 |
Spoilers in front! This page or section contains information pertaining to newly released content or soon to be released content.
|
Chapter 3 is the third chapter of The Lonely Ones novel.
Description[]
Ruse, Feast and Mim navigate through a crawlspace, but come across the Performer's room where the Performer is acting a silent routine in front of a mirrored wall, his performance capturing Ruse's attention, so much she us unable to look away until Feast forces her to look away. The Performer takes notice of Ruse under the vent and begins a search for the children. Ruse Feast and Mim must find a way to escape from under the floorboards before the Performer finds them.
Plot[]
In the blind crawl space, Ruse trudges along between Feast and Mim, although they have been walking for a few minutes, she feels like it's been hours. Ruse questions if time exists in the dark. As much as she wants to check her pocket watch, she can't even see so much as her own hand holding Feast’s in such darkness. But she knows her watch's time is stuck at the moment she left behind everything she knew and entered wherever she is now. Regardless, it is comforting to her knowing she is certain of such things about herself, feeling the weight of her pocket watch adds to it. The watch is that little piece of home she still has, serving as a reminder of where she came from and what she left behind. Ruse is surprised that she does not have any desire to return home. Not being able to see anything in the dark, Ruse begins to look into her mind and thinks about her memories.
Flashing before her eyes are scenes of her old life, but she doesn't consider them memories, just impressions. The blank moments of her memories are filled in by her imagination, confusing what was with what should have been. She sees a high quality home filled with things that a child should like, but not what they needed. Even though she can't remember specific things, she does remember how she felt, wanting companionship and attention, parents who didn't think caring meant buying her things. Even though she can’t remember what her parents look like, she can't forget her Nanny. Ruse’s thoughts quickly vanish the moment she hears Mim squeak over something brushing against their legs in the tight space. A small amount of light reveals a swarm of rats passing them by, trying to escape the fire of the hedge maze. Ruse, Feast and Mim stand close to the wall to let the rats pass, but Ruse wonders if the fire will reach the building they are in too as she smells smoke and sees the orange light of the fire approaching. Ruse feels even more uneasy now that she knows there are other creatures in the crawlspace with them, they could be big or small, harmless or dangerous.
As they continue to trudge along through the crawl space, more light enters, enough to let them see each other again and see the large objects littering the floor: a bent needle, a piece of thread and a black button. In the floorboards above them, Ruse hears the sound of a record player that has just run out of its song. The three reach the vent under the gramophone and Ruse pears through one of its holes. Ruse catches a glimpse of the Performer gesturing in front of a mirrored wall. Ruse finds herself unable to look away from the Performer until Feast grabs her hand, breaking Ruse out of her focus on the Performer. Ruse realizes the Performer has spotted her in the vent and though she screams she does not hear a sound. As Feast tugs at her hand, Ruse can feel herself being aware of her surroundings again, Feast is trying to get her to move as Mim holds her hands over her ears, tracking the Performer above them as he moves. As the Performer leaves the room, the sound of a door opening and closing is heard. The record player begins playing mournful piano music that sounds similar to the calliope music the carousel played.
While continuing through the crawl space, Ruse notices someone above is searching for something, the sound of doors opening and closing around them and footfalls in the floorboards tell her so. Ruse focuses her attention on the floor, afraid of seeing or being seen by the Performer again. Ruse compares the Performers to the Dough Giants and realizes he is much keener and curious, he has intent. Each time they hear the Performer’s footsteps, they pause until another door opens. The sound of various doors opening near and far has Ruse questioning how the Performer is able to cover so much distance so quickly. Feast tries to lead them away from the sound but Ruse can't help but get the idea that they are somehow being guided in the crawl space just like how they were at the maze. Ruse suddenly hears the sound of faint carnival music and excitedly runs past Feast, believing an exit is close by. A pain of regret hits Ruse as she notices Feast silently protesting her decision to run off on her own, but Ruse is overcome with the idea of finally being free from the crawlspace and choosing her own path, to not be led anymore or hunted. With the three of them now out of the crawlspace, they notice the floorboards in one of the rooms above them have caved in from the weight of a dusty brown trunk.
The lid of the trunk is just below the jagged hole in the splintering wood, but is too high for either of them to reach, be it alone or even with the three of them stacked on top of each other's shoulders. As the three of them try to think of a way up to the lid of the trunk to reach the broken floorboard and finally escape, Ruse notices Mim nervously fiddling the frayed ends of the rope around her neck and gets an idea. Ruse points to Mim’s rope excitedly, causing Mim to drop her hands self consciously and turn away. Feast and Mim do not understand what Ruse is referring to, Ruse tries to explain her idea but the sound of a distant door opening and closing alerts her to the Performer still searching. Ruse gestures with her hands that Feast and Mim stay where they are and wait for her as she runs back down the path they came through. Feast whispers out in worry and the sound of the Performer searching above the floorboards picks up again. Ruse runs faster and returns to the spot under the Performer’s room where they found large objects littering the floor. The record player is no longer playing music, only the thumping of the needle can be heard. Ruse grabs the thread but as she is trying to decide between the bent needle or the button as her anchor, she realizes she can no longer hear the sound of the record needle thumping, let alone any sound, not even her own heartbeat. Suddenly, light fills the crawlspace as the floorboard above her is soundlessly lifted, a trap door she hadn't noticed before. The Performer tries to reach his hand down to grab Ruse but she uses the bent needle to stab his palm.
The Performer flinches and pulls his hand away from Ruse, Ruse does not look at the Performer but she can feel his silent rage. She takes the thread and button and runs back to Feast and Mim, hearing the sound of doors opening and closing in rapid succession along the way, becoming more and more distant. Ruse returns to the space where the fallen trunk is, Feast and Mim emerge from behind the trunk and rejoin her to see what she has brought back. Feast eyes glimmer with excitement when he sees the items she returned with, but quickly grows concerned over her current state. Ruse stops him from asking about what had occurred, gesturing with her hand to stay quiet. After Feast helps her tie the thread through the button, Feast points up at a leather handle located at the top of the trunk as the place to try and toss the button towards. Ruse nods in agreement over Feast's idea and tries to swing the button towards the handle but fails, the button falls to the ground and makes a sound. Immediately, the sound of a door creaking nearby is heard. Ruse, Feast and Mim remain still as they hear the sound of soft footsteps shuffling, until the sound of a door closing is heard. Low music is heard next from the room above them, but the music has too many instruments playing, too many to make sense of the music, some sounds Ruse can't identify at all.
Feast tries to hurl the button up towards the handle next like a discus thrower, but he is too weak to throw it high enough and the button falls back to the ground after hitting just below the handle. The sound of a door opening softly is heard and the three of them wait for it to close shut. Feast collects the button and thread to try once more but Mim steps forward and reaches for the button to try and take a chance at throwing it next, Ruse smiles and hands Mim the button. Mim swings the button like a pendulum and lets it fly upwards and over the handle, looping around it once without making a sound. Feast pats Mim’s back for having successfully tossed the button to the handle, securing their way out, Mim smiles and shyly ducks her head. Ruse climbs up the thread first towards the handle and hoists herself up to the top of the chest. Ruse notices a dark substance smeared on the trunk's surface, resembling old paint that has dried and flaked. She spots a fresh hand print on the dusty surface of the trunk lid. Ruse looks down to gesture a wave to Feast and Mim to climb up. After Mim and Feast reach the handle, Ruse helps them up to the top of the trunk. A broken board laid along it allows them to use it as a ramp to the floor above them. Side by side they walk up the board and into the room.
Characters[]
- Ruse
- Feast
- Mim
- The Performer
- Rats
- Ruse's Nanny (mentioned)