In the shadows
Dalia and Albert had spent some time finding the best way to go to the ground floor. The cathedral had lots of secret passages, but most of them were from inside the cathedral to the outside, so they couldn’t actually put them to use. They finally found some stairs that headed directly to a secret space behind the altar; that was their best shot. However, this meant that they would need to cross the whole building unseen. Even if they were at the upper level they would need to be careful. The light played in their favor, as it would make it more difficult for Marla to see anything above her.
As before they walked with their back on the walls, hiding behind every statue and inside every hole. They advanced irregularly, hiding in the shadows. They stopped inside a staircase almost halfway of their objective. They needed to rest and they needed reassurance.
-We are doing okay, Dalia, we are.- he said trying to look calm, although his hands were shaking.
-I trust you, you are the only one who can do it.- she replied from the bottom of her heart.
Her faith in him made him feel more confident. He breathed deeply twice and then started moving again. As they approached the altar, the lights of the candles joined the sunlight that was pouring through the windows, there were fewer shadows to hide in, so they decided to drag themselves through the floor. It made them slower and more vulnerable, but also much less visible. After a miserably slow crawl, they arrived next to the altar. There was a space, it was true, and even some stairs. Wooden stairs. Albert almost swore under his breath, the wooden steps would be noisy, alerting Marla where they were. He signaled Dalia to get closer and whispered in her ear.
-Wooden stairs.- he said pointing.
Her face lit up in terror before becoming determined.
-Wait here, I’m going to distract Marla while you go down and save Myriam.- she told him turning around resolutely before he could argue with her.
He waited in silence seeing how she approached one of the stone staircases and got lost inside it. After a while he heard her footsteps, proving that she was no longer hiding. Albert held his breath.
-Marla!- he heard Dalia shouting.- I am here to stop you.
-Oh, how sweet, darling. You actually think you can do something.- Marla replied, by then Albert had already started descending the stairs as slowly and lightly as he could to avoid any creaking. He could still hear them, talking.- I thought you had gone back to live with the chickens, and the pigs, and the cows that are your family. Anyway, I’m happy you are here, this way there will be someone to tell what happened in here, and how great my powers are.
-Nothing is going to happen, Marla. You think you are better than you really are.
-Who are you to tell me what I am? You were the spy, the one who was working for me while becoming Albert’s friend. You were the one who played two sides, the master of deception. Weren’t you darling? But then you chickened out because you thought friends were more important than power. Nothing is more important than power.
-Yes, I did that.- Albert stopped breathing after hearing her confess, he was almost at the bottom of the stairs and he didn’t want to screw it up.- People change Marla, and some of us change for better. For me, having people who appreciate me for who I am, instead of for what I can do for them makes me be a better person. You will never understand that.
Albert was already behind the altar, he tucked his head outside and saw that Marla had her back to the altar, and was really close to Dalia. He decided that he would need to use some of his powers. Now that Marla was distracted and furious, she wouldn’t realize that he was behind her. He made himself invisible once again, and weightless, to be able to climb the pile of benches unseen and unheard. As he approached the pile, which now that he had come to think resembled a pyre, he saw that there were actually two people on it. He climbed carefully, extending the invisibility and weightlessness to both Myriam and the other person. He hid them fast behind the altar, while Marla and Dalia kept talking, growing more agitated at every moment.
-Myriam.- he said softly when they were safe, she opened her eyes lazily.
-Albert!
-Shh! Yes, I am here, but it is not over yet. Do you know who is this old lady?
The other person happened to be a really old lady with the same red hair Marla had, she looked really fragile. Myriam touched her.
-She is stone cold.- she tried to feel her for vital signs.- She is dead.
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