Episode 2: Belly of the Beast
“So, where are you from?” Sandy asked, burrowing further into the oversized hoodie she had on. Melonie did the same, pulling her hands into her sleeves as the cool night air chilled her bones.
“I come from Woodbury,” she answered. “It’s about twenty minutes from here.” She fidgeted with her hair clip, its teeth digging into her scalp. Sandy reached over and helped her unclip it and reposition it around her ponytail.
After, Sandy reached into her pocket and pulled out a small flashlight.
“I am from the Cherry Hill area. It’s a much further drive but it’s worth it. Dumont has an award winning writers program. So, I live down in one of the resident halls. I venture home on the weekends though.”
Melonie nodded, “That’s pretty cool. There are times I wonder whether I would have enjoyed living on campus more, but residency is expensive.” Their conversation was cut short when they saw other flashlights flicker on around the entrance to Fayer Hall. Fayer Hall was one of the first buildings to exist on campus. It was an old, creaky brick building with barred windows and a white marble roof. The stairs were also made of marble.
“Nadia, Kimber and Layla?” Sandy called, trying to see past the glare of the flashlights.
“Glad you guys could come!” Nadia bounced, flicking off her flashlight. The other two girls did the same.
Layla snorted, “Like it was optional.” Nadia shot her a look, making the other girls giggle. “Security already came through here. We have at least two hours before they come back around.” Layla continued, ignoring Nadia’s scowl. “Let’s get in and get out.”
The others nodded their agreement and the group crept down the marble stairs to the basement door. It creaked open, piercing the midnight air. The girls paused, listening for any sign of life. When there was none, they continued into the creepy old building. The stairwell was quiet as they tiptoed up towards the third floor.
Melonie carefully pushed the stairwell door open and peered up and down the third floor corridor.
“Clear.” She whispered, standing upright.
“Aww guys we forgot to look at the tapestry!” Nadia moaned, following them into the open hallway.
Kimber turned, “Would you rather find the tunnels or go look at some hanging cloth?” she snapped, quieting Nadia down. The other girls ignored the banter, creeping towards the old President’s office. There was not a soul on the third floor except for the writing group.
Melonie stopped before the office door. Sandy reached over and jiggled the handle. The door slid open noiselessly. The girls could all feel the weight of the air upon them as they realized how close they were to finding the entrance, if there was one.
“Come on girls,” Melonie croaked, her nerves getting the best of her.
The office was bare. A large oak desk sat in the middle of the floor. Empty bookshelves lined the walls. There was a dusty blue carpet on the floor but no other decorations ornamented the room. The girls spread out, fumbling along the walls for any hint of an entrance. They used flashlights to illuminate the room as much as they could, fearing to risk exposure by turning on a light.
“I am not finding anything girls.” Layla said after several moments of searching. Kimber and Melonie came up with nothing, as well.
Nadia sighed, “It has to be in here somewhere. It wasn’t like it was students spreading rumors, this information came from staff. They would know wouldn’t they?” she explained. Sandy was the only one who hadn’t spoken up yet as she was carefully running her fingers all over the surfaces of the desk.
Her companions watched her anxiously. After several tense moments, Sandy straightened up, beaming.
“Found it!” she grinned wickedly. The other girls, puzzled, walked around to where she was knelt down, peering under the desk. Crouching down, the other girls followed Sandy’s gaze. A wooden lever, built into the underside of the desk, poked out just where the occupant’s knee would be.
“Pull it.” Layla breathed, her voice barely audible. As if mechanically, Sandy reached out and pulled the lever down. At first, nothing happened. Then, one of the bookshelves groaned, moving to the left, covering the other book shelf next to it. Behind it, there was an opening in the wall. It was barely big enough for someone on all fours to crawl into.
Nadia beamed, “It does exist!” she squealed, running towards the opening.
“Nadia wait!” Kimber called after her, but Nadia had already crouched down and disappeared into the hole. The rest of the girls paused, stunned that their friend had rushed in. Melonie was the first to move.
“Come on, we have to go after her.” She broke the silence, getting down and crawling into the hole. As she crawled further in, she heard the other girls follow her. There was just enough space for everyone to fit and let a little light in. They couldn’t see where Nadia had gotten to. Just as they all squeezed in, they heard a thundering movement behind them as the bookshelf moved back into place. As it closed, it thrust the tunnel into total darkness.
Kimber, who had brought up the rear, turned as the group halted, suddenly afraid. “Uh oh…”