The odor assaulted James’ senses. His eyes watered and he could barely breathe. Only the threat of the boys breaking down the door and doing them bodily harm convinced him to climb down. He took a deep breath, held it, and then set a foot on the ladder. His foot slipped on the slime that coated the rung which only nauseated him further. Cautiously, he descended.
His hands became slick from the slime. Upon reaching the bottom, he slipped on a slimy patch of floor. Losing his balance, he tumbled backward into the stinking, oozing muck.
The fall into the stream of nastiness broke his concentration, which caused the spell holding the door closed to fail. The sound of breaking wood filtered its way through the opening above as Miko helped him to his feet. They proceeded quickly down the dark sewer tunnel. Thoroughly nauseated, James tried to scrape as much of the filth off him as he could but only managed to spread it even more.
They proceeded along the stream of filth for a ways before pausing a moment to see if pursuit materialized. James watched the faint light coming through the trapdoor. He was sure the boys would be descending after them. They remained quiet for several seconds but didn’t see or hear anything.
“I don’t think they followed us,” he whispered to Miko.
“No, I didn’t think they would. Not many come here who are not invited.”
James turned a quizzical gaze upon the boy. “Invited?”
“Yeah, there’s a gang that claims the sewers as their own and anyone who comes down here is fair game. Everyone knows not to invade their territory.”
“So why did we?”
“It seemed the better choice at the time.”
Grabbing Miko, James asked, “And just who were we running from anyway?”
“They’re a bunch of petty thugs. They think I fingered them on a job they pulled last month. I didn’t but word got around that I was the one and they’ve had it in for me ever since.”
“I see. Anyway, we need to find our way out of here.” He cast his light spell and the glowing orb appeared which brought a startled gasp from Miko. Using the orb to illuminate their way, he said, “Let’s go,” then indicated for Miko to take the lead.
They came to a junction where a smaller branch of the main sewer entered. Miko continued down the main passage. Another hundred feet brought them to a ladder which led into the darkness above.
Grabbing Miko, James pulled him close to the rungs and said, “Look, these rungs are clean which means they must be used regularly. It could be a way out.” He gestured toward the ladder. “Climb up there and see where it leads.”
“There’s only one group of people who would be using these rungs regularly,” Miko explained, “and they don’t like unexpected guests.”
“Maybe. But we need to get out of here before they discover us.”
Understanding, but not too happy about it, Miko grudgingly went up the rungs. He returned shortly. “There’s a trapdoor but I can’t get it opened. It must be barred or locked from the other side.”
”Alright, let’s go down a little further and see if there’s another way out,”
Leaving the ladder behind, they continued following the main passage, passing several lesser tunnels. Each received a cursory glance before they continued on.
It wasn’t long before the water level began to rise and soon was to their calves. They sloshed their way through a progressively thick layer of unidentifiable flotsam; James refused to allow himself to contemplate what floated upon the water.
When the water was thigh-deep, they came to the blockage. It was a body. By the looks of it, it had been here for a while. The flesh was in an advanced state of decay and infested with maggots. Two rats were having a meal on the corpse’s exposed thigh. They squealed and scampered away as James approached.
Ready to throw up, James stepped over the corpse and hurried down the tunnel. Once they had covered some distance, he recovered his composure, but still felt a little green.
“I hear you see a lot of that down here,” Miko explained. “People come up missing and their bodies wash out through the sewer’s outflow into the river.”
“Let’s hope the next ones won’t be ours.”
They passed two more offshoots, the smallest ones thus far. The second one was barely wide enough to squeeze through. It was not much more than a wide crack in the wall. It looked like it might have been created during an earthquake or something similar.
They traveled a short distance further past the small passages before a light appeared in the distance ahead. James quickly canceled his light spell, which plunged them into complete darkness.
“Think that’s them?”
“Probably,” Miko replied.
James grabbed him by the arm and started to slowly back away. He ran his hand along the wall until encountering the wide crack. He stopped and said, “I think we can squeeze in here and hide until they pass.”
Miko went in first. It was a little snug for the lad but he made it with little problem. James followed and had a much more difficult time, squeezing and scraping until he was a few feet from the tunnel. He paused and watched the sewer tunnel and the gradually brightening light. It was not long before they heard the footsteps of several men.
As the men passed, the light of their torch revealed him for just a second. Had any of the men glanced into the crack, he would have been discovered. But then a second later the man carrying the torch moved on and he was again hidden in the shadows.
“…saw something down here.”
“You’re seeing things, Dink.”
“Keep quiet and look sharp,” still another commanded.
There were five men. The one in the lead carried the torch. The men continued further down the sewer and soon the light faded until only darkness remained.
After darkness had reigned supreme for a minute or two, James cautiously made his way out of the crack to the sewer tunnel. A glance down the way the men had gone revealed nothing but darkness. Fairly certain that no one would see, he brought his orb to life on his palm. Turning to comment to Miko about their narrow escape, he realized Miko had not followed. Holding his light close to the opening, he peered within the crack and whispered, “Miko. They’re gone.”
From the opening he heard the boy’s voice. “There’s a room in here and another passage leading from it. It may be another way out.”
“All right, I’m coming in.”
Squeezing back through the narrow opening, he worked his way to Miko. At one point he started to panic when the crack narrowed and he became stuck. Taking several deep breaths to steady himself, he managed to wriggle past the narrow section, leaving only a small bit of skin behind, and came through to the room Miko found.
The illumination from his orb revealed a small room, one that looked to have once been used as a storage room. Barrels and boxes lay stacked around the room, all of which had a thick layer of dust. He examined the floor and saw the only footprints that disturbed the dust were the ones he and Miko made. The single exit was a small, narrow hallway which led into darkness.
“Doesn’t look like anyone has been in here for a long time.”
Miko nodded. “Yeah, I wonder who used it.” He investigated several boxes and barrels but failed to come up with anything worthwhile, just old clothes long past the time when they were serviceable. Looking at James he said, “Nothing.”
James found an old lantern in a box, and placed his glowing orb inside. Now the light from the orb illuminated even better. He crossed the room to the passage leading away and shined the light down it. It extended further than the light could reach.
“Wonder how far it goes?” Miko asked.
“Don’t know,” he replied as he moved into the hallway. It continued for well over a hundred feet before ending at a flight of stone steps leading up. He directed the light toward the top and saw a trapdoor in the ceiling.
He made his way up the steps to the trapdoor. He pushed against it and managed to raise the wooden door a crack. A
mazed at how much strength it took to raise it even that far, he set the lantern down and braced for a second try.
Lifting with all his strength, he managed to raise the trapdoor far enough to allow light from the lantern to pass through. Beyond was another small room, this one as untouched as the one below. No one had been in this area for a very long time.
With another grunt of exertion, he raised the trapdoor several more inches, just enough for Miko to scramble through.
The boy climbed to the other side and added his strength to lift the trapdoor. Raising it a height where James could pass through, he grunted, “Can you hold it?”
“If you hurry,” Miko grunted.
James grabbed the lantern and slipped through to the room beyond. There he found a barrel firmly attached to the top of the trapdoor, perhaps in order to hide its existence and keep this way secret. He set the lantern down and helped Miko close the trapdoor since he didn’t want it slamming down hard and alert whoever might be around.
The room had stone walls on three of its sides, with a wooden one on the fourth. A door stood closed in the wooden wall. More dust covered barrels and boxes lined two of the walls. A quick search showed some old cloth that had long since deteriorated.
Intrigued by the hidden rooms, James wondered where the end of it would lead. He went to the door and put his ear to it. Hearing nothing, he cautiously opened the door and found a dark, narrow passageway extending to the right and left. The lantern’s light revealed footprints in the dust, an indication that someone had been through here recently. Upon closer examination, he found the foot prints headed in both directions.
Entering, he shined his light first down to the right, then the left. The walls on both sides were constructed of wood. It looked as if they were standing in a secret passage that might connect to several rooms. Miko entered the hallway and shut the door. James noticed that he couldn’t tell where the opening of the door they just came through was. It looked like a solid wooden wall with no apparent openings.
Whispering, he said to Miko, “Now I can understand why those rooms have been unused for so long. This secret door must have been forgotten. Let’s see if we can figure out how to open it before we go any further. I’d hate to not have a way out of here if things go bad.”
Nodding in agreement, Miko took the lantern and kept watch for anyone who might approach while James examined the wall to see if he could find the opening mechanism. He felt for grooves or indentations that would indicate a trigger. He checked for any loose floorboards and didn’t find any. Returning his attention to the wall, this time taking more care in his search, he discovered a small knothole. It was a little loose, but it didn’t move when pressed. He found two others that were just as loose and tried pressing all three at the same time. As he applied pressure, they simultaneously sunk into the wall about a quarter of an inch. A barely perceptible click was heard as the door swung open on a silent hinge.
“How’d you figure that out?”
Smiling with great satisfaction, James replied, “I’ve read stories about stuff like this. It isn’t too hard if you know what to look for.” Also, years of role playing games and designing dungeons doesn’t hurt either, he added to himself in satisfaction.
Shutting the door, he turned and headed down the right hand passage, one direction being as good as another. He kept the light dim as he wanted to locate cracks of light coming through the walls, looking for other secret doors. Ten feet further down, they reached a juncture. They were faced with the choice of continuing straight or taking a very narrow stairway up.
James inspected the footprints in the dust and saw that the majority of the tracks followed the corridor straight ahead, while only a small portion continued up the stairs. He decided that following the main body of tracks would most likely lead to a main exit, and continued down the passage past the stairs.
After another ten feet or so, he detected a faint outline of light in the shape of a door to the left. Pointing it out, he whispered, “Looks like another secret door.”
Agreeing, Miko said, “Look,” as he pointed to the tracks they’d been following. “Most of the tracks end here. This looks like a well-used entrance to the secret passage.”
“I think you are correct.”
He used the lamp to inspect the wall and found a simple latch that kept the door closed. He paused to place his ear against the door. Not hearing anything, he slowly lifted the latch and gently pushed.
He peered out and took a quick look around. He found the room empty. James opened the door wider and stepped into the room, signaling for Miko to follow. Miko closed the door behind him.
The room looked to be a richly furnished den. The door they came through was a life-sized portrait that had been hinged to the wall, concealing the secret entrance. A large mahogany desk and chair dominated the room, with a large picture window in the wall behind it. Across the room sat a brick fireplace, cold and unused. Several shelves lined the walls with many books and other knickknacks. From the looks of this room, the owner was quite well-to-do.
The only other exit from the room was a door to the left of the portrait. Indicating the door, he whispered, “See if you can see or hear anything.” While Miko checked the door, he walked to the window to see if it could be opened. A simple lock kept it closed and could be easily opened. Outside spread an expansive lawn area which extended from the house to a high stone wall. There didn’t appear to be anyone in the vicinity. He whispered to Miko who still peered out the door, “Anything?”
He shook his head. “Nothing. All’s quiet.”
“Good. Let’s get out of here.”
“I’m for that,” agreed Miko. “They would take us for thieves for sure.”
He waved Miko over. “There’s no one in the yard so maybe we could make it over the wall before anyone realizes we’ve been here.”
“Maybe,” agreed Miko as he gauged the distance between the window and the wall; a hundred feet of open lawn, at least. “It’s a long run.”
“Look there,” James pointed toward the right, over by the wall.
Miko saw a tree growing close to the wall. “Think we could climb that tree and get over the wall?”
“It’s our best shot,” nodded James.
He took one more look to make sure that the area remained clear. He opened the window and helped Miko through to the ground below. He then followed Miko out and quietly swung the window closed. They crouched in the bushes beneath the window as they scanned the area for others. Once certain the area was clear, they headed out quickly and quietly for the tree.
They took no more than three steps when from above them on the second floor, a voice cried out, “Guards! Intruders!”
A well-dressed man stood at an upper story window. James and the man’s eyes locked for just a second before. “Run!” he yelled and bolted for the tree.
“Guards! They’re heading for the wall!”
Stealth no longer a concern, James and Miko made a mad dash across the grounds. Two sword-wielding guards emerged at a run around the corner of the house. Seeing James and Miko, they moved to intercept. “Stop!” one yelled.
Miko reached the tree first and leaped for a lower limb. He grabbed it and swung up. James threw his backpack over the wall. Not as nimble as young Miko, he had difficulty getting into the tree.
Reaching down for James, Miko yelled, “Take my hand!”
James reached up and took hold. With Miko’s help, he got up onto the bottom limb. From there the rest of the way was easy. They made their way to the top of the wall just as the guards reached the base of the tree.
Swords struck as they passed from the tree to the wall, but they were out of reach.
Swinging over the wall, they dropped to the ground. James looked for his backpack and found a small boy rummaging through it not two feet away. His back was to them.
James came up behind him and grabbed the boy by the shoulder.
Startled, the boy dropped the backpack
as he jumped a foot in the air. Turning, he saw James and Miko. Before James said a word, the boy bolted and disappeared into the crowd.
James took his backpack and turned to Miko, “Get us out of here!”
“This way,” Miko said as he raced into the crowd with James close behind. The people continued going about their business, as if two men leaping over a wall was an everyday occurrence. James expected at least one of the bystanders would have tried to hinder their escape or at the very least to have shouted a warning to a constable that something odd was occurring. But no cry arose from anyone. They quickly made it out of the area.
They found a quiet alley, and ducked inside to catch their breath. “Do you think they’ll send the watch after us?” Standing at the mouth of the alley, he peered around the corner for any sign of pursuit.
“I don’t think we have to worry about the town watch getting involved,” replied Miko. “That was Lord Colerain’s estate we were in. In fact, it was Lord Colerain who was shouting out the window for the guards.”
“Why wouldn’t he call for the town watch?”
“He has his own guards, and nobles like to take care of things themselves. It would be a loss of face if he were to come to the town watch for help. Since we didn’t take anything and there was no damage, it’s unlikely that he’ll do anything. Of course, if he comes across us, then he may seek revenge.”
“Alright,” said James. “Let’s just get back to the Flying Swan.”
Miko soon had them back at the inn. It was a tribute to the lack of sanitation of this world that they could come into an inn from the sewers and no one said a word. James told one of the workers to bring two tubs to his room.
“Two?” Miko asked apprehensively.
“Yes, two,” answered James. “You smell like the sewer.”
Leaning close to James, he sniffed. “Actually, I wasn’t the one to fall in, remember?”
James replied, “Try it; you may never get another chance.”
“Alright, but I’m not going to like it.”
James emptied his backpack and laid the contents on the floor. A knock at the door heralded the arrival of two tubs carried in by four young boys. It didn’t take the staff long to fill them with steaming hot water. One servant brought two small bowls of a powdery substance, and set one by each of the tubs. When James looked questioningly at it, he was told that it was soap. He told one of the workers to come back in a few minutes to gather his clothes and backpack for cleaning.
After the workers left, he stripped and climbed into one of the tubs. The water was hot but not uncomfortable. Leaning back, he relaxed and let the tensions of the day melt away. Settling in, he looked over to Miko. “Come on, it feels really good.” Reaching down, he scooped out some of the soap and proceeded to scrub off the sewer gunk.
Not convinced, Miko got undressed and hesitantly came to the tub. He gingerly stuck one foot into the water and then pulled it out fast, “It’s hot!”
“Of course it’s hot,” James replied, slightly amused. “The hot water helps you relax more. Once you get in you’ll get used to it.”
Putting a toe in the water, he worked the rest of his foot and then his leg in. Once he realized the water was not going to scald him, he put in the other foot and slowly immersed himself. He sat there for a minute, at first not happy. As he became accustomed to the water’s temperature, he relaxed and began to enjoy the experience.
One of the workers returned to take James’ clothes and backpack. He dropped off two large towels. James asked if the clothes could be done by nightfall as he planned to leave in the morning. The worker told him that they would rush it through.
He grabbed more soap and continued to scrub himself clean. This is the first bath I’ve had in a week, he thought to himself. He had always liked baths. Back home he would soak until the water was cold and his skin became like the texture of prunes.
He looked to Miko who seemed to enjoy his first bath. When he saw James using the soap, he scooped some out and copied him, rubbing it over his skin.
Knock! Knock!
“Come in,” James shouted.
A worker entered bearing a package. “This was just dropped off for you from Brockman’s.” He placed the package on the table, turned and left the room.
“What do you need that stuff for anyway?” asked Miko, referring to the writing materials.
“I plan on keeping a journal. And who knows how else it may come in handy.” Like a spell book, he added silently. He had come to the conclusion that he needed to create spells so in an emergency he would have ready access and wouldn’t have to take the time to think one up.
He stayed in the tub until the water began to cool, then got out and dried with one of the towels. Miko got out and soon both were dressed once more; James in the last of his clean clothes and Miko in his dirty ones.
“That wasn’t so bad, now was it?”
“It was ok,” Miko replied with a grin. “I could get to like it.”
Miko leaned over the pile of items on the floor, curious about the stuff from James’ backpack. He picked up the homemade compass that James had fashioned earlier in Trendle during his search for Hern. He held it up, looked over to James and asked, “What is this thing?”
“Just something I made a while back. I used it to find something.”
“How does it work?”
“I use a spell and it shows the direction of whatever I ask it to find,” James explained. He took it and pointed to the charcoal line. “This will point in the direction of what I am trying to find.”
“Wow,” said Miko. “Can you have it find something right now?”
“No,” he answered as he placed the compass back on the floor. “Magic is not something you should do just for amusement.”
Disappointed, Miko gave him a regretful look.
James grabbed his coin pouch and pulled out two silvers and handed them to Miko. “Here. You really helped me today and I appreciate it. Let’s go downstairs and I’ll buy you dinner before you leave.”
Miko opened the door and heard James say, “Here, you can have these as well.” Turning, he saw the bag of tarts.
“Thanks.” He put the small sack inside his shirt for safekeeping.
They went down to the common room and found a table near the rear. A minute or two later the girl came over to see what they wanted. It was still an hour or so before dark, so the evening crowd hadn’t yet come in. Only a couple of people shared the room with them. Once they gave their order, she returned to the kitchen.
“So, where are you going from here?”
“I’m planning to head south, maybe as far as Castle Cardri.”
The girl returned with their food and a bottle of the mulberry wine James had liked so much the night before. Tonight however, he planned to limit himself to only one bottle. He had no desire to experience another hangover. The memory of this morning forestalled any such attempt.
It didn’t take long for the room to fill. The bard from the night before returned and took his place on the stage to a roar of applause and shouts of joy. After a short bow, he began a rollicking song that soon had the crowd clapping along with the rhythm. James enjoyed the music as much as he did the night before. He saw Miko listening with rapt attention.
The next song was a slow, sad ballad of two lovers torn apart due to the difference in their social standings. The story ultimately ended in tragedy. Miko finished eating and sat back as they enjoyed the show. They remained there for several hours listening to the music and talking until James could no longer put off the fatigue threatening to claim him.
“Miko my friend,” James said through a yawn, “I’ve really enjoyed your company, but I’m off for bed.”
Miko got up and said, “Good night then. If you pass this way again, ask the boys by the gate for me and I’ll find you.”
James offered his hand. “I will.”
Miko gave his hand a shake and headed for the door, making his way through the
crowded room.
James watched Miko until he exited before getting to his feet. He went up to his darkened room. He lit the candle with his spell, and it filled the room with a soft glow. He found his clothes and backpack cleaned and placed on the table. He took the items on the floor and placed them into his freshly cleaned backpack. The pack had only a faint odor of the sewer. He repacked his clothes. When his belongings were ready for travel, he blew out the candle, crawled into bed and it wasn’t long before he fell asleep.
Chapter Nine
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