The duo of Aiden and Acke advanced cautiously up the sinister corridor. After prior discussion up the stairs, they had agreed that the sensible thing to do would be to inspect the third floor before continuing up. They had no idea whether they were wasting time or not, but the only plan they could articulate that made a modicum of sense was to do a thorough search.
They were going together, no one particularly ahead or behind, and not far apart from each other. However, in a sense, it was Aiden who was effectively watching the rear, lighting the way with his phone's flashlight, and keeping an eye on his surroundings, as much as he could.
Of the two, no doubt, despite being the "experienced" one in the situation, he was the more paranoid. Over reacting to any sound such as the wind rattling a window slightly or the innocent creak of a closed door.
Acke, on the other hand, was immense in thought. Taking a tally of the strangers, and that's being considerate, the young man thought of the events that occurred tonight, one by one.
«A murder. The strange haze, disorienting us. The attack in the lobby and the disappearance of a man. A magician, so Aiden called him at least. The sudden blackout. Mina Neri, her strange power and, assuming, but, a third victim whose life was taken in front of us.
… I'd like to see the bodies to be certain. It is not convenient to leave loose ends that could complicate things even more. The only thing missing is that Mina and the flame man from before are not the only things that roam the corridors. Now, that would be the worst possible scenario. That an arsonist and a certain number of monsters are not the only thing we have to deal with, but that, added at the last minute, Freddy, Jason, and The Sandman enter the picture.»
Aiden pointed the Acke flashlight at him to indicate something before turning the sorry corner. He had noticed that the boy had been absorbed in his thoughts for quite some time. Then he randomly examined the walls, the floor, the corners; in short, everything within reach of the flashlight.
We must be on the lookout, not only for the obvious dangers, but also for strange and out-of-place objects. We are looking for a catalyst to break the barrier and free the trapped ones.
—Can you be more specific? —Acke interjected.
—I'd like to be, but I can't. In short, keep an eye out for hidden objects or strange writings on any surface. Preferably of Catholic or Christian origin. Possibly, and most importantly, there is another person you should be on the lookout for. A nun, well, a short woman dressed as a nun. Yes, my hypothesis is correct, she's the one controlling the barrier, but from what I've seen so far, she doesn't look like the fighting type. So, she shouldn't be too far from that bastard who calls himself a priest.
—Ah, the flame man. Got it. If I see anything peculiar, I'll let you know right away.
—Flame man? Pff.
Aiden found hilarious the nickname his partner had bestowed upon the wizard for some reason, perhaps tension or simply the dry delivery. The fact that the comment lacked humor was in itself what elicited amusement for the unruly-haired youth.
Feeling refreshed now, having laughed, with a new mission, the duo continued the trek through the darkness.
They rounded the angled break where the corridor continued and came to a sudden halt. The outlines of a dark figure standing in the center of the hallway moved under the illumination. Aiden rushed to turn off the flashlight, but Acke stopped him.
—Wait. It seems to be ignoring us —said Acke.
The three-dimensional shadow moved unhurriedly to a door in the middle of the hallway. It stood still for several seconds, intently staring at the door, then reached out and grabbed the handle. As soon as she made contact, the shadow disappeared.
The duo hesitated whether to continue or turn back the way they came. Of course, they would accomplish nothing by returning. Their gazes met and after confirming their intentions they advanced carefully, on tiptoe, without making a sound.
Aiden did not take his eyes off the door. When they came to face it, the door opened on its own, as if it had sensors and was automated. A supernatural force made it open inward, ignoring the locks, inviting them in.
At least that was the feeling the young men had. As this happened, the corridor seemed to blur; the space itself, to distort. They had no choice but to step into the mystery.
—Are you ready? —asked Aiden—. The light pointed into the room failed to reveal anything, it was swallowed by an abyss of darkness.
—Are you certain this is a good idea? We don't know enough about the situation.
—No matter how you look at it, it wants to see us inside, that shadow thingy. And there is only one way to check it out.
—It seems there is no alternative if we hope to move forward. All right, then, let's solder-on thought this.
Aiden went first, contrary to his words, trembling to the core, he took the first step into the void, then the other, stepping completely into it. Behind, careful not to separate, Acke followed. They were covered by the black veil, even the flashlight failed to illuminate anything.