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Previous chapters of the River Road story:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
How should the story continue? Voting is open on the current chapter!
Last time, the group decided to look for Mr. DeLorca’s pelican Shakuntala who had become nervous and flown off. Deciding to brave the creaking staircase that led from the old courthouse’s basement to the ground floor, everyone went—one by one—in search of Shakuntala. Sarah and Nancy were the last to go up. As the others climbed the stairs, the two girls kept an eye out for clues. As their turn to climb the winding staircase came, they noticed an envelope on the floor. The envelope was written on stationary from the Vista Falls Museum, and while they couldn’t make out both names on the front of the envelope, they could see that the last name read “Barrymore.” Suddenly, they heard someone moaning from the corner of the basement. Did they go upstairs or did they investigate the strange noise? Here’s what you decided.
Chapter 19:
Fainted Into a Corner
Before they could discuss anything else, they were interrupted by a low, moaning noise.
“What’s that?” Nancy asked nervously.
“Do you think it’s Shakuntala?” Sarah asked.
“It’s coming from the other side of the basement.” Nancy gulped.
From upstairs, they could hear the footsteps of their friends in search of the missing pelican.
“We should get up there.” Nancy said quickly.
“I want to see what’s making that noise over there.” Sarah shook her head.
“Mrs. Conn wouldn’t like us to be alone like this.” Nancy shivered.
“I know, but…” Sarah argued.
“But, nothing, Sarah.” Nancy shook her head.
Again, they heard the moaning—this time louder and more pained.
“Someone could be hurt over there.” Sarah said quickly. “Mrs. Conn also wouldn’t want us to leave someone who could need our help.”
Nancy sighed. “What would Mr. DeLorca do?”
“He’d eat a pie and then see who’s making that noise.” Sarah said firmly. “He’s a survivor.”
“True.” Nancy nodded. “Alright, let’s go look.”
“Take my hand.” Sarah said.
Nancy took Sarah’s hand. Together, they walked slowly toward the opposite corner of the basement of the old courthouse.
The moaning grew even louder.
“It sounds like a woman.” Sarah whispered softly.
“It does.” Nancy gulped. “Do you think it’s the Woman in Gray?”
“I don’t know.” Sarah shook her head. “I wish we had a flashlight.”
“Me, too.” Nancy squeezed Sarah’s hand.
As they got closer, they heard the moaning more clearly.
“Help me.” The voice rasped.
“It’s Miss Whiteside!” Sarah shouted.
“It is!” Nancy exclaimed.
They hurried to the dark corner and knelt down by a shadowed figure slumped in the darkness.
“Miss Whiteside!” Sarah helped the woman up.
“Help me.” Miss Whiteside moaned again.
“Oh, oh.” Nancy held Miss Whiteside’s arm. “Are you alright? What happened?”
Miss Whiteside rubbed her head.
“I…I…I don’t know.” Miss Whiteside answered, her voice trembling. “The last thing I know, I was with all of you and then, I ended up here. Where am I?”
“You’re in the basement of the old courthouse.” Nancy said gently.
“How…” Miss Whiteside moaned. “Oh, wait…I remember.”
“What?” Sarah asked.
“Someone hit me on the head.” Miss Whiteside answered, running her fingers through her hair.
“Who?” Sarah asked.
“It was Theodosia Westwick!” Miss Whiteside groaned.
“Theodosia Westwick has been dead for over one hundred years.” Nancy answered.
“Then, it was her ghost! The Woman in Gray!” Miss Whiteside became hysterical.
“We saw the Woman in Gray. Here. On the roof. She shouted to the crowd from the dome of this building.” Nancy replied as calmly as she could. “But, Miss Whiteside, she was no ghost. It was someone dressed up as a ghost.”
“Who would do such a thing?” Miss Whiteside asked, leaning against a wooden column as she tried to calm herself.
“That’s what we’re trying to figure out.” Nancy said.
“Do you remember anything about the person who hit you?” Sarah wondered.
“Let me think.” Miss Whiteside muttered.
At that very moment, they all heard footsteps!
They gasped.
“Sarah! Nancy!” A voice called out.
It was Uriah Trotter.
“We’re over here.” Sarah shouted.
“It’s Mr. Trotter.” Nancy said to Miss Whiteside. “He’ll help us.”
“What are you girls doing?” Uriah Trotter asked as he hurried toward them. “We all noticed you weren’t with us. Mrs. Conn was terribly worried. She sent me…” He paused when he saw Miss Whiteside.
“Bonnie!” Uriah shouted. “What’s happened?”
“She was hit on the head and dragged here.” Sarah explained. “The Woman in Gray did it.”
“I want to go home.” Miss Whiteside cried.
“We’ll get you home.” Mr. Trotter said soothingly. “Are you alright?”
“I will be.” Miss Whiteside said shakily.
“Mr. Trotter, shouldn’t we call someone?” Nancy asked.
“We should.” Uriah Trotter nodded. “I’ll call Chief Colbert.”
“No.” Bonnie Whiteside said quickly. “I don’t want the police involved. I’ll be fine.”
“But, you’ve been hurt.” Sarah argued.
“I’m all right.” Miss Whiteside stood up straight. “I just want to go home.”
“At the very least, I think you should stay with us.” Mr. Trotter shook his head. “The rest of us are upstairs looking for Mr. DeLorca’s pelican. Stay with us for awhile.”
“I still think we should call Chief Colbert.” Nancy sighed.
“Please, just help me get home.” Miss Whiteside said weakly.
What should they do?
Go to next chapter!
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