The Tunnel

Amber

I was about to agree with Tanya, but then frowned at what Ivy said. Good point.
I stayed silent, waiting to see if they would continue.

Tanya-

I glanced at her and raised a brow. "Nah, if it led somewhere like that it wouldn't be hidden now would it? Besides, like I said, it hasn't been used in ages. If you don't want to go, that's fine. I'll just go by myself. But I ain't lettin' this one go."

Ivy
I pursed my lips, eyeing my bread crumbs as I ground them into the mash.
...
Decisions, decisions.
Did I want to risk another beating? I could very well turn this down and leave dinner to take a nice, hot shower. My back was killing me now. But let's just say she was onto something. Did I really want to miss it?
A secret tunnel that could lead us out of this hell hole? Alright, that was so worth a couple of lashings.
"I'm in."

Amber

...
Merh. I reeeaally hope I don't get whipped from this. Or worse.
I slowly nodded, staring down at my food. I want to get out of here just as much as they do.
"...I'm in too. If you'll take me," I said very slowly. I guess they were my friends, but I didn't hang around them as much as they hung around each other, so I wasn't sure if they would even let me come. I mostly tried to stay out of trouble. But this...this seemed like a nice chance. A way to get outta here.

Tanya-

I looked at them and grinned. "Course we'll take ya Am," I said and looked back at my food. My stomach cringed at the thought and so I just used my fork to push it around a little so it looked like I ate something, then stood. "I'ma go change. I'll meet you guys at the tower," I glanced at Amber, realizing she hadn't been with us then. "In the abandoned wing."

Amber

My eyes widened a bit at that. The abandoned wing? I've never even gone near that place. I figured it was abandoned for a reason, and that the adults don't want us there. But...maybe it is abandoned because they don't want us looking around. Maybe this tunnel really is a way out.
". . .Okay. I will be there."

Isaac

I looked at Gerad, watching him for a minute, then nodding slowly. "Maybe..."
Then I heard Cass from upstairs, and raised an eyebrow at Gerad, before taking a last drag off my cigarette and putting it out. "Might as well see what he found." I said, as I made my way out into the hall and headed up the stairs.

Gerad gave a small nod and followed quietly, his mind wandering elsewhere. Cass was in one of the large suite rooms that resided on the third floor. He had already searched the drawers and closets, and was no longer wearing his school uniform. Instead, he was wearing a suit with a waist coat and a pocket watch hanging from it, looking as if he was from the 1800s. He was bent over an old phonograph and was fiddling with it. He tilted his head slightly at the crank on the side and turned it, jumping slightly when music began to play from it. He obviously wasn't expecting that.


Tanya-

Less than an hour later I was sitting in the stairway of the tower in the abandoned wing, waiting for the others to show. I wasn't exactly counting on them to be there seeing as how Ivy had gotten the snot beat out of her and Amber was...well she was Amber. But, I waited anyway.

Ivy
A nice cool shower and a handful of pain pills later and I was heading out my dorm to meet Tanya and Amber. Sure I was a bit tired and my double vision was doing /nothing/ to help with my head ache, but there was no way I was missing out on this. What if we found a way out?
Besides, what's the worst that can happen? They hit me again?
I turned the corner and smiled, seeing Tanya there.
"Hey."

Amber

I made sure to move slowly, almost getting lost. I never just go wandering around like this. But after a while I made it to where the tower was, just in time to see a flash of familiar rainbow hair turn the corner. Phew. I wasn't late.
I carefully followed, appearing next to Ivy and offering a small wave. This castle gives me the creeps...


Shinon

I stood around for some time, looking at...everything. It all seemed so different. The castle was mostly just depressing compared to this place. And then, when I was just about to head on upstairs, I heard...a strange noise. It was coming from above me.
It wasn't really a bad noise...I guess I might have liked it. I don't know how to explain it. I slowly started up the first flight of stairs, following the noise and staying out of sight as one of the guys went up some other stairs.
Guess I should just...knock on the door when I eventually get there. Yeah. Knocking sounds good. Guess I will have to start with that.

Tanya-

I looked up and smiled as the two rounded the corner. "Hey." So they didn't chicken out. I stood and brushed myself off, looking at them. "So, you ready?" I asked as I moved over towards the crevasse that Ivy had shoved me into. I gave the wall a good shove and it budged open, a small gust of wind blowing out of it.

Ivy

I blinked, the wind blowing my rainbow colored curls around my face and poking my eye. I gave a small noise of pain and swatted it away, staring at the tunnel in shock. "...No way..." I breathed, stepping forward. "How far in does it go?"

Amber

I squinted as a weird gust of wind blew right in my face. I stared at the crevasse, blinking a few times. So...it wasn't a bluff. This is some legit tunnel. I was silent, staying close to them.

Tanya-

I gave a slight shrug and looked down the tunnel as well. "I don't know, but" I glanced down the hall before I shoved them inside and followed, quickly shutting the passage behind us. "I think we should figure out."

Ivy
I squeaked, glaring at Tanya for a moment at the shove. "I swear, if you get us caught, Mrs.Flake will seem like nothin' compared to..." I dwindled off, staring at the tunnel we were in. "...wicked..." I stepped forward hesitantly, feeling the dusty wall.

Amber

I stumbled into the passage, biting back a squeak of my own. "...Woah," I said, steadying myself. I looked around, barely able to make anything out because of the dim light.

Tanya-

I grinned and took them by the hands and started down the tunnel. "Watch your step, one falls, we all fall. Just remember that." Oh how true that was, even outside the tunnel. I shuddered to think of the trouble we'd get in, but my curiosity propelled me forward, driving me to find the end. Perhaps there was something more there, more than the academy.

Ivy

I sighed, glaring at the back of her head for a moment before shooting a sympathetic glance at Amber and walking besides Tanya. "Yeah, and watch you get us all killed," I mumbled, kicking a rock and listening to the echo. This place looked.... deserted. So much cobwebs and dust, there's no way this was how Mrs.Flake was getting the babies and dumping the oldies. So if she didn't use it... then who did?

Amber

I blinked a few times in surprise, but let my hand be grabbed. I guess it was nice, ya know? Hey, it was just a simple handhold, but this tunnel... it unnerved me. What if this is where all the others dissapear? What happens to them? Are they killed or...tortured...or set on fire or....I really need to stop listening to those rumors...
I found myself almost clinging to Tanya's hand. It was like a lifeline. I have almost no real good sense of direction in new places, so hopefully she knew where she was going so I didn't stumble around like an idiot.

Though, this passage way doesn't look like it was recently used. It looked too deserted. Yet somehow...that just added to the eeriness of the whole thing.
"Hey guys? ...Where do you think this will lead us?" I asked, curious to see if they thought the same things I did.

Tanya-

We'd been walking for a while it seemed, but then again who knew. It was dark, everything always seemed to take forever in the dark. So, when Amber asked the question, it felt like at least an hour had passed. I was sort of heading the group I felt, at least a couple steps ahead of the others though I never let go of their hands for fear of loosing them. I opened my mouth to say something and then....WHAM! I hit a door and fell back on my hind end with a wince. "A door," I growled in reply to her question.