Chp 9. A World of Books
The group stopped and looked at Woody in shock.
"What?" They called.
"Its locked." Woody said.
"Maybe Adam locked it for safety. We need to find Bailey." Cody said.
"The windows won't budge either." Addison said.
"Thats not good." Zack said.
"I am sure Adam locked them for safety, you know break ins and that. I need to go after Bailey." Cody said.
"Okay, we split up. London, me and Cody will look for Bailey. Woody, you stay here with Zack and Addison and try and find a door or window that is not locked. We will be back soon." Moseby said.
"Be careful." Zack said looking at his brother. Cody nodded and followed Moseby out.
"Where do you think she went?" Cody asked.
"To find some new clothes, her outfit needs updating." London said.
"I know this is hard for you London, but quit being yourself and try being useful." Cody snapped. London and Moseby looked to Cody. They were not used to Cody being so forceful. "I am sorry, I didn't mean that." He said.
"We will find her." London said putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Maybe she went back to the bedroom." Moseby suggested. They headed to the bedroom but were disappointed when they couldn't find her.
"How are we going to find her? This place is huge." Cody asked.
"We can't give up. We check every room we can." Moseby said.
"You think there is something wrong with her?" Cody asked as the group walked down the corridor.
"Things have been happening around here tonight, that's for sure. Maybe she is just afraid." Moseby said.
"But the screaming, attacking me and Zack. Bailey would never do that." Cody said.
"I am sure it is just fear Cody. Once we find her and leave this scary place, she will be better." Moseby replied.
"Guys." London said as she stopped in front of a door. The men rushed up and looked through the door. Bailey was huddled in a ball in front of them. Cody pushed past London and reached to Bailey.
"Bailey.......you okay?" he asked. She didn't reply. She looked up to him, tears in her eyes.
"Please don't hurt me." She said.
"We are not here to hurt you Bailey. It's me.....Cody." he said. He reached out his sore hand and she gently touched it.
"I hurt you." She said.
"No you didn't. It was the hot water remember." Cody explained.
"I don't remember." She said.
"Let's get her back to the lounge." Moseby said.
"No! No I can't." She said.
"Please Bailey. We have to get back to the others. We need to all be together." Cody said. Bailey looked up to him.
"Cody?" She asked. "Why........what happened?" She asked.
"I have no idea, but we are going to find out." He said.
The group took Bailey back to the lounge. Woody, Addison and Zack looked relieved when the group returned.
"Thank goodness. Everyone okay?" Zack asked.
"Fine." Cody said.
"Bailey, are you okay?" Zack asked.
"I am okay." She replied.
"So any way out of here?" Moseby asked.
"No, we found a back door, but it's locked. All the windows are locked too. We are trapped in here." Woody said.
"Surely not, there must be a way out somewhere." Moseby said.
"We looked everywhere. Someone doesn't want us to leave." Zack replied.
"And by coincidence our host has yet to appear." London said.
"Big word for you London." Bailey said.
"It was, wasn't it?" She said.
"So what do we do now?" Cody asked.
"We must find a way out, a back way, a basement. Anything." Moseby said. "And we stay together. Addison, you feeling okay?" he asked.
"Sure, anything to help us get out of here." She said.
"Zack?" Cody asked.
"Sure, I can get about." He said.
"Okay let's go." Moseby said. The group headed out the lounge and down the hall in front of them. The weather was dying down and the sun was due to rise. The hall was quiet and cold and extremely dark. They passed doors and tried them. Some opened and revealed other rooms, some were locked. Moseby advised the kids to take note of the locked doors and if they failed to find a way out, they would go back and try the locked doors. Woody and Zack were up in front and were discussing the concept of ghosts in the castle.
"Its an old English castle, of course its haunted. You saw what happened to Bailey." Woody said.
"That had nothing to do with ghosts Woodchuck." Zack said.
"Then how do you explain it?" Woody asked. Zack was going to answer but couldn't find the correct answer. They tried a door handle and it opened.
"Woah." They said together. They found themselves in a big Library.
"Its called a Library Zack, I know you are not used to seeing this site." Cody said.
"Very funny." Zack replied. They group walked in and stood in awe at the size of it. The ceiling seemed to go on for miles, the walls were covered in hundreds of shelves of books. There was pictures and artefacts all over the walls. A big writing desk was sat in the centre of the room.
"This place is amazing." Bailey said.
"It sure is impressive." Moseby said.
"I have never seen anything so........huge." She said.
"What are these?" London said pointing to the shelves. "They are dirty and yucky."
"They are books London." Cody said.
"Ewww!" She shrieked. "This place is filthy."
"I doubt anyone has been in it for a while." Bailey said.
"I bet there are some first editions on these shelves somewhere." Cody said.
"We are stuck in a castle and you are thinking of the books." Zack said.
"Look at it all." Cody said.
"Oh yeah I am excited." Zack said.
"I wonder if these people are the occupants of the castle." Moseby wondered as he looked at the photos on the walls. There was a number of photos in frames as well as paintings and decorations.
"What the..........."Zack said from the corner of the room. The group turned to look at him. He was holding a picture in a frame.
"What is it?" Addison asked. Zack pointed to the picture in the frame. The group looked at the photo. It was of 3 people posing near a Christmas tree. The two boys looked familiar.
"That's us!" Cody exclaimed looking at Zack.