Lost in Refuge - Part 5

“We can’t just sit around and do nothing,” Elena says, pacing with her hands behind her back. Heh, I think with an inward chuckle. Same old Elena. Never could sit still and do nothing. Always busy, always going. Action, action, action.

“Well, what are you proposing we do?” Jacob demands hotly.

“We need to get out,” Elena emphasizes each word carefully.

“It would be suicide!” Jacob argues. We just got here! Why is everyone fighting already? I groan inwardly. I try to push away my annoyance, but it keeps coming back unbidden as the fight rages on.

“No, it would NOT!” Elena growls. “I survived just fine, didn’t I? And now I have a whole wonderful life out there! An actual life!”

“Maybe you didn’t really go to the Out There!” Jacob shouts. “Maybe you just hid and waited to make us think you left the city! And then decided to come back and use your lies to lure us to our deaths in the Out There!”

“Why would I do that?!” Elena brought her face closer to Jacob’s, her eyes flashing bolts of anger into his. Jacob shies away slightly. Right. Elena was also very… pronounced. I sigh.

“Who—” Jacob is cut off by an angry voice.

“Jacob!” Ria yells. “Stop it!”

Jacob looks startled. Not surprising, though, because Ria is often our peacemaker. I can imagine I have a startled look on my face as well.

Continuing in a quieter tone, Ria says, “Please, Jacob. Listen. Look, I know this is a lot to digest, but you need to see this. The Elders have ruined our life! Everything is too good! Can’t you see we’re really in a broken society?”

“Maybe too good is for the better,” Jacob spits. “Can you give me proof of your story?”

Ria freezes. Her eyes started to dart around as if she could find the answer to Jacob’s harsh question somewhere in her living room.

“Ha!” Jacob laughs humorlessly. “You’re all lying—I knew it.”

“Wait,” I manage to say. “I have proof.” Am I doing the right thing? I wonder. Should I really show them my Great-Great-Grandmother’s journal? And her clues and hints? What will they say?

Ria looks startled. “You do?”

I nod, my throat tight. I take the backpack off my back and pull out the journal. “This was my great-great-grandmother’s journal.

“What does it say?” Ramona Johnson asks eagerly, craning her neck forwards. Taking a deep breath, I start to read. I skip the first part. “I will start by introducing myself. My name is Felicity Marshall…”

When I finish, I close the book quietly and set it on my lap. I fold my hands in my lap and stare down at them. Silence.

“Myra…” Elena’s voice breaks. “How long have you known about this?” She looks like she’s about to hug me, or perhaps cry.

“Well, I’ve had the journal for years, but I read it for the first time yesterday.”

“Did you figure out the clue?” Alex wonders. I look around at the group. There are five people, including Elena and not including me. I nod.

“Throughout the journal, Felicity put random capitals. Put those capital letters together, and it spells ‘find the key in the vase’. So I looked in all my vases, and eventually, I found the key and a small note.” I take the little gold key out of my pocket, along with the slip of old paper.

“Beneath the floor, you’ll find the door, it opens with a key. This door beneath the floor is down beneath the sea. Look hard and your search shall be well rewarded.” I read.

Alex is the first to break the silence. “What’s a sea?” He asks, scratching his head. Elena sighs impatiently. “It’s a large body of water. You all have a lot to learn.”

I’m glad Alex asked so I didn’t have to. I didn’t know what a sea was either. My cheeks redden.

“Have you figured that one out?” Ramona queries. I shake my head.

“No.”

“Hmm. A door beneath the floor… under the sea…” Alex murmurs. “So a sea is a lot of water? With waves and all?” He jumps to his feet. Startled, the rest of the group rises from our seats as well.

“Yes,” Elena says, nodding thoughtfully.

“Then I’ve got it!” Alex exclaims, snapping his thumb and index finger.

“What?” Ria and Elena ask at the same time.

“Follow me!” Alex leaps towards the door.

“I guess that’s why we have Alex,” Ria chuckles. “For his brain.” Everyone else laughs, except for me. I normally would have, but recent events and life-changing discoveries have left me with little joy left, at least for now.

We all hurry to follow Alex, who is already at the front door, waiting impatiently for us.

I shove the note and key back into my pocket and the tattered journal into my backpack. Swinging the pack up onto my back, I rush to my friends, nervous and excited.

* * *

“Here we are,” Alex exclaims proudly.

We have walked four or five blocks away from the Sanders’ house, and are now standing in front of a tall fountain. The water from the fountain sprays up a small mist on us, which feels good in the hot sun.

Alex points to the ground beneath us. All around the fountain, on the concrete walkway, waves are depicted lapping towards the stone fountain.

“Here’s your sea!” Alex declared.

“Well, now what?” Ramona asks after a moment of silence.

“We could look for some seam or something that might indicate a door or something,” Elena suggests, shrugging. “Let’s split up.”

For the next half hour, our group collected quite a few odd stares from people passing as we crawl along the hot concrete ground. Finally, we stop in despair and sit in a circle next to the fountain.

“There’s probably nothing there anyway,” Jacob moans.

“We must have the wrong spot,” Ria sighs, her shoulder slumped.

“Just a wild goose chase!” I grumble. Frustrated, I chuck a small, loose pebble at the fountain. It hits the fountain with a little thunk. It rolls to a stop near a small hole in the side of the fountain. Alex’s disappointed eyes follow the pebble, then freezes on the hole.

“Guys…” Alex starts. “Is it just me, or does that hole in the fountain look like a keyhole?”

Everyone crowds around.

“It does kinda look like that!” Elena exclaims.

“Yeah…” Ramona agrees. I nod, even though I don’t think anyone sees me.

“Myra,” Alex says, excitement building in his voice, “use the key you found.”

Thrilled, I pull the key out of my pocket. I glance around quickly to make sure no one else besides our group is watching. Nobody is near.

Fumbling, I insert the small key into the hole. It fits perfectly. Trembling, I turn the key. There’s a soft click. We wait, but nothing happens.

“Try pushing it a little further in,” Alex suggests. I push the key in a little more. There’s another click, a little louder. Then we hear a grinding sound from behind us.

I jump.

We turn to look. A small section of the concrete covered in waves has sunken into the ground maybe four or five inches, and is now moving to the left, under the rest of the concrete.

We stand and gather around the hole, peering in. A ladder consisting of rusty iron bars in the concrete wall descends into the darkness. We all look at each other. I can feel my heart start to pound.

“Sooo… who goes first?” Ramona wonders.

“I will.” I step forward, trying to look and sound braver than I feel. I start the descent when Alex stops me.

“Take this,” he says, holding out a small penlight to me. “It’s not much, but it’s sure better than nothing.”

“Thanks,” I say gratefully, trying to put on a confident face. Then, turning on the dim light of the penlight, I descend into utter darkness.