Yay! This is one of my favourite chapters I've written so far! So? Any suggestions, comments, questions, etc. etc?
The moon broke through the skylights, drowning it's light in the fluorescent ones. Laughter and the buzz of mindless chatter floated around me, although it never penetrated my ears. Just surrounded me. How carefree all of these people were; how unburdened.
I stalk silently past a few scarce people. The place would close in a matter of minutes. I need to be fast. The few people make me almost invisible, unlike the crowd of people who might notice me during the day. But it also makes my job that much more dangerous.
With a quick surveillance, I push open the Staff Only door and disappear down the hallway, dodging several mops and shelves of paper towel and hand sanitizer. I slip into another door. The stairwell is musty and mold covered. The bottom of the stairs leads simply to a winding, thin hall. Dirt ws embedded into the walls and the floor. Several more shelves held electrical supplies and toilitries.
The fluorescent lights buzz over my head. I reach around my back, pushing my duster out of the way to gently touch my fingers to the stake. You're in a mall. A human mall. Relax. It's probably long since abandoned. She's not here. She can't be here. But my instinct isn't convinced. I can recall Rose, biting back tears, shaking so hard on the chair I was afraid she would fall right off.
"...and they took us down the stairs. It was this tiny hallway, I couldn't see where it ended. We didn't see anything... Except," she cleared her throat. "Except for this writing... on the wall."
"What did it say, Rose?" Alberta whispered.
Moving down the corridor, my pulse slammed against my chest.
"It was a list..." her voice was no more than a whisper.
My breathing grew ragged. My hand went to my stake instinctively.
"D...B...C...O...T...D...V...L...D...Z...S...I..." she recited.
This is it. My hands shake and I have to force myself to continue.
My heart beat is pulsating in my ears. The black writing seems to burn into the walls; into my eyes. It is slightly faded, but still obvious.
D
B
C
O
T
D
V
L
D
Z
S
I
"The names," she said. "Of the royal families."
I ran my hands gingerly over the letters. Rose, said a voice inside my head, stood right here. Right where you're standing. It made my heart ache.
Get a hold of yourself, Belikov. She's gone. She's not coming back.
The only thing that was not what she had described about the list was one small detail. Perhaps she forgot, but knowing Rose, she would remember. She was a smart girl. Especially when it came to the princess.
No, this one detail was recent. Probably, I was actually almost certain, that it was after Rose was turned.
And this tiny, incredibly significant detail chilled me to my very core. The bond can't be broken without me knowing!
The letter D, representing the Dragomir name, was circled.
...
I have never run so fast in my life. I slam my fist against the doors. Locked. I give a cry of despair and run down into the dark abyss of the corridor.
It twists and turns, and I follow it blindly, hoping this is not a dead end, trying desperately to get to the nearest pay phone. Oh God, please don't let me be late. The floor suddenly takes a sharp slope upwards. I charge upwards and see a thin, beckoning door at the end of the hall. I sob with relief as it opens, and I charge into the pouring rain.
My leather boots spray up water, I am trying to keep my balance on the slick grass. Square windows of light appear from the heavy rain and darkness. A bus station. The bus station. I push myself into the small privacy dividers, and pull change from my wallet.
Coins splay across the cement, and I shove whatever I can find into the slot.
It rings once, twice, three times before the princess picks up.
"Hello?" her voice is slow and sloppy. My pulse quickens even more.
"Princess!" I scream into the phone. She gasps.
"Guardian Belikov? Dimitri, is that you?"
"Yes, Princess. Please, please tell me you're okay. Are you alright? Where are you?" I count the seconds until she responds.
"Yeah, Guardian Belikov, I'm fine. I'm at the academy..." I give a loud sigh. I must have woken her. Of course, it was almost midnight.
"Oh thank God," I say, giving a heaving, dry sob in relief.
"Dimitri? Are you okay? Did you find her? Are you alright?"
"Yes, Princess, I'm fine. But...it's Rose!" Another gasp from the other end.
"Did you find her? Is she...alive?" her voice is now shaking.
"Yes!" I yell into the receiver. "You're in danger, Princess!"
"Vasilisa! GET OUT!"