Disclaimer: I don't own anything, not now, not ever!

Soundtrack: When Darkness Falls – Killswitch Engage

Chapter 21: The Cellar Walls

BPOV

I stretched and yawned, today was the day to leave for Pennsylvania. Yesterday, for our last day here in New York we'd gone to Niagara Falls. It was fun...Emmett tried to throw us all into the water, he failed, but still. Then later we'd waited outside all night for the old lady but strangely she'd never shown. Alice made it into a huge deal, but I didn't care; maybe it was because I'd already seen her before, but no one other than Edward knew that.

The sun was already peeking through the thick curtains. With a groan I launched myself out of bed and then downstairs to the kitchen.

"All I'm saying is we sure wasted a lot of time for some lame ghost that didn't show." Alice was saying as I stood in the doorway.

"Will you stop bitching about it already?" Rose growled back.

"Oh don't get pissy with me because there's no more coffee." Alice rolled her eyes and then turned to grin at me. "Well look who has decided to show her pretty lil' face this morning."

"Who?" Rose said sarcastically.

"Oh don't start. Come on in Bells, eat some breakfast."

"What time is it?" I mumbled, then cleared my throat when I heard how hoarse I sounded.

"Almost noon," Rose answered twirling her empty mug around.

"You guys slept late, Rose just got up about half an hour before you," Alice said as she placed a bowl and a box of cereal in front of me.

"Where are the guys?" I asked just noticing that they were absent.

"Oh," Alice paused as she placed the milk on the table, "they left hours ago."

"What?!" I asked panic filling me.

She grinned as she surveyed my reaction. Then she slowly slid open an oak drawer and removed a spoon before closing it with her hip. "Don't worry Bella-wella someone just had to be at the next hotel at twelve or we'd lose our reservations; apparently they're really busy this time of year. Edward was insistent on letting you catch up on your sleep."

"Aw how cute, I think Edward fancies you Bella." Rose smirked.

"So you said there's no coffee left?" I blurted.

Alice snorted, "Someone drank it all...and they're still cranky."

"Oh get off my back, I'll act how I wanna act, mom," Rose retorted.

"Shut up, but I believe we were talking about Bella."

"Ah yes."

"No really guys let's just get ready and leave." I said awkwardly as I stood leaving my unfinished breakfast on the table.

"Not so fast." Rose slid up gracefully and blocked my path, faster than should be possible. My feet slid clumsily over the polished marble floor.

"Can't we do this later guys? Really, I just want to take a shower." Alice and Rosalie shared a loaded glance before Rose stepped aside. I smirked and she slapped my butt as I walked past. I squealed in surprise and slipped. Before I even hit the floor I could hear their roaring laughter.

I growled at them.

"I can't believe you did not see that coming, honestly Bella." Alice chuckled. "Now hurry up! Go shower, and we'll finish cleaning and lay out your clothes."

"Oh joy." I mumbled as I tramped up the stairs.

"Shotgun!" I shouted as Alice reached for the handle.

She turned and glared at me before getting in the back.

"Pure evil," Rose laughed as she closed the trunk, having secured the suitcases.

I grinned, "I knew you'd approve."

She shot me a bright smile as she slid on her sunglasses. I jerked open my car door and threw my purse at me feet as I closed it behind me. I don't usually carry a purse, but it was easier to keep a few necessities close than rooting through all my bags.

The automatic sound of windows rolling down caught my attention. "What?" Rose grinned sheepishly. "I want the wind blowing through my hair." Alice giggled. I turned to look at her; she was sitting cross-legged in the middle seat with her flip-flops in the floor. Her purse was sitting in the seat beside her open and the camera perched in her lap.

I felt happy as I turned back around. Today was beautiful, the sun was shining and I could tell it was going to be a great day!

Five songs later we were on the highway and it was rather empty, surprisingly. Alice was going picture crazy.

"Yo Ali, stop with the camera already." Rose laughed as we heard another flash.

"Fine." I heard her say. I twisted into a comfortable position so I could see Alice and Rosalie. She winked at me and she plopped her camera in her open bag. "So we can talk instead." Rose clicked the radio off and all I heard was the air whooshing in the windows.

"So...?" I trailed.

"Oh I know!" Alice beamed. "There's this place in Schenectady, New York that I was looking up, anyway it's the Union College."

"What about it?" Rose asked.

"Well there's this beautiful garden in the back and on the first full moon after the summer solstice, the spirit of....wait for it...Alice walks along a creek there! You know why she's there? She was burned at the stake centuries ago...for being a psychic. Isn't that freaky?!"

"I think it sounds cool," Rose said thoughtfully. "Why didn't we go there?"

"We missed it," Alice mumbled regretfully. "Maybe another time."

"Yeah we should." She beamed at me for agreeing.

"So new subject," she grinned evilly. "Since it's later....and all. You and Edward....what's goin' on?"

"Nothing," I said a little too quickly. "He's um...nice...you know..nice." I blushed and looked away.

"Nice huh? Is that all?" I could see Rose biting her lip to keep the smile off her face as Ali interrogated me.

"Yeah I mean he's great, but um we're...friends?" I meant it like a statement but it came out like a question. "I mean I don't know what we are...we just met and all. Plus Alice he's your brother!"

"And? We could be sisters!"

"Whoa Alice getting a little carried away there aren't you?"

"No, you guys are perfect together."

"Ali we're not even together, and I doubt we will be anytime soon."

"Why not?!" she glared.

"Because Alice, he doesn't like me that way."

"Like hell he doesn't! Who do you think knows him better, you or me?"

"Is that a trick question?"

"Exactly." She grinned triumphantly.

"That makes no sense!" Rosalie whined. "So I'm gonna change the subject." She winked at me and I smiled gratefully. "You know what I'm really craving right now?"

"What?" I humored her.

"Chocolate dunkers from Pizza Hut."

"Oh God yes!" Alice moaned.

"You guys are PMSing aren't you?" I laughed.

"Of course darling." Alice giggled.

"So next stop has a Pizza Hut, who's in?" Rose smiled.

"Carlisle, Pennsylvania here we are!" Alice grinned as Rose pulled off the highway.

"It took longer than expected." Rosalie laughed.

"That's because you two wanted pizza," I joked.

"Yeah well...it was good. Anyway we're not late or anything." Rose snorted.

"Yeah the way I see it we have around five hours till we need to get goin' for the scary portion of today...since it's just around three now..." Alice said counting on her fingers.

"But when were the guys expecting us?" I asked.

"Um.... I don't know, forty minutes ago." Alice smiled innocently and I laughed.

"Guys we have a problem," Rose said as she pulled to a stop.

"What?" I turned back to the front.

"There's no where to park." Rosalie groaned.

I looked around and sure enough there were no parking spaces. We were outside of an attractive looking Comfort Suites. The bottom level was covered with a red brick and the rest of the building was painted creamy-white. There were outdoor patio tables with chairs on the patio. All in all it looked nice, but not like the ritzy the Cullens and Hales usually associated themselves with, for which I was grateful.

"It's probably around back," I told Rose.

She quickly pulled off a smooth, yet illegal u-turn, and headed around back. We pulled out all our luggage and headed back to the front. Being inside felt good, the air-conditioned lobby making me feel cooler after walking in from the heat.

We quickly headed up the elevator to the fourth, top, floor and to room 104.

Alice knocked promptly and waited, impatiently tapping her foot. A minute later the door swung open to reveal Edward, in all his gloriousness. His eyes flitted to me quickly and he smiled before he looked back at Alice.

"What can I do for you, cousin?" He grinned.

"You can give me the room key for 105....please." She grinned back.

"Yeah sure, hold on." Alice had other ideas however and followed him in, after grabbing my wrist and dragging me in as well. I struggled for a second but then just gave up and followed her in.

The walls were creamy and the carpet was gold and red in an...interesting pattern. It seemed pretty normal; blue curtains, white beds, oak furniture, red chairs, and a couch. There was a big screen TV and a microwave, though so it was a little better than normal.

Emmett was sprawled over one of the beds. It was a really messy sight; the sheets were all messed up and the pillows were nowhere to be seen, and he didn't have his shirt on. He had a massive muscles, but too much for me personally.

When Edward noticed we'd followed him in he turned around. As he picked up something from the table he noticed me surveying Emmett's side of the room. "Ems a huge slob, can't stand organization. He had to make a mess the second we got here."

"And he's not wearing a shirt because?" Alice laughed.

"...I'm not quite sure." Edward chuckled.

"It was hot," Emmett answered without taking his eyes off the TV screen. "Jasper freaked out and made me put my pants back on though."

Edward cringed and turned back to us. "Here's the keys."

"Thanks." Alice smiled and spun around.

"So where's Jasper?" I had noticed he was gone when Emmett mentioned him.

Edward frowned slightly as he looked at me. "Uh he's...I don't know actually."

"Okay." I smiled at him and he grinned back. Alice pulled me back into the hallway and there was Rose inspecting her nails, standing next to our bags. Alice slapped my arm after the door closed and gave me an exasperated look.

"What was that for?" I squealed.

"Being completely stupid." She rolled her eyes and Rose perked up glancing at us. "I'll tell you later," she promised her.

Ali then spun around and shoved the key in, it made a quiet beep and she twisted the handle. We grabbed our bags and pushed into the room. I, being so skilfully coordinated, tripped on Rosalie's foot and tumbled forward. Alice darted out of the way so I wouldn't fall on her and they both burst out laughing. Rose somehow managed to catch me and Alice ran into the bed room, to claim her bed I assume, but then she screamed. Rosalie dropped me and ran to Alice's side. There was a man sitting on one of the beds watching TV.

He stood up quickly but Alice started beating him with her purse. I laughed when I realized who it was. It was entertaining to watch Jasper getting hit with a purse. Rose seemed to see who it was and sat down to enjoy. Since he wasn't screaming, only making muffled grunts and using his hands to defend his face I just stood up and put my stuff in the closet.

Then Jasper ran by me to the door. "Bella," he greeted me.

"Jazz." I nodded as he closed the door.

Alice's purse flew through the air and hit the door. "Stupid perverted stalker," she screamed.

"Alice chill," Rose sighed. "He was probably just tired of having to watch that Emmett guy strip. I would have snuck in here too."

"Actually Rose I don't think you would have, you didn't see his chest." Alice giggled.

"Oh it couldn't be that good." She snorted, "Right Bella?"

"Well...." I trailed.

"We're getting off track, that Jasper is the creeper!" Alice growled.

"Alice he's not that bad, he's nice." I sighed.

"Oh really? Do you like him Bella?" She narrowed her eyes slightly.

"No!" I shouted.

"She doesn't," Rose stated and I smiled at her. "If she did she would have stuttered like an idiot."

I frowned, "I would not have."

"Bella when it comes to you and guys....well sweetie you are an idiot." She smiled softly.

"What does that mean?" I wasn't sure if I should feel offended or thankful for her getting Alice off my back.

"You stutter and ramble and talk about all the wrong things and trip and well the list goes on."

"Don't forget her nonstop blushing," Alice added. "Oh remember that one time she was talking so fast she actually bit her tongue so hard it started bleeding, and then ended up swelling."

Rose burst out laughing, "That was so smooth."

"The guy was really nice about it though." Alice chimed.

"Except the fact I never saw him again." I rolled my eyes and they just laughed harder.

I sighed as I opened the door to the jeep. The last five hours had been incredibly boring; we'd just sat there and ordered room service.

"So what's the plan?" I asked as I pulled out.

"Well we're going to the Carlisle Barracks. First we'll visit the Ashburn Hall Guest House, then the Flower Road houses, and finally the bandstand." She said bouncing around in her seat from excitement.

"Oh an exciting night in the making." Rose snorted.

"You know you always say something like this....always." Alice retorted.

"It's part of my charm." She grinned casually. "Aw look we're here, this conversation was over right? Good." Then she jumped out of the car.

Alice paused and looked at me. "I love her anyway."

"I know." I laughed and hopped out to follow Rosalie to where the guys were standing.

I saw Edward leaning against his car looking at the ground where his foot was pushing around a pebble. I started staring at his flawless face; tracing his jawbone with my eyes, his cheekbones, his full lips, and then I glanced at his eyes and noticed him looking at me staring at him from under his lashes with a crooked grin on his face. I swooned but couldn't keep from gasping with surprise and jerking my head in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, my eyes landed on Alice and she gave my that look.

I swallowed. "Can we just get going now?"

"Someone's anxious," Emmett joked.

"Yeah yeah." I playfully snarled.

We got to the door when Alice turned around. "Okay so the thing is I wasn't able to get permission to be here so....we've got to be careful."

"Wait so we're breaking the law being here?" I said as my eyes widened.

"Well technically, but people do this all the time, we'll be fine." She grinned and pulled me in before I could even begin to protest.

"So what's up with this place, anyway?" Emmett asked as the door creaked shut behind us.

"The basement is supposedly haunted by Charlie, a boy confederate soldier, and some lady." Ali shrugged indifferently. "This way," she whispered as she pushed open a door under the staircase.

I kept close behind her as we all ventured down the stairs. Rose pushed so she was in the very front and I could feel Edward behind me. Emmett was the last in and left the door open to give us some light.

The steps continuously creaked and it was beginning to get annoying. We were almost to the bottom when the step gave out under my feet. It didn't feel like it was weak and snapped, it felt more like it was being pulled from below. I screamed as my foot fell through and I felt fear freeze me. Strong, hard arms grabbed around my waist and kept me from falling down further. Even though I was so scared I couldn't see straight I was also extremely fascinated; my foot was stuck but it felt weird. It was cold and I couldn't move it at all; like it was trapped in a giant ice cube.

"Bella, Bella, are you okay?" Alice asked frantically.

"I'm stuck," I said as I struggled around. Edward started pulling me and I became worried I was going to be trapped here forever. I was just about to wet myself with fright when all of a sudden the pressure disappeared and my foot came flying out of the floor. The force sent Edward and me against the wall and almost tumbling down, but he kept us stable. It was weird how all of a sudden I was hyper sensitive to everything around me, like for instance how my body was pressed against Edward's.

"BELLA?!" Alice screamed.

"Yeah?" I asked hazily.

"I asked if you were alright."

"Oh...um maybe. I don't think my ankle's broken."

"Well let's hurry down, this doesn't seem stable all of a sudden." Alice chirped, obviously over the fact that I could have just died!

"I think we should head back up," Edward argued, with his arm still secure around my waist. "This seems like a bad omen or a warning perhaps."

"Don't wuss out," Emmett argued.

"Hey, I'm thinking of everyone here. I mean I'm not an expert on ghosts but it seems like a bad way to start this 'adventure'," he snarled back defensively.

"Fine we'll skip it." Alice rolled her eyes. "We've still got two places to go."

Everyone else groaned in sync. "Watch out for that step." Edward smiled and I looked back at it, damaged beyond recognition.

"Oh thanks for the tip big boy," Rose said sarcastically.

Just as we got near the top the door swung shut with a big slam. It was quiet for a moment and then Ali shrieked. I heard Emmett and Jasper rush to the top and we stayed still. They pounded and shouted for several minutes.

"DUDE NOT FUNNY, OPEN UP!" Emmett shouted.

"It's jammed or something," Jasper called back. "The wind probably pushed it closed, and it got stuck."

"Fuck," I heard Edward whisper and I got the feeling of dread I usually got when near the paranormal.

"I really doubt it was the wind," I said softly. It was silent for a second and I knew they'd be in denial for a while and continue to try and explain it, but you can't explain the unexplainable.

"I think I've got a small flashlight here somewhere," Jasper said and a second later a light clicked on.

"You carry a flashlight around?" Alice snorted.

"I used to be a boyscout." He grinned.

"I think this is one of those basements with a second way out," Rose pondered. "Like in those old movies how they had the doors that lead outside. We should try to find it."

We all agreed, but I had a feeling this wouldn't end well. We trooped back down and into a dark concrete coated room. It was damp and there were three tunnels leading in different directions, they were all dark.

"Which route?" I asked quietly.

"Let's go with the right since it's closer to the outside," Rose guessed.

So we walked down and five minutes later we'd come to the end. There was nothing there except a rather old looking washer and dryer set. So we turned around and headed back.

I was tripping a lot, which was either due to my strangely heightened fear or the uneven slant of the floor...probably both. Either way Edward was always catching me, and I couldn't tell if it was annoying or relieving right now.

We hurried down the middle hall without pausing. Of course since karma is a bitch it just led to an empty room. So we chose the last hallway.

"Guys this is it. If there's nothing here, we're most likely just going to die in this basement," Rose said as we walked cautiously down the dark narrow passageway.

"Oh joy," Alice whispered in a dreading tone.

"Dudes there's a door over here," Emmett remarked. Jasper shined the light on the wall and sure enough there was an old wooden door hanging loosely on it's hinges. It looked like a door you'd find in a castle with two planks making an x over the entire length. Hesitantly Emmett grabbed the handle and pulled, it screeched against the ground as it pulled open; it was like it hadn't been opened in a decade or many decades. Jasper stepped in first and beamed the light around. It was a wine cellar, pretty small though; we could all barely fit in there.

There were dusty old bottles filling up most of the racks. If I was a betting woman I'd say around seventy to one hundred bottles.

"Cool," Jasper gasped as he started pulling out the wine and inspecting them.

"Jasper's pretty alcohol savvy," Edward informed me. "He knows everything there is to know about booze."

"We need to take some of these with us," Jasper marvelled.

"We're already doing something illegal, let's not add to it by stealing," Alice hissed.

"Yeah we don't drink anyway." Rose added gruffly.

Jasper, however, ignored them and pulled down four bottles and handed two to Emmett for him to carry.

"I said no," Alice growled.

"Let's just go," I said shifting from foot to foot. This place was a bad omen, I could feel the air growing thicker.

"Whatever," Ali growled as she roughly grabbed my arm and dragged me out. The guys came out and Edward smiled remorsefully at me and I smiled to show him I wasn't upset, nobody can control their friends, no matter how much I wish I could at the moment. Everyone seemed to be in a bad mood right now.

We scurried into a round room with a thin window near the top that cast a lone ray of light from the stars outside onto the floor. There were small dark spots stained onto the floor in random places, it looked like blood.

"This used to be a morgue." Alice whispered as she stepped around the room; her fingernails lightly grazing the walls. I looked to the left and there was a steel door with a handle and on the right was another tunnel. I felt a strange pull towards the door and stepped closer.

Before I even realized what was going on my hand was pulling at the handle.

"That's where they actually kept the bodies," Rose whispered as she stepped behind me. I got goosebumps on my neck when I heard the word bodies. My breath came out shakily and, a little startled, I saw it; white and crisp before disappearing.

"Right." I nodded.

The door was locked and I started to get a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach.

"Let's get out of here." Edward voiced my thoughts. We all agreed and headed down the tunnel. I was in the back and I could swear I heard a click.

Finally we saw the light of the open cellar doors.

"Freedom!" Emmett whooped as he trooped up the steps. Then his foot fell through and he slipped down. "Fuck!" he shouted as the sound of shattering glass echoed around. He quickly struggled to free his foot without cutting it on the broken bottle of wine hidden in the darkness.

Just as Emmett freed his foot the doors above us slammed shut. Terror gripped me and I felt as though I was being watched. I could hear the other pounding and cussing, but it felt as though I was detached, if only for a moment, and there was nothing but cold empty fear ripping apart my insides. I couldn't breathe and it felt like doom and death around me.

All of a sudden the others got deathly quiet and I jumped back into reality.

"What?" I whispered, afraid to break the silence. Alice responded promptly by shushing me.

"Do you hear that?" Jasper whispered after a minute.

I listened really hard and I heard the faintest sound of voices. Then again, my friends have always said I have hearing problems.

"Maybe," I said hoarsely.

"It's people," Edward informed me.

"From what I've heard....they're doing a tour." Jasper's voice grew weaker towards the end of his sentence. "If they find us we'll be arrested." I started to grasp the reality of the situation. "And we're locked in with nowhere to hide."

"Thanks captain obvious." Alice sneered.

"Guys now is really not the best time to fight." Edward tried to calm them.

"There's one place we could hide," and as I said it I knew it was a horrible idea, but at the moment it was better than being arrested. Without waiting for them to say anything else I led the way back to the locked door; they followed. I had this weird feeling that this would not be good, but I needed to help my friends out. As I reached the handle it pulled easily open; the room was dark but we hurried in anyways.

"I thought this place was locked," Rose whispered as the door closed behind us.

I paused, "It was." With a sigh I looked around but before I had seen much Jasper's flashlight blew; leaving us all in the dark. I froze and it was almost like I could hear someone laughing. That was when I realized this had been their plan all along.

AN: So I just realized that this story has been up for over a year! A YEAR! I just can't seem to fathom that, you know? Anyway the last time I posted was on the anniversary, or close to it anyway so we're gonna treat this like a belated birthday, so review to show you're glad to see this story has survived for so long!!!

Okay so I know it's been a long while...and I really don't have a good excuse. School started back up, and it's been a bitch...my friends have been taking up a lot of my time, you know who you are, and well this was surprisingly hard to write! It's been a while since I've written horror and it was hard for me to start again. Anyway I'm soooo sorry!

To anonymous reviewer EDA you know me so well, that's exactly why I didn't want to write it! I knew I'd either have to find a way to skip a bunch of parts or make it boring!

To Barb 13 eh I tried, sorry, but thanks for reviewing!

To twilightfan21 thank you so much I love hearing that! Oh and I tried!

To Hazel_Eyes thank you so incredibly much! Oh and your friends sounds exactly like my best friend!! Haha it's like a crazy coincidence!

Thanks a lot to my beta An End Has A Start!! She really is super!!

Review and tell me if this is any good, cause honestly it wore me out writing this...I've been trying to write it for a month now! So please share some feedback my loves!!.... Once again I'm sorry it took so long!

*Kristen*