Chapter 12: Albert Miles

My brain hurt trying to process the things I’d learned. Derek had never mentioned his family or that he, by blood, had a claim to the building. He was always so in tune with it, it made sense but it was never something I’d considered.

I woke on the sofa that morning confused. I had no idea how to continue. The vine had grown almost the entire perimeter of the flat, carefully weaving between my furniture and appliances, it’s waxy exterior reflecting sunlight from the windows. It stopped at the bedroom door, not crossing the threshold to Jamie’s prison.

I bit the bullet and decided to call Terri. I hadn’t spoken to her since her and the kid’s visit a few days prior and I wanted to see if she remembered Derek ever talking about his brother or if she knew of any basement. Terri had grown up in the building, she was bound to have explored more thoroughly than Mr Prentice.