Vault of Glass, page 3
August hadn’t made it to class yet, so she strolled to the instrument closet, grabbed her cello case, and settled into her chair. As she struggled to pull out the instrument, a blond head passed through the door right as the bell rang. Perrie’s chest tightened and she attempted to push the feeling away, but it stood its ground.
She opted to distract herself and focus on messing with her cello, checking to make sure everything was in tune to ignore the butterflies fluttering about inside her stomach. August took his seat next to hers, raking a hand through his hair, and the nervousness subsided.
Perrie’s emotions around him were unpredictable, especially when she was trying so hard to fight them. August drew his cello out of its case—the instrument was far more refined compared to hers, not a single scratch or scuff mark on its smooth body.
“What’s up with that guy?” He nodded in the direction of the teacher.
Right off the bat, Perrie knew exactly what he was talking about as she focused on the substitute again. How had she not noticed before? The guy looked like he just strolled out of the 1920s, wearing a suit that had to be authentic from the era. His dark brown hair was slicked back, glistening under the light, and far too perfectly shaped around his head.
“I feel like he’s going to whip out one of those old bowler hats.” She laughed a bit too loud. The substitute examined them and she tried to cover her mouth to muffle her laughter. His eyes narrowed in her direction. Perrie played it off and went back to tuning her cello, still smiling.
Despite her efforts, she couldn’t manage to tune it. Even though she could usually get it right away with a tuner.
“Here, let me see what’s going on with it.” August took the instrument from her, his fingers softly brushing hers. Perrie’s cheeks warmed, and she felt like a pubescent teen.
Attempting to tune a cello without a tuner never worked for her. She couldn’t ever get the sound right by ear like some people could.
August, however, was a master at this. He plucked at the strings carefully, and she watched how he closed his eyes, noting the focus on his face as he listened to each vibration. Her lips parted in awe as she studied his ease.
He twisted the peg and plucked the string again, releasing a perfectly tuned note that was pure bliss. The sound of it struck her soul in a way only music could. He held the cello out for Perrie to take, pulling her out of her trance.
“There,” he said with a smirk.
Perrie took the instrument and cradled it like a newborn baby. “Thank you. You’re a god!” she said dramatically, bowing her head in praise of his abilities. August rolled his eyes and chuckled it off.
After what had happened with Neven, Maisie and August had been everything. Perrie liked to think they’d become the Three Musketeers of Deer Park High School. Not the classical musketeers either, but the perfect blend of chocolate and fluffy nougat wrapped up in a flashy wrapper.
For the rest of class, they bickered about musical notes and best horror movies. As soon as the bell rang, Perrie packed everything up and Maisie sauntered into the classroom. The three of them made their way out to the large, empty parking lot, where August’s car appeared to be missing.
She whirled to August and frowned. “Where’s your car?”
“I woke up with a flat tire this morning.” He rubbed his eyes and sighed loudly. “Didn’t feel like working on it until after school today. My parents had already left for work, so I walked to school instead.”
Maisie straightened, seeming prepared to save the day. “We can give you a ride home!”
“It’s all right. It’s not that far of a walk.” He shrugged nonchalantly.
“Anyway, August—you’re coming with us.” Perrie rolled her eyes, grabbed his arm, and pulled him with her. He put up absolutely no resistance as they piled into Maisie’s car and took off. August only lived a couple of minutes out of the way from their destination.
Maisie took a turn down Oak Street, which Perrie had always found ironic. The street was lined on both sides with tall trees, each one reaching their crooked branches toward the other as if longing for their touch. For a town called Deer Park, Perrie had seen more trees on a street corner than actual deer. Not one single deer, to be exact.
Out of nowhere, Maisie slammed on the brakes and Perrie’s chest struck hard against the seat belt. Then she smashed back into the seat just as hard. Are my organs still intact? It was the only thing she could think about in that moment. Seriously, they felt like they were bleeding profusely.
“What the hell?” August and Perrie said at the same time. Maisie didn’t reply—she was staring across the street to the left.
“Look!” she exclaimed.
Perrie followed Maisie’s pointed finger and stilled. Across from them stood an enormous gray stone building, unbelievably tall, and its walls lined with huge rocks along the base. Among the rocks, it appeared there were absolutely no windows of any kind. A curving archway framed an entrance with one of the tallest wooden doors she’d ever seen. Creepily unusual.
“Impossible,” Perrie breathed.
“This has never been here before.” August’s jaw hung open.
He was right. He was beyond right. There was no way in hell this place was magically built overnight. Even if it were possible, the building was obviously old, at least over a hundred years old.
“Maybe we never really noticed it before.” Maisie unbuckled herself and opened the car door, completely taken by the sight of the building.
Perrie’s eyes widened, and she threw her hands up, waving them like a lunatic. “Never noticed it before? This giant stone mansion?”
“Perrie has a point, Maisie.” August continued to examine the building with his brows up his forehead.
With hesitation, Perrie stepped out of the car, August following behind her. They walked around to stand near Maisie, completely speechless as they prolonged their staring marathon at the place. It really was an unusual structure to be sitting in the middle of her town. How had it not drawn major attention from the locals?
“We should investigate!” Maisie moved before either of them could protest.
“Just a quick look,” Perrie said, her interest piqued. She fell into step beside Maisie, and her fingers itched with curiosity.
Perrie walked to the door at a leisurely pace, as if she had all night to see what was going on. They inched closer to the arched doorway, where overgrown grass met a block of cement, and two things popped into her line of sight. First, a golden plaque on the door with words on it written in an elegant, yet outdated black script.
Quinsey Wolfe’s Glass Vault
Maisie tilted her head to the side, seeming skeptical of the plaque. “Not sure what a glass vault is.”
Perrie motioned at a sign to the right of the door, then shifted closer to see what was written on it.
The illustrious Quinsey Wolfe presents a wonder of the world, a true sight to behold in his infamous glass museum. A forewarning to onlookers and wanderers—beware of your imagination and curiosity. This is not for the faint of heart.
“Not for the faint of heart?” August repeated the line. “Pretty cliché for my taste, but okay.”
“I’d have to agree,” Perrie said with a quirked eyebrow.
Maisie pushed Perrie to the side so she could get a better look. She lifted her eye patch to rest on her forehead and examined it more thoroughly. “I like the sound of that.”
She would.
August reached for the doorknob and jiggled it. “It’s locked.”
“Oh, look.” Maisie tapped a paper sign just below the description. “It also says opening soon and that they’re hiring. I can message this Quinsey Wolfe guy at this email address.”
Maisie unzipped her purse and pulled out a small notepad and pencil. Of course she carried around a pencil and small notepad. How could she not? She always had an idea or something brewing that she needed to write down, so she or Perrie didn’t forget.
“What’s with the notebook?” August asked.
Maisie studied the sign while writing. “Because you never know when you’re going to need one.”
“You aren’t really going to apply, are you?” August pressed his shoulder against the door, his arms crossed over his chest.
Maisie brought her eye patch back over her eye. “Heck yes, I am! I’ve been looking for a job I would like, but nothing holds my interest. This place sounds awesome.”
“Right,” Perrie drawled. “So, this place just grows out of the ground overnight? I like strange, but I don’t know about this. I say we get the hell out of here.”
“Although,” August started, “now that I’m looking around, there are a lot of trees that have been cut down. Maybe it’s just been hidden all this time?” He stepped in front of them and inspected the ground further.
It was true, obviously there were trees here before and had since been cleared out. Perrie still found it odd that they wouldn’t have noticed some old, historical-looking mansion when they’d gone down this street before.
“So, it’s settled. I’m going to email this Quinsey Wolfe as soon as I get home!” Maisie bounced in place.
“You do that.” Perrie rolled her eyes. She was going to search for a job soon, but this place didn’t look like her cup of tea. It did seem to be Maisie’s though.
Unease lingered in her chest as they headed back to the car. Perrie glanced back one more time at the aged mansion. The hairs of her arm stood on end as the building seemed to be watching them in return.
Only silence filled the car for the rest of the ride to August’s place. When Maisie pulled up in front of his house, he reached around the passenger seat and gave Perrie a hug.
She held onto him longer than necessary as he said, “I hope the rest of your birthday is spectacular, doll face.”
After he released her and stepped out of the car, Perrie grasped the necklace at the base of her throat and thoughts of the odd museum vanished from her mind.
Chapter 4
“Are you ready for your birthday dinner?” Maisie asked, turning onto their street.
“My monster is,” Perrie said as she patted her stomach.
Every year Perrie’s aunt made her a birthday dinner, and it was no small feast. Leftovers would last for almost an entire week—it was more than a two-person household could handle.
“You better get to the red velvet cake before I scarf that entire thing down.” Maisie chuckled. She would do it too.
Once Maisie parked in the driveway, Perrie dropped her school things off at her house, then headed back to Maisie’s through the freshly cut grass.
Maisie was already somewhere inside her house—most likely eyeballing the cake.
Practically leaping over the steps, Perrie burst inside. Her dad, still wearing his chemical plant uniform, stood by the table with a soda in his hand, obviously surprised by her dramatic entrance. He always took off a little early from work on her birthday so he could make it for this occasion. It almost brought a tear to her eye that he, along with her aunt and uncle, put in so much effort for her. But Perrie’s main concern at the moment was the food.
“Hey, sweetie.” Her dad walked over to her and gave her shoulders a squeeze, then kissed the top of her head as if she was still his little girl. “Happy birthday. How does it feel to officially be an adult?”
Pulling back from the hug, she laughed. “I feel the same as yesterday.”
“Don’t worry, you have the rest of your life to feel like an adult and trust me, you younger people have it made.”
“Okay, Dad, you’re talking like you’re seventy. Adulting is fine.”
“Fine?” Aunt Krista shook her head and waved her hand dismissively. “Not once you get the bills every month.”
Since her mom had left, Perrie had wished so hard to have a mom like Krista. She treated her like another daughter, and even though she was great, it wasn’t the same.
“You guys ready to cut the cake?” Her dad must’ve sensed Maisie pining for it.
“Finally!” Maisie sighed dramatically.
“Maisie, please.” Aunt Krista glared.
“Yes, Mom?” she asked sweetly.
“Manners?”
“Oh, just give the girl some cake already,” Uncle Jaron interrupted, his dark eyes settling on the dessert. “Actually, give me some cake.”
Aunt Krista swept her long hair over her shoulder and lit the candles on the cake. Everyone then joined in to sing Happy Birthday. Awkwardness washed over Perrie, but it always did when the focus was on her. As soon as the song ended, the feeling left and she grabbed a plate.
Her aunt really outdid herself with the birthday party this year. Any kind of dip Perrie could imagine rested on the table. Aunt Krista knew her so well. Perrie could literally drink the cheese dip and eat the guacamole alone. Every counter and table showcased sandwiches, cupcakes, cookies, cake, and chips. Anyone who saw it would think the food was for a party of fifty instead of the five of them.
As Perrie bit into a cupcake, Uncle Jaron mentioned their summer plans. They would be going to visit Maisie’s grandparents in Turkey for their annual trip. She almost wished she could go, but Maisie said it really wasn’t that exciting. Perrie’s dad agreed to watch the house while they were away, which really meant she’d be the one checking in and doing the chores.
“Hopefully the police will get a solid lead while you’re gone,” her dad said. All talk of summer vacation was out the window as the conversation took a darker turn. Perrie guessed they were on to disappearing people now. “It just has me worried that no one has turned up.” He sighed. She knew what he was more worried about, what he didn’t know how to say out loud. Me. He was worried about her. He wouldn’t know what to do if she disappeared too.
Aunt Krista placed a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry, James. They’ll find the person responsible.”
I hope they do, too.
Uncle Jaron nodded in agreement. Aunt Krista was the practical thinker in the family, and Uncle Jaron usually followed her lead. She knew just what to say at the right moment to comfort anyone, but her dad’s shoulders remained stiff, his smile gone.
Her dad peered down at his watch. “I think it’s time for us to head home.”
Perrie helped Aunt Krista pack up the leftovers and gave everyone a hug before leaving. She and her dad moseyed on back to their house to hang out in front of the TV for a little while. He flipped on the news first thing and watched the screen flicker absently with stories about animals dressed like chickens and a woman arrested in a shopping center for “public indecency.”
Biting her lip, Perrie could tell he wasn’t all there.
“You all right, Dad?” she asked, dragging the blanket closer to her chest.
“Yeah.” His gaze was vacant, still worrying about the missing cases.
Perrie decided not to tell him about her run-in with Neven, August’s gift, or the strange mansion on the way home. When he was in this mood, everything stayed a one-word answer. So after about an hour, Perrie kissed him on the cheek and headed down the hall to start on her homework.
Luckily, she didn’t have much to do since she finished her math homework in class. All she had left was a paper for English, which she finished in less than an hour. While she waited on her slow ass printer, she checked her email.
Nothing too special ever popped up in her inbox, mostly junk mail. She had a wretched habit of subscribing to pointless websites when they offered discounts on free shipping. Eventually she would unsubscribe from some of them, but for now she started deleting the emails. Except for the one that was a few dollars off admission to the horror film festival next month.
As she scanned the rest, her stomach sank as her gaze settled on a familiar name. Neven. She debated whether or not she should read or delete it, but curiosity always won with her.
Hey Perrie,
I just wanted to tell you that today made me realize just how much I miss you. We’ve been together on your birthday for the last three years. Could we at least start talking again?
Love Always,
Nev
“What a douche,” she muttered, reading it again. Okay, maybe he isn’t being a douche at the moment, but he still is one. She held the cursor over the delete button, but then an impulse made her change her mind and decide to give him a quick reply.
Neven,
I’ll think about it.
Perrie
Short and simple. Perrie hit send and signed out of her email. Shuffling to her dresser, she reached for the clasp of her necklace from August. She took it off and left it to sit neatly on top of her dresser.
Her thoughts rotated back and forth from Neven’s email to August’s gift, and how she’d lost one friend but gained another.
Perrie had been about two months into her senior year. She didn’t want to go to school the next day, but she forced herself to anyway. Her goal that day was to continue to avoid Neven like the Black Plague. Fear and anxiety had taken over her limbs, though, and it felt like they were going to fall off at any point.
Once her first class was over, she'd been fine the rest of the day ... for the most part. Well, not fine, she just told herself she was going to get through her classes. She was like a stone statue, cold and unfeeling, and that was all she’d wanted to be.
That same day she decided to stay late after Orchestra to practice and to escape, while being alone with music. Perrie remembered walking to the instrument closet to grab a music stand, then becoming frustrated. She couldn’t find the stand she’d wanted, the one she always used, and suddenly it all felt like too much. It seemed stupid now, but her mind was a jumbled mess back then and her heart ached.
Perrie’s legs collapsed and she’d curled into herself. That was when the tears came. It was the first time she’d cried about Neven. She cried like never before. When her mom left, back when she loved her, she didn’t cry as hard then as she did that day in the music room. Everything about that day, that time, that place, overwhelmed Perrie from the second she stepped into her first class that morning.
