Underworld by M. L. Woolley Read Free Book Online Page B

we lock gazes. He tears his gaze away and
looks down at the stone floor.
“I see you have met Jeff”, Said Tom as he pats the
dog’s head.
    The stranger shifts his gaze to the girl who brought
me to the house. “Why don’t you show Ivy to her
room Emma”?
    There is something unnerving about the man but what
choice do I have but to follow the girl- Emma? The
place is eerily silent except for the echoes of our feet
on the floor and the clicking of the dog’s nails on the
stone floors.
Are these people dead? I don’t imagine that the dead
would make sounds as they walk and besides that I
had held the girl’s hand. She had felt real enough
when she led me through the mountain.
    The place appears to be empty. We pass an empty
dining room, a sitting room and a large library and
continue down the long corridor. Fear comes in
waves, down my neck and back, like stabbing pain.
Memories of the old house Jen had lived in come to
mind. The faces of the ghosts and demons I
encountered in there are clearly in my mind’s eye. I
glance periodically over my shoulder to see if there is
anything behind me but of course there is nothing.
    Perspiration dampens my neck despite the cold chill
in the place. The shadowy walls are constructed of
stone like the floor and give the impression of a
dungeon of sorts. The narrow corridor is closing in on
me and my heart is racing.
    I try to concentrate on the sound of my rubber soles
squelching on the floor to help calm myself. We
reach a large spiral staircase and began to walk up the
stairs. At the top is a comfortable looking sitting area
complete with sofas and arm chairs. A fire crackles
in the fireplace and the light radiates cheerful warmth.
We plod past the sitting room and about halfway
down another long passageway Emma stops in front
of a door. She pulls the door open, and walks inside,
gesturing for me to follow.
    Candles burn in the room and there is a cozy fire in
the fireplace. A large four poster bed sits in the far
corner and there is a window not far from the bed.
The window is large and dark red curtains hang down
either side to the floor. Next to the window is a desk
and comfortable looking oversize chair. There is a
tray of food on the desk and a steaming mug of hot
cocoa.
    I walk over to the window and look outside. It is not
yet dusk outside and I can see the iron fence I had
climbed over in the distance and far beyond that is the
sea. Then the door closes and I assumed Emma has
left.
“Are you hungry Ivy? Why don’t you try the
sandwiches”?
    Turning around I see a pleasant looking woman
standing by the bed. Her face is round and her eyes
dance with light. Spiral curls of red hair frame her
face and a shock of red curls wind down her back.
    She sits on the edge of the bed and gestures for me to
move to the leather chair next to the desk. She wears
blue jeans and a t-shirt which seems very out of place
in this house. I had expected something more
traditional and the modern way she looks throws me
for a loop. Any trepidation I may have about the
place has vanished. I have always been a good judge
of character and something in her eyes makes me feel
at ease. The woman, who I learn is called Lizzie,
talks for a short while and then takes leave so I can
eat and get some sleep.
It’s all I can do to not inhale the cocoa and
sandwiches that have been left for me. The bread
melts in my mouth and the cheese and meat are
among the finest I have ever tasted. There is even a
small piece of pie for desert but I can only take a few
bites.
    By the time I consume the meal and rich cocoa I am
feeling much better. My body aches from all the
miles I have walked and my mind is quickly fading.
My eyes are hardly able to stay open as I change into
the long shirt that has been left on the bed for me. As
soon as my head hits the pillow I am asleep.
    In a green ocean of pine trees and twisted branches it
seems impossible that light can penetrate the
darkness.