Chapter 14: The Seventh Door

A Chapter by Mathew Nicolson

Rebecca remained stood at the top of the stairs. Carrie frantically tried to open the door, but it remained closed.

“I thought you’d have more sense than to return,” Edward said. “This locket must really mean a lot to you.” Rebecca saw a glint of light reflect from the bottom of the stairs, and realised he was holding the locket. He slowly began walking up the stairs. She had the advantage of being in a higher position… If she could ambush him as he came up…

“I completely understand,” he said, almost soothingly. “The locket… it inspires greatness, and beauty, and success…”

She could nearly see him arising out of the shadows… her time would be soon…

“It is also dangerous, which is why I keep it in my safe… With that power… who knows what someone could achieve if it fell into the wrong hands? Don’t you see, I liberated it from you?”

Rebecca said nothing.

“Where had that thing led you, may I ask?” Edward asked. “Camping, hiding even, in a forest, away from anyone else? What was your life like before you found it?”

He came closer and closer…

“I’ve taken that burden from you, can’t you understand?” He continued in his unusually calm voice. “Why do you feel the need to…” he tailed off. “Well, I do understand wanting it. But this is one of the cases where you must choose between what you want, and what is best for you…”

It was time. Rebecca grabbed a knife from her bag, and threw herself onto Edward. She didn’t know what she was doing, but she had no other options.

“Rebecca!” Carrie shouted, and realised before Rebecca did. Edward caught her by the arms �" the knife fell with a clatter �" and threw her onto the hard staircase, where she rolled to the bottom, and lay whimpering in pain. Edward turned around, ignoring Carrie’s screams, and kicked Rebecca over with his foot.

“No broken bones,” he stated, though how he could have known Carrie was unsure. “Lucky.”

He picked up the knife, and stood over Rebecca.

“Come down, or I’ll kill her,” he called up to Carrie.

She had no choice, but to give in. She slowly stepped down the freshly painted and polished staircase, towards Edward. He gestured for her to step into the room, which she did. He grabbed Rebecca’s arm, and threw her up against the wall, then shoved her into the room also. The room was badly lit by lanterns, which hid in the corners of the room. Edward had several desks, two of which had the latest technology of computers on them. The walls were bare �" there were no pictures or paintings. They seemed underground too, there was no natural light and the room smelt of dampness.

“You have the privilege of being in my private study,” he told them, while fiddling with the knife. Rebecca supported her head in her hands, trying to null the throbbing pain. Carrie stood rooted by fear, unable to move. “Of course, to even out the privilege, I need your help for something.”

Neither of them said anything. Neither of them could.

“Come this way,” he said, walking through his room and into a side door. “Make any movement against me and you won’t be able to distinguish each other’s blood.”

They had no choice; they had to follow him.

Dale led them into another corridor, just as dark and eerie as the last. They heard voices, gradually getting louder as they reached a room. Billy tried to make out what the voices were saying, to assess whether it would be dangerous, but he couldn’t; the walls seemed quite soundproof. But still, he felt safe with Anonni, who didn’t look remotely worried. He seemed to be dominating over Dale quite easily, who at first didn’t seem the type to easily be dominated. He would hate to get on the wrong side of Anonni.

“It’s in here,” Dale said eventually, opening a door to their right for them.

“You first,” Anonni said politely, yet forcefully.

“Of course…” Dale grumbled, but also being polite.

They entered the room after Dale. It was a workshop, with two men and a woman sitting round a table, talking and laughing. The workshop itself had tools set out everywhere, and there was a soft hum coming from a machine.

Dale stood by the door, not moving, for a second. The three people at the table looked up at the incomers, expectantly.

“The locket…” Anonni reminded Dale. Dale braved a look at the other three. If they were nervous like him, they certainly weren’t showing it.

“Yes,” Dale sighed. “I’ll go get it. But I’m sure it’s not the one you’re looking for…”

He wandered over to the other side of the workshop. The other three whispered almost silently to one another.

“I have it here,” Dale said, returning with a small, wooden chest-like box. It was big enough to fit the locket, Billy observed.

Dale undid the latches. He seemed to be deliberately taking his time, as if he were trying to raise the suspense. The three others had now stood up, and began work on various projects in the workshop, now oblivious to their visitors.

Anonni was the first to see the contents of the box, as it was opened at an angle Billy could not see. Dale waited for his reaction, hoping desperately Anonni did not recognise it. Anonni stared at it for a moment, not saying a word.

“Well?” Anonni said questioningly, and tilted it so Billy could look inside, who surveyed it for a few seconds.

“This isn’t it.”

They went through many corridors and rooms, each varying in different colour schemes and designs. They eventually went up a few flights of stairs, and reached a landing. Carrie couldn’t help noticing bloodstains on the carpet.

“This is where I killed my Dad,” Edward said proudly, but as casually as a tour guide would point out the exhibits of a museum. They were stood outside a door. Edward had stopped, and stood still outside a door.

“Wh… what are you doing?” Rebecca stuttered, and was surprised she could talk, as she was too sore to stand, and had to be supported by Carrie.

“We are waiting,” was all Edward said in reply. Rebecca couldn’t reply, partly because she was too scared to find out what they were waiting for. Carrie wasn’t doing much for support, and looked as if she’d pass out. After a couple of minutes of silence, Rebecca heard footsteps ascending the staircase.

“Very good, Dominic,” Edward said. “Give me the keys.”

Dominic quickly handed Edward the keys, then fell back into the wall, whilst not gazing away from his feet. Rebecca continued her thoughts and ideas for escape, and only then when her mind was taken away from the pain she was in, did she remember she still had another knife in her bag. But if she did anything obvious, she’d end up worse than earlier. After all, it was two teenage girls against two fully grown men; they wouldn’t stand a chance in a fight.

“Seven doors…” Edward muttered, questioningly. He turned to Rebecca and Carrie.

“That’s why I’m better than my father,” he went on to explain. “He was smart, but did a lot of pointless things, whereas I am smarter than him, and do things for a reason. Adding six extra doors is a waste of valuable space, and from what I’ve examined, serve no purpose. My father was an idiot, who deserved death!”

Rebecca stared at him, unsure what to do. Why was he telling them this? Edward searched through the keys; how he could tell them apart, Rebecca didn’t know. He found the key he was looking for after seconds, and carefully slid it into the lock, like it was a flimsy piece of cardboard. He slowly opened the door, revealing a dark corridor.

“Follow,” he said, lacking the commanding tone he often adopted. He seemed just as curious as the girls, as if he was wondering what would happen if they did follow him.

“You too Dominic,” Edward added.

“Of course, sir,” Dominic replied, reluctantly moving himself away from the wall into the corridor.

“Where is he taking us?” Carrie whispered, terrified. Rebecca didn’t want to answer - not that she could.

They reached a second door very quickly, and Edward again soon found another key. He opened the door while continuously insulting his father under his breath, the insults getting worse each time.

Then they reached the third door - the same again. There was a fourth door, too. And a fifth. They arrived at the sixth door, when Edward spontaneously burst into a short roar of laughter.

“Seven doors, ha!” he cried, and then turned to the girls. “Scared yet? Does your fear increase with each door we pass, as you know you reach closer to your fate?”

“Our… fate?”

“You’ll see.”

They passed through the sixth door, but instead of a corridor they entered a very small room with two doors on opposite walls. Other than that, the room was bland and empty - the walls were white, and the floor a simple wooden style.

“This is my door,” Edward explained, pointing towards a door on the right. “And here is yours. Show them in, Dominic.”

Dominic hesitated. “Are you sure?”

“OF COURSE I AM SURE! DO AS I ASK OR YOU’LL SHARE THEIR FATE!”

Dominic quickly shut up, and took the keys to unlock the door. Hands shaking, he slowly turned the key and unlocked it. Edward snatched the keys from him, and unlocked his own door.

“Now… let them in! I’ve waited a long time to test this…”

Dominic opened the door, and then shoved them inside. They tripped and fell onto the cold and hard floor. Edward laughed, retreating to his room. The girls looked up.

“What… is this?” Rebecca gasped. There were four chairs, each with chains attached. On the far side of the room there were four machines attached to the wall that resembled speakers.

Before Rebecca had time to react, Dominic grabbed her and shoved her into a seat, then applied the chains. Her bag fell onto the ground next to it.

“NO! STOP!” she screamed, but it made no difference. Carrie ran to him and hit him on the back as hard as she could, but he didn’t seem to feel it. Dominic gave the impression of being hired for his brawn rather than brain, and even if he was getting on a bit he certainly hadn’t lost his stength.

He then turned to Carrie, and strapped her to a chair also.

“You deserve an explanation,” Edward’s voice echoed into the room. “This is my father’s pride and joy, he put years into this. Ironic really, considering he never got to see it in use. In short, this is a torture and murder room.”

Carrie and Rebecca gasped.

“PLEASE!” Rebecca shouted.

“I have no reason to torture you however,” Edward continued. “So, I shall emit a gas, which should have you dead within… roughly four minutes? It takes time to fully infiltrate your system, to kill necessary cells, to… slowly devour you from all directions…”

Rebecca reached for her bag, but it was no use, she couldn't reach.

“STOP!” both her and Carrie screamed.

“Ready for me to begin?” Edward cackled sadistically.

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