hard floor in the midst of a puddle.
Carefully, I rose and examined myself. At least the dress wasn't soaked, merely a bit damp along the hem. However, the bandage on my shin was a total loss so I peeled it off and tossed it down. After retrieving the flashlight, I continued on to the grate. Once there I saw the barest of lights visible from below through the slats. I heard voices shouting at one another. Although I couldn’t make out the words, I recognized Senji and Franky, and at least two others.
I lifted the grate and set it aside before climbing through and lowering myself. Ahead, the tunnel lay brightly illuminated by battery operated construction site lights on tripods. Billy and Quinn stood near the brick wall while Juliette hovered nervously nearby. Billy had a chisel and hammer. He worked at the mortar while Quinn pried out bricks before tossing them aside. They had a good third of the wall down already.
Franky, paced next to Juliette talking to her but I couldn’t hear him over Senji’s shouts. As Billy and Quinn worked, Senji yelled at them to stop.
“We were here first,” Senji screamed. “You’re cheating, you total dicks.”
“What’s cheating? You aren’t at the morgue first. We are.” Billy chuckled, continuing to tap the chisel.
“Guys stop.” I rushed forward. “You could make the tunnel collapse.”
“Ha,” Billy said. “If it isn’t crazy Kizzy.” He didn’t stop. Neither did Quinn.
“Come on. Don’t be stupid.” I walked toward them. “People got killed here a couple years ago. That’s probably when they put up the wall.”
“Nice try.” He said glanced over his shoulder. “But we’re going to win this race. You squares are gonna be outa the spelunking business.”
“That’s enough.” Quinn tossed down one last brick. “We can climb over the rest.”
Senji, who’d been holding a length of curled up rope, dropped it and charged forward. He grappled up the half-wall but was quickly plucked off by Quinn and flung to the ground. Billy held back a scrabbling Franky before pushing him easily into a sitting position.
Hoisting himself over the remaining bricks, Billy entered the gap first followed closely by Quinn. They disappeared for a few moments. After a while, Billy’s head appeared over the bricks.
He hopped back through to our side and motioned to Juliette.
“Come on, baby. It’s so great in there.”
She moved toward the wall and put her hand in his preparing for him to lift her.
“Juliette,” I called. “Don’t go in there. It’s dangerous.”
“Don’t worry, Kizzy.” By this time she sat on the edge of the wall. She scooted over and disappeared over the other side before peering back at me from the opening. "Billy will keep me safe."
“You’re damn right I will,” Billy said. He climbed back through and joined Juliette and Quinn.
Senji, still complaining loudly, vaulted after them.
“Kizzy?” Franky searched my face. “Should we go in?”
I paused for a few seconds. Finally, I spoke.
“No, but I guess I’m going to.”
With Franky scurrying after me, we went.
The construction lights, partially blocked by the wall, cast a shadowed light into the morgue giving it an almost blue appearance. Nothing remained to identify it as a room of the dead except for the two wood slabs, one lying on its side. Metal rings had been affixed into the wall. I’d seen similar rings in other locations in Savannah where blacks had been kept during the dark days of the slave trade. The chains linking the men and women had been run through the wall rings to secure the people from escape. Paper, bottles and unidentifiable instruments littered the floor.
Something else on the floor caught my eye and I found my attention riveted to the spot. A stylized letter with the upper sweep designed in a spiraling circle had been drawn on the concrete. Even though it was faded with age, the design so closely resembled my tag, I had to examine it twice to note
Carefully, I rose and examined myself. At least the dress wasn't soaked, merely a bit damp along the hem. However, the bandage on my shin was a total loss so I peeled it off and tossed it down. After retrieving the flashlight, I continued on to the grate. Once there I saw the barest of lights visible from below through the slats. I heard voices shouting at one another. Although I couldn’t make out the words, I recognized Senji and Franky, and at least two others.
I lifted the grate and set it aside before climbing through and lowering myself. Ahead, the tunnel lay brightly illuminated by battery operated construction site lights on tripods. Billy and Quinn stood near the brick wall while Juliette hovered nervously nearby. Billy had a chisel and hammer. He worked at the mortar while Quinn pried out bricks before tossing them aside. They had a good third of the wall down already.
Franky, paced next to Juliette talking to her but I couldn’t hear him over Senji’s shouts. As Billy and Quinn worked, Senji yelled at them to stop.
“We were here first,” Senji screamed. “You’re cheating, you total dicks.”
“What’s cheating? You aren’t at the morgue first. We are.” Billy chuckled, continuing to tap the chisel.
“Guys stop.” I rushed forward. “You could make the tunnel collapse.”
“Ha,” Billy said. “If it isn’t crazy Kizzy.” He didn’t stop. Neither did Quinn.
“Come on. Don’t be stupid.” I walked toward them. “People got killed here a couple years ago. That’s probably when they put up the wall.”
“Nice try.” He said glanced over his shoulder. “But we’re going to win this race. You squares are gonna be outa the spelunking business.”
“That’s enough.” Quinn tossed down one last brick. “We can climb over the rest.”
Senji, who’d been holding a length of curled up rope, dropped it and charged forward. He grappled up the half-wall but was quickly plucked off by Quinn and flung to the ground. Billy held back a scrabbling Franky before pushing him easily into a sitting position.
Hoisting himself over the remaining bricks, Billy entered the gap first followed closely by Quinn. They disappeared for a few moments. After a while, Billy’s head appeared over the bricks.
He hopped back through to our side and motioned to Juliette.
“Come on, baby. It’s so great in there.”
She moved toward the wall and put her hand in his preparing for him to lift her.
“Juliette,” I called. “Don’t go in there. It’s dangerous.”
“Don’t worry, Kizzy.” By this time she sat on the edge of the wall. She scooted over and disappeared over the other side before peering back at me from the opening. "Billy will keep me safe."
“You’re damn right I will,” Billy said. He climbed back through and joined Juliette and Quinn.
Senji, still complaining loudly, vaulted after them.
“Kizzy?” Franky searched my face. “Should we go in?”
I paused for a few seconds. Finally, I spoke.
“No, but I guess I’m going to.”
With Franky scurrying after me, we went.
The construction lights, partially blocked by the wall, cast a shadowed light into the morgue giving it an almost blue appearance. Nothing remained to identify it as a room of the dead except for the two wood slabs, one lying on its side. Metal rings had been affixed into the wall. I’d seen similar rings in other locations in Savannah where blacks had been kept during the dark days of the slave trade. The chains linking the men and women had been run through the wall rings to secure the people from escape. Paper, bottles and unidentifiable instruments littered the floor.
Something else on the floor caught my eye and I found my attention riveted to the spot. A stylized letter with the upper sweep designed in a spiraling circle had been drawn on the concrete. Even though it was faded with age, the design so closely resembled my tag, I had to examine it twice to note
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