The groan escalated into an ear-splitting crack, and before Ariel could even blink, let alone register what was happening, the wooden floor gave way beneath her. Two cries rang out, echoing over the sound of wood snapping and breaking apart.
It was impossible for Ariel to gauge how far she had fallen, but when she hit the ground, the impact was enough to knock the wind out of her lungs. She lay on her side, half-stunned, breathing in shallow, ragged gasps. The air around her was thick with dust, large particles settling on her eyelashes. Though she was fairly certain she hadn't broken anything, she resisted the urge to move.
Breathe, just keep breathing.
Ariel blinked, trying to clear the falling dust from her eyes. Was Mandy nearby? Ariel's eyes searched for her form, but all she could make out were scattered pieces of wood from her limited point of view. Straining her ears, she hoped to catch the sound of Mandy's breathing, but the silence was as thick as the dust around her. Ariel frowned.
Then I'll speak.
She licked her lips, finding them coated with the same dust swirling around them. Ariel grimaced at the taste but wet her lips again and opened her mouth to call out.
"Mandy? Mandy, are you there?"
There was a dreadful silence, followed by a low moan. The air having mostly returned to Ariel's lungs, she felt a surge of strength. Hearing Mandy's voice finally inspired her to move. She made to sit up slowly, knowing from experience the rush of sickening dizziness that accompanied sitting up too fast after a fall.
A moment later, she had righted herself and found she was staring up at a ten-foot drop with an irregularly shaped hole. The sound of wood scraping across the floor caused Ariel to look back down. A few feet away, Mandy sat, coated in gray dust. She looked like a fallen angel, and Ariel felt a twinge of jealousy, knowing she must look simply dirty in comparison.
That Mandy—leave it to her to look good after a ten-foot drop into a dust hole...
But in the next instant, Ariel's vanity evaporated. A grimace of pain settled on Mandy's face.
"Mandy, are you okay?" Ariel asked, moving to her side. It was even gloomier down here, but she could tell Mandy was hurting.
"I'm fine. I'll just need an ice pack," the medium replied, delicately adjusting herself against a wall.
Ariel could see now that Mandy was favoring her left arm. She reached out to examine it, and to her surprise, Mandy did not flinch or pull away.
"It's my wrist. I think it's sprained. I must have landed on it wrong," Mandy explained. Ariel nodded, letting it down gently.
"I'm sure it hurts, but we need to find a way out of here," Ariel said, standing up to better take in their surroundings.
Though it was dark, she could see they were in some kind of empty space between the stage and ground level. The earth beneath Ariel's feet was rocky and dry, and other than the fallen wood, little else littered the floor. She left Mandy's side to try and see beyond the dark, but it was impossible without a flashlight. Ariel let out a sigh and blew her dusty bangs out of her eyes.
"I had no idea this area existed," she said, returning to the faint light the hole above them created.
"Shh," Mandy cut in. "Do you hear that?"
Ariel paused and strained to listen. At first, there was only silence, but then something soft and low reached her ears.
"Humming?" Ariel whispered.
Mandy nodded. "Like machines..."
Ariel stood, thoughtful for a moment. "The generators. Maybe it's them?"
Mandy frowned, closing her eyes. "Where are they keeping them? I thought I saw them near the front of the theater."
Ariel nodded. "Yeah, you're right, they are..."
A silence settled over them, interrupted only by their labored breathing and the faint humming.
"It's cold," Mandy finally said after several minutes. Ariel rubbed her arms absentmindedly as she stared up at the hole they had fallen through.
"It is," she answered with a shiver.
Just then, a thought occurred to her. The thermometer. Ariel's eyes darted to the floor near her, searching for any sign of the piece of equipment Jasper had entrusted her with. With a sinking feeling, her gaze roamed over the large pieces of wood that had landed with Mandy and herself. A moment later, any hope of finding it fell through her, like she had fallen through the stage.
"Hm?" Mandy spoke up, noticing Ariel's troubled expression.
Catching sight of Mandy's curious stare, Ariel's frown vanished, replaced by a look of indifference.
"Nothing. I was just looking for the thermometer," she said nonchalantly, though the heat of embarrassment rose to her cheeks.
The edges of the medium's lips curled into an amused smile. "Oh? And do you see it?"
Ariel's blush deepened. "Well, that's the thing about looking..."
Mandy attempted to keep her smile in check, adopting a look of false sympathy. "It's really too bad you lost it. I think I overheard Jasper saying they were expensive..."
Ariel's eyes flashed in the dark. "I never said it was lost. I said I was looking for it."
"I suppose," Mandy continued, speaking over Ariel, "you shouldn't quit your search just yet. There's a small chance it landed safely. Perhaps it's under one of those pieces of wood? Though, if you landed on it, I'm afraid there's no hope."
A fresh fire ignited in Ariel's belly. She didn't tolerate this above ground; she wasn't going to tolerate it ten feet below. "Oh, and I suppose it would be perfectly fine if you and your endless yards of heavy dress landed on it?"
Mandy's eyes shone brightly in the dark. "Excuse me?"
Ariel crossed her arms and glared smugly. "I said—"
But she was cut off by the sound of footsteps. Ariel exchanged a silent look with Mandy and called out, "Hello? Anyone there?"
A moment passed with no response. The footsteps continued. Ariel narrowed her eyes, gazing up at the hole. "Actors maybe?" she whispered to Mandy, who had managed to pull herself up.
Mandy did not answer, looking more alert than ever. She listened intently to the sound of the footsteps.
"Maybe it's Leroy? We've been gone awhile, surely they've noticed..." Ariel suggested, though her words sounded weak even to her own ears.
Somewhere inside, she knew it was neither actors nor Leroy.
Minutes passed, and a long silence stretched out between them, filled only with the sound of someone walking closer and closer. Ariel found herself growing colder as she waited, desperately trying to suppress the rising anxiety. A quick glance at Mandy confirmed she wasn't alone in her unease. The medium's face was tight with concentration, and perhaps it was the dust, but she seemed distinctly paler.
The footsteps slowed to a stop, a heartbeat passed, and then there was a slight creak overhead. Ariel swallowed the lump in her throat and, with an uncertain look at Mandy, called out, "Hello...?"
Another creak and groan of wood answered her, as if whoever it was had shifted position. A new wave of anxiety surged in Ariel.
"Wait!" she cried. "Don't come any closer, the floor could give out!"
Behind her, Mandy gasped, "We'll be crushed!"
Ariel shot the medium a look over her shoulder, then spoke again with more determination. "Hello, did you hear me? Don't come any closer—"
The footsteps moved along the rim of the hole, but no matter how hard she tried, Ariel could only make out shadows. Suddenly, there was another groan of protesting wood and something sharp appeared at the edge of the hole. Ariel barely had time to recognize it before something black was released from above. With a cry of alarm, she staggered backward to avoid it hitting her. For a panicked moment, Ariel thought she had come face to face with a snake—long and black, swaying in the gloom. But then Mandy said, "A rope?"
Blood pounding in her ears, Ariel blinked, stunned. "A- a rope?"
Taking a steadying breath, Ariel gazed up at the hole, but there was no shape peering over this time. Hesitantly, she looked to the rope dangling there. "Hey," she said, squinting at it in the dark, "this isn't a rope, it's a cable."
Mandy, supporting herself against the wall, joined Ariel in the feeble light the hole was creating. "You're right; there were many of them all over the stage."
Carefully, Ariel took hold of the cable and, with a look at Mandy, gave it a firm tug. Instantly, the cable went taut in her hand. "It feels secure," she murmured, giving it a few more yanks.
"This isn't safe; whoever is up there won't even speak to us," Mandy said, her voice tight with concern.
Ariel frowned, still gripping the cable. "What? Do you think someone is out to get us?"
Mandy's lips became a thin line as she crossed her arms. "I don't think it's safe."
Ariel glanced from Mandy back up to the hole. "We've been down here a long time, Mandy, and you're hurt—"
"Jasper will come," the medium interjected confidently.
Ariel shot Mandy a skeptical look. "Jasper? He probably hasn't even noticed we're missing—"
"Well, maybe not you..." Mandy murmured under her breath.
Ariel pretended not to hear Mandy's last comment, though her eyes narrowed in the dark. "And by the time he realizes it, we'll have been stuck down here for days."
The medium frowned, tossing her hair with a huff. "Fine. Do what you like, Kinsley, but I'm staying here." With that, Mandy sat down, stirring up a cloud of dust.
Ariel blinked at her for a moment, watching the newly stirred dust swirl through the air. Shaking her head, she turned back to the cable and grasped it firmly with both hands.
That Mandy, waiting for Jasper...ha!
Taking a steadying breath, Ariel tried to ignore her clammy hands and the rapid thumping of her heart. She felt Mandy's calculating eyes on her back. There was only one way out from here.
Mandy is wrong; there's nothing to worry about. I'm just going to climb out of this hole...
With that, Ariel put one hand over the other and pulled herself up. She had only moved an inch, but it was a satisfying inch. She reached to place her left hand over her right when the cable started moving on its own. Ariel let out a small cry of surprise, then, realizing the cable was slipping through her hands, gripped it tighter.
Mandy's terse cry followed shortly after her own. "Ariel! Let go!" But by that point, Ariel was being pulled up so fast she had no choice but to hold on or fall again. Yanked through the gloom with her heart in her throat, Ariel watched as Mandy's distressed form faded into hardly a shadow. Above her, the light from the hole's opening dazzled her eyes.
All too suddenly, Ariel found herself deposited on the stage. Blinking awkwardly in the new light, she searched for her rescuer and came eye to eye with a ghost. Ariel gasped, her rapidly beating heart stalling in shock as she recoiled, nearly falling through the hole again. It was only the ancient finger he brought to his lips that stopped her from crying out a second time.
The old man!
Relief encircled her like a warm blanket. Ariel found herself shaking slightly but managed a meek smile and quickly drew a finger to her lips in understanding.
"But how...?" Ariel whispered, her heart rate returning to a more comfortable pace.
With a smile that promised explanations later, he shook his head and pointed back down the hole. Ariel cocked her head and peered down as well. "What? Mandy?" she asked, looking back at him, a few strands of hair falling in front of her face.
The old man nodded eagerly as he straightened up. Ariel made a face and tucked the stray hairs behind her ear. "That's nice of you to think of her, but last time we talked she seemed pretty bent on being saved by—"
The old man cut her off with another shake of his head. Ariel crossed her arms defensively. "Well, I can hardly change her mind. Besides, she doesn't believe any ghosts exist here. The shock of seeing you might be too much for her—" Ariel's argument was cut short again by the old man, who pointed dramatically at one of the dressing room doors.
Ariel looked from him to the door and back. Feeling as though she was missing something, she replied, "The dressing room? Does this have something to do with the case?"
The old man dropped his arm, staring at her tiredly. For a moment, there was an odd silence, then he drew in a deep breath.
"Go," he said in a long, drawn-out voice.
His tone was more impatient than unkind. Startled to hear him speak, Ariel hesitated, unsure of what he meant. But the effort of speaking seemed to have exhausted him, and she decided not to ask him to elaborate. Helplessly, she looked back at the dressing room door.
"Go?" Ariel repeated.
With the little energy he had left, the old man nodded. Mind whirling with questions, Ariel began walking towards the dressing room.
What does he want me to do...?
Reaching the door labeled Henry, Ariel paused and glanced back over her shoulder, hoping for some indication from the old man about what she was supposed to do there. However, the spot where he had stood was now vacant and dim. Ariel frowned, feeling anything but reassured, but she knocked on the door nonetheless.
There was a moment of uncertainty, then the sound of footsteps followed by the door swinging open. The actor inside looked surprised to see a young woman covered in dust standing outside his dressing room, but he quickly regained his composure and politely closed his mouth. Blinking, he waited for Ariel to say something. When she didn't, he asked, "Can...I help you?"
Ariel blinked back at him, wondering when he had arrived since all the dressing rooms had been empty. Then suddenly, she knew what to say. Her vacant look was replaced by a bright urgency. "Yes, I mean—I hope so," she answered, her words tumbling out breathlessly.
The man's expression shifted to one of concern. "What is it? Is there something wrong?"
Ariel blushed slightly as she noticed his gaze traveling over her filthy, tattered appearance. "There's been an accident. The stage fell through—"
But Ariel was cut off as the man, with wide worried eyes, pushed past her, calling over his shoulder, "Where?"
Ariel hurried after him to keep up. "Over there, by those cables—"
They reached the hole in moments. The actor knelt down near the edge. "Hello, down there...are you okay?"
After a moment of silence, the sounds of shuffling reached them, and then a small voice called up through the darkness, "Where is Ariel? What have you done with her?"
Struck by the concern in the medium's voice, Ariel dropped down beside Zevo and answered, "I'm fine, Mandy. I've brought help!"
The man frowned at Ariel. "Are you Ariel? What does she mean, what have I done with you?"
Ariel blinked blankly, then shrugged, thinking fast. "I don't know, maybe she's hit her head...?"
The actor's frown deepened. "How long has she been down there? When did this happen?"
"Just a few minutes ago," Ariel replied, weaving a plausible story.
The man nodded and began inspecting the cables around him. "These cables are thick, but I'm not sure they'll hold. Maybe I can find some rope laying around—"
"No," Ariel interjected quickly. "Time is passing, and we need to get her out. Surely these cables are strong enough? She's small."
The man studied the cable in his hand and then looked back at Ariel uncertainly. "What happened to you in all this? Are you hurt? This is a restricted area, what were you even doing back here...?"
Ariel glanced urgently at the hole. "We're part of the paranormal team investigating here. I'm fine, though. It was my friend who was standing on the spot—"
The man held up a hand to silence her and nodded. "You're right, we're losing time. We'll use a cable."
He then examined the many cables snaking around his feet. Ariel pointed at a thick cable nearby. "How's this?"
"It'll work," the man affirmed.
With a hiss of rubber against wood, Zevo sent the cable down to Mandy. "Grab it, Mandy. We'll pull you up," Ariel called down.
"Alright," came Mandy's muffled reply, and then the cable went taut.
Ariel gripped the black cable tight in both hands, and at the actor's command, she pulled. It was unexpectedly challenging to hoist Mandy up, but with relief, Ariel let go of the cable as Zevo helped Mandy onto the stage.
Rubbing her sore arms, Ariel looked over at her rival. In the better light, she could see that Mandy looked no worse for wear, covered in dust and all. Ariel suddenly felt a stab of something sharper than her sore arms.
That Mandy.