Gravity - By Abigail Boyd Page 0,57
back into his act. Seeing that made my anxiety lesson a bit. I heard Theo chuckle beside me. Seeing the real people behind the illusion always made it easier to believe all of it was fake.
In the next room, red light cast a bloody glow on the walls. We seemed far behind the others, who I couldn't see or hear anymore. Dizziness swept over me suddenly, a metallic taste on my tongue that seemed both familiar and wrong. Like I had bitten down on the inside of my cheek. I licked my finger, but of course underneath the light I couldn't tell if it was blood or not.
Children's voices filled my ears, and I cringed, looking around for the source. They were all talking at once, and I couldn't separate the words. Pushing in, trying to tell me, trying to —
"What's wrong?" Theo whispered. As quickly as they had come, the voices stopped, along with the funny metal taste. My mouth was suddenly parched.
"Nothing," I whispered back, not wanting either her or Henry to see me afraid. I pulled a water bottle I'd stuck in my purse out and took a swig, swallowing hard. "I think all the fog is making me nauseous, that's all."
Piles of broken furniture sat in the corner. A discarded playpen remained in the center of the room. I ran my hand along the splintered wooden rail. A china baby doll with a smashed face lay inside, covered by a moth-eaten blanket. I realized that a subconscious part of me was waiting for Jenna to pop out from behind a corner, and tell me it was all a joke.
The next room was wider. A wall of cages stood on the one side, reaching to the ceiling. A disembodied voice spoke to us suddenly. "When the orphans became too difficult to deal with, they were kept in these cages," the voice warbled. It sounded like it was being put through a distorter. "And when there were too many of them, The Master left them here and forgot about them, leaving them to their doom."
"Where's that voice coming from?" I heard Alex ask. His voice shook like he was as scared as Theo.
"It's not the dark ages," I said. "There are such things as speakers." I realized that's where the children's voices must have come from, too, but I kept that to myself just in case. A scuffling noise started up from behind us.
"Oh, boy," Henry breathed, and we all turned around to see what he was referring to. Two guys with sheets draped over them were running full speed in our direction, their arms outstretched. Loud growls emitted from their throats.
We ran as they chased us towards the red EXIT sign. I propelled myself forward as fast as I could go; I knew they wouldn't hurt us, but my adrenaline still screamed in response to the spooky atmosphere. The boys veered off to the left at the last minute, leaving us alone.
"Thank god," Theo moaned, stumbling out into the night. "I need a valium." I wondered for a moment if she was going to throw up. The boys followed her out.
"Always having to take care of the women," Alex joked to Henry as he rolled his eyes. We all knew Alex had been just as afraid as anyone. I was about to follow Henry out.
"Ariel..."
Confused, I turned to my right. I had definitely heard my name.
"Ariel..."
My heart was thumping so hard I worried I would have to grab it with my hands and push it back into my chest. Whatever haunted me followed me there. That was the plan, but I didn't know if I could control it. As I started to creep down the hall, which was barren except for a stack of crates at the end, everything began to get fuzzy. Blood rushed into my temples. I was going to pass out. Pinpricks of black filled my eyes like wasps.
A child is standing in front of me. Its back is against the wall. Hair chopped around the ears, face dirty with grime. I can't tell if it's a boy or a girl; at that young age where unless they wear pink or blue it's hard to tell.
I walk slowly toward them, compelled. Nerves jump beneath my skin, warning me of a danger I ignore.
Is it another trick? No. This is definitely a child. And then it runs to me. Grabs my arms, shrieking in my face. Rancid breath stings my eyes. No longer a face,