HUNTED

[Music Recommendation: The Imitation Game by Alexandre Desplat, London Symphony Orchestra] 

**

The bookcase opened a fraction, so Aila hooked her fingers over the wood, where the small entrance was. Just before she started to prise it open, another 'click' sound made her jump and yelp as she felt something prick her finger. Aila pulled her hand back and looked down at the small wound on her index finger that had a small pool of blood raised on it now. It also caused Aila to snap out of the spell she was in. 

Suddenly, a small rumbling sound came from the bookshelf, and the pair stepped back as the furniture opened by itself, showing a darkened, grey stone hallway behind it. Aila peered into it, but even with her heightened eyesight, she could only see a long medieval type of hallway that seemed to go on and on.

She stepped back again and analysed the mechanics of the bookcase. In a tiny slot on the side, she could see the small sharp end that stabbed her finger, now folded together so as not to prick anyone else. Aila took a step forwards to the long hallway entrance, and it lit up immediately by the torches on the wall's sides. In shock, she looked at Damon, who in response took a deep breath in and lent her his hand. 

His small action made Aila's brows knit together. He seemed nervous; she had never seen that look in his eyes before, so before they took that next step, she asked, "What is it?" 

Damon curled his lips up into a small smile, a smile that didn't reach his tired eyes, "Nothing. I am just worried about you." He squeezed her hand before raising it up and leaving a kiss on it, "Come on. You need to see what's behind here."

"You know of this place?" Her eyes were wide now, more in shock that Damon knew of this little secret in the Cross-family home. 

"I have only been here twice…" He trailed off. She waited for him to expand more on his answer, but he did not and instead took a step forwards, urging her to do the same. 

As soon as her feet made contact with the hallway, she nearly jumped back at the two small figures she saw in front of her. Were they ghosts? It was a small outline, but it was vaguely familiar. Instead of being fearful, she watched in wonder and curiosity as their shapes began filling out with their features. 

But before she could get a grasp on what their faces looked like, the small boy and girl turned around, holding hands, and ran down the hallway. Aila expected to hear laughter, but dread ensnares her when she hears the girl's cries and the boy trying to comfort her and motivate her to keep moving. A reassuring squeeze on her hand lured her back into the present; she looked up at Damon and immediately feels better by his presence. 

If she was alone right now, could she do this by herself? Whatever led her to this place seemed to lead her to something crucial. Maybe, something that would unlock her memories. 

The pair continued at a slow pace through the hallway; they were walking down a gradual slope that led to some near crumbling rocky stairs by the end of it. Aila placed her foot on the first step tentatively, and gradually put her weight onto it, while Damon held onto her elbow as well as her hand for stability in case it did break away. She let go of him and led the way. The stairs were not big enough for two people to walk side by side.

When Aila looked down, she could see it was quite a steep drop, but the torches kept lighting up, five sequentially before her as they descended the steps. She could see the bottom, and the height was not that great, so if they did fall, the injury would be minor.

Once they made it to the lower level, there was an arch before them that led to a grand room. Before Aila took another step, the two small children flickered in front of her again; she stared into the space they were at while Damon looked at her with creased brows. Aila was not moving, but her eyes widened as she stared into the dark room.

Before her eyes, the room lit up to show the grand space in all its glory. The children ran and stopped in front of a glass case mounted on the wall, which seemed to hold shotguns. There was a lock on the front with no signs of a key. Aila watched in horror as the small boy grabbed a lamp and smashed it into the case. The glass shattered and flew across the ground; the girl turned her head away from the flying shards.

Aila's brows raised when she saw the little girls face. She narrowed her eyes, trying to absorb the girl's details. Although she could see these children, she did not realise who she was watching was herself as an eight-year-old child. Aila presumed they were ghosts as there was no colour in this memory of hers. If so, she would have figured it out earlier due to her hair colour being snow white. 

The girl's face turned back to the little boy, who now held a shotgun in one hand and grabbed the girl's hand in the other. The pair sprinted off down another hallway. Aila blinked, and the figures faded away like smoke in the wind. She realised she had not taken another step, and the grand room was still in the dark. 

Aila took a deep breath in before stepping forwards, and all at once, the room lit up. The magnificent chandelier with all its candles set alight, and the torches on the walls were ablaze. Aila didn't pay any heed to the rest of the room as she walked towards the far end and raised her hand to the shattered glass case. There was a missing space next to four shotguns clipped inside. 

Aila glanced back down after a crunching sound filled the large room; she had accidentally stepped on the shattered glass that still remained on the floor. Turning around, she found Damon watching her. Aila frowned and tilted her head to the side. A flicker of recognition flashed across her eyes.

When she first met Damon, she felt as though she had met him before…