Town Secrets - The Book of Adam 1

by Scott Gelowitz

  How am I going to get out of this without dying or getting everyone else killed, thought Adam. He hoped there weren’t any more traps ahead, but knew that it was a false hope. The best he could wish for was that whatever was ahead would take Larix and not himself.

  Adam looked around, and in the middle of the landing was a doorway. Even though he was certain they needed to go through it, he needed to see if there were more information trigger points so he didn’t miss something important, possibly fatal. He started at the wall near the bridge they had just come over, and felt his way along, following the wall until he was near the doorway, stopping when he found another trigger. It showed nothing more than a figure walking into the doorway.

  Back to reality, Adam continued along the wall to the right of the doorway, triggering the same information he had seen on the other side. When it finished, he continued walking, feeling the wall until he made it to the edge of the cliff on the far end of the landing. Nothing triggered, so he walked back to the doorway.

  Adam waved for the other two to follow and stepped in. He found a Lumiens panel inside and started them glowing, only to reveal a long narrow corridor. The corridor was only wide enough for one person at a time, and would be trouble for the guard, as he was over 6 feet tall and it wasn’t. It looked like a dead end from the point where Adam stood.

  They walked along the corridor, Adam first and Larix last. The guard in the middle grumbled, as he walked hunched over the entire way. At the end of the corridor, the floor dropped into a long set of stairs, but the ceiling stayed at the same height, meeting a wall far ahead. The room widened and there had to be a hundred more stairs to the bottom, in Adam’s opinion.

  As they descended the stairs, Adam saw a doorway at the bottom. The wall from the doorway went straight up and met the ceiling that had continued out from the top of the stairs. It must have taken years to build this place, he thought, remembering the area they had just passed through and seeing the current area that was so clearly man-made.

  Looking ahead he noticed an opening straight above the doorway, halfway up the tall wall in front of him. He wondered how anyone would be able to reach it, and decided there must be a way from the other side. It must be for ventilation of some kind.

  At the bottom near the doorway, Adam touched the wall again and was instructed to continue through. The others followed, and after walking down a short hallway Adam came out in another cave. It was high, as high as the ceiling on the other side of the hallway they had just come through. It was shaped like a ‘V’ with the top much wider than the bottom, but not at enough of an angle to be able to climb the walls. There was a doorway straight ahead, so Adam walked toward it.

  A few paces from the door Adam felt his foot sink an inch followed by a click. Next, he heard loud noises in front of him and behind. Huge rocks closed off both doorways.

  Uh-oh, he thought.

  Another loud click echoed in the cave, followed by the sound of rushing water. It sounded like a dam bursting in the movies, but loud in the echo of the chamber. In seconds the water was waist deep and rising fast.

  “What do we do?” the guard yelled in a panic.

  “I...I don’t know,” Adam yelled in reply. “I think we should just let it fill up…”

  They were quickly treading water, but the water seemed different. It was easy to stay floating at the surface, unlike regular water that took some effort.

  The guard looked stressed, but Larix was still wearing a smile.

  “I hate this,” said the guard. “This is my worst fear.”

  “Relax,” said Larix. “There will be a way out. Our friend here will figure it out.”

  Adam looked around. The Lumiens on the ceiling lit the chamber dimly, but as it reached half full, Adam saw a landing at the top that wasn’t visible from lower down.

  “Look,” he said to the guard, hoping to calm him down. The guard saw it and swam so he could get on the landing once the water level rose enough.

  Adam and Larix swam toward the landing as well, but the guard scrambled onto it before they could get there. He seemed relieved to be standing on something solid.

  The water level rose slower, and Adam made it to the landing. As he touched it, instructions filled his mind again.

  As he snapped out of it, he shouted “Stop!”

  The guard, being relieved to be on solid ground, had gone to the back wall to lean against it for a break. Instead of leaning on solid rock, he fell through the wall. It was another illusion. Again, Adam heard only a short scream and then silence. At least it was quick.

  Larix pulled himself up on the landing, feet still in the water. He was smiling. “I should have brought more Commons with me. They’re great entertainment,” he exclaimed, laughing a horrible laugh.

  “So, my little guide, we are going to have to be a lot more careful with you from now on…what do we do next?”

  Adam was still trying to get over how easily Larix brushed off the death that just happened.

  “If what I saw is right, this isn’t normal water. We’re supposed to be able to breathe in this water,” said Adam.

  Larix just nodded, like he wasn’t surprised.

  “We swim down to the doorway that we should have walked through. It’s open now. Then, we swim for a long way until it goes up. Past that, I don’t know.

  Larix nodded and dived into the water, like a teenager at a pool. His head popped out a few seconds later.

  “Elianora didn’t know that I’ve done this before,” he said in a soothing voice, although it wasn’t soothing to Adam. “I used to have a phobia about water, but that was long ago. Now, I am as natural in it as a fish.”

  Adam couldn’t help but notice the similarity between Jeff’s speeches and the one Larix had just given.

  “Hold on to the landing and lower yourself into the water as far as you can,” said Larix. “Exhale all of the air from your lungs and inhale fast and deep. The less air you have in your lungs and the faster you inhale, the less likely you are to cough.”

  Adam wasn’t sure how much he could trust Larix, but realized that Larix needed him alive. He lowered himself as far as he could, exhaling all the way, but he was afraid to take the water into his lungs. It went against every instinct he had, but because he exhaled on the way down he needed to take a breath soon.

  It was excruciating trying to override everything he had learned about being in water his entire life. His logical brain fought against his subconscious, and so far the subconscious was winning. He felt himself getting dizzy from lack of oxygen, and in that moment his subconscious gave up just enough that he was able to open his mouth and suck in some water.

  It immediately burned all the way into his lungs. He tried to cough but couldn’t because his entire airway was full. The rush of water and oxygen began to clear his dizziness and he was able to exhale and inhale again. He was breathing the water, and it felt wrong, but yet it felt good.

  Larix appeared in front of him, a large grin on his face. He had been watching Adam struggle with water breathing and enjoyed every second. After he realized there wouldn’t be any more struggling, he pointed in the direction of the doorway.

  Adam swam down. It wasn’t as difficult to swim down as he thought it would be, probably because he had no air in his lungs so it made him sink easier. There were pockets of Lumiens all over the walls now, leading him deeper and deeper, and finally to the doorway. He would much rather have walked to the doorway than swam.

  The doorway led to a long narrow hallway, dimly lit all along. Adam bumped his hands on the walls numerous times as he swam through. He didn’t glance back at Larix; he had no doubt Larix was still behind, enjoying himself all the way.

  There had to be a way to beat Larix. He was arrogant, that was true, but for his age he didn’t seem to have much wisdom. He was quite full of himself, almost in the same way as Jeff Wyndum. Maybe that was something he could use.

  The hallway turned upward and Adam swam into the wall b
ecause it was so sudden. After he recovered, he saw a ladder built into the wall so someone could climb if the entire thing wasn’t filled with water.

  Adam kicked and swam upward. At first he couldn’t see anything but the scattered spots of Lumiens on the walls. Slowly he saw what he thought was the end of the water. As soon as he was sure, he swam faster, and soon his head broke out of the water.

  The first breath he tried to take didn’t work too well. He realized he still had lungs full of water too late. He exhaled and tried to inhale again, but it only brought on intense full-body coughing. He fought to climb out as he kept coughing the water from his lungs, ending up on all fours, heaving heavily.

  Larix popped up beside him, breathing out a large amount of water and laughing.

  “The first time’s always the worst,” he said. “You needed to exhale as hard as possible again before taking the first breath of air. I forgot to mention that.” He laughed while Adam kept coughing, enjoying the show. “Hurry it up, we don’t have all day.”

  Adam coughed with all his strength and struggled to his feet.

  “You have some spirit,” said Larix. “I’ve seen countless other Commons who would have lost their minds just at the thought of breathing water, let alone the confined spaces. Those that would have made it this far would still be shuddering in fright at the waters edge, but here you are, standing and ready to move on. I like you. I may keep you.”

  The thought was no comfort to Adam. He struggled to push it from his mind and keep on the task at hand. There will be a way to trap Larix somehow, he kept telling himself, using it as motivation to continue.

  He wiped his eyes and looked around. They had surfaced in another cave, dimly lit in the same way as the other ones. It was a large cave, although only a quarter the size of the first one, about the size of a hockey rink. In the middle was an island surrounded by a deep pit with no visible bridge to cross. The island was small, only 10 feet wide at most. In the middle of the island stood a pillar.

  Adam decided to walk around and find another trigger. As he reached the edge of the pit, blue green fire roared up around the island. As soon as he took a step back it stopped.

  “That rules out extending a ladder across,” Larix laughed.

  Adam barely heard the comment as he was intent on finding a trigger. Finally, he touched a spot on the right side wall that showed him a short series of images. He wasn’t happy with what he saw.

  “It’s impossible,” he said to Larix. “I have to land the Keystone in a little hole on top of that pillar,” said Adam, pointing. The pillar was at least three times the distance from them as the button was from the hack in a game of Kurling.

  “Obviously it isn’t impossible. How do you intend to do it?” asked Larix, sounding like a teacher forcing the student to come up with the answer they already knew.

  “I don’t know. I can’t make that shot. I thought you might have an idea,” said Adam.

  Larix sighed after a deep breath. “You Commons don’t see what’s right in front of you. Don’t you remember what I told you about the Keystone?” he asked.

  “Just that it’s rare and doesn’t lose its information when it hits the ground.”

  “Not just the information, it doesn’t lose its connection. You can throw that pebble a hundred times and still pull it back for another try. I may not be able to connect with them, but I understand how they work.”

  Adam remembered hearing Larix talk about the Impression Stones, but only then fully realized what he meant.

  “Well, go on,” said Larix.

  Adam fished the Keystone out of his pocket. He stepped toward the edge of the pit, but not so close that he would set off the fire. Strangely, he could still feel the connection to the Keystone as he held it.

  His first throw was terrible and completely missed the target, but when he concentrated and pulled the pebble back, it landed in his hand fast enough to sting, surprising him.

  The second throw was much closer as he remembered that he had control over the pebble and could change its direction in the air. The Impression Stone changed direction much easier than any of the Kurling stones he had thrown.

  The third throw hit the mark, although slightly to the side. It fell off the pillar nearly a foot before Adam pulled it back.

  The fourth throw was textbook. It landed flat on top of the pillar, and Adam had enough control over it to not only stop it on the pillar, but slide it back slightly and drop it in the small hole. The pillar rose up a few feet, and a loud clanging sound bounced around the cave. Up from the depths rose a narrow bridge leading to the island.

  “Well done! You are a natural,” said Larix. “Now, scurry over there and bring me my prize.”

  Adam felt as though he was a rat in a maze getting cheese for the entertainment of its master.

  “You’re not coming with me?” asked Adam.

  “You don’t get to my age by taking stupid risks,” said Larix. “That’s why I brought you. I just wish I had brought a few more Commons.” He spit out the last word.

  Adam stepped to the bridge, making sure the flames didn’t flare up as he reached the edge. When he was somewhat satisfied he might not be burned alive, he took cautious steps across.

  Feeling relieved, he stepped onto the island and looked at the pillar, now standing taller than himself. He couldn’t see anything unusual about it, so he touched it, hoping it would trigger more information.

  Nothing.

  Adam continued to look around. Nothing stood out, and no instructions, came to mind. He walked around, touching things and trying to find a trigger, but nothing happened.

  “What’s taking so long?” Larix called to Adam.

  “I can’t figure out where it’s hidden.”

  Adam saw that Larix was getting upset, even across the bridge.

  “I honestly thought you were smarter than that,” Larix called back, obviously frustrated. “but I can’t wait anymore. Take that lapel pin from your pocket and place it on top of the pillar. The pillar will drop away and you will find a small drawstring bag in the hole.”

  Adam was shocked. “How do you know that?” he asked.

  Larix laughed, and it was frightening. “Elianora told me exactly what protection she had built here. Didn’t you realize that I’ve known about each of the traps the entire time?” he laughed again.

  Adam couldn’t believe it. Larix had sent the first guard across the bridge, fully realizing the guard would fall to his death. The thought sickened Adam.

  He dug the pin from his pocket and placed it on top of the pillar. The pillar slowly dropped until it stopped a foot below the surface of the island. At the same time, the bridge dropped away and the blue flames returned, hiding Adam from Larix’s view.

  Adam looked into the hole made by the pillar sinking. Tucked away in a little hollow was a drawstring bag.

  As Adam reached for the bag, another instruction triggered in his mind.

  The instruction was different from all the others. It was short, and to the point, but seemed to be poorly done, like looking at a child’s drawing compared the Mona Lisa.

  The instruction was clear, though. Connect with the stone in the bag.

  CHAPTER THIRTY