Disclaimer: I don't own The Rocky Horror Picture Show. How many times must I say it?

A/N: Sorry if that last chapter wasn't very good. I had a really crazy day yesterday (the 'ghost' of my school's theatre department almost got caught after switching off one of the light-switches, for one thing).

Most of this chapter is based on The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe. For example, 'Medoc' is a wine Fortunato and Montressor drink during that story.

Hopefully nobody is out of character. Also, in Commedia dell'arte, the female counterpart to Harlequin/Arlecchino (who wears clothing similar to what Columbia wears in this chapter) is called 'Columbina'. That was actually a coincidence.

Wednesday, March/?/1974

Dear Diary,

I'm currently sitting in the prop room of Frank's theatre.

Yes, this castle has a theatre in it. Somehow it's also where the pool is. The fact that I didn't know about any of this is a shock. But that's not the most shocking thing that's happened today.

It's only about lunchtime, but I'm not sure how soon I'll get to write again.

I'd better explain how I got here…

At five-bloody-thirty in the morning, Magenta showed up. She claimed to have an idea on how to help us escape.

Before we actually attempted escape, however, she gave us each some clean clothes to wear. The outfit I wore at that point- left over from yesterday- was a mess. The clothes she brought for me included pinstriped shorts, fishnet stockings, and a brightly colored checkered… vest not unlike the motley of a jester or Harlequin (who the Italian call 'Arlecchino'). At the time I merely thought she wanted to cheer me up somehow. I do like fashion.

Eddie wore jeans, a t-shirt, and a leather jacket… his usual clothes, I suppose. Though, oddly, the shirt appeared to be the most colorful he owned.

To my confusion, Magenta also brought a bottle of red wine. I think it's called 'Medoc'. I don't understand why she brought wine of all things. Though I don't understand half the thing she's done today.

Though she didn't give us any food to eat, she promised she'd bring us any leftovers from Frank's breakfast.

"The Master won't be up until 10 o'clock, at least. If we hurry we might be able to get you out of the castle before he's even awake," Magenta explained, once we were both somewhat ready.

"How will we leave?" I asked.

She stopped walking. "What do you mean?"

"Well, the front door creaks terribly. And I'm sure he'll hear it!" I pointed out, quite annoyed.

Eddie put his arm around me. "I'm sure she knows what she's doing. Servants usually have all sorts of secret passageways and stuff. At least… the servants who work for my uncle do. It's so they can walk around and "

"Really? Your uncle had servants?"

"Well… a butler, a cook, and a maid. He also seems to have an endless supply of money, no doubt obtained in some sort of shady, illegal-"

"Do you two really want to leave? Or would you rather I show you back to your cells?" Magenta asked sarcastically.

Rolling my eyes, we both followed her down the corridor.

Before today, I'd never been to this part of the house. I know that Riff has a wine cellar somewhere. But I'd never imagined that there was this maze of windowless, stone hallways. As we walked, I noticed spider webs and some other white, web-like… stuff on the solid, stone walls on either side of us. Some sort of mineral.

When I asked Magenta what it was, she merely shrugged and said: "It's nitre."

That sounded familiar. All of this seemed familiar, somehow. Yet I just couldn't remember why…

I shivered in the cold.

"Would you like to try the wine?" Magenta asked. "I'm sure a sip or two will keep the both of you a bit warmer."

Without really thinking, I drank some of it. As did Eddie and Magenta herself. She was right. It brought warmth and false merriment to both of us. All three of us, in fact!

Soon enough we began to laugh and joke around.

"We're almost there," Magenta said, once we'd walked for a while. For hours, I think.

"Good," Eddie replied.

We continued to walk. Soon enough we got to a door. Foolishly, I believed that it led to the outside world. To freedom…

"Magenta, it's so good of you to be helping us," I said, with much sincerity.

"You're the fortunate ones- aren't you?" Magenta whispered, suddenly very solemn.

Then, she opened the door and pushed us through it.

To my horror we were not outside the house. We were in a pitch-black room. I managed a wall nearby with one hand. My other hand held Eddie's. Both of were scared, I think. Who wouldn't be? And wasn't Magenta our friend?

"Ha! What a joke this all is! Hey, Magenta… are ya gonna let us out so we can leave?" Eddie said, laughing nervously.

Her voice was unnaturally cold as she replied: "No."

A light turned on. I suddenly realized that we were in some sort

"For the love of God, Magenta!" I shrieked.

"What God?" she replied shakily.

And then, judging by the sound click-clack sound of her heels, she left. I thought I heard sobs echoing, as her retreating footsteps grew quieter and quieter.

Suddenly, lights turned on.

That's when I realized we were in a theatre prop room. Feather boas and masks alike hung from walls… shelves were piled with shoes of all kinds… boxes overflowing with colorful stage makeup…

Though the door we'd entered through was locked, another door wasn't. In fact, I believe it's not even possible to lock that other door. Cautiously, Eddie opened it.

His eyes widened in surprise, "A theatre?"

I rushed over to where he stood and looked through the doorway. "I never knew about this… is that a pool?"

"Yeah, looks like it."

Something about this empty place seemed beautiful. At that point, the only light came from the room I happened to be in. The dark stage had a certain magnificence to it.

Soon enough, we began exploring the theatre. Once all the lights were turned on we began to explore the place. Mainly because we wanted to find an exit. Though it was also interesting. For one thing, I'd never properly seen the backstage of a theatre before.

Right now, as I write this, Eddie is attempting to find an exit. If he doesn't soon enough, it'll be my turn to look around.

- Columbia (a groupie)

A/N: I've already written the epilogue to this story. Of course, there's still a lot more that's going to happen between now and then!

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