Tell Me A Story

Chapter 13: They Want to Play

   For the next few minutes, both Anna and I stood there motionless, trying to make sense of what was written across my arm in blood. But neither her nor I could make any head or tail about it.

   Anna pulled in a heavy breath as she let go of my hand finally.

   "How did it come on your hand?" she asked.

   "Before the lights came on... Somebody grabbed me from behind."

   "Do you think it's a warning?" she asked me skeptically.

   I raised my eyebrows in reply.

   "Like... You know... Sort of a deadline?"

   "I don't know..." I said, honestly.

   She narrowed her eyes as her gaze shifted to a wall and she seemed to be thinking over it. I tried to find the source of light that had flooded the dungeons and was surprised to find small, circular mirrors arranged on either side of us, in a zig-zag manner. They were reflecting several rays of the sun. My curiosity to find the main source led my eyes to a big circular mirror attached near to the ceiling, its reflecting surface facing the sun.

   Brilliant! I thought. Wasn't it just cool? The big mirror reflected the rays from the sun and the other mirrors reflected it in continuation.

   I felt Anna's eyes on me.

   "Admiring their brilliance?" she asked with a smile playing on her lips.

   "Yeah."

   "All you have to do is to arrange the mirror near to the ceiling properly. For that was what I went when I got down here. I discovered it when I came here last."

   "You haven't told me anything about that yet," I reminded her.

   "I'll tell you. But there's a huge chunk of information missing in between. What's happening now is happening because of that fateful visit Seth and I paid last year." She heaved out a sigh.

   "Whatever was it the terrible thing that had happened here, it had happened after Amelia stepped into that chamber. We need to find the rest of it soon. And if this is anything to go by," her eyes went to my hand, " we don't have much time."

   I didn't say anything.

   "They want to play," she added as an afterthought.

   With that said, she began her stroll again. I followed her as always, with what she had last said resonating in my mind.

   They want to play... They want to play... Who are they?

   And I couldn't help but wonder why Anna was involving herself so much in this matter. Was she feeling way too guilt-ridden of what she had done by coming here last year? It sure as hell involved me. Swit, Cathy, Hope, mom... All we needed to do was join the dots and observe the big picture that it formed. Easier said than done.

   Anna took a few more steps forward before coming to a halt and kneeling down. She pulled back a loose strand of hair as she knelt. Her hands were closed around something.

   A ring.

   She began tugging at it. On understanding that she'd no luck there, she looked up at me. I quickly made my way to her. I knelt down next to her and began budging at it. After a few tries, it flung out with a loud creak, which made me narrow my face and Anna cover her ears.

   Well, when Anna had told me the story, Amelia sounded to me like a lean, beautiful girl. If she'd opened this on her own, she must have had quite some strength. The picture of an Amelia with biceps made me laugh out loud.