HetaOni: Time Marches On - CH. 18 China...

"This is it," China said stepping into the large room that lay beyond the wall. The room had the same flooring and walls as the last one, but also contained a long table and fireplace. The fireplace was centered on the wall to the right of the door. The table: in the center of the room.

The table was long extending the room, but other than that there wasn't much to the room. "Well let's take a look around, see if we can't find something useful," Canada suggested as he started to walk around the rather empty room.

China and Russia looked as well, although it seemed pretty fruitless a search, as the room was so empty. "But there must be something," Canada thought, "A crack in the wallpaper? A hidden door? Something." He walked over to the empty fireplace. Its gold embossed frame looked old and worn. Although even so it still had no dust or signs antiquity that this place so lacked.

Among the ashes a glint of metal caught his eye. Of course it was strange that it caught his eye at all since the ashtray was metal as well. He dug out the small object, wiping off the ashes. A key found its way into his hands. "Ah!" Canada reacted with surprise.

"Did you find something?" China asked coming over to see for himself.

"Its a key," Canada answered holding it out for China, and now Russia to see. "...Do we have anywhere left we needed a key for?"

"...Just the front door," China answered.

"You think it could be-" Canada was interrupted as a phone began to ring loudly.

"Sorry," Russia responded, "Its my sister again. I'll be right back." He left out the door.

"Wai-" Canada tried to stop him but was too late, "nngh."

"What's wrong?" China asked Canada.

"Tell me I'm not the only one who's noticed," Canada said worriedly, "Its not his sister he talks to on the phone."

"What do you mean? Who else would it be?" China responded confused.

"I... don't know. But no one outside has apparently been able to reach him... and I overheard a somewhat disturbing conversation earlier," Canada remarked, trying to think it through. The whole situation had him very concerned. Although he tried to hope it was really nothing. Perhaps he was just tired. They were all tired. And it was beginning to mess with their heads.

"What do you mean by 'disturbing'?" China asked, having noticed Russia's strange behavior earlier, he wanted to know how serious the matter was.

"I don't know... it was-" Canada stopped mid-sentence as Russia walked back into the room.

"Am I interrupting something?" Russia asked, with an "I-know-what-you're-up-to" expression glued to his face... directed of course at Canada who froze in terror.

"No, not at all. We were waiting for you to get back so we could check this key on the front door," China reminded them, "Can we go now?!"

"Mmmnn... Not just yet. I wanted to share what I found before my sister called da?" Russia informed them. He walked along the side of the table nearest the door until he was about halfway. Then his hand slid under the edge and pressed a button.

There was a heavy click as several floorboards on the other side of the table moved aside, revealing a hidden staircase. With excitement the others rushed over to the hole in the floor. It was dark, almost pitch black, and they couldn't see the end of the staircase. "Another passage?!" China exclaimed.

"Where do you think it leads?" Canada asked curiously.

"Hmm. No idea. But let's find out, da?" Russia persuaded.

"But we just found a key aru. Shouldn't we see if we've found an escape first? We might not even need to explore this new area," China reminded them.

"But even if it does work. We still have to wait for Spain and Romano, and England and the others. We might as well at least check it out while we're here," Canada suggested.

"Da... Does anyone have a light?" Russia asked peering into the dark hole before them.

They both shook their heads. "Nyet? Then I'll go first da?" Russia smiled, stepping into the opening and down the long narrow staircase. The shadows almost seemed to swallow him as he descended. The others followed close behind.

The darkness consumed them almost instantly. Slipping over their unaware heads. The air was suffocating, and the stench... hauntingly familiar. They could look up the way they came and see light, but all around them was nothing but an all consuming darkness. Russia was the first to reach the bottom. Soon followed by Canada, and then China. "Shouldn't there be a light switch somewhere around here?" Russia asked feeling along the wall for a switch. His hands brushing against something sticky on the wall, before finally landing on the switch. "Oh. Here it is," He said flipping on the light.

Lights flickered on, dimly lighting the room. A gigantic clock stood stark and ominous against the relatively small room. The room was maybe only 6 square feet wide, but at least ten feet high to accommodate the clocks massive size. More disturbing yet... blood was smeared all along the walls and clock, still sticky to the touch. As if, like everything else in this place, it had been frozen in time, never to dry. The clock ticked steadily on.

"Ah!" Canada exclaimed as he jumped from the sight.

"... This is," Russia began.

"The clock that Italy talked about," China confirmed with all certainty, "The one that has the power to reverse time." But why was it here? Where they had previously been unable to reach. And why now? When its user was in a coma like state.

"It is curious how it is here da?" Russia commented admiring the frightfully stunning grandfather clock.

"... Umm. I hate to interrupt. But it appears we have company," Canada announced, noticing the approaching shadows on the stairs. Within moments the monster came into sight.

"Right. Let's make this quick, and get back to the others," China said, bringing out his Wok.

THE FOLLOWING CAN BE READ IN ANY ORDER:

- Russia, China, Canada

- England, America, France

- Italy

AFTER ALL OF THE ABOVE: Safe room