The first thing Elliot Finch did after the stone door slammed shut was scream.

The second thing he did was pretend he hadn’t screamed.

The third thing he did was scream again when something touched his shoulder.

“AAAAAH!”

“Elliot!”

He spun around.

Clara stood behind him.

Elliot stared at her.

“You touched me!”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because you were screaming.”

“I thought something was attacking me.”

“I was checking if you were alive.”

“Well?”

Clara looked him up and down.

“Unfortunately, yes.”

Elliot placed a hand over his heart.

“I feel deeply unsupported.”

“Good.”

Thomas raised his flashlight.

The chamber was enormous.

The walls disappeared into darkness.

Ancient symbols covered the stone.

In the center stood a circular platform surrounded by black pillars.

And standing on that platform were the two figures who looked exactly like Elliot and Clara’s parents.

Or at least…

They had looked like them.

Now their faces seemed strangely empty.

Their eyes reflected the faint golden light around them.

Elliot stared.

“That’s my mother.”

Clara nodded.

“I know.”

“That’s my father.”

“I know.”

“But Thomas says they’re not.”

Thomas stepped forward.

“They aren’t.”

The man who looked like Elliot’s father smiled.

“You’ve always been a suspicious man, Thomas.”

Thomas froze.

Elliot looked at him.

“You know him?”

Thomas didn’t answer.

The woman looked at Thomas.

“You never did trust us.”

Thomas’s face became pale.

“Because I knew what you were.”

The woman’s smile disappeared.

The golden light around the chamber suddenly flickered.

Elliot stepped backward.

“Can someone please explain what is happening?”

The man looked at Elliot.

“Your parents disappeared seven years ago.”

“Yes.”

“They entered this chamber.”

“Yes.”

“They never left.”

Elliot’s voice became quiet.

“Then you’re saying they are here.”

The man nodded.

“Part of them.”

Clara stepped forward.

“What does that mean?”

The man smiled.

“You’re asking the wrong question.”

“What should I ask?”

“Who are we?”

Elliot raised his hand.

Everyone looked at him.

Thomas sighed.

“What?”

Elliot pointed at the strange man.

“I think he should answer that one.”

The man smiled.

“Very well.”

He stepped off the platform.

“My name is Edmund Blackwood.”

Elliot stared.

“The dead man.”

Edmund smiled.

“Apparently.”

Clara looked at Thomas.

“You said he was dead.”

Thomas nodded.

“Everyone thought he was.”

Edmund laughed.

“People often believe what they are told.”

Elliot looked around.

“Can we stop talking about whether you’re dead?”

Edmund turned toward him.

“Why?”

“Because I’m standing in a secret underground chamber with a man who is supposed to be dead.”

Elliot pointed toward the door.

“And I would like to leave before someone else becomes dead.”

Edmund smiled.

“Your sense of humor is impressive.”

“Thank you.”

“I wasn’t complimenting you.”

“Oh.”

Clara stepped forward.

“Where are our parents?”

Edmund’s expression changed.

“Your parents came here because they wanted answers.”

“What answers?”

“About the Blackwood family.”

“Why?”

“Because they discovered the truth.”

Clara’s voice became sharp.

“What truth?”

Edmund looked toward the walls.

“This town was built on a lie.”

Silence.

Elliot looked at Thomas.

“Is this going to be another one of those answers that creates seventeen more questions?”

Thomas nodded.

“Probably.”

Elliot sighed.

“I hate this town.”

Edmund walked toward one of the pillars.

He placed his hand against it.

The wall began to glow.

Suddenly, images appeared across the stone.

A village.

People digging into the earth.

Men carrying gold.

Houses being built.

A young man wearing the Blackwood family symbol.

Elliot watched.

“What is this?”

“The beginning of Willowmere.”

Edmund’s voice echoed.

“Over one hundred years ago, the Blackwood family discovered a rich deposit of gold beneath the forest.”

Clara frowned.

“That’s the mine.”

“Yes.”

“They became rich.”

“Very.”

“And that’s why the town was built.”

Edmund nodded.

“But the gold wasn’t the only thing they found.”

The image changed.

The miners discovered a black stone.

It was shaped like a human heart.

Elliot leaned closer.

“What is that?”

Edmund’s face became serious.

“The Heart of Blackwood.”

Clara looked confused.

“That’s not a real thing.”

Edmund smiled.

“Neither am I.”

Elliot whispered:

“Fair point.”

Edmund continued.

“The stone was ancient.”

“How ancient?”

“Older than the town.”

“Older than the mine?”

“Much older.”

“Who made it?”

Edmund shook his head.

“No one knows.”

Clara looked at the glowing image.

“What does it do?”

Edmund hesitated.

“That’s the problem.”

The image changed again.

A person touched the stone.

The image showed the person’s face becoming younger.

Elliot stared.

“It makes people young?”

“Not exactly.”

Edmund looked at him.

“It takes something from one person…”

The image showed an old man becoming younger.

“…and gives it to another.”

Clara’s eyes widened.

“It steals life.”

Edmund nodded.

“Exactly.”

Elliot’s face went pale.

“So the Blackwoods used it?”

“Of course.”

Thomas suddenly spoke.

“That’s why the family lived so long.”

Edmund looked at him.

“You know more than you admit.”

Thomas’s eyes narrowed.

“Enough.”

Edmund smiled.

“The Blackwoods used the Heart for generations.”

Clara looked at the image.

“Then why did they stop?”

Edmund’s expression became cold.

“They didn’t.”

The chamber fell silent.

Clara slowly looked at him.

“What?”

Edmund pointed toward the darkness.

“The Heart is still here.”

Elliot’s stomach dropped.

“Here?”

“Under this chamber.”

“How far?”

Edmund smiled.

“Very close.”

Elliot immediately stepped backward.

“Wonderful.”

Clara turned toward Thomas.

“You knew about this?”

Thomas shook his head.

“Not all of it.”

“You lied to us.”

“I was protecting you.”

“Everyone keeps saying that.”

Elliot raised his hands.

“Can we stop protecting us and start telling us things?”

Nobody answered.

Elliot sighed.

“I thought so.”

Clara looked at Edmund.

“What happened to our parents?”

Edmund turned away.

“They found the Heart.”

“Then where are they?”

Edmund looked at the two figures on the platform.

Clara stared.

“Those aren’t them.”

“No.”

“Then what are they?”

Edmund smiled.

“Memories.”

Elliot froze.

“What?”

“Your parents entered the chamber.”

Edmund pointed toward the figures.

“The chamber remembered them.”

Clara’s voice shook.

“So they’re dead?”

Edmund didn’t answer.

Clara stepped forward.

“Are they dead?”

The figures suddenly moved.

The woman who looked like Clara’s mother spoke.

“Not yet.”

Clara froze.

Elliot’s heart stopped.

“What does that mean?”

The woman looked at Clara.

“Your parents are still alive.”

Clara began to cry.

“Where?”

The woman pointed downward.

“Below.”

A hidden section of the floor opened.

A staircase appeared.

It descended into darkness.

Elliot stared.

“No.”

Clara looked at him.

“What?”

“No more stairs.”

“We have to go.”

“Why?”

“Because our parents are down there.”

Elliot sighed.

“Of course they are.”

They began descending.

Thomas followed.

Edmund remained above.

Elliot looked back.

“Aren’t you coming?”

Edmund smiled.

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because I have already been down there.”

“What happened?”

Edmund’s smile vanished.

“I came back alone.”

The staircase continued.

Ten steps.

Twenty.

Thirty.

The air became colder.

Then they heard something.

A whisper.

Clara stopped.

“Did you hear that?”

Elliot nodded.

“What?”

“My name.”

A voice echoed.

“Clara.”

She turned.

Nothing.

Then another voice.

“Elliot.”

He froze.

It was his father’s voice.

“Keep walking.”

Elliot looked at Clara.

“Did you hear that?”

She nodded.

Thomas shouted:

“Don’t listen!”

But it was too late.

Elliot continued.

“Elliot!”

The voice became louder.

“Your parents are waiting.”

Clara grabbed his arm.

“Don’t.”

Elliot stopped.

The voice changed.

Now it was his mother’s.

“Elliot, please.”

His eyes filled with tears.

“Mom?”

Thomas stepped between them.

“That’s not her.”

The voice laughed.

The tunnel shook.

Then a dozen voices spoke together.

“COME HOME.”

Elliot screamed.

“NO!”

The walls suddenly moved.

Stone began sliding across the floor.

Thomas grabbed Elliot.

Clara grabbed Thomas.

The three ran.

Behind them, the staircase disappeared.

They reached a large chamber.

At its center stood a black stone.

It was shaped like a heart.

The Heart of Blackwood.

Elliot stared.

“So that’s it.”

Thomas whispered:

“Yes.”

Clara stepped forward.

The stone began glowing.

Suddenly…

Two figures appeared.

A man.

A woman.

Elliot’s parents.

This time they looked real.

Not memories.

Not shadows.

Real.

Clara screamed:

“Mom!”

The woman looked at her.

“Clara!”

Clara ran.

Thomas grabbed her.

“No!”

Clara struggled.

“Let me go!”

“Look at them!”

Clara looked.

Something was wrong.

Her parents were standing perfectly still.

Their eyes were closed.

Their hands were touching the black stone.

Elliot whispered:

“They’re trapped.”

Thomas nodded.

“They’ve been connected to the Heart.”

Clara cried.

“How do we free them?”

Thomas looked at the stone.

“I don’t know.”

A voice came from behind them.

“I do.”

They turned.

Mayor Hargrove stood at the entrance.

Elliot immediately stepped backward.

“You again.”

The mayor smiled.

“I’ve been looking for this place for years.”

Clara stared at him.

“You knew about our parents.”

“Yes.”

“You knew they were alive.”

“Yes.”

“Then why didn’t you tell us?”

The mayor’s smile disappeared.

“Because I needed you to come here.”

Elliot frowned.

“Why?”

The mayor looked directly at him.

“Because the Heart only responds to the descendants of the Finch family.”

Silence.

Elliot pointed at himself.

“Me?”

The mayor nodded.

“Your family discovered the Heart.”

Elliot stared.

“My family?”

“Your ancestors were the first people to find it.”

Thomas stepped forward.

“That’s impossible.”

The mayor laughed.

“You really know nothing.”

Thomas raised his weapon.

The mayor smiled.

“You can’t stop what’s coming.”

Clara looked at the Heart.

“What does it want?”

The mayor answered:

“Life.”

The Heart suddenly pulsed.

THUMP.

Elliot jumped.

“Did that stone just move?”

THUMP.

The floor shook.

Clara screamed.

Her parents opened their eyes.

They looked at her.

“Clara…”

She froze.

“Mom?”

The woman whispered:

“Run.”

The Heart pulsed again.

THUMP.

Elliot looked at his parents.

His father’s voice became weak.

“Don’t let it take you.”

The mayor shouted:

“Now!”

A group of men entered the chamber.

Thomas immediately attacked the nearest one.

Clara pulled Elliot away.

“Run!”

They raced toward the exit.

But the door slammed shut.

The mayor stood between them and freedom.

“You don’t understand.”

Elliot glared at him.

“I understand one thing.”

“What?”

“You’re definitely not a good mayor.”

The mayor stared.

“Why?”

“Because you have terrible communication skills.”

Clara looked at him.

“Elliot!”

“What?”

The Heart pulsed again.

This time…

Elliot felt something.

A strange warmth spread through his chest.

His vision blurred.

He saw a memory.

A little boy.

A little girl.

A man.

A woman.

His parents.

And another man.

The mayor.

They were standing inside the same chamber.

Seven years ago.

Elliot watched.

His mother was crying.

His father was shouting.

The mayor was holding a strange object.

Then…

A young Clara appeared.

And Elliot.

They were children.

Their parents were trying to protect them.

Elliot heard his father’s voice.

“Take them away!”

The mayor shouted:

“I can’t!”

“Then they’ll die!”

The memory changed.

Elliot saw Thomas.

He was younger.

He was carrying Elliot and Clara.

He was running.

Behind him…

The Heart was glowing.

Then Elliot heard his mother’s final words.

“Erase their memories.”

Thomas stopped.

The mayor stared.

“Are you sure?”

His mother nodded.

“They must forget.”

The vision disappeared.

Elliot fell to his knees.

Clara grabbed him.

“What happened?”

Elliot looked at her.

“Our parents…”

“What?”

“They asked Thomas to erase our memories.”

Clara stared.

“Why?”

Before Elliot could answer…

The mayor spoke.

“Because they knew the truth.”

Thomas looked at the mayor.

“Stop.”

The mayor smiled.

“Tell them, Thomas.”

Clara turned.

“Tell us what?”

Thomas lowered his weapon.

His voice was broken.

“Your parents weren’t protecting you from the Heart.”

Elliot stared.

“Then what?”

Thomas looked at the glowing stone.

“They were protecting the Heart from you.”

Silence.

Clara whispered:

“Why?”

Thomas looked at Elliot.

“Because you are the key.”

The Heart suddenly exploded with light.

Everyone screamed.

Elliot felt himself being pulled forward.

Clara grabbed his hand.

“Don’t let go!”

Elliot held on.

The Heart pulled harder.

Thomas grabbed Clara.

The mayor stepped backward.

“Finally.”

Elliot shouted:

“Clara!”

“I’m here!”

The Heart’s light surrounded them.

Then a voice echoed inside Elliot’s mind.

OPEN THE DOOR.

Elliot screamed.

“I DON’T KNOW WHAT DOOR!”

The voice answered.

THE DOOR BELOW.

The entire chamber shook.

The floor cracked.

A massive hole opened beneath the Heart.

Something was moving below.

Something enormous.

Thomas stared into the darkness.

“No.”

Clara looked at him.

“What?”

Thomas whispered:

“It’s awake.”

The mayor smiled.

“At last.”

Elliot stared down.

A pair of enormous eyes opened in the darkness.

The Heart pulsed.

THUMP.

The mayor whispered:

“The Blackwood family didn’t disappear.”

Another pulse.

THUMP.

“They went below.”

Another pulse.

THUMP.

“And now…”

The creature beneath the chamber began to rise.

“…they’re coming back.”

Elliot looked at Clara.

Clara looked at Thomas.

Thomas looked terrified.

Then a voice echoed from the darkness.

A voice that sounded exactly like Elliot’s.

“I’M HOME.”

The lights went out.

And somewhere far above them…

The town of Willowmere began to shake.

To Be Continued…