[ETOEB1//06//] The Curious Minds

Chapter 06

The Curious Minds

Carter's POV:

When I reached the garden, I hid on the side where there were large bushy leaves, so I would not be easily noticed. I carefully kept my distance as far as possible and restrained my steps to make no unnecessary noise of rustling on the ground.

The rhythm of the bell was still strong and continual. It was making a noise, but as I was getting closer to the spot to take a look, it became deafening, and I could hear it even louder.

I covered my ears, but it didn't serve any purpose. The sound continued to flutter through my eardrums. I just had to stand for it.

I tried to look through the brush leaves to see what Lincoln intended to do. First, he pulled the key out of the lace that was around her neck. Second, he approached the edge of the well. He knelt and bent his body to match the height of the well wall.

From there, I could see him inserting the key in a keyhole that had just appeared and which was hidden along the paved walls of the well.

"What the-"

He turned the key counterclockwise and, as he turned it towards the end, as if certain gears were engaged.

Then the shaft turned on unexpectedly. The light from the shaft was so bright and blue.

He slowly stood up, then placed his feet in his decent, shiny brown shoes on the surface of the well, and then finally, nothing stopped him from jumping into the well.

The light suddenly vanished and was engulfed in the shaft. I took a little distance, but-

"Fuck!"

My soul was nearly cut off from my body. I accidentally cursed a word with Ricky and Sandra behind me. I stumbled from where I was, realizing both of their feet were blocking the way behind me.

My hand involuntarily struck Sandra's arm very hard on impact. But when I looked at his face, I thought the slap had no effect on him. It was as if she didn't feel a thing, and she wasn't even hurt because of what I did.

"Sizzling fizzlebites! Why of all people, do you always surprise me like that?!" Iyelled at them. Ricky and Sandra looked at each other holding on to their laughter.

"What's so funny, huh?!" My eyebrows crossed and gave them my meanest glares.

"Why are you here, Carter?" asked Sandra with curiosity.

"What? I should be the one to ask you this. Why are you here at such an hour?" I asked.

"Maybe he couldn't take the sound of the bell either." Ricky speculated.

"You too?! Did you hear that too?" My expression suddenly changed.

"Tch. Obviously, Carter. We got two ears. Duh?" Sandra showed her right ear hidden behind her long, thick dark hair, then rolled her eyes.

"By the way, Carter-" Ricky came up to me holding my right hand together and asked me, "We noticed a blue light here. What's that? We got curious."

"Remember that key Lincoln took from you?" I reminded Ricky about what happened this morning. He nodded, a sign that he remembered it.

"Lincoln used that key in that shaft,"

I pointed it out, and their eyes followed the direction of my index finger where I pointed and kept explaining.

"-to open like a portal or something."

"And guess what? I don't know if you'll believe what I'm about to say, but the keyhole appeared on its own from the walls of the shaft! It's weird, isn't it?" I was getting a little shaky when I put in an explanation.

"What? The key he got out of Ricky?"

"Well, more of like he stole it." I inferred.

"How is that even possible? A portal? In a well? A lockhole that magically appears out of nowhere?!" Sandra was amazed and couldn't believe anything I'd just said.

"And without hesitation he jumped down the well! Can't you believe it?" I stammered.

"Are you dead serious? This well seems to be deep! Is he going to kill himself?!" Sandra's voice became pungent as she questioned with a lot of concern and curiosity.

Ricky relied on the well to even see how deep it was.

"Get out of there, Ricky!" shouted Sandra and pulled Ricky's sleeve from the well.

"I don't know. But whatever we see from here doesn't make sense! We shouldn't be telling anyone about it, not even Mom. No one should know about it until we know the answer." I stated.

"But-" Ricky was on the verge of interrupting the conversation, but I stole his momentum to talk.

"Do you want us to be judged as a crazy psychopathic madman who escaped from an asylum?" I blurted.

"No, but Mom-" Ricky again wanted to insist on explaining his reason, but I blocked him again.

"So, can this be kept secret between us, three?" Can I rely on you, Ricky?" I asked him nicely with a short blink of my eyes.

Ricky breathed a sigh and nodded his head in reply, silently accepting even if it was against his will.

***

It was morning. I did not notice the sun coming up and the light hitting my left eye and my cheek.

I slept poorly last night with too many thoughts in my mind. I just stared through the window with an empty expression.

"Carter! Breakfast's ready, said Mom!"

I turned my body away from closed door when I heard my younger brother Ricky screaming and calling me.

"Okay! Coming!" I shouted back and bellowed. I haven't cleaned the bed yet. I don't know if my voice reached him at the door, although my voice is hoarse and creaky.

I did my morning routine, cleaned my bed, took a shower, put on my uniform, wrapped up my stuff, and then I went down.

Everything in the house became comfortable. The fluorescent lights brightened the room. There was no more dust, and it was no longer as old as it used to be, like a frightening deserted place.

"Hmmm..." I saw Mother coming out of the kitchen table, and she was drinking her coffee.

She placed her right hand on her waist while her other hand still had the cup of coffee. She had something on her mind.

"Has anyone seen Lincoln? It looks like he didn't show up last night."