KATHERINE

So I did it.

Taking a deep breath, I grasped the tassel in my hand and pulled the rope downward.

Track, track, track!

"Ah!" I let out a yelp and jumped back, startled, as an old wooden ladder dropped from the ceiling with a loud clatter.

A cloud of dust immediately engulfed the hallway, making me cough almost to the point of choking. I waved my hand in front of my face, trying to clear the air.

When I finally refocused, I saw the dark hole that had opened above.

It was unsettling, as