LACUNA OBSCURA - A Horror Thriller

CHAPTER V

The residence was high, with not many doors.

Farhan saw some of the windows open on the second floor, indicating that someone did live there after all.

With their cell phones dead, he had no idea how much time they had left before dawn.

Before them were two important tasks: find Professor Sean and make a call to Zani and Rexi.

As he began to explore, however, he realized that someone had locked the majority of the entrances from the outer side.

Just when he had started to ponder if they will have to shout to the windows above them to get someone to notice, he finally found an accessible entrance, on the rear side, locked from inside.

Farhan Rushed to it, followed by Amelia, who stuck to him like a magnet.

She was honestly, not feeling quite well.

In the grim darkness, inside such a gigantic and mysterious castle, coupled with the peculiar events that took place with them in this venture, they all left a very bad taste in her mind.

Above all, as the night skimmed deeper into her darkness, she was feeling afraid.

Perhaps Farhan's ability to tackle the situation in such a mature manner was what kept her feeling somewhat stable.

Farhan knocked on the door. Once. Then twice. There was no reply.

People must be sleeping now, soft knocks won't be making any cuts, he thinks.

He knocks again, this time notably louder louder.

"Is anyone there?"

"Is anyone there in this house??" he repeats his calls, shouting his throat out at the open windows above their heads.

Still, there is no reply, every bit of life inside this castle seems to have gone missing or completely unresponsive, and this night seems to amplify its frightening solace.

Farhan slowly turned his head towards Amelia and shrugged. They both look at each other, confused as to what should be their next move.

They can't possibly keep standing here till dawn, that too at this time of the night.

The incident regarding the mist, also made Farhan fear the unforeseen dangers this place could have at every corner.

Heck, even their cell phone battery was gone case.

To their left at some distance was the Art Gallery compound above which lay the Moosham artifacts and relics museum.

It was a very large complex indeed, as visible from the windows, made up of spiral staircases rising across floors to the very top.

The exteriors were, however, very lackluster and seemed to be not in prime maintenance.

Here too, to their disappointment, a large lock hung on the doors of the complex.

"You see, the passage that joins the two buildings, Amelia?" Farhan asked, pointing to the small stone-walled passage that joined the residential quarters to the art gallery and the museum.

Amelia nodded in response.

"I think I have an idea. How about I hold you up on my shoulders, to the carnish, and from there with a foot on the passage parapet can you propel yourself up to the second-floor window?"

"Well, there is no harm in trying, after all, no one is coming to open the door," said Amelia, knocking on the door one last time, hoping to hear a voice from inside. But again, there is no reply.