The silver medallion fit easily in the clock tower. Another groan, a little more frightened than before, came from the shivering tower. 5:00. The darkness that brings the choking heat...
"Flames render the silence, awakening the hungry beast, open time's door to beckon prey," Bishop recited as Arelia showed him the poems on the back of the map. He shook his head. "Well, the title is 'Darkness That Brings the Choking Heat', and the titles have always meant something before. So if you look at it literally and switch it around, it becomes a dark place generating heat." Bishop shrugged and looked down at his feet. He was doing a good job of sulking after Arelia hit him.
"A dark place like a basement, maybe?" she prodded.
"I guess," he responded half-heartedly.
"A basement with a boiler?"
"I guess."
Arelia found it on the map and patted Bishop's cheek. "You're still my little puzzle-solver, even if you are moping." He glared at her as she strolled into the school and followed, dragging his feet.
In the dark, hot basement, Arelia found that she was truly afraid of what could be lurking within it. Bishop had closed the door behind them, and she was scared they may never find it again. The single red eye of the boiler stared at them warily as they approached.
"Shine your light over here," she said, gesturing to the switches dimly illuminated by her pocket flashlight. Bishop illuminated them further with his brighter light. "It's off." She cautiously flipped the boiler on and a low, ominous grumbling sound reverberated throughout the room.
"It's on now," Bishop observed. He looked at Arelia. "Time's door is the clock tower." He was obviously done sulking.
Outside, the courtyard looked pale and scared. Snow tinted the grass lighter colors, as if draining them of pigment. The bushes shook. The clock tower trembled and whimpered. Arelia opened the door and took a deep breath of cold, snowy air. It may be the last time you ever breathe it. She heard Bishop do the same thing behind her and put his hand on her shoulder. It was just enough to give her the courage to step into the clock tower.
As soon as she stepped inside, Arelia began to have second thoughts. I really don't want to do this, she whined internally, gripping the bars of the ladder leading down into a pit and beginning to descend with Bishop close behind. The darkness seemed to close in around her the further down she went, choking her, clawing her will, trying to rip out her throat so she could not scream. At the bottom, she placed her feet solidly on the ground, thankful to have something of substance beneath her feet to hold her up. She moved away from the ladder to give Bishop room and glanced around at the empty bottles strewn over the area.
In the distance, sirens screamed. Bishop looked around hopefully, wanting more than anything to see policemen coming down that ladder to take them away from here.
There was not much there. Just another ladder. Arelia began to climb up it, again with Bishop following, until they both reached a door leading to somewhere. She waited for Bishop to touch her shoulder again, but he never did. Drawing from her own courage, she opened the door and stepped out into the nightmare.