Lights | A Forever Fanfiction

Chapter Twenty-Three: Down the Rabbit Hole

"I'm telling you, this was an awful idea," Dr. Morgan mumbled as we got out of the cab.

"It's not a bad idea," I argued lightly. "Come on. The neighbours said that Carter was seen around here with a woman who looked exactly like Hadynski."

"Why did we question the neighbours, again? They could easily talk to the police and find out that we aren't the police."

"Um, Doctor Morgan, most people like to avoid the police," I reminded him as we approached the abandoned factory building. "The way you avoid... most people." The gate was locked, and I clambered up the chain links and hopped down to the ground. Dr. Morgan stared at me through the fence.

"You coming, Doc?" I asked. He huffed and scaled the fence.

"You are insufferable," he grumbled. I smiled to myself, loping forwards towards the dark, cement smokestacks that were silhouetted against the lights of the city. "What do you think we'll find?" he mused. "An ancient blood rite, a sacrifice?"

"Cheeseburgers," I replied. "I hope we find cheeseburgers."

He laughed. "Are you being serious?"

"Um, heck yeah!" I rolled my eyes. "No, of course not. Even if we did find a burger, it would probably be poisoned."

Finally, we crossed the empty, dead lot and reached the back door to the factory. Grimy windows surrounded it, some panes broken, some missing. I opened the door, kicking up soot and dust. Silence coated the air, clinging to our heads like cobwebs clinging to walls. The main room of the factory was expansive, and as it unfolded in the darkness before us, I took out my phone and flicked on the flashlight. A thin, weak beam of sharp pale light carved the air. The room was mostly empty, any machinery either taken, when the factory was abandoned, or it was scavenged. A few other rooms lined the walls, and a stairwell in the back of the room spiralled downwards.

"Careful," Dr. Morgan whispered. "If anyone is here-"

A piercing shriek filled the air.

"Care to finish that thought?" I enquired. "It came from down there." I shimmied towards the stairwell, my fingers closing around the cold, rusted, iron railing. I carefully made my way down, trying my best not to slip on the steep steps. At the bottom of the stairs lay a filthy metal door. I pushed it open slightly, so that a thin crack of light slipped through it, and so that we could see inside.

"Don't move!" Hanson's muffled voice snapped. "I said, don't move! Drop the knife!" I could see the barrel of a gun, and a bun of blonde hair that framed an upturned nose, and bright mischievous eyes.

"Okay, Detective," a smooth, rich female voice replied. I heard Dr. Morgan inhale sharply, stiffening beside me.

"You recognise her?" I whispered. He didn't respond, and kept staring at the woman.

"Abigail," he mumbled absently. "She looks just like Abigail."

"And, um, who is Abigail?" I asked under my breath.

"My wife." He paused, swallowing. "But, she's supposed to be dead. She died. I- I don't know how this can be."

"Either she's immortal, or she pulled a Persephone Reid on you."

"I saw her body."

"She could have pulled a Persephone Reid."

"Like what? Gotten someone to change another corpse's face, like I did with your mother?"

"Um, yeah."

He didn't respond. "You're right, it could have happened."

"It's unlikely. She's a clone."

"She is not a clone."

"She's a clone." I squinted at her, and as she turned around to set the knife down on the ground, I could see a very fine line of discolouration along her jawline. "See that line? Those are surgery marks, from a plastic surgery. This is Adam's work, Doctor Morgan."

He remained silent, refusing to accept that his wife was dead.

"Doctor Morgan," I implored.

"You're right," he said at last. "You're right, it couldn't be her."

Hanson strode into the field of view, Jo just behind him. "Who are you?" Hanson called.

"I have many names," the woman replied. "Lucina, Nova, Juliette, Abigail." Dr. Morgan flinched.

"What are you doing here? Where is Elaine Hadynski?" Jo demanded.

"Up those stairs." The woman pointed to the door, and I recoiled quickly, trying not to be seen.

"Run!" I hissed, whirling around and leaping up the steps as quietly as I could. I glanced upwards, and there, at the top of the steps, stood Elaine Hadynski.