Previous chapters of the Vista Falls story:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

How should the story continue? Voting is open on the current chapter!

After finding a frightening painting in the back hallway of the museum, Mr. Dinello, Mr. Jaquith and the teens were eager to hide it before Sam and Jenny Colbert could see it. The painting was a grotesque image of Sam and Jenny dressed as a groom and bride surrounded by hideous faces. Mr. Dinello insisted that the Colberts shouldn’t see the painting and let the discovery ruin their wedding reception. While they were searching for a place to hide the painting, the picture was moved from the hallway. The only evidence was two sets of footprints which had tracked through white paint. The footprints led into the wedding reception, up the back stairs to the museum’s galleries which had been closed for remodeling and to the service elevator. Where did our mystery solving friends go? Here’s what you decided.

Chapter 5: Lift Rift
By Joseph Crisalli

Mr. Dinello and the others followed the tracks. “Not just one woman—two. These are two different sets of footprints.”

“Yes.” Mr. Jaquith said. “But, look, they split up. One set of prints goes back into the reception hall. They other set goes upstairs.” Mr. Jaquith pointed to a dimly lit staircase. “That must be the back staircase to one of the galleries.”

“Wait a minute!” Mr. Dinello said. “I was talking with Mrs. DeLorca earlier. I asked if I could explore the museum during the party. She said normally she’d let me, but that the west gallery was being repainted and that she had closed the upstairs galleries for awhile.”

“So, whoever did this has been upstairs? Is that where they walked through paint?” Rick asked.

“Could be, but I don’t see any paint tracks coming down the stairs—these are facing the direction of feet going UP the stairs.” Mr. Dinello said.

“Maybe they took the service elevator.” Kate pointed.

“Good thinking, Kate.” Mr. Jaquith nodded. He wheeled his chair over to the elevator. “Yes, there are tracks here, too.”

“Looks like we have three different places to look.” Mr. Dinello said. “Where to start?”
“We need to go to the source.” Ward said.

“I agree.” Vera nodded.

“If the west gallery upstairs is being painted, we should go there. Obviously the people that did this started there.” Lucy agreed.

“And ended up there since the footprints lead upstairs.” TJ added.

“We should take the elevator.” Delia said thoughtfully. “That way, Mr. Jaquith can come with us, too.”

“Thank you, Delia.” Mr. Jaquith smiled, rolling his wheelchair to the elevator and pushing the button.

“Are we ready?” Mr. Dinello asked.

“I think so.” Rick took a deep breath.

“Will we all fit?” Vera asked. Vera didn’t like being in enclosed spaces. The idea of being in a crowded elevator made her feel a little nervous.

The elevator doors opened.

“We’ll all fit.” Mr. Dinello nodded. “This is a service elevator. They use it to carry the large paintings and sculptures to the upper galleries. So, as you can see, it’s very large and roomy.”

“Good,” Vera smiled, getting into the elevator. She was followed by Rick, Ward, Delia, TJ, Kate and finally Mr. Jaquith in his wheelchair.

Mr. Dinello pressed the button for the floor above.

Delia squinted at the control panel. “There are four buttons.”

“The basement, the ground floor and the two upper floors.” Mr. Dinello nodded.

“I didn’t know there was a third floor.” Delia said.

“It’s storage space.” Mr. Dinello explained. “The public isn’t admitted there. That’s why there isn’t a button for that floor in the main elevators.”

“Oh.” Delia nodded.

“It’s a slow elevator.” Vera said nervously. “Do you hear it making a noise? It’s making a noise, isn’t it?”

“Nothing unusual.” Mr. Dinello said gently.

However, as he said it, the elevator lurched, setting everyone off balance. Mr. Jaquith’s chair rolled forward a bit.

Then, the elevator stopped.

“Why aren’t the doors opening?” Vera asked, fear rising in her voice.

“We’re between floors.” Mr. Dinello said calmly.

“We’re stuck?” Vera shouted. “You mean we’re trapped in here?”

“No, no.” Mr. Dinello remained calm.

“Yes! We are!” Vera began to panic.

“Don’t worry.” Mr. Jaquith responded quickly. “There’s an emergency button. It’ll sound an alarm—a bell. Someone will come to let us out.” He pushed the button which rang weakly.

“No one will hear that in the reception hall!” Vera shrieked. “Not over the band.”

Lucy took her twin sister’s hand and held it. “Vera, it’ll be okay. I promise.”

“No, no it won’t!” Vera said, beginning to sweat. “Get me out of here!”

TJ looked around the elevator, his eyes stopping at the ceiling. “There’s a trapdoor. Maybe if Ward boosts me up, I can get up there and try to force open the door on the floor above. We could crawl out that way.”

“What about Mr. Jaquith?” Kate asked. “We can’t get his chair through there.”

“Everyone, please, stay calm.” Mr. Dinello said.

“How could we?” Vera snapped. “I feel like I can’t breathe!”

“What should we do, Jeff?” Mr. Jaquith asked as the alarm bell continued to ring.

What should they do?

Wait for someone to come help them?
Bang on the doors and scream?
Try to boost TJ up through the trap door?

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