Chapter 2: Choice

A few minutes later, they finished cleaning the room. Caden and Bradley move to the next place which is the toilet room on the first floor. However, Bradley’s footsteps start slowing down. Sweat drips from his forehead, his hands begin to tremble. It spreads over his body. He puts down the bucket filled with water and takes a rest for while.

"Brad, what are you doing?" Caden turns around and sees Bradley’s head down. "Are you sick?"

"Cad, I need to rest for a while," Bradley said weakly as he continued to hold his head. “My head is spinning.”

"Well, it is because you don't get enough sleep, right?" Caden said as he raised his eyebrow. "You must stay up late, don’t you?"

“How do you know, that?” Bradley widens his eyes. “Yeah, your guess is true. But the story is almost finished, it’s so ashamed if I don’t finish it.”

"Brad, you are a real reader maniac." Caden only shake his head. "You look so much like Mr. Eugene.”

“Do you think so?” Bradley raises his eyebrows. “You should read the book. It’s so entertaining.”

“All right then, I will read that book. But first, you need water.”

Caden walks away leaving Bradley alone. A few minutes later, he comes with a glass of water in his hand. He gives it to Bradley and begins to feel fine. His head doesn’t feel dizzy right now, and his tremors started to subside. Caden walks to a cupboard near the toilet door and takes out a few items such as a rubber mop, floor brush, and some clothes.

"Okay enough for the chit-chat. Now we have to clean this place." Caden raises his sleeves. "Brad, come on, cheer up!” Caden claps his hand. “We can do this!”

They start cleaning the floor in the bathroom. Caden splashes the floor and Bradley takes the floor cleaner, he gently scrubbed the floor. Dirt stuck on the floor and slowly peeled off. Bradley takes a toilet brush and starts rubbing the toilet hole's surface. They do all the work with ease.

"Cad, take a look at this." Bradley begins to imitate Madam Theresa's speech with the same enduring expression on his face.

"Geez, you're such a good imitator." Caden laughs so loudly. "Hey, but we should be careful. What if Madam Theresa sees us?” Caden's eyes glanced left and right. He wants to make sure no one sees Bradley's crazy behavior.

"Cad, don't worry, there's no one here either. "Cad, relax. Don't be too tense." Bradley walks over to Caden. " At least enjoy it.”

"What do you mean?" Caden furrowed his brows.

Bradley quickly splashes water on Caden’s face and his eyes are instantly wide. At first, His face looks tense at Bradley's actions. However, Caden smiles and pays back Bradley by sprinkling the same water on Caden's face. Bradley tries to escape from the pursuit of Caden.

They yell so loudly just like children playing on a playground. However, someone steps into the toilet. Caden hears and tries to warn Bradley, but he ignores Caden's words and continues running without noticing anything in front of him.

“Caden, you must-”

Bradley's body suddenly bumps into someone in front of him. Someone falls and sits on the floor. He walks closer and it turned out to be Madam Nigera, Madam Theresa's right-hand man.

"Gosh, I'm sorry." Bradley's eyes are wide at the sight of the slightly fat woman. "I do not mean to …."

"Hey, what are you guys doing here?" She tries to get up from her position. "You guys should be working, this isn't a playground!" Madam Nigera pulls Bradley's hand by force. “You two come with me, now!”

“Gosh, but we just-”

Nigera leads both of them to the living room. She released her grip and takes something out from her pocket.

"This is the key." Madam Nigera then gives the key to Bradley. "You guys get the brown book inside there."

"Hey, you're not Madam Theresa." Bradley quickly replies to Madam Nigera’ words and throws the key. “You have no order for two of us.”

“Oh, so now you dare to resist me!” Madam Nigera pulls Bradley's ear until he whimpers sadly. "I will report this incident in the toilet. How about that?”  

“Argh, dammit!” Bradley grunts with an annoyed tone.

"It’s okay if you don’t want to. But, Madam Theresa will be furious if she finds out." Madam Nigera spins the key in her hand. "So, what's your decision now?"

"Brad, we should follow her will." Caden tries calmly and convinces Bradley to take the offer.

“But Cad, we never go to-”

"All right, we'll look for the book for you." Caden cut off Bradley’s words.

"Good, I like your attitude." Madam Nigera throws the key to Caden. "Oh, and don't forget to bring this." She gives a flashlight to Caden. “We don’t know down there, right?”

Madam Nigera smiles and walks away saying no words. Bradley and Caden walk downstairs with a tense faces. The atmosphere downstairs is very quiet and there is no lighting at all. Caden uses the flashlight for lightning, there is a dark brown door a few ahead. However, they must pass the wooden planks first. Their feet slowly walk across the frail-looking wooden planks and finally arrive at the door.

"Cad, this place just looks spooky." Bradley's eyes are looking around. This place fills with cobwebs. Madam Theresa never told us to clean this place too," He grumbled.

"Yes, Brad. I also feel the same.” Caden’s eyes look around. "Come on, let's open this door." Caden then takes out a black key with a five-petal flower pattern and turns it. “Come on, quickly.”

The door opened slowly, it was very dark inside. Caden points the flashlight forward, yet it’s not enough just to use it. Bradley's hand slowly touches the surface of the wall and looks for the light switch. A few seconds later, he finally finds the switch and immediately presses it. A yellow light suddenly lights up the place. However, the lamp has not been used for a long time and It dims itself several times.

“Cad, we better find that book immediately. This place is so scary.” Bradley sees the room cluttered and dirty.“ It gives me goosebumps.”

"Yeah, same.” Caden nods quickly. “I think we should split up and go around, it is so much faster to find it." Caden points the way in front of him. “I will go this way.”

“So, that means I will go that way.”

Caden and Bradley separate. Bradley walks slowly and looks for the book. His heart beat fast, and his body starts to tremble for a while, but he must walk and get rid of his fear. Suddenly, he feels someone touch his shoulder. He stops for a while and slowly turns his head.

“Cad?” Bradley raises his tone. “Geez, you almost give me a heart attack.” Bradley storks his chest.

“Sorry I forget to tell you the book color is light brown,” Caden taps Bradley’s shoulder over and over. “Calm down, take it easy.”

“Easy for you to say that.” Bradley stared intently at Caden.

Caden laughs at Bradley’s words, he walks away. Dust in the room that flew freely made him sneeze occasionally. His eyes continue looking around and see some termites starting to gnaw inside an old cupboard nearby. Some of the building's columns also appear to have been filled with ant houses which form a terrible pattern.

"Damn, how did we find that book in this place," he grumbled. "What the hell did Madam Nigera want with that book?"

Suddenly in front of him, he sees something moving quickly. Bradley stopped his footsteps. His heartbeat fasts instantly. Cold sweat run down and follows the curves of his face.

Gosh, what's that?

***