“Gracious! Do take care, my dear. Curiosity kills the cat, you know.” Uncle Harold muttered swishing his hands through the cloud.
I turned back, wondering for whom his warning was intended, but he was absorbed in the task of shooing Persephone off his desk.
We exited Uncle Harold’s office quietly and Ren pulled the heavy door shut behind us. Instead of turning left to trace our previous footsteps, he turned right and marched confidently down the dismal hallway toward the interior of the building.
“Where are you going?” I argued.
“Shhh!” He murmured, holding a finger to his lips then motioned urgently for me to follow him.
I scampered after him shaking my head. When we reached the end of the musty narrow hall, without explanation, Ren began descending a winding stairwell.
“Don’t worry, I know my way around here.” Ren whispered.
As we descended into the bowels of the building, an uneasy feeling swept through me. The air grew dank and thick with the scent of mildew. Pinpricks of sweat stung my exposed skin. The stairwell ended in a dark, moist landing. Grime lined the edges of the floor. The sound of dripping water seeped from the murky corners. A rotting door appeared to be the only option for pursuing the route further.
Assessing the distressed door, I stomped my foot in defiance. “Forget it, Ren. It’s dark and smelly down here. Let’s just go back out the way we came.” My voice assumed a pleading edge.
Ren turned to me alarmed. “Eliza, I just want to show you something. I’ve been here countless times before. Come on, this is going to be fun.” A tempting smile lit his face. He reached for my hand pulling me toward the door.
Before I could protest further, he swung the door open revealing a vast glowing chamber beyond. Intrigued, I followed him across the threshold. We stepped onto a platform before a rushing onyx river. Ornate brick mosaics climbed the walls to a high domed ceiling. Across the river, intricate sconces revealed passage to three watery tunnels. Gas lanterns burned bright high on the walls casting frenetic ghosts on the water.
“Where are we?” I asked in amazement.
“Incredible, isn’t it?” He said with satisfied grin.
“This is the River Fleet.” His eyes turned toward the dark rush before our feet.
I considered the river before me curiously. “That’s weird. When does it pop up, you know, above ground?”
Ren’s eyes twinkled in the flickering light. “It doesn’t.”
“Well, where does it lead then?” I asked confused.
“Into the Thames…eventually. There are loads of secret rivers like this one that run under London. The Fleet is probably the largest. Long ago, this river was so filthy it was like an open sewer running through town. The Victorian solution to the problem was to bury the river in these tunnels and forget about it.” Ren’s eyes scanned the chamber as he spoke.
“Well, the tunnels are certainly pretty considering they weren’t intended to be seen by anyone.” I shrugged.
“Strange, isn’t it?” Ren remarked. “Uncle Harold keeps a boat down here, at least, he used to. I know a way to get out to the open water. We can literally sail home! What do you think?” He asked expectantly.
I surveyed the black water nervously.
“The current may look swift but actually the tide is going out and it’s really not very deep.” He assured me.
“Tide?” I asked.
“It’s a tidal river. During high tide it can fill some of these chambers but it’s low now, completely safe.” He said confidently.
Ren sped along the narrow brick path at the water’s edge toward one of the dark tunnels.
I scampered behind him, shivering in the damp air. “As long as it’s not too far, I guess it would be ok.” I conceded.
Ren stopped and turned to me. “Eliza, Uncle Harold has taken me along this route a dozen times. Don’t worry.” He said dismissively.
“Ok, ok. Yeah, this will be fun. Let’s go.” I agreed.
“The boat is tethered by the opening of that tunnel. Come on.” Ren gestured for me to follow and picked up the pace.
The slippery brick ledge was shadowed between the lanterns. I edged along it carefully, wincing at the periodic sound of skittering feet. Glancing back, my fears were confirmed at the sight of a rat racing along the wall. Reaching the mouth of the tunnel, a dank frigid breeze whipped our faces. A tiny weathered boat bobbed in the current, anchored by a worn rope to a rusty pole.
“When was the last time you rode in this boat?” I asked warily.
“Uncle Harold uses it all the time. It’s old, but safe.” He assured me while reeling the craft to the ledge.
A set of oars and two frayed cushions rested neatly in the hull.
“Jump in.” He instructed.
I surveyed the murky water one last time before carefully lowering myself into the vessel. The boat swayed from side to side as I struggled to remain calm and settle on the seat cushion.
“Careful now, if you fall in, I might not be able to catch you until you reach the Thames.” Ren laughed mischievously.
“And when does the fun start?” I asked in a saccharine tone.
Ren gave the little boat a shove, then leapt off the ledge landing gracefully on his seat. In one swift motion he grasped the oars and plunged them into the water. With agile maneuvering he steered us into the current. The swift water swept us through the dark portal. Rushing water echoed loudly against the tunnel walls. Waves slapped the sides of the boat sending a spray into the air and dampening our faces and clothes. The lanterns were scantily spaced in the tunnel, leaving wide stretches of dark travel.
After several minutes of raucous sailing, we entered a large bright chamber and the current slowed. The large chamber stretched out before us with no end in sight. As the water grew calm, my racing heart slowed and I studied the rich brick mosaics along the walls.
“Eliza, look up.” Ren pointed to the high ceiling.
Glancing above, I marveled at what looked like a round stained glass window. Weak light from high above filtered through the panes.
“Stained glass? Down here?” I asked.
“That’s one of the interesting things about this place. There aren’t many explanations for it.” Ren responded with a shrug.
We continued for some time in the large airy chamber, which began to feel like a ride through a museum.
“The channel curves down here shortly and then we’ll hit the Thames. Just a few more minutes.” Ren labored with the oars once again.
Nearing the bend in the channel, the boat rocked violently bumping against the ledge. The current picked up speed. Looking ahead, the water flowed into another smaller, very dark tunnel. I glanced behind me, taking in a last glimpse of the mysteriously beautiful cavern.
As we rounded the bend of the tunnel the boat unexpectedly lurched forward into the dark. Amidst the din of rushing water I heard Ren yelp. One of the oars crashed loudly overboard splashing into the black water.
“Eliza, get down!” Ren shouted.
The dark of the tunnel closed in on us. In a panic, I slumped from my seat to the floor of the boat and strained to keep Ren in sight.
“What’s wrong?” I shouted over the maddening echo.
“I don’t know. Something ripped the oar away from me! This doesn’t look like the tunnel I thought we needed to take.” He said sounding panicked as he peered over each side of the boat.
With every moment that passed, we were losing more of the weak light that filtered in through the tunnel opening. Soon, we would be lost to the dark. The boat continued to rock, dip and dive recklessly as the water coursed roughly below carrying us deeper into the foreign passageway. The blackness encased us. Like a fog, the air felt heavier and suffocating. Blood pounded in my ears.
Then a noise penetrated through the din, an icy hiss that slithered around my neck and into my ear.
“Eliza…”
My spine stiffened and my hands shot to my neck frantic
ally searching for the talisman. The small soft bag rested against my chest. Panic seized me.
“It’s here.” A whisper, leaked between my lips.
It was so dark I could barely detect Ren’s shape across the boat but he was most certainly still there. If I could see Ren, then I wasn’t being sucked into the Shadow’s realm as I had at the concert with Pete… Yet, if the creatures of my nightmares were here, what did that mean?
A loud crash came from the side of the boat. Ren screeched in frustration.
“The bastard took the other oar!”
He slumped to the floor of the boat and inched toward me. I reached out, instinctively searching for his hand. Streams of electricity pulled him to me. Grasping his hand, we leaned toward each other.
“Ren, it’s here. It’s the Shadow.” I whispered again.
“What?!” He said alarmed.
An explosion of blue green light burst from the water, illuminating the slick walls of the tunnel. In those brief seconds of light, I saw streaks of red swirling in the water near our boat. They were rising. A chorus of voices sang through the dark.
“Eliza… join us...”
I shivered uncontrollably as the voices grew louder followed by a stream of sickening laughter.
“Ren… What are we going to do?” I asked frantically, my fingers digging into his palms.
Irregular flashes of light, like lightning, burst from below splattering the tunnel walls with an eerie glow. With every flash the red streaks in the water multiplied. Soon they would overpower us.
The boat slowed and swayed dangerously, tossing us from side to side. Tears streamed down my face. My fingers clutched the talisman around my neck in vain. The spell that protected me was only suitable against Shadows. What lay in the watery depths beneath us were most certainly not Shadows.
The taunting chant grew louder, becoming a deafening screech. Laughter pounded against the tunnel walls.
Suddenly an angry roar erupted from Ren. His hands hot, he released me and a ball of fire appeared in the space between his hands. He cradled the brilliant orb in his palms, then tossed it into the air. It hovered obediently, smoldering above our heads.
With a growl, another fireball sprang up in his hands. He tossed it into the water directly at the streaks of red rising to the surface. The fireball splashed against the surface of the water and exploded into a million little flames like a grenade. The red streaks sank deeper into the water in retreat. But the shrieks intensified wailing in response to the assault.
The flashes of light from below came faster and bounced around the tunnel walls like a strobe light. From a far corner, I saw the water part as one of the creatures rose above it.
“That is not good.” Ren groaned with horror.
The woman’s long red hair swirled around her like red snakes and her bright amber eyes glowed. She hovered above the water until suddenly a pair of scaly wings sprang out behind her, their skin stretched tight and filmy like a bat’s.
“Oh no!” I uttered in terror as I realized what was happening.
The woman’s wings flapped sending a breeze of wet air crashing into us. Within moments she would be on top of us.
Ren’s eyes glowed wild with anger and determination. “That’s it. Let’s go, Eliza!” He shouted, sparks shooting off his tongue.
He stood steady and commandingly in the hull of the tipsy boat. Anger gleamed in his eyes transforming him into a warrior.
“How?” I yelled into the deafening shrieks.
“Tell the water to take us. If you can get us moving, I can take care of her.” He shouted.
With the seconds we had left, he reached for me again and his hands nearly burned my skin. The energy coursing from him was so intense it shook my body.
“Eliza, you can do this.” He said encouragingly.
Warmed by the borrowed confidence, I quickly hunkered down into the hull of the boat and clenched my eyes shut. I struggled to control the panic in my chest and block out the screeching and the wind whipping around me to focus on the water.
Snap. Something coiled around my neck. I choked. My eyes flew open but all I could see were wings fluttering around me.
There was a burst of fire and a scream so loud I thought my ears would bleed. The noose around my neck unraveled. I fell back into the hull of the boat gasping for air.
“Eliza! Are you alright?” Ren’s hands roved frantically over my neck, lifting me up.
“I’m ok!” I said quickly crouching back down against the bottom of the boat.
If we were ever going to escape the tunnel, I had to concentrate. I determinedly turned inward, focusing on the water, and clamped my hands over my ears blocking out the din. I imagined the black current flowing faster and faster below the boat, racing to a place out of the wretched tunnel, beneath the stars.
Within moments the tiny boat began to move, coursing swiftly forward through the water. Feeling the wind against my cheeks and the movement below the boat, I dared not open my eyes for fear of losing concentration. My hands slipped from my ears and pressed against the bottom of the boat steadying me against the movement.
Another splash and furious shrieks from below told me Ren was working hard to beat off our attackers. I lost myself in concentration, becoming one with the water. Willing our rescue. With my body tense and eyes firmly shut, an unknown amount of time passed before the sound of battle faded.
The light behind my eyelids softened.
“Eliza, open your eyes. We’re free.” Ren’s voice sounded distant.
My senses awoke as if from a coma and my body shook with chill. When I opened my eyes, I nearly collapsed with relief to see stars above and grand homes lining the river. Porch lights shone like beacons in the hazy evening light. I looked around the boat. Several inches of water pooled around our legs.
Ren carefully crept closer to me and wrapped his strong hot arms around my shoulders. He smelled of sweat and smoke. I buried my face unabashedly in the crook of his neck.
“We’ve almost reached the dock.” He whispered into my ear.
We floated toward a small pier jutting out of the steep riverbank. Ren stood and reached for the support beam, pulling the boat up next to it. His wet shirt clung to him, accentuating his sinewy arms and chest. I stared at him, still stunned by his display of power and strength.
He quickly retrieved a rope and tethered the boat to the pier, then heaved himself onto it. He pulled me from the boat and set me on my feet. My body swayed involuntarily, unable to believe I had escaped the raucous ride.
In silence, Ren wrapped an arm around my waist and nearly dragged me up the rocky path along the riverbank to the street. Once on the sidewalk, we gave each other a long look, evaluating our haggard appearance. I recognized the street and identified Uncle Harold’s house across the road.
Soaked to the bone with sloshing shoes, Ren and I slipped through the heavy front door as soundlessly as possible. Though the porch light burned, only a small lamp atop a side table in the foyer was illuminated inside.
“Best to change into dry clothes before we look for Uncle Harold.” Ren whispered.
“No need to look. I’m right here!” Uncle Harold’s voice boomed from one of the older rooms just beyond the foyer. A lamp sparked.
Ren and I exchanged a rueful glance.
Uncle Harold stumbled into the foyer blinking heavily behind his glasses. He frowned as he absorbed our disheveled state.
“Oh my… I’ll set the kettle to boil.” He said sternly.
“Uncle Harold, I’m sorry we’ve arrived so late. I hope we didn’t worry you.” Ren lamented.
“Not at all.” Uncle Harold said shortly as he turned toward the kitchen.
Ren and I towed behind him in our wet clothes.
Detecting his following, Uncle Harold turned halfway to face us.
“Oh please, do change into dry clothing! I’ll prepare the tea.” He said with a shake of his head.
Ren and I turned and headed for the s
tairs, relieved for the pardon.
* * *
I entered my room and closed the door, relishing the quiet moment alone. I shimmied out of my wet clothes, wrapped myself in a robe, and sank exhausted onto the bed. Closing my eyes, a barrage of images scrolled across my eyelids. Mysterious flickering light below the water and fire. The haunting voices rang in my ears, calling to me. Would it ever end? I sighed in despair.
A soft rap at the door startled me.
“Eliza, I’m going downstairs. Are you alright?” Ren asked.
I crept to the door and cracked it, carefully shielding my robed body.
Ren’s face was frozen in a worried expression.
“I’m ok. I just need a few moments alone, that’s all.” I answered.
His eyes lowered as he nodded in response. Clearly, he harbored guilt over the evening’s events.
“At some point, you’re just going to have to relinquish your sense of responsibility over all that happens to me. You know that, don’t you? Some of this really is just about me.” I said exasperated.
His eyes darted up, a shocked expression spread across his face, his cheeks flushed.
“I’m sorry, Ren. It’s just that… the monsters and their Shadows, it’s about me. They came for me. It’s not your fault, ok?” I added morosely.
“I’ll be downstairs.” He said with a somber nod and strode toward the stairs disappearing into the dark.
Remembering the hour and the fact that Uncle Harold was waiting for me, I reluctantly pulled on my pajamas and slippers, threw the robe around my shoulders, and padded down the stairs.
22
Light streamed from the kitchen at the back of the house. I could hear the soft prattle of Ren and Uncle Harold’s voices as I approached.
“Cream and sugar?” Uncle Harold asked cheerfully as I entered the kitchen.
I sank into a petite chair at the tiny kitchen table.
Ren dunked butter cookies into his cup.
“Yes, both. Thank you.” I said.
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