Mirabelle

Chapter 7

"Mirabelle," Gavin whispered urgently, "Let's go. We have got to get out of here!" Mirabelle walked over and tossed the rope into the vent and started to climb down. Gavin took a moment before following. As the kids descended into darkness the climb felt like forever. In only moments Mirabelle's arms started to ache, reminding her of how little arm strength she had. At some point Mirabelle stopped climbing and just started sliding down the rope. Gavin heard this but thought she was falling.

"Mirabelle? Are you okay?" Gavin called.

"Woohoo!" Came Mirabelle's reply, echoing off the walls of the small vent. Gavin realized she was going very fast, getting farther and farther away. Gavin slackened his gripping and started to accelerate, faster and faster until he could hear Mirabelle's sliding sound again. Mirabelle dug around in her leather sack and found the Lantern she had grabbed. Mirabelle was searching for a match to light it when the lantern blinked on casting a yellow glow throughout the vent.

"I'm slowing to a stop!" Mirabelle called up to Gavin. Mirabelle stopped but Gavin got the message a little late and came barreling into her. Mirabelle gave a little squeal but managed to clutch the rope. Her lantern wasn't so lucky. Startled by Gavin, Mirabelle had dropped the lantern. The light stayed on as it fell but after a few seconds, only about 7 feet, the lantern hit the floor, still glowing. Mirabelle slid quickly to the bottom of the vent. Gavin followed hastily. Mirabelle picked up the left over rope and held her knife out, preparing to cut it.

"Wait," Gavin said.

"What?" Mirabelle asked. "We need to cut this and take the left over rope with us."

"No just give me a minute." Gavin told Mirabelle, his tone begging her to trust him. Gavin walked over a grabbed a coil of twine that was ran all the way up the vent. He gave the twine a couple yanks then grabbed the rope and made a flicking motion so as to make the rope wave so it would loosen its grip of the metal pipe. After a moment the rope came tumbling down and an echoing clank resounded throughout the vent. Gavin rolled the twine between his hands, twisting it around.

"What did that do?" Mirabelle asked Gavin. She was confused about how that was better than just cutting the rope.

"See now we have the entire rope and it won't fray. Also the grate is now closed and screwed shut do to the twine." Gavin explained proudly.

"Oh wow." Mirabelle replied. She was going to say something else but they heard voice above them.

"Turn off the lantern!" Gavin whispered urgently. Mirabelle was trying but she didn't know how since she hadn't exactly turned it on. As Mirabelle thought the word 'off' and the word 'lantern' the lantern turned off. Mirabelle was surprised but instead of inspecting the lantern she focused her attention on the voices above.

"Where are they? You said they would be dead in here?"

"Yes. I want to see some bodies or at least body parts. Even blood and guts would satisfy me."

"That's disgusting. I did not need to know that you enjoy decomposing bodies."

"Enough! Perhaps the room has slowly burned away every molecule of both kid's bodies. There is no escape from the room so they must be dead. We need to report back to the master and tell her the good news of the girl. She may be sorry to hear about the boy though." Both Mirabelle and Gavin recognized this last voice as 'the suppliers' voice. They waited a couple minutes after all the sounds had faded to make sure the coast was clear. Mirabelle turned the lantern back on with her mind.

"See that is why I wanted to screw the screws back in and take the rope with us." Gavin said smugly. Mirabelle nodded thinking about if they had just left the rope there she and Gavin would be on the run again.