The Box (The Temple of the Blind #1)

  Chapter 5

  On the following Monday, Albert arrived at class early, and was sitting at the table when Brandy walked in. She was wearing a small, purple dress, and he was surprised by how great it looked on her. Her slender legs were smooth and sexy, her figure lean, modest, pretty. She dropped her backpack on the table and sat down next to him, her knees neatly together, perfectly ladylike.

  “Hello,” she chimed with tired cheerfulness.

  “Hi. You look nice today.”

  “Thanks.” She smiled at him as she sat down, genuinely pleased by his compliment.

  “Special occasion or just wanted to dress nice?”

  “Just wanted to.”

  “That’s cool. If you know you’re pretty, show it.”

  She smiled at him again, this time with a shy sort of embarrassment. He had flattered her. The look made him blush a little.

  “You going to be ready for Friday’s test?” she asked, mercifully changing the subject.

  “I think so. How about you?”

  “Tests always make me nervous, but we’ll see.”

  “I’ve always liked tests. Usually means no homework.”

  “That’s true.”

  “I’m going into the tunnels.”

  Brandy looked at him so quickly that she nearly startled him. “What?”

  “I’m going. I’ve been thinking about it all weekend.” Obsessing over it was more like it. He hadn’t been able to stop wondering where the box came from and what it meant. He could not get it off his mind. He kept finding himself gazing toward his desk, toward the drawer where it was hidden away. “I have to know what’s down there and I have to know why that stuff was sent to us.”

  “Albert, I don’t know.”

  “I know. I’m just telling you because this belongs to you too. If you don’t want to come that’s fine, I understand, but I can’t go down there without at least letting you know I’m going. Give you the option.”

  “I’m not going.”

  “Okay.”

  “I really don’t think it’s a good idea.”

  “I know.”

  “It’s not safe.”

  “I’m going tonight. If you don’t see me again, you’ll know that for sure.”

  “Don’t say that. It’s scary.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  She shook her head. “Crazy.”

  “I know.”

  She began to remove her books from her backpack. “I mean I want to know what’s down there too, but Jesus.”

  “I’ll let you know tomorrow.”

  Brandy laughed. It was a short bark of a laugh, the sort of laugh that was akin to rolling ones eyes. “What is it with boys and adventures?”

  “Too many cartoons.”

  Again she laughed, this time more freely. “Yeah. I think so.”

  “If you decide you want to come along, that’s fine. I’ve got two flashlights. Otherwise, I’m fine solo too.”

  Brandy looked at him without speaking. Something stirred in her eyes, something he did not quite understand, but thought was a struggle. A part of her wanted to go, he could tell, she wasn’t really trying very hard to talk him out of it, after all, but it was only a small part of her. He hadn’t expected her to go, and why should she? Look at her. She was a beautiful young woman. He did not very well picture her crawling through dirty tunnels.

  “No pressure,” he promised.

  She said nothing more about the matter, and when class was over, she quickly gathered her things and left ahead of him.

  Albert was disappointed. It would have been nice to have her along. It would have been sort of like a date, although a terribly unromantic one. He stuffed his books into his backpack, taking his time, and started home.

  He’d done his best to invite Brandy on this adventure. He’d wanted her company, to spend some time alone with her. He had hoped that they would be able to get to know each other a little better. But it was also the right thing to do. He felt that whatever was down there belonged as much to her as to him, and he would not have wanted her to set off into the tunnels without him. And if she was right about the dangers, then at least someone would know where he’d gone if he didn’t make it back.

  Besides, he’d already known that she would likely refuse the offer. He’d already resigned himself to proceeding without her. This was why it came as such a surprise when he found Brandy waiting for him outside the main doors, a cigarette in one hand, the other clinging to the strap of her bag. Her hair whipped across her face in the breeze and she squinted against the bright sunlight. She didn’t look at him, but rather out at the sprawling campus around them.

  “I just know I’m going to regret this,” she said.