Grant ran into the cabin after Will. Cal, Beth, and I held our breath. We waited but didn’t hear anything.

"What are they doing?" Beth whispered to us.

"They went inside, but I can’t see them," I told her.

Will came running out, stopping a few feet and looked around. I peeked out a little more and whispered his name. He motioned for us and we got up, helping Beth limp over.

"You gotta see this," Will told us as he turned and rushed back into the cabin.

Following Will into the cabin, we shut the door behind us. Light streamed in through the high narrow windows along the back wall. The cabin was mostly empty except for an old wooden table and two chairs.

"What exactly did you say we needed to see?" Cal asked confused.

Grant smiled. "Check this out."

We all turned to him as he pushed up against the wall to our right. As soon as he released his hands, the wall slid to the side to reveal hidden shelves.

"Seriously?" I said. "What is with them and the hidden doors?"

"I don’t know, but I’m glad we found this one," Grant told me as he pulled something off one of the shelves.

I strained to see what was in his hand until he held it up into the light. We heard a click and a blade popped out of the silver handle he was holding.

Our eyes widened. Will got excited and reached in to grab one of his own.

"A knife?" I asked in surprise.

"Knives!" Will happily corrected. "There are a few in here!"

"Why are there knives hidden in the wall?" Cal asked.

"Don’t know. But glad we got them," Grant answered and tossed her one. She yelped and didn’t catch it. It bounced on the floor by her feet and she bent down to pick it up.

"I’m not so sure we should take these," Cal muttered, eyeing the knife in her hand.

Will reached out and handed me one. I stared at it in my hand. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Hopefully nothing," Grant assured me. "But just in case..."

I knew he meant just in case I ran into Dean or Gina. The thought of using a knife as a weapon was terrifying. I didn’t even like using a steak knife at home. I stuffed it in my pocket. I had Gina’s injections in my other pocket and now a knife in this one. The thought was unsettling. Beth sat down on one of the chairs, fidgeting as she tried to get comfortable.

"Have you found anything else in here?" I asked.

"Actually," Grant replied, "we haven’t checked."

I nudged Cal and she and I took the other end of the room. We looked for any hidden doors or cabinets. Grant and Will took the opposite end until we all met in the middle.

"I don’t think there’s anything else," Cal said, taking the other seat near Beth.

"That’s okay. Finding those knives is pretty good," Grant smiled.

"It’s so weird-" I started to say, but then tripped and fell forward.

Seriously? So graceful.

I was so embarrassed. I brushed myself off before anyone could run over to me. I was sure Grant was second guessing having given me a knife.

"I’m fine!" I muttered. "I tripped on the stupid floor. That floor board is higher than the other ones. What a mess!"

Grant gave me a confused look.

"And I’m super clumsy, but that floor? Seriously, it’s a hazard..." I rambled, positive he was going to ask for the knife back.

Grant took a few steps over to me and I froze in place. I was clumsy sometimes, so what? His face looked so strange, as though he had a million thoughts in his head at once. I didn’t know why he was coming towards me.

Is he seriously going to tell me I’m too clumsy? I mean, look at Beth! At least I’m not injured, right?

He walked past me and I spun around to see where he was going. He stopped right behind me and crouched down, feeling the floor. His hand touched the floor board I had tripped over and his eyes met mine.

"See? That board is higher, right? Did you think I just tripped all by myself? Not that I haven’t done that before, but still...did you not believe me when I said-" I started to say.

He held up a finger and with his free hand he pushed the floor board. It sprang back up, higher than it had been originally. Grant lifted it more and it was permanently attached to a bunch of other boards. They all lifted up to reveal a narrow staircase.

"What the-" Will took a step back.

"Is that another basement? Please tell me it’s not!" Cal shrieked.

I walked around and looked straight down. The stairs led into total darkness, but I knew there had to be something down there, knowing Gina and Dean.

I watched Grant as he tried to peek down the stairs.

"I can’t see what’s down there," he said quietly.

He looked up at Will and me. We both took a step back.

"No way," I said before he could ask. I was not about to go down there.

"Will?" Grant asked.

"Yeah, uh...I’ll keep watch?" He offered.

"Fine, I’m going in," Grant whispered.

He had to bend down and duck under the floor just to fit himself inside. The first few stairs he went down on his butt and turned to give us a shy look before proceeding. He disappeared into the dark and we all sat completely still as we listened for his movements. A light came on and we heard him holler up to us.

"Guys? You should come down here."

"I’ll stay here with Beth," Cal offered.

Will hesitated but then slowly lowered himself down the stairs. I looked at Cal and Beth.

"If anything happens..." I told them.

"We’ll run and get help...somehow," Beth suggested.

I took a deep breath and slowly ducked into the stairs. I felt my way down. The stairs were an unfinished wood and my hands flinched as sharp pieces of wood scraped my skin. I made my way to the bottom and stood up. The ceiling - which I guess was also the floor of the cabin above us - was a few feet above my head.

At first I didn’t see anything other than a blank wall in front of me and to my left. I walked to the right and saw Grant and Will. They had each taken a seat on an old couch that sat in the middle of the room.

"What was I saying about the hidden doors again?" I joked.

They turned to look at me and Grant pointed in front of himself.

"What?" I asked and took a seat next to him.

Then I saw it.

Next Chapter: Eighteen