Echoes in the darkness
Celine’s POV :
As I pressed myself against the cold, damp wall, the muffled sounds of footsteps and voices echoed in the distance. Panic coursed through my veins, urging me to find a hiding place, to escape the prying eyes of the guards who will take me to Calle for coming here.
And so, in a moment of desperation, I had stumbled further more upon this hidden tunnel, a secret passage concealed behind the old walls of the ancient pack house.
It was just my random luck that I had found this secret passage because in no way anyone would have ever considered this wild thought by looking at the wall.
‘The sound was coming from here. But i can’t hear it now. ‘ Belinay said, reminding me of the reason why we had been here in the first place.
I was scared for a brief moment because the closed walls give me the feeling that I was going to be suffocated here and would never be found.
But as I stood here, engulfed in darkness, a flicker of curiosity ignited within me. The tunnel stretched out before me, its length shrouded in mystery. My heart pounded in my chest, and though fear grew at my resolve, a determination to discover the truth made me to go forward.
Carefully, I took a step into the unknown, my footsteps hushed by the damp earth beneath my feet. The musty smell of decay hung in the air, mixing with the scent of dampness and age. The tunnel beckoned me, its secrets whispering in the shadows, and I could not resist the pull that drew me deeper into its euphoric embrace.
‘There’s something so calm about this place. ‘ I said.
‘Usually, the dangerous places stay calm before they attack you. So, be careful and don’t let your focus go anywhere other than the path. ‘
She was right about it because as I look to back I couldn’t even see the path from where I had come from.
With each step, the darkness closed in around me, suffocating and yet strangely comforting. The sound that had lured me to this hidden passage had vanished, leaving only the echoes of my own footsteps as companions in this isolated journey. But I pressed on, my determination unwavering, fueled by a need to understand, to uncover the source of that elusive sound.
The tunnel seemed to stretch on endlessly, its walls etched with the passage of time. Cobwebs clung to my hair and clothes, as if warning me of the forgotten secrets that lay in wait. I shivered, both from the chill in the air and the unease that gripped my soul, but I refused to turn back. I had come too far to abandon my quest now.
The silence weighed heavily upon me, broken only by the sound of my breath and the steady beat of my heart. Doubt crept into my mind, threatening to unravel my resolve, but I banished it with a fierce determination.
And then, like a distant melody carried on the wind, I heard it-a faint, haunting sound that beckoned me further.
Tap tap. The sound continued…
It was a whisper of hope, an invitation to uncover the truth that lay hidden in the depths of this forgotten passage. With renewed vigor, I quickened my pace, my feet moving almost of their own accord.
‘It’s there! ‘ I said, loudly but then bit my lip nervously.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.
The tunnel twisted and turned, its secrets unraveling with each step. The sound grew louder, more distinct, guiding me through the darkness. Its origin remained unknown, yet it held a promise, a glimmer of something significant. It was a siren’s call, and I was its captive, drawn deeper into the heart of the mystery.
As I rounded a final bend, the tunnel opened up before me, revealing a hidden chamber bathed in an ethereal glow.
Even in that chamber there was another door which I had to kick open. As the door swung open with an eerie creak, I hesitated for a moment, my eyes fixated on the chamber that lay beyond. The flickering lamp on the wall sent tremors of anticipation through me, also giving me proof that someone had been there before me and he or she was visiting this place almost regularly.
I looked around and my eyes focused on something which made my blood turn cold.
A scream escaped my lips, echoing through the empty dungeon. Before me, chained to the wall, stood a skeleton of a woman, her bones intertwined with rusted, unforgiving iron. She wore tattered pieces of royal attire, an expensive silky gown which look like it was changed just yesterday.
My heart thudded in my chest, with horror and sorrow overwhelming my senses. Who was this woman, forced to such a fate? What had brought her to this forsaken place, where her spirit lingered even in death?
The sound still came from the Dark Shadows of the room and I realized it was a bird trapped inside the empty box which had been making so much noise. But I was sure that someone had Run through the corridor and attracted me here.
And it wasn’t the bird which made that particular tapping sound. I looked out of the room and saw an iron gate locked which led to the exit of this tunnel. Soon it became difficult for me to breathe, I wanted to get out of this place but as I try to open the door which led me here I couldn’t open it.
I heard the sounds of someone running across the tunnel and banged on the door.
“Open it! Whoever you are, get me out of here! ” I screamed at the top of my lungs.
But to my horror no one came to open the door. I tried to kick open the iron gate but it was too strong to be broken away by me.
‘I think it’s Calle again! But if this time he comes near us, I will kill him. ‘ Belinay growled.
Was the woman lured in the same way too? Just like us?