Their Magical But Deadly Journey

“ARE you serious about what you said, sweetie?”

I told Mommy what I saw underground but she didn’t want to believe me. Maybe I’m just distracted or because I’m hungry. Even if I say I’m telling the truth, she still insists on denying the possibility that there is a hidden room in the underground.

And if she believed what I said, she would still prefer to see it in person.

That’s what I opened up to her when she woke up earlier. I can’t tell her that last night because she’s already asleep. Fortunately, there are many helpers here in the house so the whole first floor was cleaned because of the party that took place.

I couldn’t sleep at that time and I wondered if what I saw was really true. But it’s really true! It was obvious to my two eyes that the bookshelf was on the side and behind that was the very spacious room. It’s like a tunnel.

If I hadn’t told Mommy about it, I might have gone crazy thinking about that underground.

So here we are in the kitchen and I detailed to her the whole story. She was serious at first but later, she laughed.

“Mom, how many times have I told you that I wasn’t hungry at that time! I could clearly see the spacious room behind the bookshelf!”

She sighed, just finished laughing. “Hey, my daughter. You read too much. Maybe the details of those fairy books you read entered your mind.

I stomped my foot, getting irritated now. “Mom, please! Believe me!”

Se looked different when he saw that I was serious about what I was saying. She looked at me seriously, smirking.

“All right, if you want to believe me, take me underground right now,” she challenged.

I nodded quickly at her, smiling broadly. But my smile faded when she added words.

“But when I can’t see the room you’re talking about, you’re gonna be grounded. I’ll also reduce your allowance.”

My eyes rounded. “Wh-what?! You can’t do that, Mom!” I argued.

She can’t just ground me, or worst, reduce my allowance.

She grinned. “Of course, I can. I am your mother, Sazharina. And I call the shots,” she said emphatically..

I was depressed. What if I can’t show her the room? What if she thinks I’m just lying and making up a story?

I know my mother. She hates liars and story makers, especially wasting her time on nonsense. And I knew I would be damned when we saw nothing underground.

I released a heavy sigh. “Okay, Mom. I’ll bring you there.”

I OPEN the door of the underground and switch on the lights. I tried to find where the room was but I was depressed to see that it wasn’t open. The bookshelf is in the right place.

I tried to push the bookshelf to the side to see the room but I couldn’t. I was starting to get scared especially when I felt Mommy’s evil stare behind me.

“Where’s the room you were saying, Sazharina?” Mommy asked me impatiently.

“Just a minute, Mom. I’m trying to push this shelf.” I pushed the bookshelf sideways again but didn’t really want to.

Mom scoffed. “Are you insane, Sazharina ?! How can you push that, it’s really stuck to the wall ?!”

I was dazed.

No! This can’t be! I know there is a room here!

I tried to push it again but I just tired my self. I was crying in frustration, Mom’s sharp look at me from behind added.

“What now?” Mom was about to take my place with her arms crossed over her chest.

I bit my lower lip. “I-I can’t open it, M-Mom.”

She closes his eyes and exhale a deep breath due to irritation. “Can you hear what you’re saying ?! You can’t push that because it’s really stuck to the wall!”

“Mom! “I cried in frustration.” I’m telling the truth! Why can’t you just believe me ?! ”

She stared at me wickedly. “You know how much I hate liars, don’t you?” she calmly but emphatically asked me.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

I just bowed.

Is this what I’m saying, e. Mommy didn’t believe me. As a result, I just fabricated the story and lied.

I tainted my image on Mom. She would think I was a liar and make up a story – even if what I said was really true.

How could it not have opened this time? Whereas yesterday it was wide open.

Am I really just rolling my eyes and it’s not really open? Or maybe it’s just caused by fatigue so I’m hallucinating things?

“Now, let’s go back. Go straight to the bedroom! You’ll be grounded for 5 days!”

Mom turned her back on me and I was left no choice but follow her. As she always say, “I am your Mother. I call the shots.”

We were climbing the stairs out of the underground when I looked at the bookshelf again.

My eyes widened when I saw it open again and quickly called Mom who was now outside.

“Mom! Come here!” I called her. “Mom! The bookshelf is open! Look!”

She came over to me and looked at the bookshelf. I was so surprised to see that it was closed again, back to its original position.

What the? How? It was open earlier!

I tried again to find where it was but I couldn’t find a room. The bookshelf is in its original place again as if it had never opened before.

What’s going on ?! Why does it disappear immediately ?!

I immediately turned to Mom and backed away when I saw her sharp gaze.

“Are you playing your mother, Sazharina?!” She angrily screamed.

“Mom!” I shouted when she dragged me out of the underground.

She held my hand as we entered the room. She dropped me on my bed, staring at me sharply.

“You will stay here for 5 days, Sazharina! The helpers will provide you with food and other necessities. But you are not allowed to leave this room for 5 days, until I say so. Did you get it?!”

I had no choice but to nod at her. She heaved a sharp sigh, irritated at me.

“C-can you please not reduce my a-allowance?” I asked a favor.

I would rather be imprisoned for a few days here than have my allowance reduced.

I can’t live without an allowance, duh ?! How can I buy my things? Nothing is free in the world, everything is expensive.

I grew up spoiled by my father. He gets me what I whatever I want, expensive or not. But- I don’t mean to brag- I’m proud to say I’m not one of those spoiled brats who will do anything to get what they want, by hook or by crook.

If I want something, I’ll take it. But if I can’t, so be it. I’m not going to make a fool of myself just to get what I want. In my case, if I want, I’ll get. I don’t have to use the “by hook or by crook” method.

“If you don’t want me to reduce your allowance, you’ll gonna stay here for one week.”

I snapped back in reality when my Mom spoke.

Can I do that one week? I feel like I’m sick and need to be isolated.

“One week?”

She arched a brow. “Any problem with that?”

I agressively shook my head. “No, Mom. I-It’s fine with me.”

Well, I don’t really have a problem with that. I can stay here for a week, as long as my allowance remains the same.

“Alright. I’m leaving. You must be thankful I didn’t scold you for lying and spitting nonsense.” She rolled her eyes.

Thank you, then. Just kidding.

She left my room. The wind blew me away, wondering what I was going to do here in the room in a week.

I’m not sure I’ll be bored here since there is a TV for entertainment. If I don’t want to watch, I could just stay in the balcony.

Maybe it’s an opportunity for me to relax my mind. Also perfect because it’s summer and a few months before the new school year.

I’m in my second year of college next school year. I was advanced by one year so instead of first year college, I was second year next.

I shouldn’t be thinking about underground. But every time I have free time, I just find myself, thinking about it over and over.

Is there really a hidden room behind the shelf? How come I’m the only one who can see that? Why does it return to its former place when others are already seeing.

Or what if I’m just hallucinating? What if there really isn’t a room there?

Maybe I read too much fictional books? Especially those fairy books I love to read.

Oh gosh, that underground was driving me insane!

Antricus and I shouldn’t have gone there. I wish I hadn’t seen that room.

Wait- can I tell Antricus about the underground? What if he doesn’t believe me either? He might say that I made up a story and that I was lying to him. I don’t want him to think of me as a liar.

But then, suddenly there was paper thrown in the window dividing my bedroom and balcony.

I quickly opened it and a cold breeze greeted me. I immediately got cold so I went inside. I opened the paper with a stone inside. For maybe to be thrown properly.

Who threw it? You can’t just accidentally throw a piece of paper and hit the window of my room, can you?

I read what was written on the paper and immediately my body hair stood on end when I saw what was written on the paper.

I looked around the window but could see nothing but darkness because it was night. I don’t want to go out suddenly because I’m really scared.

I looked again at what was written on the paper. I gulped because I had just examined what was written there. The color of the letter was red as if the pen used blood there. There is also a skull drawn on the bottom of the paper, on the right.

Whoever he is, he definitely knows something about what happened earlier and I’m also sure he knows about the underground.

‘See you on the underground after one week, Sazharina. Just be careful ’cause too much curiosity can kill you.’