Trouble in Tiltown

The secret room

I awoke to Jerrick's eyes hovering over my own, startling me.
"What a rude awakening." I groaned and turned over, bringing the blankets closer to my face.
"You love me though." Jerrick says as I feel his weight on the edge of my bed.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." I mumbled. It was a moment of silence, making me almost fall back to sleep. Almost.
"I'm really sorry about that night. I should've had a better plan." He apologizes. I sat up and looked at him.
His eyes looking down at his snow boots and his curls peeking out from underneath his beanie.
"It's okay, it's not your fault." I reassured him as I patted his shoulder.
He turns his head my way, "I got the planchette."
"You what?"
He reached into his pocket and revealed a planchette that goes to the ouija board for a split second before hiding it back into his pocket again.
"That's what we went there for that night?" My eyebrows raised.
"Well, not just that." He spoke, before looking up at me as his lip curled up slightly.
"I have a cold, I'm not doing anymore shenanigans for at least three days."
He rolled his eyes, "You're on medicine and besides, this time isn't gonna be like last." My eyes trailed off to think about it.
"No more surprises. You have got to tell me what it is first." I crossed my arms.
"Sure, just get dressed first and meet me in the car." He smiled brightly at me before running out of my room. I threw my blanket off of me, already feel goosebumps rise on my skin. I quickly dressed myself into jeans and a dark striped sweater before putting on my boots. I looked at myself in the mirror and brushed my short, dark brown hair back. Putting my heavy coat on, I said my goodbyes to my mother and met with Jerrick.
"Hi Laurence." James said from the backseat while Jerrick began driving.
"Hi James."
"There's a hidden place in the shed. I have yet to open it up and we should go in it." Jerrick explains abruptly.
"But this ain't the way to the-
"I know, we're picking up Kat." Jerrick interrupts.
"And like always, I have to make sure none of us get out butts kicked." James says rolls his eyes all the whole groaning. His swooped, dark blonde hair flowing all around. I observed the outdoors and realized it hasn't snowed for a while. Maybe spring will finally make it's appearance. I sure do miss the warm sun on my skin. I hummed to myself just imagining the feeling.
We pulled into Kat's driveway and I had realized I've never seen her home. It was quite small, but sweet. I couldn't help but notice a garden. However, it looked as if it hadn't been attended to for years as a wooden fence surrounded it, slowly being eaten away by it's old age. Kat came out jogging to the vehicle as her hair flowed messily over her coat. She pulled her hat down more over her head. As she got in the backseat, she sighs heavily as Jerrick drives off.
"Hi y'all!" She greets us with a big smile. As everyone says hello to her, my eyebrows furrowed together as she mouths, "Thank you." To me.
"What did you tell your dad?" Jerrick questions Kat, his eyes looking at her in the rear view mirror.
"I have a test to study for with my friends." She answers as she stares at me, a moment too long. My eyes looked away from her glare, looking at the snow that has been slowly making it's departure.

We make it to the asylum as Jerrick and James take the lead with Kat and I close behind.
"You've given me the courage." She suddenly nudges my attempts to nudge my shoulder with hers but fails miserably due to drastic height difference and instead nudges my elbow.
"What?" I responded back.
"I've been standing up to my dad way more and in fact, I plan on moving out soon." She answered.
"Wow," I paused before continuing, "Just make sure you have a plan. You're smart, so don't lose that during the choices you make."
She smiles up at me, "Thanks but I also have more to tell you." But before she could tell me more, we run into the backs of Jerrick and James. We had landed inside of the shed.
"This." Jerrick whispers with an ominous grin written across his face. He leans down to the floor and pulls up a hook from the ground, revealing a whole new story below the shed. I caught a glimpse of the room below and to my surprise, it looked lively and quite lit up.
"This is too far." I whispered aloud.
James nodded his head, "It literally looks like someone lives here."
"Yeah, right." Jerrick shrugged off our concerns and slowly started going down the ladder. James then did the same and finally it was my turn to go down.
"I'm breaking up with Jerrick." Kat suddenly whispered in my ear. I looked back at her with eyes widened.
"You're what?"
Jerrick came into view, below me, "Yoo-hoo, y'all coming down or what?" I gulped hard and began climbing the ladder. As I did so, my eyes were locked with Kat's who had guilt over her face. She looked as if she was about to get sick. My eyes took in the room and it had lamps everywhere, a bed that sat on a box frame, bookshelves, a fridge, cupboards and strangely enough, it also had a microphone and a strange set up in one corner.
"Guys, I think somebody is living here." I brushed my hand over the bookshelf to find absolutely no dust on my fingertips. As we were all focused on the items and furniture in the strange room, a deep voice came from the entrance.
"You would be right." The voice spoke out to us.