Chapter three- The Orphan.
They sat quietly on the bed until they heard Heather's footsteps fade down the hall, and the click of her bedroom door closing. The room was pitch black and freezing.
'This place,' Valkyrie whispered, 'Is creepy as hell'
'Agreed'
Valkyrie realised Skulduggery still had his arms around her and they both pulled away awkwardly.
'Well…you better get some sleep. Big day tomorrow and God knows what will happen,' Skulduggery said, getting up. He could, somehow, find his way surprisingly well in the dark.
'Skulduggery wait,' Valkyrie said.
She heard Skulduggery stop.
'Yes?' he asked quietly.
'Come back.'
There was silence for a painfully long three seconds then she felt Skulduggery sit at the edge of the bed.
'What do you think is up with this place?' Valkyrie whispered
'I don't know, but whatever it is, it isn't nice' Skulduggery said darkly, 'Bad things are coming for us, Valkyrie'
'And we'll be ready'
'We'll be ready'
Valkyrie smiled in the dark, and touched Skulduggery's hand lightly
'Thanks, Skulduggery'
'Always'
Valkyrie fell asleep soon, and Skulduggery went to sit by himself on the little love seat.
You should've kissed her again you stupid lemon The annoying voice at the back of his head said
Shut up. Skulduggery thought angrily. His inner self was asking for a good kicking.
It's not MY fault you didn't have the courage to kiss her again! I would hit you with a chair…if I could find one.
'If you're not careful, I'll whack my head off a desk for so long you won't know which way is which,' Skulduggery said under his breath.
Well neither will you
'Shut up,' Skulduggery murmured.
Valkyrie awoke from her bad dream and groaned quietly.
She wasn't a morning person.
She said good morning to Skulduggery then went and showered and dressed.
When she came back into the room, Skulduggery was wearing a navy blue suit with a matching tie and crisp white shirt.
'Are you ready to look around?' Skulduggery asked
'Yep' Valkyrie said
They started downstairs in the hall, tapping on the walls and floors and searching for trapped doors and such.
Daniel came and helped Skulduggery by copying him, banging on the walls, a little too enthusiastically.
Valkyrie tapped random floorboards around the hall, and came to a loose one that lifted slightly when she stepped on it.
She stopped and frowned, then hunkered down and yanked up the plank of wood.
'Skulduggery?' She called, 'I found something.'
Skulduggery came over and hunkered down beside her, then dipped his hand in to the hollow space below the floorboards and pulled out the little old red box, sealed with frayed string.
Skulduggery pulled the string off and opened the box. Valkyrie was amazed to see the old letters inside.
Skulduggery seemed to tense up suddenly.
'Skulduggery? What's wrong?' Valkyrie asked, concerned
Skulduggery shook his head.
'Nothing,' He said.
Valkyrie hesitated then took the red box gently from his hand.
'Come on' Valkyrie said. She stood up and took Daniels hand, and Skulduggery followed as they went into the living room.
Valkyrie sat on the leather sofa with Skulduggery sitting opposite, and Daniel sat on the floor, drawing with crayons.
Heather sat on the sofa with Valkyrie.
'They're letters that children wrote,' Valkyrie said quietly
Heather said nothing
'They're…they're Santa letters' Valkyrie said, scared now
Valkyrie read the letter she was holding. It was written in a curly sort of scrawl, and it looked like a four year old had written it. There were spelling mistakes
Deer santa
please this year I only want my mummy and daddy bak, please?
Love
Logan
Valkyrie bit her lip
'This one's from a boy called Logan,' Valkyrie managed, her voice cracking, 'He's asking for his parents back.'
Skulduggery became stiff again, and fidgeted with his hands.
'Skulduggery, what's wrong?' Valkyrie asked
'Um…nothing. Not a thing,' Skulduggery said, 'Let's go look around more'
He got up hastily and took Valkyrie's hand, pulling her up and out of the room.
He got her to the top of the stairs before Valkyrie stopped and would go no further.
'What in the hell is wrong with you?' She protested, struggling when Skulduggery tried to pull her forward.
'I'll tell you if you stop arguing with me,' He murmured, 'and stop struggling'
Valkyrie stopped struggling and shut her mouth.
'Right. Good.' Skulduggery muttered
He took her hand again and led her to their room. He shut the door behind him and turned to her.
She was sitting in the love seat watching him.
'Now tell me,' she said.
Skulduggery went over to the desk and brought the chair over.
He looked at Valkyrie for a long time before speaking.
'I'm Logan' He said
Valkyrie blinked
'What?'
'I was the boy that wrote the letter' He said, nodding to the letter Valkyrie was still holding.
Valkyrie stared
'You…you lived here?'
Skulduggery nodded
'I lived here when it was an orphanage' he said quietly.
'Skulduggery…What happened?'