Suddenly, Liz was next to him. She took his hand. "Feels like they're still here," she said, whispering.
That was it. Intellectually, he knew they wouldn't find any people here tonight. Yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't alone here.
"Come on, it's after one," he said, checking his watch. They needed to finish and get to bed. He realized he would feel better when they were off in the morning. Away from here.
Isabel stared at the toys.
"Iz," he said. When she didn't turn around, he approached her and tapped her on the shoulder. "It's getting late," he said.
"Ahhh!" Isabel exclaimed as if he had given her an electric shock. She whirled around and looked at him. For a moment, her guard was down completely. She looked vulnerable and… what was it?… scared?
Max was immediately sorry he had scared her. An instant later, her control was back and her face was unreadable.
"Don't sneak up on people," she snapped, glaring at him.
"Sorry…," Max said, but she wasn't listening.
Isabel led the group down the main hallway and up the main staircase. Max felt Liz tense up and he guessed this
was the place from Liz's vision. He saw the balcony at the top. That must have been where Maria fell… would fall, unless they prevented it.
Maria clutched Michael as she headed up the stairs. Beyond the balcony was a long hallway with closed doors on each side. Isabel opened the first door. From behind, Max could see that something was wrong; she was holding her hand to her mouth.
"What is it?" Max said, sliding in behind her.
Then he saw inside the room. Like the rooms downstairs, the two large windows were covered in plastic. But this wasn't an extravagant living space, this was a child's room. A girl's room.
Against a far wall was a canopy bed with frilly pillows and a lace bedspread. In the center were a rocking horse, dollhouse, and doll collection.
"Are you okay, Iz?" Max asked softly.
"I thought I heard someone laughing, maybe a child," she said. Then she shook her head. "No. It's impossible. Must have been something else."
Max nodded, but he thought there was something odd about the room: It looked like someone still lived here. It was easy to imagine that the little girl might return any moment. That thought gave Max a chill.
Gently, he took Isabel by the arm and led her back outside. "I think this house is getting to us," he whispered to her when they were in the hallway.
"What is it?" Kyle asked.
"Nothing, just a bedroom," Max said.
"So is this," Michael said from the next door down.
They walked the hallway, trying each door. The entire floor seemed to be bedrooms. There were two more children's rooms… a nursery and a boy's room. There were also a number of large bathrooms and a children's library. Farther down were adult bedrooms, each with large, ornate beds and heavy curtains. Each room was in pristine condition.
"Creepsville," Michael said.
"I don't think so," Isabel said. They were the first words she had spoken since they had found the first bedroom. "It's all kind of… comfortable."
"A little over-the-top-gothic for me," Maria said.
They came to the end of the hallway, where there were ornate double doors. Isabel opened them and revealed what was by far the largest bedroom.
The room took up the entire rear of the house. There was a large bed against the wall, and a bank of windows that overlooked what must have been a beautiful garden.
Max could see an empty swimming pool as well. There were bookshelves, as well as sofas and chairs. The place
looked more like an apartment than a bedroom. Stepping inside, Isabel opened a door and disappeared inside. Max followed and saw that she was inside a large walk-in closet, still full of clothes. Through another door was a bathroom three times larger than his room at home.
"This is my room," Isabel declared. No one questioned her.
Max said, "Looks like there's no one here. Let's go downstairs and get what we need from the van and keep watch for a while before we go to bed."
They headed out to the hallway, but Maria stopped. "If it's all the same to you guys, why don't we take the back stairs."
8
Liz put the last log on the fire and stepped back. Max raised his hand, and the pile of logs began to smoke. Seconds later the fire was blazing, and Max put his hand down.
Reflexively, Liz turned back to check on Maria, who was sitting on one of the sofas they had moved in front of the fire. Maria was looking around nervously. She relaxed when Michael appeared from the hallway.
He was loaded down with the two bags that contained their one change of clothes each and their bathroom stuff. He also had Marias new guitar strapped to his back by the strap on its soft case.
"Where were you?" Maria said sharply.
Michaels face set and he held up the bags. "Is that a serious question, because if it is… "
Liz cut him off by stepping in front of him and took one of the bags. "Thanks, Michael," she said.
"You're welcome, Liz," he said in deliberate, even tones as he gave Maria a look. Then something softened on his
face, and he walked over to Maria and handed her the guitar.
"Here," he said, and then he turned quickly to Max before she could respond.
"Anything?" Max said.
"Nothing going on out there, but I think the rain is stopping," Michael said.
Liz realized it had been a while since she had heard any thunder. That was good; it would be hard enough to sleep without the periodic loud noise. She took her place on the sofa next to Max. They had moved three sofas from the large room into a semicircle and dragged a big Oriental rug in front of the fire. The result was surprisingly cozy.
Liz hadn't realized how tired she was until she sat down. The adrenaline of the chase and encounter with the Special Unit, then the strangeness of this house, had kept her alert. Now, she was feeling the effects of their long day. She was about to lean into Max when he started speaking.
"There's something we should talk about before we go to bed. We haven't had a chance to, but I don't think we can wait anymore," Max said.
"The Special Unit," Kyle said.
Max nodded. "They found us. Even if we've lost them temporarily, they'll be able to track us again."
"How do you think they did it?" Liz asked.
"Did anyone call home, or write a letter or anything?" Max asked the group.
"Of course not," Maria said. "We had an agreement."
"Yes, and I'm asking if anyone broke it," Max said.