9
...
At 1 a.m., I tiptoed downstairs and didn't even dare to make a sound, for fear of being heard by Calvin.
I waited for about 10 minutes and found it was still quiet upstairs. Then, I took out the key.
With a click, I successfully unlocked the door.
I was right. It was the key to the basement.
I carefully walked down the stairs. It felt damp inside, and there was a chilly wind blowing.
After walking more than 20 steps, I finally reached the basement.
I flipped a switch on the wall, and what I saw was really a kitchen.
There was an expensive bottle of red wine on the table, and next to it were two large geese with their stomachs cut open. Their livers, big, fat, and fragrant, were on a plate.
I looked around and soon found a small door in the corner.
I took a deep breath and peered through the crack. There was a bed in the room, and on it lay a white-haired woman, unkempt and ragged. She was motionless, and I didn't know if she was dead or alive.