Ghost Stories to Tell in the Dark by Anthony Masters

Author:Anthony Masters
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2013-09-17T04:00:00+00:00

6

Tunnel Vision

‘I’m only going to take a look.’

‘You can’t go in there.’

‘I shan’t be long.’ Sam Johnson disappeared into the gap in the boarded-up railway tunnel, despite the fact that it bore a large notice saying DANGER – NO ENTRY.

Sam was unruly and over-inquisitive. Worse still, he was Andy’s project partner for the field trip.

‘Come out,’ Andy hissed, not wanting to alert Mr Brownlow. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that he was down the end of the abandoned platform, helping Fay Brown to draw the old railway station clock which had stopped many years ago at ten minutes past twelve.

Sam didn’t reply and Andy knew he would have to go in and get him, which was the last thing he wanted to do. Not only would he be exposing himself to danger but also to the past. The tunnel conjured up a terrible memory to Andy which was why he had been dreading coming on this school trip to Wenton Station.

He and his parents had discussed the day in some detail, but they had all decided that he should face up to being near the place where his Uncle Reg had died. His uncle had been found wandering outside with head injuries, after the roof of the tunnel had caved in during repair works which he was supervising. Several of the railway workers had been trapped and killed, and although Reg Fuller had died soon after from his injuries, there had been some nasty talk about his failure to make any attempt to save his workmates. The line had been closed shortly afterwards but this didn’t stop the accident seeming like yesterday to Andy.

Now, to make matters worse, Sam had gone inside the tunnel. Reluctantly, and checking that Mr Brownlow was looking the other way, Andy went in search of him.

Inside all was grey gloom, though thin shafts of sunlight penetrated the fallen roof here and there, picking out mounds of rock.

‘Sam!’

Andy’s voice echoed in the cathedral-like stillness as he stumbled over more debris. Ferns were growing along the sides of the tunnel, moss and lichen stained its walls and ivy trailed everywhere, binding fallen brickwork in a deadly embrace.

‘Sam!’

But there was only an answering giggle and a scurrying of feet. The idiot was playing cat and mouse with him. Didn’t he realize he would soon be in big trouble with Mr Brownlow, or rather they both would?

‘Don’t be such a fool,’ Andy snarled into the darkness. ‘Don’t you realize how dangerous this place is?’

He stood and listened to the silence and then heard the smothered giggle again. Didn’t Sam remember what had happened in here?

He tried to dismiss these thoughts and waited, looking around what was left of the high arched tunnel that had run through black rock for half a mile. Andy shivered. Pallid streaks of damp on the walls shone faintly in the occasional shaft of sunlight, and he could see fungi growing in a corner. Something scuttled nearby and he was sure the place was infested with rats.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.