Chapter 6
Billa
Ryker steps back from the passage. “No way I’m going in there.”
“You aren’t making me go in alone! Why are you being a chicken all of a sudden?”
“I don’t exactly have a glorious history with these passages.”
Because he was living in the one attached to Ember’s room before any of us met him. “Nobody cares about that anymore. Come on.”
He doesn’t budge. “Graham does.”
“Given everything going on with Kenzi, I seriously doubt it.”
“He still gives me the stink eye.”
This is going nowhere, so I grab his arm and yank him inside the secret passage. I must catch him off guard because he doesn’t even fight back. “There. You’re in now. No point in turning back.”
“If Graham tries to kick me out…”
“For what? Going into a random part of the house that’s nowhere near anyone’s bedroom? Get over yourself.” I whip out my phone and use the flashlight feature.
A cockroach skitters away.
“That’s a bad omen.” Ryker gives me a knowing look.
“Now you’re superstitious? You were fine when we were at Radley trying to find that theater.”
He pulls out his phone and shines the light. It’s still dim in here, like the darkness won’t give up without a fight. “Let’s just get this over with. Which way?”
The passage goes both to the right and left, neither looking more promising than the other. I try to tap into my inner child, who drew the map here.
She doesn’t give me a clue either.
“Well?” Ryker taps a foot.
“I’m thinking.”
“You seriously don’t remember any of this?”
“Does it look like I do?” I snap. “Sorry. I’m on edge.
I usually have such an excellent memory, and now I’m finding out all kinds of things I had no clue about—going to Radley as a kid, writing these journals to myself, leaving them behind at the rental house, and everything with Laurel.
How could I have blocked out all of that? ”
“Our brains like to protect us. For most of my childhood, I went back and forth between believing either my dad hated me or he loved me and was trying to find me. Talk about cognitive dissonance, but I didn’t see it.
I went with whatever made me feel better at the time.
Your memory issues are similar, and it isn’t surprising given the same woman is behind our childhood trauma. ”
“You have a point, but that doesn’t mean I have to like having memory gaps.”
“Nobody said you did. Maybe just pick a direction. Your mind might point you where you need to go if you make a snap decision.”
“It’s worth a try.” I close my eyes and try to pick up any sign of which direction we should go.
Nothing.
Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and give Regina Brannon a piece of her own medicine.
I shove her from my thoughts and open my eyes. “Let’s go right.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“Don’t blame me if it’s the wrong way.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
We follow the path and send more bugs running away. They’ve probably never seen light before if they’ve been living in the hidden walls their entire lives.
The passage turns and curves, with the ceiling getting higher and lower at certain points. It’s dusty, and after sneezing a few times, I use my sleeve as a makeshift mask. But then I remember Ryker brought some, and as if on cue, he hands me one.
We come to a dead end.
I throw my free hand in the air. “Well, my intuition sucks.”
“You just took a guess.” He shines his light around, but it’s pointless because there isn’t anything here.
“Let’s turn around try the other way.”
“Wait.” He kneels, looking at one wall.
“What?” I sneeze again. Must still have dust in my sinuses.
“Do you see it?”
“The wall?”
“Look.”
I try to study it while also fighting back another sneeze. “You’re going to have to explain it to me like I’m five.”
He nudges his foot close to the floor.
“Another hidden tunnel?” I sneeze again, now needing to blow my nose. If I were ever here as a kid, I don’t know how I dealt with all the dust.
“No. Look.”
“I am.” I sniff, trying to keep my nose from running. Apparently, we should’ve brought tissue with us, not that Ryker seems to have any problems.
He kneels and runs a finger along the wall.
There’s a line there, and none of the others has that. “What is it?”
Ryker doesn’t answer, but moves his hand down to where it meets the floor. It’s a little divot, just about the size of a few fingers. He pulls and shimmies, then a part of the wall pulls out.
I gasp. Something about this feels familiar, but I don’t know what or why.
He digs around, and his eyes light up. “There’s something in here.”
My heart skips a beat. “What is it?”
“A box, maybe?” Ryker reaches in farther until his entire shoulder is in the space.
I shudder to think about the bugs that must be in there. Then I sneeze again. I really need to blow my nose.
He grunts and groans. Then he pulls out a cardboard box and a plume of dust.
“Bring it to the hall.” I run through the passage before I start sneezing even more than I already have been.
Once out of the passage, I remove the mask and suck in deep breaths.
For as little use as most of the house’s wings get, at least they’re kept up with somewhat regular cleaning services.
Once or twice a month, and it clearly makes a difference.
I sneeze a few more times, getting all the dust out of my nostrils. My nose and eyes both run, and I go in search of tissues or even toilet paper. There has to be a bathroom somewhere around here. I find a bedroom with what I need and half fill its previously empty trash bin.
Once I return to the passage entrance, Ryker is just closing it. “Are you ready to see what’s in this bad boy?”
My chest tightens. I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready, but when has that stopped me from searching for the truth? Whatever’s in there could help us get Kenzi back from hypnosis-induced stupor. “Let’s do this.”