Chapter 5 - The Red RoomThe red room was hidden behind the old west staircase.
Marcus had walked past it hundreds of times.
He had never questioned why one section of the wall remained sealed.
Now the brass key sat in his palm.
Daniel stood behind him.
Rosa held Lily.
Victoria remained several feet away, trapped between fear and determination.
Marcus inserted the key.
Nothing happened.
He turned it again.
A mechanism clicked deep inside the wall.
The entire panel swung inward.
A wave of cold air rushed over them.
The room beyond was small.
Circular.
Its walls were covered in faded red wallpaper.
Burn marks crawled across the ceiling.
There were no windows.
No furniture.
Only a child's wooden chair in the center.
Marcus stared.
Rosa covered her mouth.
On the wall opposite the chair was a collection of names.
Six names.
Five had been crossed out.
One remained.
MARCUS WHITMORE.
Marcus whispered, “Why?”
Daniel entered.
“Because this wasn't a hiding room.”
He pointed to the chair.
“It was an interrogation room.”
Marcus turned.
“For who?”
Daniel's silence answered him.
Marcus looked at Lily.
Then at Rosa.
Then at the chair.
“No.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“Your grandfather brought people here when they knew too much.”
Marcus backed away.
“I was eight.”
Daniel nodded.
“You don't remember because your memories were manipulated by fear.”
Marcus suddenly remembered something.
Not a clear memory.
Fragments.
A red wall.
His grandfather shouting.
A man's hand.
A woman crying.
And a lullaby.
He covered his ears.
“Stop.”
Daniel watched him carefully.
“You were here.”
“No.”
“You were.”
Marcus dropped to one knee.
The memory came rushing back.
He saw himself as a child.
Standing outside the room.
Holding a wooden toy truck.
He heard his grandfather say:
“Never tell Marcus.”
Then another voice.
Victoria's father.
“I won't.”
Marcus opened his eyes.
“Victoria's father was here.”
Victoria stepped forward.
“My father told me he had never met your grandfather.”
“He lied.”
“I know.”
Marcus stood.
“Then why were you helping them?”
Victoria's eyes filled.
“Because I thought they were trying to recover evidence against your family.”
“You could have told me.”
“I tried.”
“You tried to take the ledger.”
“I tried to find it before they did!”
Her voice cracked.
“They were going to kill you.”
The room fell quiet.
Victoria continued.
“My father left me one instruction before he died. Find the ledger before the Hargroves do.”
Marcus stared.
“The Hargroves?”
“My family.”
Victoria looked toward Daniel.
“They've been searching for the ledger for decades.”
Daniel shook his head.
“Not only the Hargroves.”
A sound came from the hallway.
Slow footsteps.
Everyone turned.
The broad man appeared in the doorway.
Blood covered his cheek.
He smiled.
“Family reunion.”
Daniel raised his weapon.
The man laughed.
“You really believed this was about a ledger?”
He pulled a small remote from his pocket.
Marcus's eyes widened.
“What did you do?”
The man pressed the button.
The walls began to shake.
Rosa screamed.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Daniel grabbed Marcus.
“Get out!”
The broad man backed away.
“The ledger is only the beginning.”
He pressed the button again.
A deep rumble thundered beneath the floor.
Marcus looked at Lily.
She was staring at the red wall.
Her eyes widened.
“Mommy…”
“What?”
“The room is waking up.”
May you like
Then the floor split open.
And something beneath the mansion began to rise.
