A Dangerous Secret Revealed

Chapter 19

Cath's P.O.V.
"Is it time now??" Joan whined.
"No, just wait."

It was just 7:30, when dinner was finished.
"Remember, the lookout is Steffi and Joan. Cath and I will go in, okay?" Lois reminded us for the hundredth time.
"Again, what happens if Matilda shows up?" Lois asked us, to see if we'll know what to do.
"Ugh. Do you have to ask us that again?"
"Just answer. What will you do?"
"If she's far way, we should signal you. If she's near, pretend to faint and cough so her attention will turn to us," Joan replied.
"And what is the signal?" Lois asked.
"Knock on the door three times." Steffi said.
"Good, you remembered."
"Of course we did. You just explained it to us ten minutes ago."

We talked about useless stuff to pass time.
"Alright. Let's go now. I think Matilda sleeps early, anyway," Lois finally said. "And remember, we should be back at nine thirty. That's usually the time that Mr. Butteman knocks on our door."
It was eight thirty when we left. We got an hour.

"Follow my lead. Wait. I'll check if anyone's out there," Lois whispered. "Coast is clear. Let's go! Be quiet."
Lois lead the way, since it was her idea and she knew the room.

When we got to the door, I now get why Lois was so curious to go in.
I mean, I didn't even know that something takes photos of me without knowing it! That's just really creepy.
"Okay. Joan and Steffi, go to the restroom door and be a lookout. Remember what you should do," Lois ordered.

Lois and I checked the window blinds to see if anyone was in there. There's no use for that, since the room was too dark to actually see anything.
"Okay, her goes," Lois said.
She turned the doorknob and went in. I followed her. The room was so dark, could Grazilda even see anything?
"Find the switch," I whispered.
Lois walked to somehwere, and she tripped over something. I heard her curse under her breath.

The room was lit up. I hope there was no windows in this room, or Matilda might see us.
"Okay, let's start now. Let's start looking," I said. Looking for what? I don't know. Clues. Maybe something in here was connected to the visions and the portal.

The room was small, like my old room. The room looked like it belonged normal teenage girl. There was a bed, a study table, a TV, a bookshelf, a closet, and two chairs. There was one problem. The whole room was so messy. Clothes and books were scattered on the floor. The two chairs were misplaced and they were upside down. Everything was so messy. On the study table was cookies and milk. How strange. If Grazilda was not in this mansion, how is it possible for these food to stay fresh? Maybe she sometimes comes back here without Matilda knowing.

There was even stuff toys on the bed, but they either had missing arms, missing legs, or a missing head. I opened the closet. There were no clothes. Instead, it was full of books. Wow, is Grazilda a bookworm?
On top of the closet, there was one last book. I took a look at it and gasped.
"Lois, look at this. I think this is impor-

"Help me!" We heard a yell outside. Oh, no, Matilda is here! We must get out while they are fainting. We heard exaggerated coughs and fainting noises. I hope Matilda would buy their act.
"Joan? Steffi? Are you alright? Quick, Angelo and Ezra, help them to their rooms!" Matilda said. She must have bought it, because Matilda was gone and she went with them.

"Let's go now. Quickly and quietly!"
"Lois? We may have a problem that we forgot to talk about."
"What?"
"How will we get into the room if they're occupying it?"
"Hah, no worries. Just follow my lead."

All of them settled in Steffi's bedroom.
Lois barged in the room. "Oh,no! Are you okay?? We heard screaming while we were eating late night snack and rushed here." Lois said in a very convincing tone. Marilda seemed to believe it.
"Its alright, they're fine."
Steffi and Joan graoned.
"I-I think we ate something thats rotten," Joan said, while closing her eyes.
"Really? Angelo, please tell Mr. Butterman to check the food." Angelo hurried out. Matilda handed something to them.
"Here, drink this medicine. Are you two okay? Do you want us to leave already?"
Joan groaned again. "Ughh...yes, please. I would want to rest."
"Very well. Just go to me if you need anything."

The moment they left, Joan and Steffi stood up and laughed.
"Shh! What's wrong with you? Be quiet! She might hear us!!"
"Right. Its just so funny," Steffi said, covering her mouth to prevent from laughing.

We made sure Matilda was gone.
"Okay. She's gone."
"Guys, you were really so good at acting, Steffi and Joan!! You were awesome back there. But I think you made exaggerated coughs, but she believed it anyway."

We kept laughing about it and I stopped when I remembered about the discoveries.
"Guys, I have to tell you something important. It's about the room. I saw something," I said.
"What? What is it??"
"It's a book..."
"What's so important with the book?" Steffi asked.
"You see, on the book, there are words in cursive: Visions & Portals. I think it's really important," I explained.
All of their faces turned serious. All traces of humor were gone from their faces.
"What was inside the book??"
"I didn't get to see it. I heard creaming outside before I got to read any of it. Sorry."

"We need to go back there!!" Steffi shrieked.
"What! Are you crazy! What if we get caught this time?" Lois said.
"I don't care! I also have to go there!!" Joan said.
"But..."
"No, we need to go there! We need that book! You don't get us! These visions need to stop!" Steffi said.
"Yeah! And if you won't go with us, then we'll go without you," Joan said angrily.
"No, you can't...fine, we'll go with you. But we have to be more careful now, okay? Let's talk about it tomorrow. Not now. It's so late already."
"Okay. We'll go to your bedroom after breakfast," Steffi said.
"Yeah. Let's go now, Joan."

"Hold one, wait! I forgot to mention something," I said.
"What?"
"In the room. There were milk and cookies."
"And so? Did you eat it?"
"No, I mean...isn't it weird that the milk isn't rotten? I mean, Grazilda left the mansion years ago," I explained.
"Ohh...I see. Maybe she came back without us knowing it," Lois shrugged. Maybe.
"Yes, maybe. Well, we'll be going now."

When we got to our room, I quickly tried to call Mom. The last time she answered was three days ago.
She didn't answer my call. Why isn't she answering?? Is she busy? Or...
Has something bad happened?
My head was hurting, and I don't think I had enough sleep for the past few nights.
I lied down on my bed, and the next thing I knew, I was drifting to sleep...

(So...do you enjoy the story? Thanks for reading it! :)