103 The Basement

Olivia looked at the tuna that was placed into the bowl. It was protein and honestly the baby needed it. She gulped back her saliva, pushed back the urge to throw up bile and started to eat.

Agni was completely bored and kicked the bowl across the room. Olivia heard her mutter under her breath "No fun." before she walked away. Olivia sighed a breath of relief. If this is how she could curb Agni's twisted personality she was willing to play until Agni got bored of tormenting her.

She quickly cleaned up the mess and made her way out of the kitchen. Once she was in the foyer she felt as if someone was watching her. She looked around but the whole house was covered in darkness. Olivia took a couple of steps forward and waited for her eyes to adjust. She looked around again and she still couldn't see anyone.

She gave up her search and ran towards the backyard. Once she was in the backyard she fumbled around in the dark trying to find the hose, she didn't want to turn the backyard light on just in case Agni was spying on her. She found the hose and started to fill up her basin.

As the water was slowly rising she ran towards her bedroom window. When she noticed the light was turned on she pushed her body against the wall and tried not to make a sound. She stretched her arm as far as it could go and grabbed the small bundle that laid on the ground.

She placed it against her chest and tried to move away from the spot as quietly as she could. She took one step with every second heart beat that pounded against her chest until she was back at the hose. She placed the bundle next to her belongings and started to scrub herself clean.

Her hands moved quickly as the night air was freezing and the water from the hose was just as cold. Soon enough she dumped out the water and packed up her stuff. As she was heading back towards the foyer when she heard the tinniest of whispers calling out her name. "Olivia!"

She turned towards the voice and smelt something delicious. "Over here quickly!" the voice urged her. She started to take cautious steps until she say who was calling her. "Laila?!" she questioned when suddenly a small hand covered her mouth. ""Shhhh! That witch just ransacked your room and just went upstairs." she whispered as loudly as she dared.

Olivia slowly removed the hand from her mouth and just quietly stared at the girl in her white, night gown. "Olivia... I'm so sorry for what you had to watch..." Laila started to say sorrowfully but Olivia made no effort to stop her. "If we didn't do it she would have attacked you more furiously and we... Eli couldn't bare it. So for now we are going along with what she wants." Laila whispered. She then tried to pass her a mug. "Warm milk." she muttered with embarrassment.

Olivia grabbed the mug out of Laila's hands and thanked her but she couldn't stop herself from sounding resentful. Laila sighed and wrapped herself in her arms. "I'm sorry this is happening but we don't have a choice, not with you under house arrest.... also... your going to see something shocking tomorrow but I swear it's an act. Just trust us util the end that is all I ask." Laila pleaded.

Olivia waited a few moments and finally agreed to Laila's request. Laila bent over and picked up another two mugs before she started to climb the stairs. Olivia watched her until she could no longer see her. She chugged back the milk and felt her whole body warm up.

She then walked into the kitchen and quietly washed her mug, put it away and grabbed a small parring knife before she went back into her room.

Her room was a disaster. The drawers of her dresser were pulled out, her small amount of clothes were tossed every where, the small end table was toppled over and the mattress was flipped. She thanked the stars for having the hindsight for hiding the phone outside but the mess also confirmed her suspicions that Agni was watching everyone's email accounts.

Olivia grabbed her PJ's from the mess and got dressed before she started to work on cleaning everything up. When she finishing putting the drawers back into the dresser she realized the dresser wasn't completely against the wall.

It was as if it was caught on something and Agni couldn't topple it over. She quickly cleaned the rest of the room so she had the extra space and tried to shimmy the dresser free but it was no use it would not budge.

She started to inspect the dresser more carefully and saw a fine line in the shape of a circle under the lip of the table top of the dresser. She had to push it inwards with her pink as any other finger was too big for the task and soon enough she heard a click.

Olivia tried to move the dresser again but this time the dresser moved side ways with very little effort. She looked towards the floor and could barely see the outline of a door. With shaky hands she moved to touch the outline and noticed a small opening. 'Maybe a key hole' she thought but she had no key.

Then she remembered she had the parring knife that she grabbed from the kitchen. She grabbed it hoping she could cut out a small whole in the bottom of her mattress to hide the phone but Agni thwarted that thought the moment she flipped her mattress. She plunged the knife into the whole and gave it a little jiggle but it didn't open.

Then the knife got stuck and in her frustration she pulled the knife out a little too hard. It flew upwards and landed behind the dresser. Olivia groaned and tried to pushed the dresser forward so she could reach it. That was when she saw it, tapped against the middle of the dressed was a tiny, flat winged key.

Olivia grabbed it as quickly as she could and rushed back to the key hole. She held her breath as she slowly inserted the key, instantly there was a small click and the door gently lifted open.

Olivia grabbed the edge of the door and looked downwards. There before her was a staircase that lead to somewhere dark. She rushed to grab Eli's phone and turned it back on so she could use the flashlight.

Once she could see where she was going she started to descend the stairs. She was surprised that the area was so clean and was thankful she didn't step into any spider's webs. She looked around and found a light switch. She turned the flashlight off and gasped. She couldn't believe her eyes!

It was a completely finished basement. She ran around looking at everything, it had a small kitchen, a stocked up fridge, a small bathroom with shower, shampoo, conditioner and soap. A small closet with a variety of clothing, some books, blankets, a sectional couch and a small coffee table with a white envelope on top of it.

Olivia walked up to the table and reached for the envelope. On it was her name written in fancy calligraphy. She opened the envelope, pulled out the letter and began to read. 'Dear Olivia, if you are reading this you have gotten my hint! I actually have a lot to tell you so it is probably best to turn the lights off in your room, place a dummy in your bed, come back make yourself something to eat and start reading again. I am not going anywhere so take your time. Oh there is also a lever by the stairs pull it and it will close the door and move the dresser back into place so you can be safe. It's magnets! Dad was so smart.'

Olivia put the letter back down and did what she was instructed. She rolled up some of her towels and made a makeshift body for the bed. She then turned off the lights and aligned the dresser with the door. She pressed the small button again and heard another click, she figured then quickly ran back down the stairs and pulled the lever. Then door silently closed with a click and she assumed the dresser was back in place as she saw a belt with what she assumed were magnets move along the ceiling.

She then turned and headed towards the shower, her body was still feeling cold and she thought she would take a nice warm shower then make food.

After wrapping her hair in a towel, put on a nice pair of flannel PJ's and had a bowl of cereal in hand, she made her way towards the plush sectional and picked up the letter again. With a mouth full of Fr*sted Fl*akes and strawberries, she chewed and continued reading.

'Settled? Ok good! If you haven't already found out that sorry excuse of a human being is going to make Eli marry Laila. There will be a meeting on XX day at XX time. Knowing them they will agree to it just to save you, please know that whatever happens between them it means nothing! Actually Laila has found someone who she has fallen in love with but is afraid of what people will think and worse she's afraid that trash will try to use him.'

Olivia's eyes bulged. She had no idea what was going on in her sisters lives and thought she was the only one suffering. She felt guilty for treating Laila coldly knowing it wasn't her fault. She gave herself a minute, rubbed her face and ate another spoonful of her food before she continued reading.

'Actually to be completely honest I found someone(s), maybe two I don't know, I am confused. I am sorting out my feelings but I wanted you to know I found, maybe even possibly love for myself, maybe, well whatever! Actually I have never written a letter to someone and I am finding this so freeing and fun so please do not mind my ramblings.' Olivia laughed to herself, she had no idea Loreley was so adorable and promised herself to be less self centered and try to understand them more.

'The three of us have made a pact to be on your side! Laila and Eli do not know about this room. Only dad and me. It's a funny story really, dad wanted to leave the house to you, me, Laila, Eli and his waterlily. But he felt that he wanted to stay close by, so surprise he refurbished this room in secret. He thought he would give everyone 'their space" and hide out here. Well I found out by accident and he made me swear to be silent. Oops cat's out of the bag.'

Olivia felt her eyes sting warning her that she was going to cry again. She tossed the letter onto the coffee table and looked up to the ceiling. "Damn hormones." she muttered to herself and waited till she was able to eat and read again.

'Well he also bought Laila and me our own place under the name of Suiren. Get it Suiren, waterlily, I swear! Just in case we couldn't handle being near the baby for long periods of time. Anyways the point I'm trying to tell you is that the three of us, Laila, Eli and myself we will bring that b*tch down before your house arrest is up so be patient. BUT in the off chance we can't, run down here there is an emergency bag just under the stairs. There is the special allen key to remove your anklet, food, clothes, phone, charger and cash for you to run away with, also another letter. We are hoping it does not come down to it but we love you and are willing to do anything to keep you and the baby safe!'

Olivia put the letter down and polished off her food before she walked over to the stair case. She pulled out the bag and unzipped it to find exactly what the letter had said. Clothes, canned food, about $10,000 in cash, a phone and two letters. She was confused as the letter said one and she flipped them over, the first was in Loreley's handwriting and the other was in Eli's. She was tempted to open them but instead shoved everything back into the bag and put it back to where it was.

She walked back to the couch and decided to wash her bowl before she continued reading. Something told her she was going to be up for a good chunk of the night and she needed some hot chocolate to keep her going.