The Ghost Whisperer

Part 17

The kids looked at each other. Obviously, no one wants to be the first one to go.

"I'll go," says Alice raising her hand.

"That's really brave of you sweetie. " I ask and compliment her with a smile.

She nods her head. I could tell she's scared.

"Ok, Alice listen up. Just grab onto the rope VERY tightly and plant your feet on the wall. Slowly move downwards step by step. Make sure to not look down! You'll just get nervous. Ever done rock climbing before? " I ask her at the end as I lead her to the window and make sure the rope is firmly tied.

"Once at an amusement park", She answers.

"Terrific! This is just like that. Now slowly move out the window. After you've reached the ground I'm gonna need you to help the others too ok? "

Holding on to the rope tightly, she carefully goes down the building step by step. My heart was racing and I wished she would make it ok.

I feel at ease once I see her reach the ground and waves at me.

"See? It'll be ok. Don't worry. Just remember to hold on tightly with all your might. "

The kids line up and I help them down one by one while Alice helps them get down.

"I can't believe we're finally doing it. " I hear Alex say with a gentle smile.

"It's not over yet but...yeah. We're doing it. Saving everyone. " I say ignoring what the kids will think of me hearing me talk to myself.

Just like I've been ignoring the grief as the time for Alex to pass on gets closer.

I usher the last remaining kid, a boy with blond hair to come but he doesn't move.

"I...don't think I should go," He says with his head down. He's one of the boys who was with Alice.

"What are talking about? What's wrong?" I come over to him and pat his head.

He then starts to tear up "It's My Fault! It's my fault."

"What do you mean?"

"Our big brother. I was whining and insisting that he get us out of here. He tried to fight them and...they broke his leg" He sobs bitterly.

"Hey..hey it's ok. It's not your fault."

"It is. My other siblings kept telling me to stop it but I didn't listen. I don't deserve to be saved." He cries.

I squat down to his eye level. "Listen. So you think you made a mistake. It's ok. Everyone does it but the important thing is you realise it was wrong and you regret it. Now if you wanna make things right, I want you to toughen up and help the others. Ok? And don't worry about your brother, we're gonna save him too." I say.

He nods and wipes his tears.

As I help him move out the window, I realize it felt more like I was talking to myself. This is my way of making things right. But do I really believe that?

Will I be able to turn myself in after everything that happened?

"Lisa, we're done here. Let's go to the next room quickly. " Alex says.

"Right" I hand signal Alice that we're going into the next room and she gives a thumbs up in response.

As soon as I open the door, the strong smell of gasoline mixed with cigarette smoke hits me and makes me cover my mouth.

"Theo! " I call out to him. He stands in the hallway with his back against the wall, smoking.

"Chill out. I have a plan. Although it may work in favour or against us."

"Then why take that risk " I don't understand.

"Look this is kinda personal too. I want that boss dead," he says and walks away. So the boss's room is on this floor? I understand how upset he must feel with being locked up for years. This also kinda arouses another question of how long they must have been doing this.

"Wait! " I follow him.

"What is it? Are all the kids down now? " he turns back to me and asks.

"Not yet. There's a kid with a broken leg in the other room. I need your help to get him down."

He sighs "Ok. Fine"

We walk towards room no. 304. Without wasting any more time, I unlock it.

It's dark here too. I search for the switch and turn the lights on.

My heart broke seeing them like that.

Skinny, bruised, cowering in fear before the strangers. One of them was sleeping. I spotted the boy with the broken leg. He's got the same colour as him and he's the oldest here.

"You don't need to be afraid, I'm here to save you. Your friends or siblings from the other room are already out and waiting for you. So let's go." I say trying to calm them down.

"What about the two men guarding the rooms? " a kid with a black eye says.

"Don't worry. We took care of them. The hallways are empty right now. Follow me. Oh, and someone wakes that kid up." I lead them to the other room with Theo carrying the older boy on his back.

As they all stare at the window and the rope, I look outside. Yeah, they're safe and waiting for us.

"We need to make a splint for his leg," I say. Looking around the room, I manage to find a pillowcase and since I already have a tape, I need something like sticks.

"We could use the broom in the janitors closet," Alex says.

"Theo, If there's a broom in the janitors closet then go get it," I tell him. He sets the boy down and runs out of the room.

"Hey, I'm Jonathan. Is my brother ok? The little one with the blond hair" the boy asks.

I look at him and smile gently "Yes, he's ok. He regrets what happened though. Thinks it's his fault that your leg broke. " Theo comes inside with two wooden sticks. Seems like he already broke the broom.

"I'll help the kids down. Here." He hands them to me and I get to work on the splint as Theo helps the other kids down. He's actually very helpful. Maybe I was just overthinking when I doubted him.

"I figured he must be feeling guilty. I'm not mad at him though." Jonathan says.

"That's good. You can all relax now. I'm going to get you home to your parents." I try to wrap the tape tightly but carefully around his leg.

He snickers " Actually I and my siblings are orphans." He winces as I move his leg a bit to see if the sticks are attached firmly.

"Sorry about that. Let's go now. " I get up. By now all the other kids are already down. Theo sees that I'm done and comes over.

"Now hold on firmly to me ok? And don't look down." He Says as he carries the boy on his back out the window. I watch them go down carefully. Watching them I felt so scared that he'd fall off but it looked like he was going to be alright.

Suddenly Alex appears in the room with a shocked and worried expression. He had been gone the whole time while I was making the splint.

"Lisa! Its- "

Suddenly there's a big knock on the door.

"What's going on in there!? Open up!"

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Hey guys! 👋 sorry for the last update. Been kinda busy these days 😅 so the next chapter won't be published this week. Maybe in the next 👌👍

That's all and have a great day! 💙