The Hidden Door Read Online Free PDF

he’s pleased. With our fingers laced together we head down the bright hallway to the original structure. This part is an addition built sometime in the 1950s. There is no way the door is here.
    â€œDo you want to talk about what happened back there?” Justin’s voice is quiet. He traces the knuckles on the back of my hand with his thumb.
    A shiver races along my spine. I’m not sure whether it’s because of the mention of The Vampire or if it’s because of the physical contact. I’m not sure what to say. “It’s just…what the heck? You know?”
    â€œI do, ” Justin says, tugging me to a stop. I force myself to be calm as I look into his eyes. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
    Annoyed, I pull my hand away. “I can take care of myself,” I snap. Justin stays quiet as we continue down a side hallway that leads to the gymnasium. I trail my hand along the exposed brick wall, enjoying the scratchy feeling on the pads of my fingers.
    The fear I felt looking at The Vampire was very real, but now I’m feeling more irritated and…unsettled than anything else. Something about the way the guy stood or the way he pitched his voice…I can’t put my finger on it. I just know, though, that he has someth ing to do with the Hidden Door.
    I stop, causing Justin to run into me. As he steadies us, I spin around on him. “What are we going to do when we find the door?” I ask.
    Justin’s eyes twinkle and he looks really happy for the first time all night. “We’re going to try my key.”
    â€œWait, what key?” I say, narrowing my eyes, doing my best to look suspicious. But really my heart races with excitement. He has a key? The key?
    The smug smile that curls his lips upward says it all. He thinks he has the key but where did he get it? “I never got around to that part of my story tonight, did I?”
    I hit his arm. “Tell me. Now.”
    Despite feeling creeped-out still, my curiosity over this new development makes me more than willing to slip down a darkened corridor and sink down onto the cold tile floor to listen to what he has to say. Justin positions himself on the outside in a protective gesture that isn’t lost on me.
    â€œSo you know the part of the story where the fraternity guys get back together after all the horrific stuff happens. We always wondered what they did with the key after they locked up the head, right? Well, last year around Thanksgiving my dad started telling me about this rumor that those guys slipped the key into the time capsule that was sealed that year.”
    â€œWait, how did we never hear that part of the story before?” I ask, frowning.
    Justin takes my hand and starts drumming out a staccato rhythm with his fingertips. “I have no idea. Don’t think I didn’t ask my dad. We even had a fight about it.”
    I stare at Justin’s fingers on my hand. My mind goes blank. I struggle to connect the dots of this information. Justin and his dad don’t have the warmest relationship, especially after his mom left. Still to fight over something as trivial as a key doesn’t make sense. He trails the tip of his finger along my palm. I shiver and draw closer to him.
    Forcing myself to focus, I ask, “So? What do you know about the key?”
    â€œPlenty, ” Justin says, grinning, his teeth flashing in the dim light from the emergency light on the wall. When he doesn’t say anything else, I pull my hand away and land a good slug on his arm. He chuckles but still doesn’t say anything. I realize that he is enjoying this way too much. My curiosity eats at me.
    Suddenly the past year does not exist. All I want is to find the Hidden Door…with Justin. I kneel, placing my hands on his knees. “Please tell me,” I say as calmly as possible. Who am I kidding? My voice shakes with excitement and there is a slight pleading tone.
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