Mother of Crows by David Rodriguez & Justin Robinsons

Author:David Rodriguez & Justin Robinsons [Rodriguez, David & Robinsons, Justin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Th3rd World Studios
Published: 2018-01-23T07:00:00+00:00

38

Into the Dark

The wall moved away in a section which turned aside to reveal a stone tunnel. The dim light of the basement revealed a sconce holding a torch-a torch, Abby's mind babbled-on the wall.

"What is this?" she asked.

"A secret passage."

"I know! But what's it doing in my house?"

Nate turned. His glasses threw skeletal shadows over his face. "Only one way to find out."

He reached into his pocket and removed a small but powerful flashlight. He clicked it on, sending the beam down the passageway. It dripped with moisture. Some sort of fuzzy mold grew along the brick that lined the walls. Just like the mold on the dollhouse, Abby thought. The passage was throat-like, and Abby could swear the dim, windy sound traveling through it had distinct inhales and exhales.

Nate began to walk down the passageway, lighting his way with the flashlight. Abby hesitated, and then jogged to catch up with him. She stuck close to him. They walked for a long time, so long that Abby supposed they might be beneath the small hills out beyond the Thorndike property.

The passage was not perfectly straight. It wound back and forth just enough so that neither side was visible from the other. They passed more sconces. The bricks above them were stained with soot, and every ten feet or so, wooden supports rose from the floor to bolster the tunnel.

Finally, light appeared ahead. Nate clicked off the flashlight. The dank air started to dry out, though it was just as cold as ever. The exit appeared as a postage-stamp-sized square on the horizon. As they got closer, Abby could see the trees of the Arkham forest and hear the comforting sounds of reality, where houses didn't have strange secret passages.

They paused at the lip, and Abby saw that the exit of the tunnel was partly concealed by rocks and a thicket. Nate looked back into the darkness.

"How far do you think we walked?" Abby asked him.

"I don't know. A mile? Maybe more?" He turned and scanned the ground, smiling again. "There's a trail here."

"Why is that good?"

"There were no real trails behind your house. This one's way too big for a game trail, and everything's been pounded flat."

"So?"

"You could walk around here if you were wearing high heels and an evening gown."

"You're not serious."

"This is what I was looking for, and I've found it."

Abby felt her equilibrium slipping away. "Why does my mother use a secret passage?"

Nate recognized her stress. "I'm sorry, Abby. It's probably nothing. I mean, the Daughters of Arkham are a secret society, like the Masons or the Elks or whatever. A secret passage doesn't necessarily mean anything illegal is happening."

He knew he didn't sound convincing, and so he stopped trying to explain away the situation. Instead, he followed the path. The forest was thick here, but the path was strangely clear. Golden light filtered in through the trees. Abby had the strange but unmistakable feeling that she was not welcome here. She wondered if Nate felt the same way, but the closeness of the air strangled the question in her throat.

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