House Of Secrets

She stared at the open gap in the wall where the bookshelf was. She looked around flabbergast and then her eyes landed on the statue she had grabbed on as she had tripped over a wrinkle in the rug. The head now set back instead of straight. She slowly reached and pulled it forward and the shelf covered the gap. She pushed it back and she stood there and just laughed in shock. She looked at the gap again and went looked around the inside before she decided to step in.

She always wanted to be a detective. This was definitely something she needed to investigate for the sake of her entertainment. Her mother always spent time in the library. That was the very reason she came into the library and ended up discovering the secret tunnel. As she stepped in the tunnel the bookcase slowly closed behind leaving her in the dark.

"No turning back now I guess." She chuckled nervously and it echoed back. She grabs her phone from her pocket and turned the flashlight on. There was a flight of stairs going down. She started down them and she hated how it echoed making it much more creepy. Every step echoed and it was getting colder the deeper she went. at the end of the spiraling stairs, she sees a door with lights shining from the cracks of the door. She knocked on the door.

"Hello?" Her voice echoed. "Anyone in there?" She slowly creaked the door opened revealing a doctor bed. "What the hell?" She whispered. It wasn't exactly doctor bed, more of what are the plastic surgery beds called. Anyways one of those. There was a table set next to it. It had a scalpel, needles, scissors, and a suction machine among various other surgery tools. She walks around and sees a counter with a sink and filling thing they use to shape a jaw or chin? She begins to look in cupboards and drawers. She finds a list of criminal names and cast it aside. She looked in the sink and gagged. There maybe flesh, but for sure lots of blood that smelt metallic.

She noticed a stack of yellow folders and picked one up from the top. She opened it and was shocked to see a very famous criminal face. On the next page, there was the face of a completely different person unless...

"My mother is changing criminal faces? No that isn't it!" She quickly grabbed another folder and saw the face of another criminal. He wasn't a big one according to the record here. He was a thief. He paid almost $5,000 for his new face?!

"That's right darling, Rose. We change the faces of criminals so that no one recognizes them. Now you are about to join our family business." She turns to see her mother sitting in a seat with her older brother and her father. This is why they hadn't wanted her to be a detective.

"Are you Insane? This is the family business? This is crazy. No not crazy dangerous. What do you think I am? I'm am the opposite of this! Oh god, is this why you wouldn't let me be a detective?" Her mother sighed.

"Calm down Rose!" Rose cackled.

"Calm down? You want me to calm down, Mother!? My family is running an illegal business and it has to do with changing dangerous criminal faces!" She puts her hand to her forehead. Calm down she says! "Please do explain to me!"

"It just happened Sis and it's providing a crapload of money!" Her brother said.

"Is that all you care about Ralph? Money? You are helping criminals! Do you know how jail time you could serve for doing this kind of business? Up to 60 years maybe more!"

"Which is why its a secret and no one tells right, Rosie?" Her Father said in his warm fatherly voice. She loved the voice until now.

"Look you can do this, of course, I won't say anything but I am not joining! This is crazy. I don't want any part of it!"

"But its family business Kitten."

"Family business or not it is illegal and I'm not joining. Besides, you have Ralph. You can survive without me. I wouldn't be a great addition anyways."

"We still want to do this as a family. Unless you want your little sister to join instead." Her mother said with a cunning smile.

Rose's little sister was her weakness she cared about her very much. Rose swallowed hard and looked at her mother with seething hatred. Her mother and she had never been close anyways. Rose had always been a Daddy's Girl.

"Alright, I'll do it as long as Lilly never gets involved. Ever." She looked at my mother and father as they exchange glances.

"It's done." Her mother claps her hands and gets up from her seat.

"Wait for a second mother." Rose held her hand out to her. "Shake on it."

"Pff, I-I said we wouldn't get Lilly involved."

"Shake on on it." She says with a demanding tone. "And your other hand where I can see it."

"This is ridiculous I would never break a promise-"

"Then that means you will have no problem shaking on it." Her mother sighs hold her left hand up and shook Rose's hand.

"Of course I won't start until tomorrow. So good afternoon." Rose walks out the door and walks up the stairs as slow as she could. She had to get Lilly out of here. Her 12-year-old sister could not be involved in this. When she begins to reach the top she ran. She stepped around and a stone sunk into the ground and the bookshelf slide open. She ran to her sister's room and shook Lilly awake.

"Lilly you need to listen to me very carefully and do not miss a word I say." Rose quickly tells her plan to her young sister who was now terrified. Rose quickly helps her pack clothes and gives Lilly a package of money. Lots of it.

"Remember when they come for me you need to run. Don't stop for anyone until you get on that train. Not even Papa, or Ralph. Understand?" Her sister nodded her head shakily and hugged Rose tight.

"I love you, Rose." A tear falls down Rose's face.

"I love you too Lilly. I will come to you I promise." She pulls away and goes into her room it was late. She begins to pack her suitcase like she is going to leave.

"Where are you going to Sis?"

"Oh, Ralph. I'm actually going to Regina's house." I said casually as I fold a shirt and place it in. I look from the corner of my eye Lilly sneaking down the hall with her suitcase.

"Did you ask Papa or mother?"

"Well, usually they just let me so i thought there was no need." I remained my back to him. I listen very closely and hear the door shut quietly. She made it. Lilly made it. Suddenly there was a white cloth over my nose and mouth and I could smell a disgusting medical smell and my eyes began to droop and all I could think was Lilly was gone and safe. This family or family business couldn't hurt her anymore.