The Tunnels Below

by Nadine Wild-Palmer

  “When you’re ready we will go and see Lady-Bird and Luke…”

  A voice harped in. “No need, Koof, I’m right here!” Luke swaggered over to the bed and held up his hand for a high-five.

  Kuffi turned back to Cecilia. “When you are up to it, you and I will head back to where we started and see if we can get you home, safe above ground with your family where you belong.”

  “Wait, what are you saying, Koof?” Luke blurted out.

  “Quiet down, both of you, and let me explain. While I was trapped in that egg cell, I discovered I still had in my possession the book you bought at Market Square. You remember? Before things took a turn for the worse?”

  “Yes, yes it was a diary,” Cecilia added.

  “The Diary of a Button Collector, in fact. When it was quiet and there were few distractions at the Nest, I would take it out and read through it. I read it from cover to cover. It was fascinating. I learnt a lot about the world—or should I say, universe, in which we live, that I didn’t know. Anyway, I digress,” said Kuffi, waving away some invisible gnat with his furry hand. “The Diary of a Button Collector was written many years ago, so it must have been lost on the heap that is Edwina’s enchantingly charming bookstall for quite some time. It is all handwritten so things are quite hard to decipher, but I had quite a bit of time on my hands so I didn’t let that put me off. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons no one else had wanted to buy it all these years.”

  Cecilia beamed, already absorbed in the story and so happy that Luke and Kuffi were safe and sitting in front of her.

  “The book is a memoir written by Wilma-Rose Newbury. She belonged to a family of explorers and while on a routine expedition to investigate some caves forming on the outskirts of a place called London—if that’s how you say it?” Cecilia nodded. “Wilma-Rose recounts that she was scraping at the walls of the cave when she was distracted by a shaft of light coming from within the rock face. She crossed over a fracture in the ground she had already recorded and remarks in her diary that her ‘ears popped’ due to a change in pressure. Suddenly, she was swallowed up into the tunnels by a sinkhole that opened up beneath her. In her diary she writes of having to shuffle along through an endless darkness.”

  “Just like me, I had to do that. It was horrible,” said Cecilia.

  “It does sound familiar, doesn’t it?” agreed Kuffi.

  “I ran back onto the carriage to get my marble, and I remember my ears popping too, so I guess that’s sort of similar to what happened to me.”

  “Well, Wilma-Rose recalls being delirious and exhausted,” Kuffi continued. “She writes of finally coming to an opening and then blacking out. When she came round, she describes introducing herself to an aged, friendly turtle-face called Cuthbert, who helped her navigate the tunnels and who in his time had met with two other ‘wanderers’ as he liked to call them. They worked tirelessly to find a way to return Wilma-Rose to the surface, and she learnt much about the dwellers and how they lived. In the end Cuthbert and Wilma-Rose discovered that all she had to do to get home was to manually pop her ears and she was back where she started.

  “Cecilia, how does one pop one’s ears? Is it dangerous?” asked Kuffi.

  “You just sort of, hold onto your nose and blow,” Cecilia replied.

  “That’s it?” said Luke.

  “Yeah.” She nodded.

  Cecilia looked at Kuffi and Luke and thought somehow it might be a bit more difficult for them to pop their ears, being as they were put together a bit differently.

  Cecilia sat there with her friends, exchanging puzzled looks. She added, “It’s something you do to relieve the pressure in your ears when you go deep underground or really high up. It happens where I come from quite often.”

  Kuffi sat and digested what Cecilia was saying for a moment before he returned to his story. “Ms Wilma-Rose wrote this book for people like you. So you would know how to get home. But she must’ve forgotten it the last time she left and I think that’s because she had her sights set on bigger and brighter things.” He paused.

  “Like what?” said Luke and Cecilia in unison.

  “All in good time,” Kuffi said, tucking the book back in his coat pocket. “Let’s get back to my cabin and we can test it out there and see if popping your ears will get you home!”

  The three of them nodded in agreement. “However, right now, Luke, I think we’d better let the next visitors in or they might burst!”

  Two figures had just shown up and were dancing excitedly in the doorway.

  Kuffi got up and brushed Cecilia’s curly hair away from her forehead. It seemed her two tidy buns had popped out during all the commotion and her wild mane had once again taken on a life of its own. “Be gentle with her,” he said softly to the next set of visitors. “She’s had quite a tumble.”

  “In a bit, kiddo!” Luke smiled, swaggering out of the door.

  “Later on!” she called out after him.

  The two familiar figures of Doltha and Gaia rushed in after Kuffi and Luke had left, and all niceties were dashed aside as they fell on her with open arms.

  Doltha went to work checking her over. “You’re looking much better. There’s colour in your cheeks now,” she said, pulling at her ear lobes and inspecting her eyes.

  “We are so glad to have you back!” said Gaia.

  “I’m glad to be back,” Cecilia laughed.

  “Oh, you were amazing. Doltha’s told me all about it!”

  “Gaia, I’m sure Cecilia has had enough drama for today,” said Doltha.

  “Nonsense, I just want to praise her. She’s a hero, Doltha, well, we all are!”

  “Glad I could be of service,” joked Cecilia. “Though there is something I haven’t worked out.”

  “Oh, what’s that?” said Gaia.

  “How come they didn’t find the elemental sphere on Doltha?” Cecilia was eager to know.

  “Ah ha! Because I never had it!” she answered. “Gaia did. In the end we thought it better to send you and the Divers on one part of the mission to act as a distraction whilst also setting Mr Sparks free! Meanwhile, Gaia went off on her own secret mission to Polaris to restore the light to the tunnels and focus its beam directly on the Concave Stadium, which redirects the light all around the tunnels! Clever, huh?”

  “And now look,” said Gaia.

  “It’s glorious,” said Doltha, stealing her words. Gaia patted them on their backs simultaneously.

  “Couldn’t have done it without you,” she smiled, lifting Cecilia’s chin. “You are one brave girl!”

  Doltha was clearly becoming quite emotional. Cecilia could see tears forming around the edges of her big friendly eyes and Gaia stepped in. “Come on now, Doltha. I think we’d better go before we are all blubbering messes.”

  “One last thing before we go,” said Doltha, sucking back the tears. “I made you this.” Doltha handed Cecilia a small wooden emblem with a crystal gemstone set in it and a pin on the back.

  “You’re one of us now… a Diver,” she said.

  “Yes, you’ll always be welcome,” added Gaia, and with that they left, Doltha pausing in the doorway to wave goodbye.

  “All right, Cecilia, you’ve been given the all clear!”

  “Jasper!” Cecilia cried, jumping up and running over to him for a big hug. He patted her on the back as they stood there.

  “Good to hear you!” he said. “Now it looks like you’re popping off already then?” He nudged her in the side.

  “Jasper, are you going to come with me?”

  He laughed heartily.

  “Heavens, no! The tunnels are my home now. But feel free to come back and visit anytime. We will never forget what you did for us.” Cecilia felt the warmth of his words.

  Kuffi came over and took Cecilia’s hand, and Cecilia waved goodbye.

  “Wait for me,” called Luke as they entered the secret passage, which was now quite bright and sprouting with moss and small yellow flowers. “There’s just one mor
e person to say your goodbyes to and she’s waiting for us by the lake.”

  They walked down Jasper’s secret tunnel towards the Concave Stadium and made their way towards the shore of the lake under Polaris. So much had changed in such a short amount of time: the air was alive with song, and exotic fruits hung from lanky vines.

  “Here, try this,” said Luke, pulling a big round bubble of amber off a nearby stalk.

  “What is it?”

  “Sweet milk. You drink it,” said Luke, biting a hole in the skin and taking a sip. He passed it to Cecilia. “Delicious, huh?”

  Cecilia put her lips to it and drained it—the bubble burst.

  “Scrummy,” she said, licking her lips.

  It took a while to walk to the lake. They travelled slowly, taking it all in and chatting, passing the smiling faces of the dwellers that they met along the way. Everyone seemed so happy.

  Just as she was about to ask where they might find Lady-Bird, they came to the mound overlooking Polaris and there, sitting peacefully in all her splendour, humming sweetly, was Miss Lady-Bird. Cecilia dashed over to her and tumbled into her arms.

  “He’s beautiful, isn’t he?” said Lady-Bird.

  “Who?” said Cecilia, looking out over the sandy surface where a beautiful rainbow glow pulsed.

  “Mr Sparks. Of course.”

  “At one point we thought we were going to have to gather up all the dwellers and fill the lake with tears. We were going to get you to sing and everything,” Cecilia said.

  “Well, I’m glad it didn’t come to that.”

  Cecilia got up and walked some way over to the edge of the water and touched the surface. She brought her hand away and noticed her fingertips twinkling as she held them up to her face to study them. Luke jogged over and wedged his hands in his pockets.

  “Cecilia?” he said softly. “You’ll come back and see us sometimes, won’t you? I mean, if you can?”

  “Of course I will, Luke. I’ll find a way. Besides, I owe you a marble.” Cecilia felt overwhelmed, both happy and sad at the same time.

  “Oh yeah!” said Luke, remembering their deal.

  “Goodbye.” She waved at Mr Sparks as she and Luke turned back towards their friends where they prepared to part company.

  29

  Goodbye

  Once they’d shared some teary goodbyes, Cecilia and Kuffi walked away from their friends at the lake below Polaris, the sound of people laughing and crying with joy growing further and further away. Now gathering at the water’s edge, their faces were wet with tears of happiness. But she didn’t feel their happiness. She and Kuffi travelled up the lime line and walked through Market Square. Everything had changed. Kuffi asked if she was hungry or thirsty, if she needed anything, and every time she answered no by silently by shaking her head. So he rested his furry hand on her shoulder instead.

  “Kuffi, what will I tell my family when I get home? There will be so many questions. No one will believe me,” she said.

  “Well then, don’t tell them exactly what happened. In many ways it’s for the best. The dwellers are a much smaller community of beings compared to where you come from, if Wilma-Rose Newbury’s book is anything to go by. We’re fragile and belong to a very delicate environment, as you can see. We need to be kept safe. The secrets you have learnt about this place and us, they need to stay down here with us where they belong. We can’t have hundreds of wanderers ‘popping’ down whenever the mood takes them. But you know, you can always write it all down, like Wilma-Rose did, just for you, so you don’t forget! Then you can always tell that story to people and they’ll know it well and it will be part of their experience—but without ever realising it was real and that it actually happened to you.”

  “Maybe that’s not such a bad idea,” she said, looking at her feet. “Kuffi, do you know how the elemental sphere ended up being my birthday present?” Cecilia asked.

  “Yes, I’ve been thinking about that. And it seems Wilma-Rose Newbury took it with her just before she popped home the last time. In her final diary entry she writes of wanting to take something back with her to prove the existence of the tunnels, something special. A new discovery that would make her famous. I don’t think she realised the effect it would have on those that dwell here. And it seems like she must have taken the elemental sphere as proof, which had a monumental effect on the lives of the dwellers, as we now know. She did, however, forget her diary, which I dare say is a stroke of luck for us!”

  They reached Kuffi’s grand entrance and she recognised it right away. It felt like she had only been there a few hours ago.

  “It will be much easier for me to catch up on my reading now,” Kuffi remarked as they walked into the cabin, which was much brighter.

  Kuffi sat in his chair and reached into his pocket and pulled out Wilma-Rose Newbury’s diary. “It’s time for you to go home,” he said. “Have you got all your things? It says to make sure you have everything you want to take with you.”

  Cecilia opened her rucksack and took out her coat and put it on.

  “Right. That’s better,” she said, sitting back down.

  Kuffi flicked through the book and read aloud. Cecilia hugged her rucksack tight to her like a cushion.

  “You’d better put that rucksack on,” said Kuffi.

  Cecilia sat forward and put her arms through the loops, then settled back into her spot.

  “Wilma-Rose says to travel back through the tunnels, simply pop your ears.”

  Kuffi leant forward in his chair.

  “Are you ready, little thing?” he asked.

  “I’m going to miss you…” she replied.

  “Yes. The feeling is a shared one.”

  Cecilia put her thumb and forefinger on her nose, closed her eyes and swallowed hard, and her ears went pop!

  30

  Hanging in the Balance

  Cecilia’s eyes were firmly stuck together. She could feel a gentle rocking motion wobbling her from side to side. But she didn’t dare to open her eyes right away; she liked the dark these days. One good thing she had learnt was that the darkness didn’t frighten her any more. It wasn’t suffocating or empty. Living among the dwellers had taught her that the darkness wasn’t always lonely or dangerous either. Although it was full of uncertainty, it was also full of promise and excitement. She knew at that moment that she would always carry a bit of darkness around with her.

  Cecilia smiled to herself and when she felt ready, she opened her eyes and found she was standing in the same empty train carriage that had left her in the tunnels. It was moving along steadily. For a moment it was hard for Cecilia to believe that she was back where she started after such a sensational journey. Yes, it had been treacherous at times, but having been through it she knew it was something she would never forget. She checked herself over and found she was still wearing the deepsuit the Divers had given her. She could feel the weight of the rucksack they had bought with their winnings from Mrs Hoots’ Haberdashery strapped to her back. She shoved her hands in her buttonless coat, feeling around inside her pocket, and there along with the sticky Cherry Drop wrappers was the badge Doltha had gifted her and… there was something else. It was the whistle that had saved her life! How did that get there, she wondered.

  “OK,” she said aloud to herself. “Mum, Dad and Hester will be worried sick.” With that the train paused. Not again, she thought. It just sat there in the tunnel like it had done the last time. She walked up to the door between the carriages, the ones you hardly ever see anyone go through. She went through one, then she ran through the carriage and passed through the next and the next and the next until she was standing in front of the train driver’s door.

  Cecilia knocked three times. Three knocks were returned and the door swung open.

  “What are you doing here?” said a jolly voice. “Get stuck in the loop, did you?” He chuckled to himself. “Don’t worry, it happens every now and then. People forget to get off, or they’re too slow getting their bits
together, or they fall asleep and miss their chance. We have to turn the train around, you see, so we take it round a big, deep loop.”

  “Cool,” Cecilia said slowly.

  “I’m Tarquin,” said the train driver, holding out his hand. “Come and sit up front. We will be back at Kennington in just a minute.”

  “Thanks, Tarquin. I’m Cecilia,” she said softly.

  “Wait a second. Cecilia Hudson-Gray? I got a call on the radio about an hour ago to keep an eye out for you! And here you were all along, turning around in the tunnels!” He slapped his leg. “Well, I’ll be darned. I’ll let them know I’ve found you and we are bringing you in.”

  Looking out of the front window, Cecilia watched a crescent of light grow into a wide open mouth, revealing the tiny figures of people standing on the platform. The train stopped and Tarquin wished her the best of luck as the station manager held the train to talk to him and told Cecilia to take a seat.

  Cecilia jumped off the train and sat quietly on the wooden bench, watching passers-by until the station manager was ready to take her back to the ticket hall.

  “Right then, miss, let’s get you back where you belong.”

  They waited in the office for her family and the police to arrive but she didn’t have to wait long. Cecilia saw them outside the glass, jumped up and rushed out of the door and into the arms of her family as first her mum burst into tears, then Hester and finally her dad.

  “Where have you been?” Hester shouted. “You just vanished!”

  “Apparently you got stuck on a train they were turning around in the loop,” her dad informed her.

  “We’ve been waiting for you for hours. Obviously, we’ve been worried stupid…”

  “How long have I been gone?” Cecilia asked.

  Her mum pulled up her sleeve and looked at her watch. “Gosh, just coming up to twelve hours. It’s almost ten o’clock!”

  “An hour for every year of your life!” Hester mused. “Can we go home now?”