After driving to the street that the warehouse was on, we passed by to check the parking lot. No cars were parked out front, so Liam drove a couple blocks away in case anyone came by and noticed his car. We made our way quickly to the back of the building, taking the wooded area we did last night, and scoped out the back door.

The metal door was aged with rust and had a padlock securing the entrance. Liam and I hadn’t planned as well as we could have since we didn’t bring any tools.

“Think we could break it off with a rock?” Liam asked.

“They’d notice if they check this door. Then it would be obvious that someone else was here.” I countered his suggestion.

“I could boost you up to that window and then you could pull me in.” Liam suggested and I nodded in agreement, it was the only way in.

Liam laced his hands together underneath the window that was partially broken. It was fairly low down, so it wouldn’t be a huge trouble to get inside. Before, I stepped into Liam’s hands I pulled the sleeves of my sweater over my hands so I wouldn’t get cut by the broken glass. I got a good grip on the glass and pushed myself up. I swung my leg over the glass and ducked my head into the building.

The warehouse was just as abandoned on the inside as the outside. The vast expanse of space was empty and dirty, save for a couple of crates and boxes scattered around. There was no sign of human life, except for some footprints in the dusty floor. I swung my other leg over the glass and dropped down into the warehouse. The landing sent a sharp pain up my left leg, but caused me no lasting damage.

I quickly looked at the space from the new vantage point and stopped cold. This place looked very familiar. I sucked in a breath when I thought of that glimpse of Liam and I holding guns. If this space were darker, it could definitely be where that glimpse took place.

I looked around to make sure there was nothing else suspicious, then pushed a crate near the window underneath it. I lifted my bag over my head and rested in over the glass to protect myself from getting cut. I climbed up onto the crate and lifted my upper body out of the window. I reached my hand out to grab Liam’s and with his help, hauled him up and into the warehouse with me.

“You okay?” I asked, putting my bag back on.

“I’m good, you?” Liam responded, talking softly but still echoing through the space.

“I’m fine, let’s see if there’s another room or something.” I suggested, not convinced that this was it.

“It looks like the place from that glimpse, right?” I said and Liam nodded mutely.

“I’ll check over here.” Liam pointed left and I nodded. I drifted to the right side of the warehouse and looked around. I checked for doors, but there were only the front and back doors.

“Charlotte, over here!” Liam called and I jogged over to him.

“What is it?” I asked when I got closer. Liam was pushing a crate out of the way when I saw handle in the floor.

“There’s a basement.” I beamed at Liam, pleased that we uncovered something.

“Help me lift it.” Liam requested and together we tugged at the handle. It lifted somewhat easily with both of us helping, and we lifted it to land on the floor.

We both looked into the floor and couldn’t see much. There was the start of a staircase noticeably near the top, but after that, it was just a sea of darkness. I glanced at Liam and saw he didn’t look pleased at this either.

“I’ll go first.” Liam said, grabbing his phone out of his pocket and turning on the flashlight.

“Be my guest.” I said, “But, first, we should close the lid. In case someone comes.”

Liam nods and together we manage to close to lid. Liam pulls out his flashlight again and I follow him down the stairs.

The beam of Liam’s flashlight bounced around near the bottom of the stairs. When we got to the bottom, I ran my hand along the wall in search of a lightswitch. My fingers brushed the square knob and flicked it up. Harsh light flooded the room and Liam and I cringed in unison at the sudden change in brightness.

At the bottom of the stairs was a long hallway with a door at the opposite end as well as some before. Most of the door has noticeable locks attached to the handles, preventing us from getting inside those rooms.

“Where should we-”

A muffled clang of a door opening up above us makes me stop talking instantly. I asked Liam, “That was the door right?”