As Duncan and Bella entered the house, the coldness of the night seemed to become more unbearable as if to signify that they are not welcomed in the house.Duncan had to use his free hand to rub his cheeks as he shivered from the coldness that permeated the house. Even Bella who seemed unaffected before by the coldness that drowned the mid section, quivered slightly as she continued to walk across what seemed to be a spacious hallway which was filled with dust and the furniture was worn and on a verge of breaking down.
The house seemed to have been unattended to for years judging by the accumulation of spider webs and the thick layer of dust.
Bella stopped at the center of the spacious hallway and looked around. "It seems we don't have to worry about the members of the household."
Duncan nodded. "If there was anyone living in the house, they would have already come down by now. We still have to worry about the neighbors."
"I think it is best you wait for me here as I go up to check if there is anything worth to pocket."
Duncan looked surprised. "Why? You know that I can act as an extra set of hands for you in case you need one."
"As good as the promise of having an extra set of hands is, it does not outweigh its demerits."
Duncan blinked a couple of times."Demerits?"
Bella nodded. "If I encounter any problem up there, I can probably run away. But you Danny not only have a weak body but a disability we have to consider. Chances of you escaping whatever trouble you find yourself in is slim to none. It is best that you stay near the door if trouble comes knocking."
Duncan tilted his head. "Wouldn't that increase the chances of me bumping into whoever may be rushing towards the house right now, after all the commotion was really loud."
Bella chuckled. "That is where the fact that you are blind comes in."
Duncan gazed at Bella in doubt, at least appeared to look into Bella's direction with such an expression. "My blindness?"
Bella tensed slightly when she felt Duncan's unfocused grey eyes wash over her. This time she neither reprimanded Duncan nor reacted excessively as she tried to get used to the feeling. She was starting to understand that this was a habit that is deeply etched into Duncan's mind. It will probably take him along time to be able to get rid of it, if he ever wanted to that is. So she is more or less stuck with it and thus she should probably start making it to start getting used to.
She nodded. "The fact that you are blind gives you an alibi that dissociates you with a thief. If you play your cards just right, you may have to only answer the question of what you are doing in the mid section. I am pretty sure that you can come up with something to ward off such a question."
Bella patted Duncan's shoulder. "You may be on the bench for this adventure but at least you will live to see a new one."
A sigh left Duncan's lips. "Fine. If you encounter something that you cannot deal with just scream and I will come storming in there whether I am blind or not."
"Wow that is so heroic and lovely of you." Bella smiled. "I should probably get going."
With that Bella let go of Duncan's and made her way towards the staircase that led to the upper floors.
An overwhelming silence enveloped Duncan's after Bella's footsteps disappeared into nothingness. Duncan rubbed his hands together in a fatal attempt to keep himself warm.
Duncan threw a glance at his back.
That should be where the door of the house stands. I should be able to reach it in a short while if anything goes wro–
CRACK!
Duncan's legs almost bulked under the weight of his body when he heard the sound of something breaking.
Cold sweat poured across Duncan's face regardless of the coldness of the night. "Who is there?"
Duncan was sure that Bella was not the source of the sound. Despite being faint he could still make out that the sound came below him instead of above him.
Duncan took a deep and shaky breath.
It most probably came from the basement.
With a trembling hand he grasped tightly his loyal wooden stick.
Should I wait for Bella or should I investigate by myself?
The childish part his was telling him to explore while the adult part of him was telling that he should wait for Bella. In the end the childish part of him won the round.
Duncan tried to console himself.
If things go sideways, I will scream.
Duncan let out a nervous chuckle. Just a moment he was bragging about flying to the rescue if Bella encountered any trouble. With shaky steps and the wooden stick as a guide, Duncan walked around the spacious hallway in search of the entrance of the asement.
It took him less time than he expected to find the door that led to the basement. As he stood in front of the closed door, Duncan took a deep breath of the cold air. He had no idea what awaited him beyond the door and thus he had to prepare his mind as best as possible.
As he opened the door, a faint smell of something being burnt assaulted his nose. With it was a barely tolerable wave of dust, Duncan had to wave his free hand to disperse the heavy dust that permeated the air. He coughed a couple of times to get rid of the dust he inhaled.
Duncan used the wooden stick to get the feel of the staircase that led downward into the basement. As he took his first step on the staircase, the stair beneath him suddenly gave way and made him fall unceremoniously to the bottom of the staircase.
As Duncan laid facing upward with an aching body, a thought flashed in his mind.
I am already regretting this.