Fallen Under by Lydia Harbinger

Author:Lydia Harbinger [Harbinger, Lydia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-08-30T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Vic was nowhere to be found for the rest of the day. It was a little strange that he was gone so long. Even Matthew had retired to his bedroom hours before me, seemingly disappointed by the lack of results from the coroner.

From my bed, I listened for Vic. Yet, no sign of him came. Finally, I reached into my bedside table and pulled out the household keys I had found earlier. I clamped them in my hand, and put a silk robe on over my nightgown.

I stepped into the hallway, keeping my cell phone’s flashlight on and pressed against my leg to avoid spilling any unnecessary light. The moonlight came in through the windows, providing just enough illumination that I could make my way down the stairs and into the foyer.

All the lights of the first floor were off. I stood there for a moment, taking in the stillness of the house in Vic’s absence.

Then, I heard it.

The sound was muffled, coming from somewhere in the basement. It was strange and animalistic: somewhere between a breath and a wail.

My blood ran ice cold, and the set of keys I gripped in my hand seemed to fix against my skin.

The basement hallway was dark and windowless; it made the flashlight necessary. I inched the phone away from my thigh, and the light it cast had a reddish glow as it reflected off of my nightgown. I made my way carefully down the stairs, wincing as a jutting nail head pressed into the ball of my foot.

In the basement, I could see no light coming from under Matthew’s door.

I don’t know exactly what I hoped to accomplish, but I would have my curiosity satisfied. I went into the wine cellar and shone the flashlight into every corner, behind every shelf.

I let a little light fall into the hallway, as I tried to mentally gauge the distance between myself and the two doors at the end. I again stifled the light against myself and made my way through, letting the light shine only a little when I found my feet unsure.

I stood in darkness at the juncture between Matthew’s bedroom door and the other room, where Edith had attacked me those few nights ago.

I heard the sound come again, but this time only faintly. It was behind the door to my right, the one beside Matthew’s bedroom.

In the darkness, I fumbled through the keys, careful to make no noise. I pressed the end of each key against the lock, dragging the end to the place of insertion to make sure that there was no telltale clink of metal which might expose me. Finally, I found the right key and opened the door, my heart pounding as the deadbolt clicked out of place.

I stepped into the room and closed the door behind me. I leaned back, taking a few deep breaths, before shining the flashlight openly into the room.

The space was more or less as it had been before. There were cardboard boxes stacked on the floor, and a table in the corner.

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