Where Spirits Roam

Chapter Twenty Missing Girl

Ellsworth has had the girls locked in their rooms for three days.

On the first day, he visited them, questioned them, and made sure they knew who was in charge.

On the second day, he sent guards with Magdalen to undo their restraints. This gave them free roam of their chambers once more.

On the third day, he allowed them to leave their rooms one at a time with Magdalen so they could shower.

During that time he kept them locked up like prisoners they only received cold, uncooked meals.

Today is the fourth day and the girls are stir-crazy, their wild imaginations getting the best of them.

The isolation is nothing new to Eviee however for the other girls it was a torture they had never endured before.

Silence reigned supreme and while Fauna yelled and banged on the walls it did no good. The walls wouldn't let through any sound. They were soundproofed to perfection and after the girl's stunt, Ellsworth had changed their doors to be included in the soundproofing.

Lifting her hands and readying her sore vocal cords for another round, Fauna is surprised when the door opens revealing Ms. Magdalen with a disapproving look on her face.

Ms. Magdalen turns from Fauna making her way to the last door, Eviee’s door.

Curled up on her bed, Eviee jumps when the sound of the bolt unlatching reaches her ears. She waits to see who it is before slowly unfurling her body and tossing her legs over the edge of the bed.

The plump older woman saddles back down the hall and exits the sitting room leaving the girls to wonder what will happen next.

Fauna being the leader emerges from her room and is the first to notice the other doors are open.

“Guys, is anyone else here?” she calls carefully stepping further into the hall.

“I am,” Nadia responds peering from her doorway.

“Me too,” Claire says her melodic voice cracking from not using it in so long.

“I'm here,” Katie whispers appearing at her doorway.

“Eviee, Jamie?” Fauna yells.

“Present,” Eviee blurts popping up in her doorway, and the response causes the girls to giggle.

They quickly cut off their laughter when no sound comes from Jamie and all their attention goes to her door.

It's at the end of the hallway closest to the seating room and the door remains closed.

Fauna pads down the hall with the other girls in tow and bangs loudly on the door.

Not a sound floats from the inside.

“Jamie is never quite,” Fauna muses her eyes holding a strange glint even though her tone is flat and serious.

“Something must be wrong,” Nadia agrees.

“I can't reach her through telepathy either,” Claire adds.

“Jamie, this isn't funny, come on out now,” Fauna yells her face turning the same shade as her fiery hair.

Still, there is no response.

“I don't think she's playing,” Nadia whispers her eyes glazing with unshed tears.

Fauna turns to face them once again and a steely resolve casts itself in her icy eyes. Though they too shimmer with her emotion she refuses to let the salty tears escape.

“If he did something to her, he will pay,” Fauna declares her voice thick with emotion.

Eviee stands toward than back of the group not knowing what to say in a situation such as this. Her kind races trying to process what could've happened and she blames herself. If she hadn't tried to warn them maybe none of this would've happened.

“I'm sorry,” Eviee squeaks drawing their attention.

“Why are you sorry?” Fauna asks.

“Because if I hadn't said anything maybe this wouldn't have happened,” Eviee replies honestly feeling the weight of the group resting on her petite shoulders.

Fauna scoffs, “Yeah right, creepy old Ellsworth didn't become a creep because of you.”

Eviee knows this is true and whether she caused the timeline to be sped up or not, Ellsworth would've acted on his intentions.

“We don't blame you Eviee,” Claire says pulling Eviee into a hug.

The others gather throwing their arms around one another. They stand in the hall bodies hugged tightly together for what feels like hours. Their bond had not been broken but solidified.

As they untangle they each mentally prepare themselves for what awaits.

“I'm sure there are more eyes on us now than ever,” Fauna groans, “we’ll have no privacy.”

“I can sneak out and see,” Katie offers.

“Okay invisigirl,” Fauna replies using a new nickname for our invisible friend.

“Invisigirl, I kinda like that,” Katie giggles disappearing before our eyes.

Her laughter tells us she is still there for the moment.

When Katie reappears she shakes her head from side to side her dark black hair swaying around her face.

“That bad huh?” Asks Fauna.

“It's not good that's for sure. The guards outside look like they've doubled and the cameras have all been moved and without Jamie, they're out of our reach,” Katie surmises.

“f**k—,” Fauna starts quickly being interrupted.

“Girls, you've been requested downstairs for brunch. Please make your way down in a timely fashion,” Ms. Magdalen hollers from the main entry.

“To be continued,” Fauna grumbles.

She leads the way down the stairs and to the dining hall keeping her eyes straight ahead and refusing to look around knowing multiple sets of eyes are on them, whether it's from those they pass or from behind a screen.

They enter the dining room and take their usual seats leaving Jamie’s chair empty. Her presence is missed greatly and they show respect by honoring the space she took up in their group.

The main doors swing open and Ellsworth parades into the room. He always conducts himself in an arrogant and superciliously pompous manner. The overbearing air of self-confidence he held as he made his way to the table sent fire through the girl's beings.

“Ladies,” he greets them taking his seat at the head of the table. “Welcome back to the real world. Next time perhaps you'll think about the consequences of your actions before being so rash.”

Eviee adverts her eyes not wanting to look at the man who, even after seeing him so many times, sent chills up her spine.

Fauna’s mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water as her brain flickers through sarcastic remarks coming up flat on what to say.

The servants enter placing trays of food around the table and interrupting the heated stare-down between Fauna and Ellsworth. He seemed to be waiting for the fiery redhead to make a comment as he stared at her.

The girls stare at the food all unwilling to reach for the aromatic cuisine first.

“Go on, eat, it's not poisonous,” Ellsworth says with a throaty chuckle.

His words do little to convince them but as he piles his plate high, Fauna leans forward taking the dipper and scooping some scrambled eggs onto her plate. The rest follow suit.

Ellsworth barely nibbles at his food curiously watching the girls eat with ravenous fervor. Their days of eating cold bologna sandwiches having caught up to them they gorged on the fresh, hot breakfast feast. His chin rests on his crossed hands, elbows placed on either side of his plate. Even trying to watch them all his eyes somehow always find a landing on Eviee drawn to her like a moth to a flame.

Eviee’s wild waves hide her face from view and Ellsworth can remember how her soft skin felt beneath his fingertips just the other day.

The hair on the back of Eviee’s arms and neck raises and she tilts her head peering at the evil man. His eyes are locked on her and she involuntarily shivers as a wave of disgust spreads through her.

“May we be dismissed?” Fauna asks pulling Ellsworth’s attention to her. She allows a lopsided smile to adorn her face and bats her long lashes faining a girlish innocence not seen much.

“Would you not rather stay and keep me company?” Ellsworth counters smirking at the teenager.

“Ah, Mr. Ellsworth, as lovely as that sounds I think we could all use a stretch after sitting for so long,” Fauna replies sweetly.

“Very well then,” With a clap of his hands, the servants enter clearing away all signs of the brunch they had consumed.

Ellsworth stands exiting the room in the same manner he entered.

Upon his exit, Eviee instantly relaxes her shoulders slumping forward and her chin trembling slightly from the raw emotion coursing through her veins. She hated him with her whole being and yet she is unable to do anything to stop him from forcing his will onto her and her friends the way he did her mother.

“You okay Eviee?” Claire asks capturing the girl's hand in hers and offering a light squeeze.

“I will be when we're finally away from here,” Eviee replies.

“How about some fresh air?” Fauna asks pushing her chair back as she stands and placing her palms on the table.

“Are we allowed to go outside?” Nadia wonders allowed.

“Who cares if we are? We’ll just play stupid if anyone asks us why we're out there?” Fauna says shrugging her shoulders and rolling her eyes to the sky.

Knowing it's no use to argue with her the girls stand and follow her out. They too could use the fresh air. Fauna leads them the way Ms. Magdalen took them the day Ellsworth performed his ritual at the altar. They step out into the sunlight, the blinding yellow orb shining its bright beams of warmth onto their skin. Their bodies soak up the UV rays hungrily.

Padding further into the lush garden the girls enjoy the sight of the beautiful flowers. Roses and peonies of every color fill the space and as they close in on the staircase which seemed dark and dim before there are now rare blue lilies bundled around the entrance.

The urge to walk into the unknown of where the stairs lead grips Eviee tightly and forces her to step forward.

“I'm not going down there,” Nadia says with a shake of her head and her hands held out while she takes a step back.

“Eviee,” Fauna calls.

She sounds far away to Eviee and it's not until her hand wraps around Eviee’s slender wrist that she is brought out of her state of transfixion.

“Hey, Eviee, what's going on with you?” Fauna questions snapping her free fingers in front of Eviee's face.

“I-I don't know, I had this urge to go down there. I think I'm supposed to see what is hiding below,” Eviee whispers feeling like she sounds crazy even to her own ears.

“If your instincts say you need to then I'm going with you,” encourages Claire moving to stand beside Eviee.

“Me too,” Katie agrees.

“Same, we’re a team,” Fauna says nudging Eviee’s shoulder.

“Wait, I guess I'll go too. I'm not staying here alone,” Nadia groans.

“Thanks, guys,” Eviee murmurs a blush tinting her cheeks.

“Well then, let's get going, lead the way Eviee,” Fauna instructs peering around Eviee and staring into the darkness below.