Underworld (Dark Passage) (3 page)
Read Underworld (Dark Passage) Online
Authors: M.L. Woolley
Her eyes burned but she refused to cry. Crying
wouldn’t change the past and it wouldn’t do David
any good. Her life before this moment was difficult to
remember. Her thoughts were like colorless dreamsShe had become emotionally blind after she
witnessed something horrific in her parent’s home.
The porcelain doll would be crushed and the ghost of
the girl that lived inside would rise from the abyss. In
forfeiting her life for David she would find her way to
the light.
Lisa would leave the safety of the commune, when
the others slept, and make her way into the realm of
the dead. Since she was 12 years old life had been a
dark, lonely place and she had just been going
through the motions. Perhaps today would be the
hapless day when a plan for her life would emerge.
Tonight I dream that I am in the otherworld and
pushing forward through a heavy fog. I can hear
someone calling my name “Ivy, Ivy” and try and
answer but no words will come. I can’t be sure, but it
sounds like my baby brother Jeff, who was murdered
years ago. Surely he cannot be in this forsaken place
where the dead reside. I began to run toward his
voice, but the faster I run the more muted the calls.
There are suddenly piercing screams and then the fog
lifts.
I wake to sweaty palms and a heavy feeling in the pit
of my stomach. I am horrified that Jeff may be in the
realm of the evil dead and it tears at my heart. His
face flashes before my eyes. He is looking at me with
his big green eyes, his blond hair almost covering his
eyes as he brushes it away.
My breath feels as
though it has been sucked out of me as I visualize his
little face. Why did he have to die so young? It has
always haunted me. If I had agreed to help dad repair
the roof that day he may still be alive. I would have
gladly died in his place. I have wished for years that it
had been me that dad knocked down the stairs that
day instead of Jeff.
After his funeral I began to have crazy experiences
that I shared only once. I got the whipping of my life
for“telling lies” to dad. When the ghosts of the old
ladies came to visit me I said nothing about them.
They became friends, as weird as that sounds, and
helped me keep my sanity. I thought of suicide often
in the early days after my little brother’s murder.
We were a crazy family and after mother tried to kill
dad with a frying pan he moved away. It was a good
thing he left, because I would have killed him myself,
had he not gone. Mother began to drink habitually
after his departure and began to take her anger out on
me. I would be on the floor as she beat me with
whatever she could find. It never lasted long because
she usually passed out from her drunken rage.
One fateful day my old bus rumbled to a stop in front
of a bright yellow house. It had belonged to an older
couple who raised a few pigs and cows. Today, there
was a girl standing at the stop. She had dark hair that
fell halfway down her back and the prettiest eyes. The
old doors of the bus hissed as they were flung open to
let the new girl inside. It was a shock to me when she
stopped at my seat and smiled. “Is this seat taken”? I
was too shocked to say anything so simply shook my
head no.
The pretty girl with the new school clothes sat next to
me and the other kids’ jaws drop in shock. Their
usual jokes about my clothes and shabby appearance
ceased. I sat up a bit straighter in my seat, squared
my shoulders and smiled at the snotty girl a few seats
up from me. Then the impossible happened. The new
girl actually turned to talk to me.
“My name is Je
n. We just moved here and I think we
are neighbors”. She held out her hand politely and
waited for me to shake it. I looked at her like a stupid
thing- unable to say anything and shook her hand.
“Did you drop this”? She pulled something out of her
pocket. She took my hand and placed a necklace in
my palm. I must have looked shocked because she
put her hand on my shoulder. “Are you ok”?
I always hated people who could not hold their
emotions and was horrified when a tear slipped down
my face. Jen took my hand in hers and we rode
silently the rest of the way to school.
Thinking about Jeff brought back so many painful
memories and I usually kept them locked away.
Hearing his voice again had triggered a flood of
memories that I had buried in the darkest corners of
my mind. I can’t allow myself to feel those things
again. They are done and gone and buried in the past.
My only tangible memory is the locket Jen gave me
when I was 10.
I wear it around my neck for luck and perhaps it has
brought me some after all. Why else would the
otherworld want anything to do with me? God knows
I have lived a wicked life and don’t deserve any better
than a push off a cliff. If it wasn’t for Jen I would
have jumped long ago. As if on cue there is a knock
on my door from Jen.“Ivy-why don’t you join us”?
The door pushes open and Jen walks over and sits on
the edge of my bed. She had been spending all her
time with Bill since we have confined ourselves in the
caves. Can’t say that I blame her after all she had
been through. I was happy for her, of course, but I
missed my friend. Jen knows me better than anyone
else in the world and knows instantly when something
is wrong.
She is not pressing me for answers but simply gives
me a reassuring squeeze on my arm. We always have
had an unspoken understanding that does not require
words. “Let’s get something to eat”. She says as she
rises from the bed.
would have preferred to be alone but that wasn’t an
option living in a group of people.
back in after you” she says laughing.
I walk into the room as cool as you please. They
would never guess the tears I had cried last.
Everyone sees who I appear to be but only one knows
the real me. In my mind, true strength is holding it all
together when you feel like you are falling apart. I
don’t know why I do the things I do but I want to do
more than just exist. It’s all about taking risks and
not caring what people think.
Momentarily all eyes are on me and then everyone
returns to their conversations as I sit across from the
fireplace. Orange flames snake from the burning log
and I watch the smoke curl up the chimney. The
popping sound from the log is soothing and takes my
mind off of last night. The tranquil moment lasts a
few minutes. The silence from the group screams that
something is not right.
“Would you like a cup of coffee Ivy? Said Bill
He slid a steaming cup down the long table toward
me. Splashes of dark liquid spilled as the cup comes
to a stop in front of me. Without a word the
powdered cream is passed down as well. All eyes are
on me as I spoon some cream and sugar into my cup.
“What’s going on”? I don’
t feel like playing 20
questions today and want it straight. They sat there
without saying a word and looked around at each
other.
“Come on, Bill. Tell me what’s going on”. I said,
meeting his eyes. Bill looked at Jen and then slid a
folded piece of paper toward me.
morning” said Bill
I opened
the note and read Lisa’s scrawled hand
writing. There was really nothing to say. Lisa made a
choice and that was that. This really doesn’t concern
me and besides Lisa brings on her own problems. I
really don’t want to bail Lisa out of her problems
when her own selfishness got her to where she is
now. I closed the note and pushed it back to Bill and
resumed drinking my coffee.
all”? said Jen
“Why should I? She doesn’t care about any
one but
herself and why should we risk ourselves for her
stupidity”?
drink my coffee.
“You know Ivy, I can’t believe you would say that
after all the trouble you have caused over the years.
How many times did I pick you up from Saltys bar,
hitchhiking, bad dates and your own stupid
mistakes?”
“Yea- well I never treated people like dirt either. Lisa
is a spoiled bratand doesn’t care a
bout anyone but
herself”.
“Then tell me Ivy
- why is she going to look for
David? Why would anyone go into someplace like
that to look for someone”?
With that, Jen stood up and p
ushed her chair in. “I
can’t believe you Ivy. Well- I will go and look for
her myself. It’s apparent that no one else wants to
help”.
“Don’t be ridiculous Jen. That
place is not safe for
anyone to go into. Why would you risk yourself for
Lisa after shetried to kill Bill”? I tried to meet Jen’s
eyes but she refused to look at me.
want tothat’s all”.
worth the trouble and she gets what she deserves”.
“What about
David? He needs help too. You said
yourself he’s in a bad way on the other side”. Jen’s
facial expression relayed that she would not back
down. Once Jen had her mind set on something or
someone there was no changing her mind.
“Ivy is right Jen. It isn’t safe there and I won’t let
you risk yourself to save mycousin. I’ll go and find
her and bring her back”.
Her face
flushed red and fire shown in her eyes. I had only
seen her like this once before. When John came after
me with a knife she flung a large flashlight at his head
and almost knocked him out. When he was struggling
to his feet, she sprung forward, and held a knife to his
throat. She hissed at him that she would slit his throat
if he didn’t back off. When it came to things that
mattered to her she could be dangerous.
tone as though there was no room for negotiation.
“It should be me that goes because the Shining Ones
asked me to lead the group”. I couldn’t believe the
words coming out of my mouth and clamped my hand
over it.
head out now”. Said Jen
Bill stepped in front of her and wrapped his arms
around her. “You need to stay here. We need
someone to stay behind in case we are gone too long.
There has to be someone here to pull us back through
if we are longer than 3 days”.
Jen tried to protest and was preparing for a fight. She
was not going to take no for an answer.
not be detected as easily as you and Bill”. I said.
Tears formed at the corner of
Jen’s eyes. She came
up and hugged me.“Ivy-just forget it. It’s not right
for you to risk your life for Lisa and David. If it’s not
me going then no one should go. We’ll just have to
hope they find their way”.
“
No- There’s is a reason I had that dream about Jeff.
I think it’s what I am supposed to do. If there is a
chance that Jeff needs my help then I need to go. I
must do this alone. If I am not back in a week come
in after me”.
It was settled. I would go into the realm of the dead to
find Lisa and David. I needed to find out the truth
about Jeff, and once and for all- put my mind at rest.
Within the hour my backpack is ready. We waste no
time walking to the wall where the cave pearls hang
and flowing water runs down the iridescent wall. It is
a beautiful sight and no one would suspect that it was
the entry into the realm of the dead. We have all
wondered what the other side was like and now I
would find out.
Without a backward glance I step into the wall and to
my surprise walk right through to the other side. It is
eerily silent and black as night. I stumble forward
and began to feel my way along the walls as I walk. I
push thoughts of spiders out of my mind as I feel my
way forward. I walk for what seems like hours
through endless tunnels. The earthen walls smell of
dampness and rotting leaves. My fingers have become
sore, from brushing the cold walls, as I inch forward
in the pitch-black darkness.
There seems to be no measuring time on this side.
The growling in my gut is so loud I fear that I will be
heard. I stop and take my backpack off and feel
around inside for the bread I had packed. After eating
half a piece I put the rest hastily back inside and
began moving forward again. The endless darkness
and smell of rotting leaves has brought on a pulsating
headache. I wish I had remembered to pack some
Tylenoland what I wouldn’t give right now for an ice
cold Coke.
The endless silence is broken momentarily by the
sound of a rat. I pause, holding onto the wall for
support, the pounding in my head has made me dizzy.
My mind is playing tricks on me and I think I can
hear footsteps. My heart is pounding so hard that I
can’t focus on where the footsteps are coming from. I
tell myself it is only my imagination working
overtime and force myself to continue forward in the
blackness.
Just as I had convinced myself that there is nothing
there I hear a pitiful cry that makes the hairs on the
back ofmy neck stand on end. I’m tempted to turn
around and go back. If it hadn’t been for footsteps,
that now were coming faster and louder behind me, I
would have turned around.
I am drenched in cold sweat and my body trembles as
I push forward through the narrow, maze like tunnel.
My only thought is to get out of the tunnel and into
some light. It dawns on me that the realm of the dead
may consist only of endless dark tunnels. There is a
sense of urgency to escape and I am compelled to
walk faster. My foot catches a large object and I
nearly fall on it but for my quick response. Whatever
is lying on the ground has a stench that brings a wave
of memories. I have smelled death before and have a
good idea that this is a human body. When my sister
hung herself from the beams in her bedroom, her
body had been suspended from the rope for a day
before anyone noticed she was missing. She had
begun to decay and the smell of her rotting flesh
emitted a putrid odor- Thoughts of her bulging eyes
and bloated head brought a sob from deep inside me.