Chapter 3(The Dark Side)

Booker was walking down the stairs and the cries and moans became louder and louder. The more steps he walked down the larger his dread became, and the closer he got to what he was dreading to find. Booker could hardly see in the dark but could feel the fear crawling up his back, it felt like something was behind him but he didn't have the courage to turn around and face what may or may not be awaiting him.

He continued walking and the moans and cries became so loud it began to unsettle Booker even more, but something else horrible made it's presence clear. The smell, it was something Booker was unfamiliar with. The smell was horrid and smelt like a mix a blood and other terrible things.

Booker felt something rise violently from his body and began to vomit. He could not handle the smell it made him want to turn back. "I gotta....I just have to know whats down there," Booker thought to himself as he continued to descend down the wood stairs.

The step under him loudly squeaked and made Booker freeze. His body was as cold as ice but he was sweating at the same time. He arrived at a large rusted steel door and could hear that whatever the source of those noises are was right behind the door.

Booker prepared his mind for what he may find behind the door and gathered all of his resolve and slowly opened the door it groaned and seemed to scream at him to get away and to turn back, but booker continued pushing.

Booker pushed the door completely open and the smell hit him in a wave and the groans became clear. He took a second to empty out whatever was left in his stomach. The room was somewhat lit with lamps and Booker took a look around.

He saw blood stains on the wall and ground, devices that looked like they were built for torture, whips and sticks spread out across the room, and in the very corner he saw a large cell with a large group of... kids. Kids that varied from what looked like their late teens to about eight. They were malnourished and looked to be skin and bones. Booker counted and there seemed to be about twenty kids. Bookers stomach churned and he felt disgusted, like he was about to vomit again, but he didn't seem to have anything left in his stomach.

He walked over to the cage and could feel the eyes of all the children piercing into his soul. "Wh...Wh....What do you want are you here to beat and violate us as well?" the oldest looking kid spoke in a quiet voice. When Booker looked into her eyes he could tell there was no will to live left inside of her.

"N-N-No I heard something from upstairs. I'm working for a noblewomen attending a meeting here," Booker said while clearly distressed.

"I'm....gonna get you outta here," Booker said directly to the girl.

The meeting with all of the nobles was nearing an end. One of the nobles spoke in a somewhat urgent voice. "Miss Mire where did your aid run off to."

"I asked him to go get me something from my cart Mr. Francis," Lana responded. The noble was sweating he seemed clearly bugged by something. At that same time Booker walked back into the room. The noble seemed to relax his and he sat back in his chair and let out a sigh of relief.

"Ma'am can I speak to you quickly," Booker asked Lana. Lana could tell that Booker was very concerned about something. Lana nodded and the two stepped outside the room. "What is it," Lana inquired in a worried voice.

Booker explained to Lana what he found and how he took the group of children and hid them in the cart after explaining the situation to the driver. "I also believe that the four noble children are among them," Booker said still clearly shaken by what had just happened.

"Holy fuck," Lana whispered to herself. "Ok i'll take care of this. You made the right decision Booker," Lana said putting her hand on his shoulder. Both walked back into the room and Booker tried to hide the disgust on his face.

"So Mr. Francis it has come to my attention that my aid found the child torture room in your home," the room dropped to a dead silence and everyone set their eyes on the nobleman.

"Ha.... that's a funny joke you came up with Miss Lana but let's not give everyone here the wrong idea," the noblemen said.

"It's no joke you bastard we have all the children outside of the house and my aid suspects that the noble children who were missing are with them," Lana said almost yelling at the man.

The room was still dead silent and the man did not say anything. "Do you ave any proof of this accusation," Mr. Gough calmly said.

Lana looked at Booker and Booker nodded. Booker left the room and made his way to the cart. He asked one of the noble's children to come with him. The kid was reluctant at first scared to go back into the hell that he just climbed out of.

"It's okay i'll make sure you get back to your family. I promise, but I need you to come with me," Booker said in his most calm voice. The boy nodded and Booker led him to the room. As soon as they walked in the boy burst into tears and ran to one of nobles he cried in his mothers arms blubbering about how he missed her and that Mr. Francis took him away.

"You son of a bitch!" the kids mother screamed and she smashed her fist into his face. Booker thought he heard a crack. The others apprehended the man and held him on the ground while others started to pummel him.

"I'm going to enjoy having you executed," Gough said calmly but Booker could feel a small amount of acid in his words. The man started bawling his eyes out and begging for his life, but the other nobles just looked at him in disgust.

Soon a few men arrived wearing armor who looked like a guard and they took him and loaded him up into a cart being pulled by strange looking bird creatures, and started to be pulled away. The children were loaded up into a different to be returned to their families. A few ran up to Booker and thanked him saying they would never forget him. Booker felt good being praised but he wished he could have done something more for the children.

The noble children were given a separate cart and all of them thanked him as well. Sadly a lot of the kids seemed broken from the things they saw and what happened to them and would not even speak. Booker was told that the guards who investigated the room found at least twelve recently dead children and the bones of at least seven. Booker felt terrible that the kids were dead but knew they most likely died before he even arrived in this world.

Booker and Lana had a mostly silent ride home in the cart. "This is the first time Lana can't speak," Booker thought to himself and suddenly a thought crossed his head.

"I want you to be honest with me Lana. If those kids weren't nobles would that man be being punished right now?" Booker asked hoping for a answer that he knew he probably would not get.

"No I doubt he would. He would lose face but not his status and wouldn't get more then a slap on the wrist, but I would make sure that bastard got the worst slap on the wrist possible," Lana said. Her face was red and Booker could tell she was getting heated.

They arrived back at the mansion and spent most of the night trying to forget what had happened, or at the very least suppress what they were feeling. As the night came booker was heading to his room.

"Goodnight and good work today," Lana said as she passed him in the hall. Booker shut himself is his room and started to break down and cry. His mind couldn't take anymore he saw things he could never forget and would be burned in his mind forever. He felt pathetic for crying considering the kids went through much worse things then he did, but even so he cried he cried like a child until he eventually fell into deep sleep.

Booker woke up in the morning. He stood up and got into his uniform with his usual blue bowtie. Booker realized this world was just as twisted as the one he came from and that he would have to do his best just like he did before to live in this dark world. Booker stood up and walked out the door preparing for a day of life in this new world.