Chapter Thirty One: (Expectations)

Chapter: 31 (Broken Expectations.)

 

            Within a few moments, we were able to see well enough to walk without stumbling into each other. The light at the end of the tunnel wavered and danced before us like a dancing maiden.

            I kept my ears alert for any sound that could possibly escape from the room ahead. The only sound we heard was the sound of the wind whistling through the tunnel. I shivered and wrapped my arms around my body as we silently marched on. It amazed me how one moment I could be sweating and unable to breathe and the next be shivering in wet clothes that weighed down my body.

            I never signed up for this. I never wanted to be born into a world of danger and war. I never wanted to lose my family and my home. Despite my self brooding, I smiled a bit then. As I walked along, I smiled because I knew this would all be over very soon.

            “Stop right here.” Nicholas whispered to us as we reached the entrance to the cavernous room above. From where we stood, the room was at a right angle around a corner.

            “Let me see if anyone is there before we decide to waltz right in.” He said quickly as he held his arm out to stop the group’s procession. As we all came to a stop he slowly turned around and grabbed a hold of the corner while peering into the room. We all held our breaths. After what seemed like forever, he turned, brought his arm up beside him and waved for us to follow him.

             He was the image of a perfect Warrior. Strong and serious, tactically planning each step. No one would ever doubt a move as long as he led the pack.

            As we entered the room, I was surprised at the amount of assorted items strewn about the room. There were candelabras littered everywhere with short stubs of candles glowing on each spike, the wax melting into long dripping threads before hardening into fragile spears. Tables were stuffed against the walls and covered with years upon year’s worth up dust. There were a few chairs in a pile in one corner and a few old solidly build chest neatly laid out along one wall. One the far left of the room were two hallways that seemed to branch away from eachother.

             As we walked inside, we passed a few tables where old thin sheets covered the contents that were on them. I would have thought that this room had been abandoned years ago if it weren’t for the candles that lit the entire room.

            “I don’t remember this stuff being here.” Nicholas spoke as he looked around. “The last time I was here this room was used for smoking cigarettes and drinking a few beers that we were able to talk the locals into buying for us.” He drew a line through the dust on one of the tables.

            “We sat on a few big rocks and made a fire.” He said as he eyed all of the furniture a bit apprehensively.

            I looked over at Jackson and Addison a bit worried. Where were mom and Dad? Where did all of this stuff come from?  Surely, they didn’t bring all of this stuff here. They were only hiding out for a few days till we could all leave together.

             I walked over to the nearest chest beside me and sat down. None of this was making any sense anymore.

            “Where are they?” I asked. My voice was a bit high pitched and sounded very close to what my mother would have classified as a whine.

            “I don’t know” Nicholas spoke softly, “But someone hasn’t been gone for very long.” He said as he held up a soda can. “Look, it is still cold.”

            “Good, maybe they can hear us.” I said excitedly as I jumped off of the chest. I opened my mouth as wide as I could to prepare to shout but Addison spoke up and the tone of his voice chilled me to the bones.

            “Guys come here.” He said as he looked over at us. He was standing by one of the tables that had a sheet thrown over it. He had the corner lifted up and he was peering at the contents underneath.

            “You have got to see this.” He whispered as we drew near. He stepped away and leaned back against the table to the left.

            “What is it?” I asked as Jackson gingerly picked up the edge of the sheet and threw it off of the table. For a moment I didn’t know what I was looking at. The table top itself was clean with a chrome finish. You could see the reflections of the candles dancing on its surface.

            What had made Addison turn so white with fear or revulsion one were the instruments that rest on top of the table. There were small blades that reminded me of surgical scalpels. There were spikes and nails that were laid out beside leather straps that’s were stained a dark brown with soaked in blood.

            “What were those used for?” Addison asked from behind us. No one ventured to answer him.

            Jackson slowly reached out and grabbed one of the leather cufflinks and inspected it closely before setting it back down in its original place. His fingers came back sticky and deep red. He inspected his fingers for a long moment before looking up at us.

            “It’s still wet.” He said dumbfounded as if in shock. His eyes were wide and the whites stood out in stark contrast to his tan skin.

            My attention was torn from Jackson’s ghostly face as I heard Addison shriek behind me. I whipped around to see Addison in a struggle with what seemed like to be the sheet on the table that he had previously been leaning on.

            The white material bulged and shook as Addison scrambled to get away. There was something under the sheet and it wanted out. He Jumped off of the edge of the table and sprang forward towards Jackson, Nicholas and I who stood almost motionless in shock. In Jackson’s haste to quickly get away from the tangled web of dancing sheets he pulled them off of the table with him, causing him to momentarily twirl around in a circle to dislodge them from around his body.

            If I hadn’t of been so terrified I would have had to laugh at the look on his face as he stood there huffing breathlessly with his eyes about to bulge out of his head.

            “Blessed Nalaheim, what is that?” I heard Nicholas gasp beside me. I turned to see him staring at the table that Addison had just been at war with. I didn’t have time to cover my mouth before a scream ripped through my throat and echoed through the maze of tunnels and passageways deep within the mine, miles below the earth.