“Yup,” said Ben.
“They could have been talking about anything,” said Stephen.
“Well, still best to keep out of sight,” said Jack.
“No shit,” said Stephen.
“I guess we can find our way through the woods,” said Jack. “It’s not that far from here.”
Jack took the lead and made his way carefully through the crowded pine branches. When they found their way into taller hardwoods, the going was easier, but they had to pick their way through several marshy areas by jumping from frost heave to frost heave.
“This sucks,” said Ben. “Can’t we go back out to the path.”
“I think we’re almost there,” said Jack.
Minutes later, Jack’s prediction came true. A bright spot up ahead marked where the woods gave way to clearing. Pushing through the last of the underbrush, they saw the hotel from a new angle.
“We have to go back to walking up the gully again,” said Jack. He pointed at a worn down path in the grass. They had resorted to this shortcut when they started carrying the stepladder.
“How many times have we been here?” asked Ben. “When did we find this place — last week?”
“Um, today’s Monday and we first found the hotel last Monday,” said Jack. “So about a week. But we haven’t been here every day.”
“And we didn’t get inside until like Thursday or something,” said Stephen.
“So do you think that stomped-down path is just from us over the past week?” asked Ben.
“Sure,” said Jack, “I think so.”
“Yeah, why not?” asked Stephen.
“I don’t know,” said Ben. “Seems like we wouldn’t have made that whole path in just a week. Besides, we went up the gully the first couple of times.”
“Let’s put up something on the path to see if someone goes through there,” Jack offered.
“What, like a camera?” asked Ben.
“I was thinking just a piece of fishing line across the path or something,” replied Jack.
“Oh — yeah, that’s easy,” said Ben.
They circled the clearing and retrieved the ladders from the hiding place. Stephen and Ben carried them up the gully while Jack went up their old path to set the fishing line. He pushed two small sticks into the ground on either side of the trail and then strung the line. He made sure that it was easily dislodged and hoped it wouldn’t be noticeable. When he arrived at the hotel, Stephen and Ben had already climbed onto the porch roof. Jack joined them and they hauled the step ladder up to reach the hatch.
“Did we leave the panel like this?” asked Stephen. The panel that hid the switch was not quite settled, and a little askew.
“Who knows — I was covered in red dye,” said Jack. “I think we might be getting a little paranoid.”
“We have to stay careful,” said Ben. “We can’t get sloppy.”
With that admonishment, they repeated the steps required to make it back to where Jack had been drenched in red dye. Through the hatch, down the rope-ladder, through the drawing room, up the shocking ladder, through the bishop’s room, and past the tripwire hallway — the boys moved with confidence. A blotchy trail of dried dye on the floor marked their hurried exit. They weren’t surprised to find that the ladder had receded up into the ceiling, but disappointed they didn’t know exactly how to get back in the white room.
“You just made us turn off our lights and then the door opened,” said Ben.
They had been sitting in the dark for over five minutes, and wall remained closed — no doorway had appeared.
“Did we do something else, and not realize it?” asked Stephen.
“I think we were standing more over here,” said Jack. He turned on his light and pointed over towards the dead-end of the hall.
“That could be it,” said Stephen. He and Ben joined Jack, and Jack extinguished his light again.
“Maybe someone let us in last time,” said Ben.
“What do you mean?” asked Jack.
“I’m just saying — someone may be listening to us talk and then they opened the door,” Ben replied.
“That’s creepy,” said Stephen. “I don’t think there’s anyone here.”
“You hope there’s not,” said Ben.
At that moment, they heard the garage-door sound and the crack of light appeared before them.
“See?” said Ben.
“Coincidence,” said Jack. “We just don’t know what we’re doing to trigger it.”
“Or maybe it just happens every ten minutes or something,” said Stephen.
“Whatever,” said Ben.
Through the door first, Jack walked over to the corner that he and Stephen had seen on the drawing. He stood close to the wall and looked at it from several angles.
“What’s over there?” asked Ben.
“I thought I saw something,” replied Jack.
“I’m going to hit this button,” said Stephen. He reached with stretched fingers and pressed on the center of the palm-shaped button again. The plastic scissored closed, encircling his fingers again.
“Who’s got the box-cutter?” asked Jack. He was tapping with his fingertips on the wall near the corner. The wall sounded hollow.
“Right here,” said Stephen, pointing over his shoulder to his backpack.
“I think there’s something behind this wall,” said Jack. “Or not something — see the studs stop here.” He pointed to a spot a few feet from the corner.
“Shouldn’t we be trying to figure out that ladder?” asked Ben.
“I think the ladder’s a trap,” said Jack.
“What?” Ben asked, surprised. “Why do you think that?”
“I don’t know — just a feeling I guess,” said Jack.
“We saw plans,” interjected Stephen.
“What plans?” asked Ben.
“On the computer — when you were asleep last night,” replied Stephen.
They explained the memory card and its contents.
Ben was confused and angry: “I can’t believe you guys didn’t tell me.”
“We’re telling you now,” Jack said. “And I’m sorry.”
“Screw you guys — I’m leaving,” said Ben.
“Oh man,” said Stephen, “don’t do that. It’s my fault. I told Jack that you were too scared and you would be freaked out.”
“What the hell?” asked Ben. “I’ve been here the whole fucking time. I’m not scared of shit, but you guys are being totally stupid.”
“But this makes it safer,” said Jack. He crossed over to where Ben stood. Stephen still had his hand on the button. “We know not to use that ladder now, and we can find the real way to level two.”
“What did the plans say?” asked Ben.
Stephen and Jack looked at each other, but neither spoke.
“Seriously — what was on there? Why don’t you want to use the ladder?” asked Ben.
“It was a skull and crossbones at that ladder,” said Jack. “But there’s another ladder back here.”
“Oh great,” said Ben. “So now we know that there’s a deathtrap here and you still want to go to fucking level two?”
“But we know about it,” said Jack. “We’ll be okay.”
“But why?” pleaded Ben. “What do you expect to find, and why is it worth risking your neck?”
“I don’t know,” said Jack. “It’s cool.”
“Yeah,” added Stephen, “and it’s got to be something good.”
“You guys go up to level two,” said Ben. “I’m staying here.”
“Shit,” said Jack. “Don’t do that.”
“Right here,” said Ben. He lowered himself to the floor and leaned back against the wall. “Give me a walkie-talkie and I’ll stay right here.”
“C’mon,” Stephen said to Jack. “Let’s get through that wall.” He pointed to the corner and pulled off his backpack. He rummaged around and pulled out a walkie-talkie, which he handed to Ben. He handed the box-cutter to Jack.