Adam slowly took another step up the dark staircase.
"Yissis, you're slow. Go faster," said Jake.
"Just stop it, okay? Why don't you go first?"
"No."
"Ya, Exactly."
"Whatever."
Peter ignored them and pointed his torch up the staircase to help illuminate it for Adam. He was beginning to shake from fear. He wanted to go home, but he knew that if he mentioned it Jake would no longer consider him his friend.
"This is so cool," he whispered, timidly. He could feel Jake staring at him in the corner of his eye. He knew that Jake approved of his bravery with a smile.
"Just be quiet," whispered Adam as he ascended the stairs, annoyed with Peter's fake bravery.
The darkness enveloped him as he reached the top of the staircase. He stopped to adjust his eyes to the dark.
"Why are we stopping?" whispered Jake.
"Because."
Adam turned to look past Jake and saw just how dark the staircase was. The only source of light was at the bottom of the staircase. It came from the street through the open front door.
"It's so dark," Adam whispered to himself.
Jake gave Adam a slight push, causing him to nearly fall onto the floor. He quickly regained his balance and turned to point his flashlight at Jake.
"Are you freaking crazy? I'll punch you in the mouth if you do that again!"
Jake laughed at him. "Don't be such a baby," he said as he moved past Adam with Peter in tow.
Adam wanted to punch him, but Jake's attitude towards him showed that he did not care. It was almost as if he knew Adam would not touch him. It took Adam by surprise. And it made him unsure of himself.
They all stood against the rail on the top balcony and surveyed the area with their torches. It did not smell as bad up here compared to downstairs. The top floor had three closed doors with one of the doors right by the top of the staircase, behind Adam, with one at the far end of the top floor and another one to the right of them.
Jake pointed at the door to the right of them and said to Adam, "Why don't you open it?"
"No. I won't."
"Just open the damn door. My battery is going to go flat soon."
"No!"
Jake huffed and walked towards the door with Peter.
"Open it," he said to Peter while he held his camera at the door.
Peter could barely get a grip on the door handle with his shaking hands.
"Open it!" he hissed at him.
The sound of liquid flowing made them hold their breaths to find out where it was coming from.
Peter started to sob as he looked down. Jake pointed the camera down to Peter's leg. Peter's scrawny legs were wet and so was his shorts.
"Oh, that's so gross!" said Jake, letting go of Peter as he stood back in disgust.
Peter started to sob out of embarrassment and fear. Adam came up to him and consoled him with a pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry, it's okay." Peter sobbed louder as he turned away from Jake's camera.
"You're sick, Jake. I'm no longer your friend," said Adam.
Jake giggled and said, "Yissis, you guys are all losers. I'll open the door myself."
He opened it and pointed his camera at the room. It was a small room and it was empty. There was one window in the room and it was slightly ajar.
Peter's sobs died down as he turned to look into the room.
"See?" said Jake, pointing at the window. "That's where the cat came in."
"But where's the cat now?" asked Adam.
"I dunno. Maybe it went back out?"
Jake could see that Adam was not satisfied with that answer. He didn't care.
"How about you go check that door?" said Jake, pointing to the door at the far end. "I'll keep Peter safe."
He walked up to Peter and patted his shoulder, unsympathetically. Peter shrugged his shoulder and moved a few steps away from him towards Adam. He kept close to the railing.
"No ways, I'm not going there," said Adam.
"C'mon, show me you're not a chicken. I opened up this door myself."
"I don't care. I don't care what you call me anymore!"
"Chicken! You're a chicken!"
"I'm not!" screamed Adam.
Jake stopped teasing him and smiled.
"See? Nobody heard you because nobody's here. And nobody cares about you," he said.
Adam turned around and pointed his torch at the closed door. He took in a deep breath and whispered to himself, "I'm not a chicken."
He walked up to the closed door and turned the handle. Nothing happened.
"It's locked," he said.
He turned around to point his torch at Jake. Adam had the fright of his life. He let out a ghastly scream of terror as he saw a dark, obscure figure standing behind Jake. It must have come from the room right behind them because its door was opened. Nobody had heard it being opened.
Peter saw it too and screamed as he stood frozen against the railing.