started rambling about how my behavior was unacceptable.

     "There are places in this castle that aren't normal, Lady Elaine. Places where the portal stretches its effects. You must not go where you are unsupervised unless it is a familiar place, Lady Elaine, or you'll be in great danger!"

     "What... was that?" I asked, still not quite to my senses yet.

     She sighed and stopped, turning around and gently grabbing both my arms.

     "Lady Elaine, that bridge was much too close to the portal for someone so new to this Academy. I assume you heard voices?"

     I nodded quickly.

     "Those were voices from the future, Lady Elaine. And you mustn't trifle with it."

     She turned around again and led me through the halls. Somehow I felt dizzier than before. That voice of Mr. Bentley just wouldn't leave my mind.

     "What's your name?" I asked the old lady.

     "You can call me Mrs. Applebee," she replied.

     "Mrs. Applebee... Tell me more about Mr. Bentley."