Read Online Sisters of Sorrow by Axel Blackwell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Axel Blackwell
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“First, on the side of the boiler, there is a crank. Do you see it?”
“Yes.”
“Turn it clockwise until it stops.”
As Anna turned the crank, she heard coal sliding down a chute into the belly of the boiler.
“Now, there are a series of levers attached to pipes on the opposite side. Some are opened, some are closed. Close them all.”
Anna worked her way around the boiler. Its glow darkened with the new influx of coal. She found the levers and closed each of them.
“Just above those levers there is a pressure gauge. Beside it are two copper devices, a valve and a whistle. Do you see them?”
“Yes.”
“Smash them flat. I left a mallet for you on the floor, near your feet.”
The mallet was heavy. With one stroke, Anna flattened the valve and bent the whistle. With a second stroke, the whistle ceased to be. The boiler groaned. It shuddered as if Anna’s pounding had awakened it. She stepped away, suddenly afraid of what she had done.
“I’m not so sure that was a good idea,” she said.
“It is a terrible idea. But this is a terrible place. Now listen close and speak no more. Let my words burn into your memory. If you miss one thing, you will be caught, and if you are caught, they will kill you. Listen and remember. We will not speak again until you are free.”
Chapter 9
“This will cost me another finger if your plan doesn’t work,” Anna whispered into the dark room.
It’ll cost you a lot more than that, her other voice said. If you fail, they will kill you. That’s the only thing Joseph told you that you know to be true.
She found an odd sort of freedom in that thought. Once they’ve killed me, there’s nothing more they can do. Nothing is off limits now. There is an upper limit on punishment, but the potential for wickedness is infinite.
Anna had fled the factory after hearing Joseph’s instructions. The boiler moaned and growled, its red glow brightening to orange. The stitchers, with their needle teeth, hissed at her as she ran past.
At this hour, the back stairs between the factory and the dining hall had been deserted. Anna slipped through the dining hall and into the kitchen undetected. Joseph had told her to wait here until she heard the signal. Rest, sleep if you can. Even if you sleep deeply, you will hear the signal. When you hear it, run for the kitchen door. It will be open for you.
She found the kitchen door. It was nestled deep into a recess in the stone wall. A heavy oak beam barred it, padlocked into iron brackets on either side. Another padlock attached a spring to the door. The spring was fastened to a cable that disappeared into a small hole above the frame.
That cable goes to the bell in the sister’s living quarters , she thought.
A round window opened near the door’s top. Anna had to stand on tiptoe to see out the small pane. Beyond this door, wide wooden stairs descended to the loading dock. The little steamer bobbed alongside the dock, its lights turned down.
Anna sighed and turned back to the kitchen, hugging herself. Her breath floated in the air before her face. I’ll be needing a coat , she thought, if I am to be outside all night. And food.
Two coats hung by the door, oiled lambskin on the outside, fleecy wool on the inside. Both were too big for her. Anna pulled the smaller of the two from its hook and slipped into it. I’ve been swallowed by an inside-out sheep. It was something Lizzy would have said, and Anna felt an urge to scold the precocious girl. Well, at least it will keep you warm and dry.
The kitchen was too big, too open. Anna knew she could not rest here, much less sleep. She surveyed the room a second time and found what she needed. Beyond a long butcher-block counter, a pair of plain doors opened into the pantry.
Anna tiptoed around the counter and crept inside. It was a closet sized space that smelled of coffee and yeast and potatoes. A few loaves of leftover bread filled one shelf. Canned fish lined most of the other shelves.
“Yes.”
“Turn it clockwise until it stops.”
As Anna turned the crank, she heard coal sliding down a chute into the belly of the boiler.
“Now, there are a series of levers attached to pipes on the opposite side. Some are opened, some are closed. Close them all.”
Anna worked her way around the boiler. Its glow darkened with the new influx of coal. She found the levers and closed each of them.
“Just above those levers there is a pressure gauge. Beside it are two copper devices, a valve and a whistle. Do you see them?”
“Yes.”
“Smash them flat. I left a mallet for you on the floor, near your feet.”
The mallet was heavy. With one stroke, Anna flattened the valve and bent the whistle. With a second stroke, the whistle ceased to be. The boiler groaned. It shuddered as if Anna’s pounding had awakened it. She stepped away, suddenly afraid of what she had done.
“I’m not so sure that was a good idea,” she said.
“It is a terrible idea. But this is a terrible place. Now listen close and speak no more. Let my words burn into your memory. If you miss one thing, you will be caught, and if you are caught, they will kill you. Listen and remember. We will not speak again until you are free.”
Chapter 9
“This will cost me another finger if your plan doesn’t work,” Anna whispered into the dark room.
It’ll cost you a lot more than that, her other voice said. If you fail, they will kill you. That’s the only thing Joseph told you that you know to be true.
She found an odd sort of freedom in that thought. Once they’ve killed me, there’s nothing more they can do. Nothing is off limits now. There is an upper limit on punishment, but the potential for wickedness is infinite.
Anna had fled the factory after hearing Joseph’s instructions. The boiler moaned and growled, its red glow brightening to orange. The stitchers, with their needle teeth, hissed at her as she ran past.
At this hour, the back stairs between the factory and the dining hall had been deserted. Anna slipped through the dining hall and into the kitchen undetected. Joseph had told her to wait here until she heard the signal. Rest, sleep if you can. Even if you sleep deeply, you will hear the signal. When you hear it, run for the kitchen door. It will be open for you.
She found the kitchen door. It was nestled deep into a recess in the stone wall. A heavy oak beam barred it, padlocked into iron brackets on either side. Another padlock attached a spring to the door. The spring was fastened to a cable that disappeared into a small hole above the frame.
That cable goes to the bell in the sister’s living quarters , she thought.
A round window opened near the door’s top. Anna had to stand on tiptoe to see out the small pane. Beyond this door, wide wooden stairs descended to the loading dock. The little steamer bobbed alongside the dock, its lights turned down.
Anna sighed and turned back to the kitchen, hugging herself. Her breath floated in the air before her face. I’ll be needing a coat , she thought, if I am to be outside all night. And food.
Two coats hung by the door, oiled lambskin on the outside, fleecy wool on the inside. Both were too big for her. Anna pulled the smaller of the two from its hook and slipped into it. I’ve been swallowed by an inside-out sheep. It was something Lizzy would have said, and Anna felt an urge to scold the precocious girl. Well, at least it will keep you warm and dry.
The kitchen was too big, too open. Anna knew she could not rest here, much less sleep. She surveyed the room a second time and found what she needed. Beyond a long butcher-block counter, a pair of plain doors opened into the pantry.
Anna tiptoed around the counter and crept inside. It was a closet sized space that smelled of coffee and yeast and potatoes. A few loaves of leftover bread filled one shelf. Canned fish lined most of the other shelves.
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