Awakening

As if I was opening my eyes from a deep sleep, I found myself in my bed staring up at the ceiling. Was it all just a strange dream ? For a few moments, I laid there composing myself. As I started to get up to an up right position, something fell on the floor from the bed. I peered over the edge of the bed and there was the key.

Getting out of bed to pick it up, I pondered...if this was a dream then where did this key come from ?
Looking around my room, I could not see anything that was strange or out of place. This was my own bedroom. Did I ever leave this room ? This was indeed a puzzle. I look at the bedside clock and it was 3:15 am. A dream that was not a dream ? Strange indeed. What do I do with this key ? Do I dare to go back to sleep ?

The secret key hole...

Running my hand over the wall, I could not find any opening or anything that resembled a key hole. Out of shear craziness, I placed the key on the panel. Suddenly their was a rumbling sound and the panel moved inwards. More panels began moving. I jumped back quickly as more and more panels began moving, some backwards, some forwards, some sideways. As if a giant puzzle box had been activated.

Suddenly I found my self falling as part of the floor gave way beneath me. Falling into the darkness
I hit a hidden surface and continued sliding down into the darkness on some sort of slope or slide. After what seemed like an eternity I crashed into a full stop onto a horizontal surface. Still in complete darkness, I groped my way to find  where I was. Nothing, simply emptiness. Great ! Now what have I gotten myself into now? I can't climb back the way I came as I don't even think I can find the slide now in the darkness. Which way to go now ?

The Wall

Do you want me to follow you little one?
What am I doing talking to a cricket ...!!? I must be crazy. Maybe not as crazy as being in this place..in this time. Why not ? Nothing else is making sense at the moment.

Following this little creature accross the room, to what seemed to be a panelled area of the wall. Small wodden panels adorned the wall about the size of a postcard. Smoothly poolished. The cricket seemed to settle at the bottom of the wall and cheerped loudly. What was he trying to tell me ? How does the key fit into all this ?

Trying to read the inscription again ..."The key u..ocks t.. .... ...uble the second bes... the fifth." The wordings seemed worn and it was difficult to make out the whole sentance.
Another riddle. I was feeling that this was going to be a long journey when suddenly a loud crash followed by a chilling shrill came from the corridor.

That shook me from my self pity and I re-focus on the issue at hand. How was this wall and the inscription on the key link together ? I look at the cricket and was in half a mind to ask it. Man I was going to be committed to a mad house if I survived this.

I thought what the hell...worse case I would just get another chirp. "Look you proably don't even understand what I'm saying but do you know how to use this key and where I need to put it ?"
For some strange reason, looking at this small creature, I felt that it understood what I was saying.
It looked at me for a what seemed like ages and then suddenly took off. Flying upwards, towards the middle of the wall, it rested on one of the panels. Almost like tapping the panel with its feet, it motioned with intensity. Looking at the panels, it seemed to have rested on the fourth panel from the ground and the sixth panel from the left. Four is double two which is the second so four should be double the second which should be the first half of the inscription. "bes....the fifth" That should be "beside the fifth". Six is beside the fifth ! "Oh you wonderful creature you ! " I bellowed.

But how do I use the key ? There were no key holes or anywhere to insert the key. I pressed the panel to no avail. How do I use this darn key ?

Click Click Click

A movement in between the books caught my eye. There it was...a cricket ! What was this creature doing ?
Why was it here ?

Questions streamed through my head. It seemed to be hovering around a particular book. I tried to make out the title. It was quite worn so the word were hard to read. I pulled the book out from the shelf. 
"DAWN" Could this be the clue which was written about earlier ? "the sun rises where the moon sleeps" ?
As I opened the book, a key dropped out on the floor with a loud clink. As I reached for the key, I noticed a faint writting on the key. Trying to read the inscription in the candlelight, the cricket flew and hit me on the chest again.
Was it trying to get my attention ? Can this be part of the clue ?

A message ?

Suddenly something flew and hit me square on the chest. I looked around but could not see what it was.  I heard a soft rattling sound. I tried to pinpoint where the sound was coming. It was very faint, but it seem to be coming from the book shelf. I grabbed the candle and move closer to the book shelf.  A rustling sound of sorts was coming from there.Where was it ? What was it ?

Looking up and down I still could not find it but I could hear it. Rustling amongst the books. Somewhere. Could this be the help I needed or just another weird apparition from this strange place ?

Any help out there ?

Looking around I could not see anything remotely looking like a sign or indication of where I should start. Who can help me...?

A dash of hope

Moving swiftly down the darken corridor, I suddenly saw a glimmer of light in the darkness. Hastily moving towards this very dim glimmer of hope, it glowed brighter as I moved closer. The sounds behind me seemed to have stopped but I was not taking any chances. Closer and closer to this sole glimmer of hope. What will I find there ? It has to be better then the darkeness I was in.

The light grew brighter and brighter. Finally I reached the door where the light was coming from. As I peaked around the corner, I saw what looked like another lounge with walls of book cases. The light came from a lone candle on a writing table. What was this candle doing here ? There was no one or nothing around. Who lit this candle ? What were they doing here ?

Slowly I gathered myself and entered the room. A splendid looking room which seemed to belong to a scholar of some sorts. There seemed to be a scroll on the table. I ventured nearer to take a look.

"I fear that the curse has taken its hold on the mansion. Unearthly creatures roam the grounds and it is only a matter of time that they enter the mansion. The only way to stop this lies within the secret room that grandfather spoke about. Tis my hope that I will be succesful in my quest else I will leave this in a hope someone else will be able to undertake this frightful task and finally rid this place of the curse. My first clue is the sun rises where the moon sleeps."

What can this all mean ? It would seem that whoever wrote this may not have succeeded. Looks like some how this burden was being passed to me. How did I get this responsibility ? Who decided ?

As I sat down to digest what this all meant, I heard another noise coming from where I had been. I better get my head straight and think of where to find this room for whatever that was making that noise is surely going to be heading down this way at any time. If I don't figure a way out of this...NO I need to find a way out of this.

Looking around, I thought, it must start from this room as the writer must have left on his search from here. What was that clue ? ".. the sun rises where the moon sleeps."  What in the world does that mean ?