Read Online Rise of the Darklings by Paul Crilley - Free Book Online
Authors: Paul Crilley
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stepped through the opening.
C HAPTER S EVEN
In which Emily travels through the realm of Underlondon
.
T WELVE THIRTY IN THE AFTERNOON
ON THE FIRST DAY OF E MILY’S ADVENTURES .
A s Emily crossed the threshold, she caught the briefest glimpse of an earthen tunnel extending away before her, then the door sealed shut and she was plunged into darkness.
She froze, unable to see even her hand in front of her face. She waited for her eyes to adjust, her breathing heavy in her ears. Where was Corrigan? Had he just left her here? Emily swallowed nervously.
A scuttling noise came from somewhere above her. She quickly backed up against the wall, imagining some huge spider creeping along the roof. Loose earth crumbled from the wall off to her left, pattering onto the floor. She imagined strange worms as long as her arm tunneling through the walls, blindly seeking her scent. How would she get out of here?
“What are you doing?”
The voice was right in front of her. She screamed and lashed out with her foot. She heard a grunt of pain, then something falling to the floor.
“Bones
, girl! What did you do that for?” moaned Corrigan. “That
hurt.”
“Sorry,” said Emily, feeling slightly guilty. Then she straightened up. “Anyway, it’s your own fault. You shouldn’t have left me here alone.”
“My
fault?”
“Yes.”
She heard him sigh. “It doesn’t matter. Come on, this way.”
“I can’t see,” said Emily.
“What?”
“I can’t see. It’s too dark.”
“Oh, for—”
Emily sensed movement, then light burst into the tunnel once again as Corrigan opened the doorway and disappeared outside. Emily cast a quick glance at her surroundings. No spiders. No worms. It was just a tunnel, carved roughly into the earth. Tree roots snaked through the roof and walls, their thin tendrils drifting lazily.
Emily heard Corrigan’s voice outside. She couldn’t hear the words, but she could tell he was fighting with someone. Then there was an outraged squeal, and Corrigan stompedback into the tunnel, carrying an old bottle in both hands. Inside the bottle was a faerie, banging angrily on the glass. Emily couldn’t hear what she was saying, but by the look of pure hatred on the tiny creature’s face, Emily didn’t think she really wanted to.
The door closed, but this time the darkness was held at bay by the white glow coming from the angry faerie. Corrigan handed Emily the bottle and walked away.
Emily gingerly raised the bottle to her face. The faerie was sitting with her arms folded in a sulk.
“Sorry,” she said. She waited, but the faerie didn’t seem keen to accept her apology. Emily gave up and hurried after Corrigan, holding the bottle to light the way, trying not to jounce the poor creature around too much.
The tunnel started to slope downward. Corrigan was moving fast, but Emily’s longer stride enabled her to quickly catch up with him.
“A word of warning. Don’t talk to
anybody
. If someone offers you any food—don’t take it.”
“Why? What will happen?”
“You’ll be stuck here until whoever gave you the food becomes bored with you. Either that, or you’ll die of old age.”
They walked down the sloping tunnel until they came up against a brick wall. Emily stood back as Corrigan laid his hands against the wall and muttered something under hisbreath. The bricks separated with a grinding noise and swung aside. Emily could hear the sound of rushing water coming from the other side of the hole.
Emily followed Corrigan through the hole. They were standing on a stone ledge in a huge tunnel that disappeared into the darkness to either side. A torrent of dirty water flowed through the tunnel just below the path.
“What is this place?”
“One of the old rivers,” said Corrigan. “The Tyburn, I think. There are loads of them down here. They all join up with the Thames, but as your lot kept building, they had to brick them up to make room for the city. They’re still here,
C HAPTER S EVEN
In which Emily travels through the realm of Underlondon
.
T WELVE THIRTY IN THE AFTERNOON
ON THE FIRST DAY OF E MILY’S ADVENTURES .
A s Emily crossed the threshold, she caught the briefest glimpse of an earthen tunnel extending away before her, then the door sealed shut and she was plunged into darkness.
She froze, unable to see even her hand in front of her face. She waited for her eyes to adjust, her breathing heavy in her ears. Where was Corrigan? Had he just left her here? Emily swallowed nervously.
A scuttling noise came from somewhere above her. She quickly backed up against the wall, imagining some huge spider creeping along the roof. Loose earth crumbled from the wall off to her left, pattering onto the floor. She imagined strange worms as long as her arm tunneling through the walls, blindly seeking her scent. How would she get out of here?
“What are you doing?”
The voice was right in front of her. She screamed and lashed out with her foot. She heard a grunt of pain, then something falling to the floor.
“Bones
, girl! What did you do that for?” moaned Corrigan. “That
hurt.”
“Sorry,” said Emily, feeling slightly guilty. Then she straightened up. “Anyway, it’s your own fault. You shouldn’t have left me here alone.”
“My
fault?”
“Yes.”
She heard him sigh. “It doesn’t matter. Come on, this way.”
“I can’t see,” said Emily.
“What?”
“I can’t see. It’s too dark.”
“Oh, for—”
Emily sensed movement, then light burst into the tunnel once again as Corrigan opened the doorway and disappeared outside. Emily cast a quick glance at her surroundings. No spiders. No worms. It was just a tunnel, carved roughly into the earth. Tree roots snaked through the roof and walls, their thin tendrils drifting lazily.
Emily heard Corrigan’s voice outside. She couldn’t hear the words, but she could tell he was fighting with someone. Then there was an outraged squeal, and Corrigan stompedback into the tunnel, carrying an old bottle in both hands. Inside the bottle was a faerie, banging angrily on the glass. Emily couldn’t hear what she was saying, but by the look of pure hatred on the tiny creature’s face, Emily didn’t think she really wanted to.
The door closed, but this time the darkness was held at bay by the white glow coming from the angry faerie. Corrigan handed Emily the bottle and walked away.
Emily gingerly raised the bottle to her face. The faerie was sitting with her arms folded in a sulk.
“Sorry,” she said. She waited, but the faerie didn’t seem keen to accept her apology. Emily gave up and hurried after Corrigan, holding the bottle to light the way, trying not to jounce the poor creature around too much.
The tunnel started to slope downward. Corrigan was moving fast, but Emily’s longer stride enabled her to quickly catch up with him.
“A word of warning. Don’t talk to
anybody
. If someone offers you any food—don’t take it.”
“Why? What will happen?”
“You’ll be stuck here until whoever gave you the food becomes bored with you. Either that, or you’ll die of old age.”
They walked down the sloping tunnel until they came up against a brick wall. Emily stood back as Corrigan laid his hands against the wall and muttered something under hisbreath. The bricks separated with a grinding noise and swung aside. Emily could hear the sound of rushing water coming from the other side of the hole.
Emily followed Corrigan through the hole. They were standing on a stone ledge in a huge tunnel that disappeared into the darkness to either side. A torrent of dirty water flowed through the tunnel just below the path.
“What is this place?”
“One of the old rivers,” said Corrigan. “The Tyburn, I think. There are loads of them down here. They all join up with the Thames, but as your lot kept building, they had to brick them up to make room for the city. They’re still here,
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