untitled P5

A Story by JMumford

Jacob returned home to find his father reciting scriptures under candle light. Jacob tries not to disturb him sneaking past, stepping on the right floor boards, like a secret code of silence. Undetected he continued down the dark hallways. There was a door his father had forbid him to enter… Maybe the answer is there? But before he could try his father called out “Jacob is that you? “Jacob had two choices, make his presence known or hide. He knew if he didn’t hide he’d never find what he was searching for. Quickly shuffling down the corridor he slipped onto an old bookcase. Something began to happen. He’d found a secret passage through the bookcase. Instinctively he hid there until he heard his father return to his reciting. How had he not found this before? The tunnel seemed to go on forever, dark and dingy with the smell of damp lingering in the air. There was so many doorways he didn’t know where to go first. He couldn’t search this alone… he needed verity’s help. As he went to leave out of the bookcase he heard voices coming from outside, familiar voices. “Father Johns, have you seen Jacob?” Verity? What was she doing here? “No my dear, I thought he’d be with you, maybe he’s working at the lake? I must take leave now… please excuse me Verity.” Jacob returned from the mystery tunnels to the house as they left. “Verity! … Ver…it…ty!” Out of breath and stumbling about. “Secret tunnel…so big…need…your…help.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Slow down!” Had they found what they’d been looking for?

“I have to show you… too much to explain!” A rather puzzled Verity willingly followed. All of this seemed too much too quickly for Verity to grasp. She couldn’t explain what was happening or why. It was unclear to her but she knew it must all be connected. “Where did my father go Vee?” “I’m not sure but I think he’s gone to do a funeral service?”

Death wasn’t a public display around here; everybody would know about it but it would be unspoken of. It was the minister’s responsibility to conduct the service and lead the soul of the dead into their next stage of the afterlife, whatever that may be. It was believed that when the body was being cremated it would glow white showing their soul was pure. But if the flames were red their soul set for damnation. In fact, it was simple chemistry and undeniable trickery from the Elders to use as scaremongery to the townspeople. Keeping them ‘good’ and ‘obedient’.

“We must hurry; my father will return soon.” As he pulled back the book, the tunnels appeared in front of them. The utter shock on Vee’s face. “Where does it go?”

“That’s what we are about to find out!”