Two for tragedy. Volume 2 - стр. 26

What was behind it? Such a heavy and large door had to be hiding something forbidden, hidden from view.

My attempts to open the door came to nothing – it was terribly heavy and as if it didn't want to reveal its secrets to me. But I didn't give up: I grabbed the handle with both hands, put my foot against the wall, pulled, and the door opened with a soft creak. It was a dark corridor with no hint of light behind it, but I decided to follow Grayson's example and clapped my hands, and a bright electric light appeared in the corridor, so I could see where I was.

As I stepped timidly into the suspicious room, I hugged my shoulders: the air in the long corridor before me was icy cold. I was afraid to go forward, but I forced myself, thinking that, while my tormentor was away, I could examine his castle. So I bravely but slowly walked down the corridor and saw what must have been left over from a very long time ago: on either side of the corridor stretched small cells fenced with heavy iron bars.

"My God, are these really the dungeons I'm supposed to be in?" – I cringed at the thought.

The corridor was so ancient that its walls were covered in moss and the bars were covered in threads of rust.

Eager to get a closer look at one of the cells, I walked up to it, but saw nothing but bare walls and a handful of dirty rags in the corner. Suddenly, I was astonished and horrified to see these rags move, and from under them a dishevelled, dirty girl sprang out-she rushed with a loud cry to the bars and seized me by the arm.

Fear ran through me to my very bones, and I shrieked loudly.

– Please help me! – The girl shouted in English, trying to pull me to her, but I fought her off and pressed my back against the opposite grate.

Suddenly someone's cold hand grabbed my shoulder. A new scream of terror burst from my chest, and I hurried to the middle of the corridor, finding myself between two cells, while the two girls trapped in them held out their hands to me and shouted loudly in horrible, hysterical voices.

– Help me! Let me out! I don't want to die! – screamed the second one, also in English, but with a strong Spanish accent. She looked no better than her neighbour.

Their horrible screams, the sight of them, and the whole situation frightened me so much that I immediately rushed out of the dungeon, hearing the terrible cries of "No! Don't go! Don't leave us!" These chilling cries haunted me. The horrible sight before my eyes was unbearable. I could not conceive how such a thing was possible in the modern world! Girls trapped in that cold, damp cellar… Poor creatures! They must have been looking forward to someone giving them their freedom back for a long time! But what are they there for? How did they get there? Who put them there?

Grayson. What a simple answer. And most likely, he locked them in there to drink their blood later.

I hurried out of the cellar and closed the door behind me, and, separated from the rest of the castle by the heavy, powerful wood, the girls' pitiful cries fell silent.

I felt sick to my stomach. I clutched the wall with my hand, and breathing loudly, horrified, and with a boundless dislike of Grayson, I wondered feverishly whether I could have taken the liberty of setting the poor captives free. I couldn't wait to run back to the dungeon and break down the rusty bars, let the girls out, give them freedom and comfort, but… Then Grayson would kill me for sticking my nose in his business. I was sure of it.