I was using my lighter to scan the walls for light switches. It was eerily quiet and i could hear my footsteps echoing on the polished floors. I traced my hands along the wall and found what i felt was a lightswitch, i clicked it but no lights came on. damn.
What was it Rob said to do if they didn't turn on? ...find some sort of fuse box. Ok. so that would be in a store cupboard or something,... i think? I walked into what looked like the cafe section of the buidling and climbed over the counter searchign for a back room that may hold a fuse box.
I could see the flame from my lighter slowly dimming, so decided to lower the flame, in an attempt to save more gas.
There was a door to the left of me, which i assumed would be where the storage was kept, so i turned the handle and...locked. Shit shit and double shit. There was a lock pad by the side of it, one which i supposed needed a pin or something. I thought, to hell with it, might aswell try to guess. Being completely cliche i started with 1,2,3,4. 'beep beep beep beep'. the screen displayed 'wrong pin'. I was about to try another combination when it occured to me that if i entered wrong codes i would most likely set all the alarms off, THEN we would be busted. And it's not like i even knew if the fuse box was in there anyway, and if it was, would i even know what to do? Probably not.
SO, what now? I'd failed my task of trying to find the lights, and now we'd probably be stuck in pitch black. ahhhh, this was so not cool. Eventually i came to the decision that i would just have to go back and tell Rob, but i didn't know where he was, or where i was really. So i reached into my pocket and got out his phone. I started to punch my number in.
After three rings i heard his voice echo on the other side. "Nice ringtone ella....what is it?"
what? ..right. ohshit.
i cleared my throat "err, it's my friends, singing.."
"singing what?"
"sex on fire."
oh god, this was embarrasing, it was one fo those drunken moments when you decide to record you and all your friends singing down the phone on a night out then set it as your ringtone...
"ooooohhh, that's what it is, i couldn't work out what it was!"
...burn.
he continued to laugh down the phone. then through laughs managed to say, "wait, wait, call me back, i want to hear it again!"
"rob"
"i'm hanging up!"
"rob"
he'd gone.
reluctantly i called him again. it was either that or traipsing round these dark corridors trying to find my way back.
i dialed, It took longer for him to pick up this time, probably enjoying the 'singing' to my horror, and when he finally did, all i could hear was his roaring laughter down the phone.
i cringed. "Rob,....rob. oh c'mon it's not that funny"
"it really really is" once he'd finished laughing he cleared his throat, but i could tell he was still smiling, "anyway, what you calling for?"
"the lights, wont turn on"
"fuse box?"
"in a locked room, which i dont have the combination for"
"did you try 1,2,3,4?"
"funnily enough, yes. but it didn't work"
"hmm. well no worries, i've got it all sorted anyway. where are you?"
"what do you mean you've got it all sorted?"
"you'll see. where are you?"
what did he mean ' you'll see' ?
"....the cafe." i was intruged, what was he hiding?
"ohkay, well you must be at the other one?"
"there are two?"
"yes. i'm in the one at the other end of the building. right then, take the corridor all the way down, then take a left and you'll find me"
"ok"
i was about to hang up when.
"oh ella"
"mm"
"save that number in my phone will you?"
"ok" i choked. I was glad it was dark, because i was blushing like a beetroot.
"don't worry, i'm allready saved in yours'
more blush.
............................................................................................................................................................
I followed his instructions and made my way down the corridor, still using the low flame of my lighter to help guide me. I could see a yellow glow coming from the end of the corridor. It wasn't a constant light though, it was flickering and fading.
As i moved closer a huge infusion of scents collided with me, florals, spices, mellow tones, they all seemed to clash but still smelt so inciting. As i edged closer to the door i started to move slower, i don't know why, anticipation, fear, wanting to prolong something. Then as i curled round the entrance, i saw, candles, lining the floors in rows. All round the edges of the rooms were larger ones, scented sticks of candels, then progressing into the centre were tea lights, You know, the smaller ones, plain. I let my lighter fade out and just stood gawping at it all.
It wasn't in the cliche, romantic, candles kind of way, it was interesting, it all looked constructed, like it had been planned out in patterns. The lights were casting shadows everywhere, all i could think of was how wonderful this is, and how i NEEDED a photo of it.
A clicking caught my attention, and i saw rob hunched over trying to light more candles. he turned round and faced me grinning
"isn't it cool?!"
"amazing" my voice sounded breathy
"my lighters gone, can i borrow yours, finish off these few.."
"sure" i doged over some candles and handed it to him.
I went into the centre of it all where there was a space, presumably where we'd be sitting. "are there any smoke alarms here?" i asked him.
"not that ive seen, anyway, ive allready smoked in here and nothing happened, its fine"
i lit up, and took in the view.
