Tick-Tick 3

AFTER TENIn the dim halls of western wing where the Archive Section rests, three pairs of boots slyly paced through the door frame- one carrying a torch, another with a backpack and the last shadow with a knife pointed at the direction where their foot nested at the next moment. The walls decor with ancient paintings of supernatural beings witnessed those three intruders vanishing at the bend of the hall, entering the under-construction and restricted area preserving possessions of Dracula species-Room B06. Most of the Archive Section was under-construction."Why this thing is flickering, lad?" One of the trespassers nudged the other handling down the defective torch. "Did you check the battery?""Nope. It's my neighbors." The person with the torch slammed the flashlight into the wall shaking the cement off from the weak bricks, surprising others as they shifted away from the feeble build. "Sorry-""-Such a bum!" the person with the knife kicked the torch-carrier's back with frustration. "It's a under-construction site. Use your hands."The torch-carrier frowns at her comrade's rude behavior while rubbing her back where the hit landed. Still scowling, the torch-carrier slaps the only source of light on her palm. "Ouch! It hurts!""Odette. Don't be a baby!" The backpack one spoke and removes the backpack off from the shoulders. "I have an extra battery. Precaution is better than cure, whenever it comes to us three.""Smart fox." Liliane comments and points her knife at Odette who gave the torch to Mysty. "What's in the bag?"Odette whimpers as the cold blade touches her bare skin and reflexively covers her neck, still knitting a brow with flushed cheeks, masked in the darkness. Liliane stops teasing and backs off for Odette to answer. "Treasure hunt.""Treasure hunt? Weren't we supposed to play Ouija Board?" Liliane squints her eyes, suspecting a foul play which she isn't aware of. "Resist lying or it won't end here."Odette shot a secret glance at Mysty who avoids the approaching plea demanding some succor. Odette gulps after realizing the betrayal from Mysty and the need of confiding without wasting another second. She sighs and answers, blinking politely-"Grey didn't like the previous plan, so we all decided to re-plan by voting.""So, the 'we' includes only you all but not me." Mysty lowers her gaze after the fact reckoned by Liliane who was upset with the lack of knowledge and involvement, was out from her heart through words.It's hurt to be left out when you suggest the illegal party in first place."That person was there and I didn't want to make it awkward by calling you to discuss these things." Odette considered taking all the blame after realizing Mysty's weak embankment. "Also, you said it's fine by you about today's game until and unless it doesn't involve money and life," Odette tries to explain, but fails to calm down the heavy temperature of the room and stung expression from Liliane's face.Liliane's cold smile cracked off, leaving only an indifferent emotion. "Let it be. Those two must be waiting."It's just a one time... everything will go back to normal. Don't be sad. Liliane clenches her jaw but little did she know, hope welcomes more pain.--"Grey!" Mysty jumps towards the tall-muscular black haired, amber eyed figure slacking off at the edge of the table in the heart of the mosaic-tiled room, lacking equipment and liveliness. Grey pulls her in for a long hug after getting interrupted by a loud cough.Odette gives a teasing smile at the new couple before they start making out in the eyes of two young girls. Mysty doesn't dare to conceal her blush and walked towards the girl's side."Where is that young guide?" Odette asks after sensing one person in the room anticipating this urgent question's answer. It doesn't take a genius to notice their best friend's feelings. Liliane takes in the dull surrounding waiting to get surprised by a familiar wolf but gets welcomed by no one except Grey. She hardens her fist with a little disappointment written on her face but relief buries it instantly."He is-"A loud bang at the door halts the answer and all four heads turned at the fastened exit door's direction. Brows tightens as another sound fills the air, concluding the final decision between the four to inquire the deserted museum at the time when ghosts make their frequent visits on earth.Ghost, a fascination creature- neither good nor bad. Just a wandering desire of a spirit binding them from afterlife's peace and reincarnation."Ghosts are not fond of museum. Nobody wants to be acquainted with the study of fake history after dying," Liliane remarks, soothing Odette who was definitely alarmed with the slightest disturbance when no one except them should be here. A human among different species is frail in terms of mentality and physical potency.Unlike the other three, Odette was the feeblest but for now, the most shielded person as one of them was a descendant of wolf, another a descendant of fox with sharpest ears and the third person, a descendant of a hybrid of human and fox. Though there are only few lineages of different creature that still possess some special abilities like Mysty but it was a rare occurrence.Only one-third of the population are blessed with some powers left behind by their ancestors, most commonly weak traits of theirs. The descendant of wolf's doesn't count even in the rarest line as their lineage's attributes are long extinct with only the mate fate left in the plate for every descendant in their bloodline."Definitely not a Ghost," Mysty assures as a familiar frequency almost indistinct reaches her alerted ears as they wandered the dark corridors towards the clatter. "That punk-""Who is there!" A voice ran down the halls as a silhouette stepped inside the dim light displaying the dark locks and pupils searching for the faces of the four trespassers. The tall man dressed in a formal-suit shifts, revealing something moving and heavy clutched down by him, seeming like a fabric-"It's a child in his hand!" Odette exclaims as the distorted view became visible and a child appearing to be grabbed by his collar by that dressed man made Grey launch himself to rescue the child from the 'kidnapper'."Wait-" Before Liliane could stop him, Grey knocked the kidnapper so the child could be freed from the kidnapper's grasp and escape. Grey instantly sat on top of that abductor, leaving the child resting on the ground away from them in safety."What are you-" The kidnapper tried yelling but was cut off as Grey landed his fist on the kidnapper's perfect obscured face, not detectable because of shadows caused in the absence of light. "It's me!"Grey halts his motions when the scenery became clearer and the torch's light taken out by Liliane out of blue revealed the kidnapper's face, eliminating the misunderstanding and more possibility of Grey gifting some additional punches on the exquisite face of the kidnapper."Newt!" Mysty sighs while grabbing her chest with disbelief. "When did you start child-trafficking!""Never!" Newt exclaims after kicking Grey off from his body and mounts up on his feet while cleaning the dust off from his attire. He grunts while touching his beaten face, "Why I am the culprit here?""What do you mean?" Grey shots a question after Newt glared at him, feeling the sting of the fresh punches. "That child!"The child lying on the ground lifted his head up and became visible after the torch-light landed on him- A ten-eleven kid clothed in a knitted-sweatshirt with the same cartoon-pattern imprinted on his black-red peak beanie shrouding the dark curls, grabbed the attention of the present adults in the hall."-The kid from the morning. He is the child going around all day asking zombie questions!" Odette recognizes as the child lowers his head as if been caught."Wandering around alone in the museum after ten. What was I supposed to do?" Newt demands. "I was taking him to the reception to inform his parents.""By grabbing his collar?""Well, because he was running amok, refusing to return back so I choose the safest and fastest way to control a toddler."Grey makes an 'O' with his face, nodding his head in understanding.Mysty moved across and leans down in front of the child, "What's your name?"The child murmurs while playing with his fingers and rotating his left ankle with heel up and toes down, "H-ha-el-l... Hael Holmes.""Like Sherlock," Grey's tone turned bantering but shut down at one glance received from Mysty."Why are you still here in the museum? Where are your guardians?"Hael bites his lips and smiles, looking down at the interesting flooring."In their graves safe and sound."