Free Minds

Chapter 114.

   This door loomed over everyone with an air of intimidation I believe its creators intended and had–in the opinion of my lurching heart and trembling body–succeeded. Its harsh red-velvet colour didn't help either. But amidst all the unease that gushed within was a sense of expectancy associated with this discovery. My fingers itched to turn the giant, metal handle that came with the door.

   So that's exactly what I did, the coldness of the handle sending shivers down my spine when I came into contact with it. To my not-so-surprise but disappointment all the same, the door didn't budge.

   I resorted to the only thing that crossed my mind and was on me at that moment.

   Upon switching my Yunie laser gun to concentration mode and aiming the laser shot at the door's deadbolt, the latter sliced into two after a while.

   I turned the handle again, feeling a sense of pride when the door didn't resist like before.

"Let's be on guard once we walk through this door, guys." Dorian whispered. "There's no telling what's on the other side."

   I faced him and Rav, causing them to stop behind me.

"Why, what's wrong?" Dorian asked.

"Like you said, we don't know what we'll find when we walk through this door," I remarked, "What if this is a trap or something? It won't be the best idea for us to go in all at once if it is."

"So you're saying we should go in one by one?"

"Kind of..."

   I went on to explain that I could go first while he and Rav came in after I gave them the go-ahead that nothing is amiss. Dorian couldn't come in alone since he was holding the Neuroskel and unarmed like the rest of us.

"And what if it really is a trap?" Rav queried.

   I gnawed at my lower lip. Just because I brought it up didn't really mean I had an answer to that. So I simply said, "If you feel like I'm taking too long in giving the signal, you and Dorian should just come in."

   Taking their silent nods as the end of this discussion, I whirled to face the door once more, making sure to maintain my regular breathing patterns as I gripped its handle. The same was not possible for my heart though, so as I stepped into the other side, I could only pray this treacherous organ didn't burst from beating so much.

   I was enveloped with darkness once the door closed shut behind me. Time did nothing to make my sight adjust to this new, pitch black environment. I decided the safest thing for me to do was to keep walking forward with my hands held out. At least the possible trap I wasn't able to see would be felt beforehand.

   But that proved useless when my torso bumped into something with force. As I doubled over in surprise and pain, my hands brushed the source.

   It had a coldness and hardness akin to metal. The obnoxious clang that reached my ears when I rapped my knuckles against it affirmed my guess.

   Standing up straight, I made my hands explore further. I concluded from the never-ending, horizontal pole-like metal resting on short, vertical, equally pole-like metals, that what I'd hit was a bannister.

   Wasn't sure what to do with this news, but i supposed this was better than noth–

   The unexpected stream of light that burst out of nowhere brought a loud yelp out of me as I rushed to shield my stinging eyes. Black dots clouded my sight even though my hands didn't leave my eyes until after a while.

   I gripped the bannister (I knew it!) in front of me while waiting for the dizziness that engulfed me to pass. Eventually, my line of vision cleared up and I wasn't seeing everything in twos anymore.