the velvet curtain (3)

Tonight, he felt particularly drawn to a door he’d never noticed before. It was hidden in a dark corner, its wood heavy and old, the kind of door that looked like it hadn’t been opened in years. A strange, dusty sign above it read, "Private: Do Not Enter.

"Elliot hesitated for a moment, but his hand moved as if on its own, turning the tarnished brass knob. The door creaked open, revealing a staircase that led downward into shadows.

With no rehearsals scheduled for the next morning and an inexplicable tug pulling him forward, Elliot stepped inside. At the bottom of the staircase was a vast room unlike anything he had expected.