Elliot Finch had always believed that running away from danger was a perfectly respectable activity.

In fact, he considered it one of the most important skills a person could possess.

Unfortunately, his sister Clara disagreed.

“Stop running.”

Elliot didn’t stop.

“Why?”

“Because we’re not being chased.”

Elliot glanced over his shoulder.

Behind them was Thomas Gray.

Behind Thomas was a dark tunnel.

Behind the dark tunnel was Blackwood Manor.

And somewhere inside that mansion was a man who was supposedly dead.

Elliot continued running.

“That’s exactly what someone being chased would say!”

Thomas shouted from behind.

“We’re safe!”

Elliot ran faster.

“That’s what the villains always say before something explodes!”

Clara finally grabbed the back of Elliot’s coat.

He stopped so suddenly that Thomas nearly crashed into him.

“We’re stopping?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because we’re safe.”

Elliot looked around.

They stood in a narrow stone corridor.

There were no enemies.

No monsters.

No mysterious dead men.

No suspicious noises.

Elliot breathed heavily.

“Fine.”

Clara stared at him.

“You’re sweating.”

“I’m terrified.”

“Of what?”

“Everything.”

Thomas walked toward them.

“Are you finished?”

Elliot looked at him.

“Not emotionally.”

Thomas ignored him.

“We need to keep moving.”

Clara crossed her arms.

“Not until you tell us the truth.”

Thomas stopped.

“What truth?”

“My parents.”

Thomas’s expression changed.

For the first time, he looked tired.

Not afraid.

Not angry.

Just tired.

“Elliot and Clara,” he said quietly, “there are things you don’t remember.”

Clara stepped closer.

“Then help us remember.”

Thomas looked at her.

“Seven years ago, your parents were investigating the Blackwood family.”

Elliot frowned.

“Why?”

“Because they believed the Blackwoods were hiding something.”

“What?”

Thomas hesitated.

“A secret.”

Elliot waited.

Thomas didn’t continue.

Elliot waved his hands.

“That’s it?”

Thomas frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“You can’t just say ‘a secret’ and stop.”

“Why not?”

“Because that’s terrible storytelling.”

Clara looked at him.

“This isn’t a story.”

“It feels like one.”

Thomas sighed.

“The secret was connected to Willowmere itself.”

Clara became serious.

“What does that mean?”

Thomas looked down the corridor.

“Years ago, the town was nearly destroyed.”

Elliot blinked.

“By what?”

“Money.”

Elliot paused.

“Money?”

Thomas nodded.

“The town was built around a gold mine.”

Clara’s eyes widened.

“A gold mine?”

“Yes.”

Elliot looked disappointed.

“I thought you were going to say ghosts.”

Thomas stared at him.

“Why would I say ghosts?”

“Because this place has terrible lighting.”

Thomas continued.

“The mine was closed nearly a century ago.”

“Why?”

“An accident.”

“People died?”

“Many.”

Elliot swallowed.

“Okay. That’s less funny.”

Thomas nodded.

“But the mine wasn’t empty.”

Clara looked at him.

“What was inside?”

Thomas whispered:

“Gold.”

Elliot’s eyes widened.

“How much?”

Thomas shrugged.

“Enough to make people kill for it.”

The corridor suddenly seemed colder.

Clara looked at Thomas.

“Is that why our parents disappeared?”

Thomas nodded.

“Possibly.”

“Possibly?”

“We don’t know.”

“Then what do you know?”

Thomas looked directly at her.

“Your parents discovered something inside the old mine.”

“What?”

“They found a map.”

Elliot frowned.

“A map to the gold?”

Thomas shook his head.

“No.”

“A map to the mine?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

Thomas lowered his voice.

“A map to something much older.”

Clara stared.

“What could be older than the mine?”

Thomas looked at the stone walls.

“Something beneath it.”

Elliot immediately raised his hand.

“I have a question.”

Thomas sighed.

“What?”

“Why does every answer in this town create three more questions?”

Thomas looked at Clara.

“Does he always do this?”

“Yes.”

“Then I understand why your parents disappeared.”

Elliot gasped.

“That’s rude.”

Thomas continued walking.

Elliot followed.

“So what’s beneath the mine?”

Thomas didn’t answer.

Clara stopped.

“Thomas.”

He stopped.

She looked at him.

“Tell us.”

Thomas sighed.

“Your parents believed there was an ancient chamber beneath the mine.”

“An ancient chamber?”

“Yes.”

“What was inside?”

Thomas hesitated.

“We don’t know.”

Elliot frowned.

“Why?”

“Because no one who entered came back.”

Elliot stopped walking.

“That’s information you could have shared earlier.”

Thomas ignored him.

“The mayor spent years trying to find your parents.”

Clara’s eyes widened.

“Why?”

“Because he believed they were alive.”

Elliot stared.

“Alive?”

Thomas nodded.

“Your parents disappeared seven years ago.”

“Exactly.”

“They were never found.”

“Exactly.”

“So how could they be alive?”

Thomas looked at him.

“Because the mayor found evidence.”

“What evidence?”

Thomas reached into his coat.

He pulled out a photograph.

Clara took it.

It showed a dark tunnel.

At the end stood two figures.

A man.

And a woman.

Clara’s hands began to shake.

“That’s them.”

Elliot stared at the photograph.

He recognized them too.

Their parents.

Standing inside the old mine.

The date on the photograph was from six years ago.

One year after their disappearance.

Elliot’s voice became quiet.

“They survived.”

Thomas nodded.

“That’s what the mayor believed.”

Clara looked up.

“Where are they now?”

Thomas looked away.

“We don’t know.”

“Then why did you say they survived?”

“Because the photograph wasn’t the only evidence.”

Thomas pulled out another piece of paper.

It was a letter.

The handwriting was faded.

Clara opened it.

Her eyes moved across the page.

Then she stopped.

“What does it say?”

Elliot leaned closer.

Clara read:

If you receive this letter, do not search for us.

Elliot stared.

“That’s terrible advice.”

Clara continued.

The people who are looking for us are closer than you think.

Her voice became softer.

Trust no one.

At the bottom were two words.

Your mother.

Clara lowered the letter.

“Who were they running from?”

Thomas didn’t answer.

Elliot looked at him.

“You know.”

Thomas remained silent.

“Thomas.”

Nothing.

Elliot stepped closer.

“Who were they running from?”

Thomas finally spoke.

“The Blackwood family.”

Clara’s eyes widened.

“Why?”

Thomas looked at the letter.

“Because they found the chamber.”

A loud sound echoed through the tunnel.

BOOM!

Everyone froze.

Elliot whispered:

“Was that supposed to happen?”

Thomas shook his head.

Another explosion.

BOOM!

Dust fell from the ceiling.

Clara looked at Thomas.

“What’s happening?”

“They found us.”

“Who?”

Thomas turned.

“We need to move.”

They ran.

The tunnel shook behind them.

Elliot looked over his shoulder.

“Who are we running from?”

Thomas shouted:

“The Blackwood men!”

“How many?”

“I don’t know!”

“That’s not helpful!”

“Then stop asking questions!”

Elliot ran faster.

Clara followed.

The tunnel split into three directions.

Thomas immediately turned left.

Elliot went right.

Clara went straight.

Thomas stopped.

“Where are they going?”

Elliot shouted from the right tunnel:

“I THOUGHT YOU KNEW WHERE WE WERE GOING!”

Clara shouted from the middle:

“WHY DID WE SPLIT UP?”

Thomas looked between them.

“Because none of you listened!”

Elliot returned.

“Okay.”

Clara returned too.

They stood together.

Thomas pointed left.

“That way.”

Elliot nodded.

“Good.”

They ran.

Behind them came footsteps.

Many footsteps.

Clara looked back.

“They’re coming!”

Elliot ran faster.

“I KNEW IT!”

Thomas shouted:

“Keep moving!”

They reached a wooden door.

Thomas opened it.

They entered a small room.

Thomas slammed the door.

He pushed a table against it.

Elliot helped.

Clara helped.

The footsteps grew louder.

THUD.

The door shook.

Elliot whispered:

“That’s not good.”

Thomas looked around.

“There.”

He pointed toward a small window.

Clara opened it.

Outside was the forest.

A long way down.

Elliot looked at it.

“No.”

Thomas grabbed him.

“Go.”

“No.”

“Jump.”

“Absolutely not.”

The door shook again.

THUD!

Thomas pushed Elliot toward the window.

Elliot grabbed the frame.

“I don’t like this plan!”

“Do you have a better one?”

“Yes!”

“What?”

“Stay here.”

Thomas stared.

The door shook.

Elliot looked at the door.

Then at the window.

“Fine.”

He climbed out.

Clara followed.

Thomas jumped last.

They landed on the forest floor.

Elliot immediately stood.

“Everyone alive?”

Clara nodded.

Thomas nodded.

Elliot looked around.

“We’re lost.”

Thomas sighed.

“Not exactly.”

“Then where are we?”

Thomas pointed.

A massive stone building stood between the trees.

An old railway station.

Clara frowned.

“Willowmere hasn’t had trains for years.”

Thomas nodded.

“Exactly.”

Elliot stared.

“Why is there a railway station in the forest?”

Thomas walked toward it.

“Because it isn’t a railway station.”

They entered.

Inside was an old platform.

Broken benches.

Rusty signs.

And a single train carriage.

Elliot stared.

“That’s a train.”

Thomas nodded.

“Yes.”

“Here?”

“Yes.”

“In the forest?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Thomas looked at him.

“Do you want me to explain everything?”

“Yes.”

“Then stop talking.”

Elliot nodded.

Thomas walked toward the carriage.

They entered.

Inside was surprisingly clean.

Clara looked around.

“Someone uses this.”

Thomas nodded.

“The mayor.”

Elliot frowned.

“Why would the mayor have a secret train?”

“It’s not a train.”

Elliot pointed.

“It has wheels.”

Thomas ignored him.

“Underneath the carriage is a tunnel.”

Clara’s eyes widened.

“Where does it lead?”

Thomas looked at her.

“The old mine.”

Silence.

Elliot stared.

“We’re going into the mine?”

“Yes.”

“Today?”

“Yes.”

“With no food?”

Elliot opened his backpack.

“I have sandwiches.”

Clara groaned.

Thomas stared at him.

“You’re impossible.”

“Yet strangely prepared.”

Thomas opened a hidden panel.

A staircase appeared.

They descended.

The train carriage was only an entrance.

Below was another tunnel.

This one was much older.

The walls were made of black stone.

Symbols covered them.

Clara touched one.

“What are these?”

Thomas shook his head.

“No one knows.”

Elliot looked closely.

“Actually…”

Clara turned.

“What?”

“I think I’ve seen this symbol before.”

Thomas froze.

“Where?”

Elliot pointed.

“On the mayor’s ring.”

Clara stared.

Thomas’s expression changed.

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

Thomas stepped closer.

“Describe it.”

“A circle.”

“Anything else?”

“A bird inside it.”

Thomas went pale.

Clara noticed.

“What?”

Thomas whispered:

“The Raven Mark.”

Elliot frowned.

“What’s that?”

Thomas looked at him.

“A symbol of the Blackwood family.”

Clara’s eyes narrowed.

“Then why does the mayor have it?”

Thomas didn’t answer.

Elliot looked at him.

“Thomas?”

Still nothing.

Suddenly, they heard something.

A voice.

Coming from deeper in the tunnel.

“You’re late.”

Clara froze.

Elliot looked around.

“Who said that?”

A figure stepped out of the darkness.

Mayor Hargrove.

Alive.

Standing directly in front of them.

Elliot stared.

“You’re alive.”

The mayor smiled.

“Obviously.”

Elliot looked at Clara.

“I feel like we should have noticed.”

Clara stepped forward.

“Where have you been?”

The mayor’s smile disappeared.

“Running.”

“From whom?”

The mayor looked at Thomas.

“From him.”

Thomas raised his weapon.

The mayor stepped backward.

“Don’t.”

Thomas’s eyes were cold.

“You lied to them.”

“I protected them.”

“You kidnapped them.”

“I saved them.”

Clara shouted:

“Stop!”

Both men froze.

Clara looked at the mayor.

“Tell us the truth.”

The mayor sighed.

“Your parents are alive.”

Elliot’s heart stopped.

“Where?”

The mayor looked toward the tunnel.

“Inside the chamber.”

Clara’s eyes filled with tears.

“You found them?”

“No.”

“Then how do you know?”

The mayor hesitated.

“Because I spoke to them.”

Elliot stepped forward.

“When?”

“Last night.”

Clara stared.

“Where?”

The mayor pointed deeper into the tunnel.

“They’re waiting for you.”

Elliot couldn’t breathe.

His parents.

Alive.

After seven years.

He looked at Clara.

She was crying.

Then Thomas spoke.

“Don’t believe him.”

The mayor turned.

“Thomas.”

Thomas shook his head.

“He’s lying.”

Clara looked between them.

“Why?”

Thomas pointed toward the mayor’s hand.

“The ring.”

Elliot looked.

The mayor wore a silver ring.

A circle.

A bird.

The Raven Mark.

Thomas whispered:

“He’s one of them.”

The mayor smiled.

And suddenly…

The lights went out.

Darkness swallowed the tunnel.

Clara screamed.

Elliot grabbed the nearest person.

“Don’t worry!”

A voice shouted:

“That’s my leg!”

Elliot immediately let go.

“Sorry!”

The mayor laughed.

Then a door slammed somewhere in the darkness.

Thomas shouted:

“Run!”

Elliot grabbed Clara.

They ran.

“Where?”

“Anywhere!”

They raced through the tunnel.

Behind them…

The mayor’s voice echoed.

“You’re getting closer, Elliot!”

Elliot looked back.

“What does that mean?”

The mayor laughed.

“You’ll find out!”

They turned a corner.

And suddenly stopped.

A massive stone door stood before them.

On it was the Raven Mark.

But beneath it…

Were two names.

JONATHAN FINCH

ELENA FINCH

Elliot’s parents.

Clara covered her mouth.

Elliot stepped forward.

His hand touched the door.

A voice came from the other side.

“Elliot?”

He froze.

He knew that voice.

He had heard it in his dreams.

His mother’s voice.

“Mom?”

Silence.

Then another voice.

His father’s.

“Clara?”

Clara began to cry.

Elliot looked at Thomas.

Thomas was staring at the door.

The mayor’s voice suddenly echoed from behind them.

“Open it.”

Elliot turned.

The mayor stood in the darkness.

Thomas raised his weapon.

The mayor smiled.

“Go on.”

Clara stepped toward the door.

“Elliot.”

He nodded.

Together…

They pushed.

The stone door began to move.

Slowly.

Darkness appeared beyond it.

Then…

A light.

A warm golden light.

And in the center of the chamber…

Two figures stood waiting.

A man.

And a woman.

Elliot’s parents.

Alive.

Elliot stepped forward.

“Mom?”

The woman smiled.

“Hello, son.”

Clara cried.

“Mom!”

She ran forward.

But Thomas suddenly grabbed her.

“Stop!”

Clara turned angrily.

“Let me go!”

Thomas pointed toward the chamber.

“Look at the floor.”

Clara looked down.

There were dozens of footprints.

All leading inward.

None leading out.

Elliot’s blood ran cold.

His mother smiled.

His father smiled.

But something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Thomas whispered:

“Those aren’t your parents.”

The two figures suddenly stopped smiling.

The lights went out.

And from the darkness came a voice.

Not human.

Not completely.

“Welcome home.”

The stone door slammed shut.

And Elliot realized…

They were trapped.

To Be Continued…