Somewhere I Belong
By Suchan deFamine
Notes before we begin:...nothing much except I need a beta for the last chapter. It just doesn't sound right.... thanks for any volunteers. but please email me about this.
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Chapter 6.
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The bright glow of the watch threw a small halo of green light into the tunnel, but it was barely enough to see where he was going. Manfred growled at himself for not bringing a torch. Really, when he thought about it, it should have been the first thing packed.
The tunnel had been going straight for a while but suddenly cut a sharp right turn and began to tilt downwards. The degree was not steep, but the floor was a slippery, polished cement. Manfred noticed that it was also growing smaller.
All at once, the floor began to drop down more sharply, and despite his best efforts to brace himself against the walls, Manfred slipped and found himself sliding steadily downwards with all sorts of twists and turns, like on a curvy slide at the playground.
But, he mused, I've got a feeling this slide won't lead to any fun…
The slide dropped sharply.
:P
Poof! Manfred landed on a large, white puffy something that softened the fall. It rippled like a flag outwards, and, after a quick glance around, he scrambled to the edge and hopped off onto the hard, stone floor. It was weird to be on solid ground again after so much moving.
"Nice work. A minute to spare." The dark voice echoed around the expanse of the room, blank walls bouncing back the waves. A plasma screen was lowered from the ceiling and turned on.
The picture faded in to Dr. Bloor's chiseled face, smirking with malice. "But I don't think this will be enough to save your precious Asa. For you see, Scar has already been dispatched to the cell…"
"Well, tell me where it is, damnit!"
"You won't have enough time to get to it anyway."
Manfred watched helplessly as the lights in the room dimmed and the blue glow from the plasma screen illuminated the puff and his figure. The screen crackled for a minute, and then displayed a holding cell, with a body folded up in defeat in a corner. A door clicked, and the red head looked up.
"Asa…"
A horribly patched up man, if one could call it that, strode in with a battle axe that looked like it came from the 1700's.
"You took long enough," was Asa's first comment. "But before you dismember me, I'd just like to ask you a favour."
Scar looked confused, and looked to the speaker. Dr. Bloor said, "Go ahead."
"Tell Manfred since the second coil isn't working, the gingerbread needs to be put in at 400 and baked for 15 minutes."
Manfred's heart dropped. "What the hell…?"
"You got all that?" Asa asked the camera stationed discreetly in the top corner of his box. Manfred nodded, even knowing Asa couldn't see him.
Scar took a step forward, but Asa yelled, "Wait! One more thing. Just…tell him I love him…I'm sorry it had to end this way…" He bit his lip. "That's it."
Manfred stepped back and sat on the edge of the poof and covered his face with his hands. His heart was melting right out of his chest, he could feel it. The helplessness closed in around his throat.
With a pop, the screen turned off, but Manfred still heard a sickening noise…his stomach lurched. Manfred glared when his eyes began to water. "Damn you," he whispered, tears rolling off his cheeks. "Damn you…"
But there was nothing he could do…except find a way out. And kill him.
He wiped his eyes with his sleeve, turned the watch light back on, and began to search the walls for a door.
:P
The ghostly light hit a doorframe, with a heavy lock. Like a prison door. Knowing he wasn't going to like a bit what he was going to see, Manfred chanced a look between the bars of the window. The light illuminated a small, curled-up body, and several bloodstains on the wall.
He closed his eyes and moved on.
What a way to get revenge. Injured honour, who gives? Carving his heart out with a battle axe wasn't the most clever, but certainly the most painful.
"How do I get out of here?"
"Left five paces, there's a door. That should put you outside." The echoes of the speaker rattled the poof, he could hear it from across the room.
"Is there a door anywhere that will lead me to you?"
A dark chuckle. "Not a chance, dear boy. By all means, stay here as long as you like…but remember, you've got a last wish to fulfill."
"The cookies, I know." Manfred sighed, then added with a growl, "But don't think you've gotten the best of me here. This is not over."
He reached the stairs that led up to the door, and stepped back out into the world. And blinked.
He was staring down the driveway of Bloor's Academy. Turning around, Manfred noticed a single light shining in the tower, where his old room was. A thin, dark figure was watching him.
Whoa….déjà vu. Manfred waved and headed back down the drive, face and heart blank. Suddenly, the old feeling of needing to escape harassed him, and he ran.
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End Chapter 6.
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No, it's not over yet, ladies and gents. The fat lady hasn't sung. Nope, stay in your seats because there's still more to come….