Set in Stone: The Rose Secret

Chapter 23: The Map 🗺

"So if Blue is here, where exactly is that in Bluntwood?", Antonia said laying out her town map. "If these are the same scale, that means Blue should be near the ocean. Out by the town outskirts", Sasha remarked. We grabbed our maps and bags and ran out into my car.

I drove to the ocean. The town wasn't quite as busy today, for it was gloomy and the skies were murky. We reached the beachfront and decided to walk the rest of the way. The waves crashed along the beach as we walked through them. Out at sea were boats coming to shore in preparation for a predicted storm. The beaches were bare, but the stores were full. I dug my bare feet into the sand as I walked.

I remember being a child and coming to the beach with Blue and Elton. We would build sandcastles, drink lemonade and get bad sunburns. When it would get late, we would chill on a beach towel and watch the stars until our parents would pick us up after work.

"Hey White?", Sasha yelled snapping me out of a daydream. "Yep", I nodded. "It's starting to storm", she yelled. I looked up. The skies turned dark purple, thunder boomed in the distance and rain pounded on the chalky sand. "Run for it", Antonia said putting a coat over her head. We started to run to find cover. We came to the end of the beachfront were a dense forest and few cottages were located.

I pointed at an old abandoned wood cottage not far from us. As I got closer I got more skeptic of it but at least it was shelter. We stood under a roof above the porch.. The cottage was painted an off white egg color but the siding was mostly ripped off. Random shingles and wood planks were scattered about and an old rocking chair was on the porch. "Should we go inside?", Lianetta asked. "Sure, What possibly could happen.", I said in a sarcastic tone.

We opened the unlocked door. Inside was few furnishings. A red rug, raggedy lamp and a moth devoured sofa. A staircase led downstairs. "This place gives me the creeps", Sasha urged. We all agreed. "Hopefully the storm doesn't last long", I mentioned after the room went silent. All of a sudden, Antonia rushed over to the wall. She studied a small inscription. "I swear it says...", she said squinting at it. "E.D!", she exclaimed. I widened my eyes.

"Is this his cottage?", I yelled. I then heard a noise from downstairs. The hairs perked on my arms. We all became silent. "Who is here", Lianetta asked. We heard another noise. "I'll go check it out", I said grabbing a flashlight I had handily packed in my bag. I crept down the winding staircase. The walls were now made of large stones. It was dark, cold and damp. "Hello?", I asked shyly. "Mwfffff", I heard.

I shined my light at the place where the noise came from. Tied in a wooden chair with duct tape on her mouth was Blue. I felt a wave of panic and relief all at once. I called my friends down and untied her from the chair.

Her white hair was a dirty grey color, her face was caked with dirt and dried sweat. She wore torn t shirt and jeans. After I removed the tape from her mouth, she took a moment to catch her breath before hugging me. We hugged momentarily before she cleared her throat, "White, you saved me". I nodded with a grin. "We still need to get you out of here and safely.", Sasha said.

"Who took you?", I asked. White opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the noise of footsteps above our heads. We all had a moment of panic. In no time two figures entered the basement. They had angry looks on their faces. "What exactly do you think you are doing?", the man said. In a matter of minutes the five of us were tied up to a support beam in the basement. "We were so close", I cried. Lianetta sagged her head and stared at her hands miserably.

"At least we are together", I said trying to lighten the damper mood. Blue let out a small smile but it didn't last long. "Why would they betray us?", I asked the group. "I was sure we could trust them, they saved our lives", Sasha said. "Why though?", we questioned.

I dozed off for a few moments and listened to the pounding of rain on the barely standing cottage. I then awoke from a thunderous boom that shook the whole building. Marla and Eddie were watching us. "You four have been naughty and have got yourself caught.", Marla snarled. Eddie stood beside her with a wicked smirk on his face. "Why are you doing this to us?", I yelled. "Can't you tell? Eddie is the one!", she yelled like a maniac. "And what exactly does Eddie do with us once he captures us?", Sasha grimaced.

"Sacrifices", Eddie smirked. I gulped and had a lump in my throat. My shoulder felt weak and my head hung on my shoulders like a wilted flower.