Chapter 9 - The Shattered Iron
Claire scrambled across the marble floor on her hands and knees, ignoring the torn hem of her expensive gown. "Ethan, please! You don't know what's down there! It's dangerous!"
"If it's empty, Claire, you have nothing to fear," Ethan replied, his voice completely flat and emotionless.
He raised the handgun, pressed the muzzle directly against the thick shackle of the iron padlock, and turned his face away.
BANG.
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The heavy gunshot echoed like thunder inside the enclosed entryway. The padlock shattered under the force of the point-blank impact, sending pieces of metal skittering across the floor. The heavy iron latch swung loose, and the dark oak door creaked open an inch on its rusty hinges, revealing a pitch-black staircase leading down into the foundations of the mansion.
A cold, damp draft drifted up from the darkness below, carrying the faint, unmistakable scent of antiseptic and stale water.
