(SE) Come out, come out, wherever you are

I R I S Hood drawn down to her nose, Iris entered the VlamVloed before dawn. Dark eyes sought out the patrons’ faces, searching their expressions for a hidden threat. Her instincts nagged her that this was a bad idea. She didn’t waste time and asked for her old room. Of course it was in use. A quick bribe later its tenant was to be evicted. Iris sat in the corner not drinking her beer, watching the stragglers that sat around the bar awaiting the morning light. Time was dragging out like stale caramel. Finally, the room was ready. First light streamed in through the window, spreading across the hardwood floors. The table screeched as she pulled it aside. She got on her knees and ran her fingers across the base of the paneling along the wall, searching for one that opened. She felt her heart beat against her chest. There it was. She grabbed the black woolen sack, undoing the string that tied it closed. It was all there. An assortment of gems twinkling like the Rainbow Road at the height of summer. Only then did she notice the layer of dust covering the floor. The room hadn't been used. She felt the walls tighten around her.