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The Third Staircase

Together, they stood at the top of a long, long set of stairs. Here, the ground of it was made of bent pipe and braided wire, but as it descended, they could see it become a staircase of wood, its risers lined with scuffed red carpet, the steps framed with an oiled dark balustrade on each side. It seemed to loom and sway.

It looked as if it went on forever.

Down, down through the void.

Behind them, it did not seem to go anywhere.

And Lore wondered if it was a trick. If they stepped off the back edge of the staircase, and into darkness, could they be free? Or would it kill them? Would it be like in a broken, buggy game, where to leave the map meant not being able to get back into it? Could they be trapped forever off the literal grid? That was somehow worse than just letting the house in, wasn’t it? Lore for so long had craved being alone, but that level of pure empty loneliness gave her a crushing sensation in her chest just thinking about it.

So, that meant the staircase.

That meant descent .

She looked over at Nick. His eyes were dim, half lidded. Parts of him twitched in myoclonic spasms. He swayed. The corners of his lips looked like inlets of froth, even bile. We have to move quickly .

“We have to go down,” she said.

Hamish and Owen nodded, even as Nick stared at nothing. Because what other choice did they have but another leap into the void?