Beguile

Chapter 30

Two rooms are in front of me.

The bathroom where Lucas and the two girls got in; and the other one, locked with heavy duty chains.

More so often, the latter would rang like wind againts pipes. Like flute on a harsh unsteady blow, hushed by the thickness of the inside walls. But I never got close. Until now.

Upon closer look, it was never about pipes but steel on steel. It may be just about debris, but locked doors are like treasure chests -it might reveal treasures or nothing at all.

I looked around first, and in the distance everyone were busy with each other. Not even realizing that 4 people disappeared from the table. Like a bunch of fools. Nothing but thieves wanting attention from people they thought were the same. I'd be disappointed if the inside are really just debris.

Thieves should live up to their name.

The long shackle unlocked on a click. I untied the heavy chains, and its ink-like dirt smeared my hands on the process. When its done I tried removing the stains on my skin but it was harder than I thought, it felt like oil and it only spreads at touch.

I switched my focus when the door turned ajar. There's wind coming from the inside but its void of any light, as if darkness already swallowed it whole.

I took a peek. Nothing. Even the sound quelled to silence.

I searched the wall for the light switch, and when I did I quickly turned it on in excitement. Then the room shone bright that it blinded me, it blured my vision for a moment but I can feel how much the light seeps outside. And how noticeable it is out on the room that survives from candlelight.

In panic and in curiosity, I completely entered inside and closed the door behind me.

I rubbed my eyes to try to adjust my vision. I kept my back on the door and made my ears perked up while Im defenseless. But its all strange, why does this room have electricity?

When my eyes fully adjusted to this new brightness, the first thing I saw was the floor. And before me is something that I least expected.

Outside of this door, the ground was sloppily cemented -with uneven dirty concrete texture as if poured hastily but the inside is different. Far from what I thought its gonna be. The floor is a clear white, clean, like a hospital floor. Even the walls are white with not even a peck of decoration paired with the air-condition that runs silently. There are no windows, just a lonely four-corners meant to lose your mind.

At the center, a thick matress is covered with white-brown sheet. And a treasure laid there.

Theyre thieves for sure, I thought. They steal and locked up spoils except this one isnt gold, its human.

A boy laid there with both of his hand chained at his side. He had his eyes close but he wasnt sleeping. His long eyelashes is in frantic, his bottom lip trembling, and he looks cold. His skin is pale and he draws heavy hard breath, laying in a haze of fear.

The old scar across his lips made himself known, without it I might thought that he's just another unfortunate victim. But he shouldnt be here. He's supposed to be a predator, and not meant to be a locked-up victim.

"Rie?" I called in the distance, careful of the echo but it only made it inaudible.

I stepped closer, my shoes creaks along the way and the closer I get the more his body visibly trembles.

"Rie."

His eyes bulged open, he crawled back as far as he can get but his movements are restricted, he can only hugged his legs on the corner of the matress and glare at me with unfocused eyes.