EXCERPT
I
reached for one of the root cellar’s doors, and pulled. The hinges creaked in
resistance and I felt like I had just rung a door bell. If anyone was in the
root cellar they would know I was coming.
As
I slowly walked down the stairs into the cellar I chided myself for not
bringing a flashlight.
I
was halfway down the stairs when the cellar door slammed above my head and I
was shrouded in pitch blackness.
I
inhaled sharply. I knew it wasn’t windy enough to blow the door shut, so unless
I didn’t prop it up right… someone else had shut me in.
I
froze in place and didn’t dare move. I listened for any sound, but all I heard
was a scuttling in the corner. I clutched the railing and something small ran
across my hand.
I
threw my other hand across my mouth to keep back a scream. When I let go of my
crutch, I heard a loud clatter as it fell the rest of the way down the steps.
I
was frozen in horror. I needed to get my crutch but I had no desire to descend
the steps in utter darkness when I knew there had to be mice. Maybe even rats.
I
slipped back up the stairs. Maybe I could re-open the door, and let the light
in.
I
held out my hands, and I finally felt the door. I pushed with all my might, but
nothing budged.
“Philip?”
I yelled. “Open the door!”
It
had to be Philip, didn’t it? If it wasn’t Philip, than who was it?
In
books, the people trapped like this always bang their fists against the door
and demand to be let out. I thought about doing that, but I wasn’t sure if
anyone had really locked me in. For all I knew, it could have been my own carelessness.
Waiting
for something to happen, I stood still and did nothing. After what felt like an
eternity, I decided to go down and get my crutch.
Climbing
stairs without my crutch was a challenge, but as I forced my left leg to move,
it rose to the challenge and did what I needed it to do.
When
my feet finally hit the dirt floor, I slowly kicked my foot around trying to
feel for my crutch. I couldn’t find it anywhere.
There
wasn’t even a sliver of light anywhere in the room, and I was starting to get
claustrophobic. I reached down to feel along the floor for my crutch, but my
fingers felt something furry. By the time I realized it wasn’t moving I was
already running the other way.
My
directions were all turned around, and I didn’t remember which way the stairs
were. I tried to shake the feeling that I was all alone in a dark root cellar
with a furry creature, but it wouldn’t go away.
I
remembered touching the fur, and how the animal didn’t move, and an image of
the dead squirrel under the porch flashed into my mind. I rubbed my hand like
crazy across my leg as if I could wipe the feeling of the fur into my skirt.
I
stumbled around trying to find the stairs. If I were in a book, I suppose I
would have magically found an old lantern, but I didn’t find any such thing.
Instead, I smelled a brand of men’s cologne that I hadn’t smelled in years. It
reminded me of the bank where Uncle Keith had worked. The rich men had worn
that type of cologne.
Oh Dear! I think if I read one more of these before the book comes out, I might die of curiosity. ;) Can't wait to read it!!!
ReplyDeleteOh man! Do hurry with the book!!!
ReplyDeleteYou can't stop there. Can't wait to read it!!
ReplyDeleteJoanna