The Mighty Fall (sequel to Miss Missing You)

Chapter twenty seven

Tori's POV

I heard the sound of laughing as I ran back towards the dressing rooms. I knew this place like the back of my hand. Joey couldn't catch me if he couldn't find me.

I ducked into the closest dressing room and locked the door. That bought me a little time.

I started looking for my cell phone. I had to call the cops.

"Shit!" I hissed. I had left it in the car!

The panic began to rise in me, but I forced myself to stay calm. If I had a panic attack now, I was screwed.

I began to examine my surroundings.

"Fucking hell." I said.

I was in Wills dressing room.

Of course.

I shook my head. There wasn't time to think of that.

I started thinking. How did I get out of here?

A memory came to my mind.

"So this will be your dressing room." I said.

Will was standing behind me, still a little quiet. It was only the second day we'd known each other.

"Thank you, Tori." He said.

"You're welcome. Would you like me to show what everything is?" I asked.

"Sure." He said.

I opened the door and we walked in.

"Wow." Will breathed.

"I know. They're pretty big." I said.

"Much bigger than in England." He agreed.

I smiled and showed him the room. At the end, I showed him one more thing.

"This right here, this dresser, it moves." I said.

I moved it a little and he helped me. "And behind it is this little tunnel. If you ever get brave enough to figure out where it goes. Tom says this studio used to be where some people would hide out from the tornadoes. Apparently this used to be warehouse or something. I don't really know." I said.

"Where does it go?" He asked.

"I don't know." I said. "I never bothered to find out."

I moved for the dresser and pushed it as hard as I could. It started to move, inch by inch, out of my way.

I heard footsteps.

"Torrrrriiii!" Joeys voice called. "Where are you dear?"

I fought the urge to scream and pushed harder on the dresser. When finally the tunnel came into view, I heard the doorknob jiggle.

I ducked inside the tunnel and ran like hell down the dark corridor, not looking back.

Patrick's POV

I was starting to get worried. Tori left hours ago and usually she wouldve gone somewhere that she could talk to someone.

Maybe Jamie!

I quickly found her number and dialed it.

"Hello?"

"Jamie, this is Patrick." I said. "Have you seen Tori?"

"No. Why?" She asked.

I explained what happened.

"I don't know. If she didn't go to Petes, she probably went to her studio." She said. "That used to be where she'd go when she was stressed. Will used to meet her there."

"Thank you, Jamie." I said, hanging up.

I was headed for the door when someone knocked on it. I went to open it. There was a police officer staring at me.

"Um, hi." I said.

"Mr. Stump? I'm Officer Lance Beale. I'm afraid we have some bad news." He said.

Tori's POV

I ran and ran, only stopping once to catch my breath. That's when I also took the time to listen for footsteps, but it didn't sound like Joey was following me.

It was dark in the tunnel, and much longer than I expected. But I kept walking. There was no way I was going back the other way.

After what felt like forever, I saw a light. I moved towards it, seeing a door.

"What the hell?" I said aloud.

I moved towards it, grabbing the doorknob.

It opened into a small apartment.

I moved inside and looked around, almost immediately recognizing the place.

This was Wills apartment.

I felt a pang in my chest. I missed him. Not the Will that kidnapped me and Patrick. Not the Will the raped and tortured me. Not the Will that tried to kill me. But the Will that was my partner. My protector. The person who picked up the pieces that Patrick shattered.

My best friend.

But why would the tunnel go all the way his house?

Did he make it that way?

I was exploring the rest of his apartment, looking for a phone. That's when I noticed the weird square on the wall. It was a lighter color of blue than the rest of the wall.

I reached out, pushing against the lighter square. It gave under my hand, and fell backward.

"What the hell?" I demanded.

The tunnel was continued.

But where did it go?!

Certainly Will had done this. There was no way the tunnel had originally gone this far, and no way it continued out of his apartment.

I was debating rather or not to continue down it, when I heard a gasp.

"Tori?!"

I whirled. And couldn't believe my eyes.

"Elisa?!"