Page 17 of Beautiful Venom
I follow the directions Kane sent me, which becomes a challenge when the lights gradually disappear, especially when I start taking twists and turns down an uneven path.
Finally, I arrive at the old three-story building that’s no longer in use. The entrance to the front door is hidden in plain sight, concealed behind an overgrown iron gate that’s covered with chaotic ivy and large bushes.
The stone appears chipped in a few places, and the upper level looks as if it’s about to fall apart, the ground floor creaking under the unstable weight.
Six men in black leather jackets and pants stand on either side of the entrance. All of them wear silver masks with subtle engraved talon and feather details that shine under the low orange light coming from the rusty lamps.
I slow to a halt, unsure whether or not I can go inside.
The door opens with a loud squeak in the silent night, and I startle.
“Can I go in?” I ask the statue-like men, but I get no reply.
The eerie quiet is deafening.
I clutch my phone tight as I creep toward the entrance, figuring they’ll stop me if I’m not supposed to go inside. A strange feeling of disappointment hits me when I scan the masked faces and don’t feel Kane’s presence.
I look at their hands, but they’re all gloved in brown leather, so I can’t see if they’re wearing black rings.
My steps are careful as I slide through the ajar beat-up wooden door. The lighting is slightly better inside, but it’s still dim, almost candle-like. Stretched out in front of me is a medium-sized reception area that looks similar to an outdated hotel lobby, with stained carpet, a worn-out tall desk, and a dark-green sofa that’s probably behind the smell of dust and mildew that’s permeating the air.
I notice four doors, one in each corner, painted in different colors—red, black, gray, and white.
A shadow gets caught in my peripheral vision and I spin around, my sense of alert hiking.
A woman appears in front of me, wearing the same mask and gloves as the men outside. However, she’s in a black dress and a tight brown leather corset.
She stretches out her hand in the direction of my phone that I’ve been gripping tightly. I take one last look at the notifications in the hope of finding a text from Kane.
When I see nothing, I reluctantly give her the phone. She places it on the desk and mechanically pats me down. I try to sniff her, but I only smell the generic leather. I can’t even tell the true color of her eyes due to the poor lighting. I do catch a glimpse of a silver serpentine chain with a talon pendant hanging from her neck.
She removes my fitness watch and places it beside my phone, then takes a step back, her hands clasped in front of her.
“Am I free to go?” My voice is heightened in the silence, too loud for my own ears.
She says nothing, looking ahead as if she’s a statue.
“I assume I can choose whichever door to go through?”
No reply.
All right, then.
I avoid the red and black doors for obvious reasons. The colors themselves are ominous. I also vote against white. It might seem safe on paper, but if it’s a psychological trick and the colors are reversed, I don’t want to end up facing the worst trial.
With a deep breath, I stride to the gray door and then stop.
I recall something about what Kane said. Only Senior members wear black rings. I assume black is associated with them. Silver, which is the equivalent of gray on this occasion, is probably associated with the woman and the men outside, like their masks. They’re not Seniors if they’re tasked with mundane things like supervision and security.
At the last second, I change direction to the black door. Maybe Kane is behind it, and while I’m not sure if he’d help, I’d at least see a familiar face.
When I turn the knob, a loud creak echoes in the air, making goosebumps erupt on my bare arms. I steal one last look behind me to find the woman staring at me. Unblinking. Completely statuesque.
I gulp and go inside.
A low light hangs from the ceiling showing long stairs. I start going down and when I look back, the door I came through is closed.
I go down for some time and when I arrive at the bottom, I find another metal door. I carefully open it and walk in.
