eternalgorithm- maybe...maybe not...you'll find out. Not in this chapter, but perhaps in the next one...

KittyDoggyLover- I guess I'll say it again as well- Thank you! And Merry Christmas to you too! (a bit late, but oh well.)

rae1112- eep! (summons broomstick and flies away) Can you tell I like Harry Potter? lol. Seriously, if you think LAST chapter was a cliffie...I think I really am going to die after you read this one. (Here we go again I suppose...) And I've been to Washington DC as well, but it was a family trip a year or so ago.

Mac3- Thanks, it's great to hear that. I was hoping to get the characters right. (Though I'm still working on Jordan...)

This chapter is VERY short, and is basically just a tension-builder, a sort of cliffie in itself. It's from this chapter that you know everything will change...but I won't say anymore about that.

Thank you once again for your reviews, it's wonderful to hear what you have to say. Now with out further ranting...

Back to the Basement

Chapter 4: Darkness

- Jordan -

beep…beep…

It was this constant and irritating noise that first brought me to consciousness. I groaned. God, my head hurt. I finally gave in and opened my eyes. Then I blinked. I had thought that the beeping meant I was in a hospital, and yet it was so dark that I couldn't see a thing. But this had to be a hospital. I was in a bed, I could feel the IV in my arm, and that beeping was definitely coming from a heart monitor. But why was it so dark? I shivered, which was painful, and closed my eyes. I felt like I was back in the basement again.

I heard the distant sound of a door opening and footsteps. Then someone gently took my hand.

"Jordan," he whispered. Tears welled in my eyes as I realized it was Nigel. There was no way to describe the happiness I felt at having him here.

"Nigel," I whispered, squeezing his hand softly. I was in a lot of pain. "I'm sorry."

Don't apologize Jordan. Just get better and come home." I could hear the pain in his voice, and suddenly felt very guilty for causing it.

"I will," I said, opening my eyes again. It was still pitch black, and I had to ask. "Nige, why is it so dark?" He took a few seconds to respond.

"It's not dark in here Jordan. It's quite bright actually."

Huh?

That made no sense. If it was bright then why couldn't I see anything? The truth hit me then, as hard and as painfully as the shovel.

"Nigel," I whispered shakily, trying to hold off the tears through my shock. "I think I'm blind..."

( You find that black.n.blu is gone because she is hiding from the wrath of rae, but as you approach you find a small post-it note lying abandon on the ground. Curious, you pick it up and eventually make out black.n.blu's messy handwriting:

Review please! )