37
Thursday, April 26, 1792 – 6:00 p.m.
Fairhurst Castle, England
Ailsa had been gone from home almost seven hours. By now, she was sure to be missed. She knew for sure that some of her friends and staff would either be worrying about her or beginning to search for her. Since she’d told no one where she was going, other than talking to Cuthbert about the loose drain in the lighthouse, she figured someone would come looking. Dinner was always served at 6:00 p.m. unless Ailsa had specified otherwise. Today, she had not, so she knew that dinner was ready and she wasn’t around. That would definitely arrest the attention of at least a few people.
“Got it!” Spike looked up at Ailsa with satisfaction in his eyes. The handcuffs had just popped off her wrists.
“Thank you so much Spike! Now all we have to do is get out of here.”
“Any ideas?”
“Of course. Do you think I was born yesterday?”
“Well, you were to me,” Spike said laughing.
Ailsa popped him on the head in a gesture of fun. Then she said, “I was down here exploring earlier when Mack, or should I say Slick, caught me. These tunnels both lead to the outside.”
“Great! Let’s go. Which one is closer to your home?”
“This one here.” Ailsa pointed to the second tunnel she’d found after having entered the lab. “However, the drain that would give us access to the bailey wasn’t accessible because the ladder rungs were all gone. I think it would be best to take the other tunnel.”
“And where does it lead?” Spike asked.
“It goes to the lighthouse. That’s where I started.”
“Let’s go then.”
“We’ll need something to light the way. I used one of these earlier.” Ailsa pointed to a flashlight lying on the workbench. “I don’t know exactly what it is, but it worked great.”
“It’s called a flashlight. It would be nice if we could find another one. Help me look around the room for one.”
Ailsa and Spike began rummaging through drawers, chests, cabinets and boxes in search of another flashlight. While doing so, Spike came across a digital video recorder. It was one of the newest models available that used only memory chips, no recording tape.
“Hey, I have an idea. This might work out great!”
“What’s that?” Ailsa asked.
“It’s called a digital video recorder. We can use it to take pictures of us.”
“What?” Ailsa’s expression indicated to Spike that she had no idea what he was talking about.
“Here, I’ll show you. Go stand over there.”
Ailsa turned and walked to the point that Spike had indicated.
“Okay, now what?” Ailsa asked.
“Just start talking.”
“About what?”
“Anything.”
“Okay. Let’s see.” Ailsa stood pondering for a few seconds. Then she said sarcastically, “Here we are trapped in an underground lab. I’m with a man who says he’s from the future. Another man just left in some weird bubble and we’re trying to escape. Yet, Spike says for me to stand here and talk about something. So, here’s something.”
“Perfect! Now come here and take a look.” Spike scanned back on the digital memory chip until he found the beginning of Ailsa’s conversation. He then pushed play. Ailsa stood in awe at seeing herself on the video screen. Bright splashes of light bounced off her face as she stared dumbfounded at the moving, talking images.
“How can that be? What, how, I mean, that, who, I don’t get it. That’s me. But how did you get it in there? I don’t understand.”
“I know you don’t. It’s sophisticated technology. I’d even have a hard time explaining it to you. The good thing is that it works! This may not take me back to the future, but it certainly will prove that I didn’t cause the problems at the hospital.”
“How are you going to do that?”
“Well, we’ll use time to our advantage.”
“How?”
“Well, this camera will hold five hours of images. I’ll film you and I and the lab as well as your home when we get out of here. I’ll film as much as I can get on here about your time. I’ll also explain what happened at the hospital, the deaths due to Slick’s drug, his trying to frame me and all the events of the day. Then, I’ll box it up, send it to a shipping company with explicit instructions stating that it should be delivered to the Aspen Memorial Hospital on June 6, 2006 and that under no circumstances is it to be opened. The instructions will explain that the package should be passed on from shipping company to shipping company over the years until such time that it can be delivered. Once that is accomplished, the doctor I work for, Ken Slaterbaugh, will receive the package on the very day that I disappear. If he gets it before I start work that evening, he’ll come and ask me about it. Of course I won’t know anything about it, but it will solidify what will happen if we don’t change circumstances that day. He won’t ask me to go downstairs to the morgue, I won’t be apprehended by Slick, Slick may not be able to inject his drugs into the patients at the hospital, and Slick himself may even be arrested before any of today’s events even happen. Time will be changed and I won’t end up here as I am now.”
“Okay, if you say so. I don’t understand much of what you’re saying, but if you think it will work, then who am I to argue?”
“It’s got to work. I may be stuck in time for the present, but if this works, the day’s events may be changed and I’d disappear any second since none of this would ever have happened. In fact, you’d go back to wherever Slick interrupted the time line and you would never know about any of this either. It would put everything back where it should be.”
Ailsa stood looking confused.
“Just trust me,” Spike said.
“I’m trying,” Ailsa replied, her face still showing signs of confusion.
Spike spent the next several minutes filming the lab, Ailsa, himself and anything else that might prove his story as true. When he was finished, he put the video recorder into its holder, slung it around his neck and told Ailsa to look for another flashlight. Together, they continued to look around the lab, through boxes and drawers. Finally, Spike finds another one and some spare batteries.
“What are those?” Ailsa asked.
“They’re called batteries. They provide the power to make this light bulb light. If the ones in the flash light go dead, then we’ll need these to re-energize the bulb.”
“I’ve got to show my friends this stuff when we get out of here.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“Because, your people haven’t invented it yet. In fact, they’re just now learning about gas and electricity and how to use it. If we interrupt the natural flow of time by introducing these future objects, it could have detrimental effects on all future inventions, people, wars, technological advances and everything. It wouldn’t be wise.”
“But these things would make our lives so much easier. It would save us all so much time.”
“I’m sure it would. However, before we worry about that, I say let’s get out of here, then we can discuss whether or not introducing these ideas and items into your time is wise or not.”
Ailsa agreed and they prepared to find a way out of the lab. Turning on both flashlights, Spike and Ailsa started down the tunnel that led to the lighthouse. The same odor of damp stone, stale water seasoned with just a touch of salt air and the unmistakable sounds of a distant roar from the ocean throbbed quietly around them.
“So, how far did you say this light house was?” Spike asked, his flash light beam bouncing up and down as they walked.
“About twenty minutes or so. We have a couple of stairways to descend before we get there. Then we have a little climbing to do once we reach the end of the tunnel. Watch out for some of the slippery areas where the floor is damp too. I almost slipped a couple of times myself.”
“Okay. Thanks,” Spike said. “So, tell me again why you came down here.”
“I was in the light house earlier this morning and when I came down from the top, I noticed the lid on the drain was loose. At the time, I didn’t think much of it other than just pushing it back into place. After lying at home for a while though, it got the best of me and I had to find out why it was loose. I asked my lighthouse keeper Cuthbert about it, but he had no idea either. That’s when I took a walk to find out myself. After exploring this tunnel, the lab and the other tunnel, Mack caught me and bound me in the lab. Later, I met you.”
“Well, I don’t like the idea that I may be stuck here, but I must say that if it’s with you, it wouldn’t be all that bad.”
“Spike,” Ailsa said, a slight rise in her voice indicating embarrassment and a smile.
Although it was dark, Spike knew he’d hit a responsive chord. “No, really. I mean it. You’re beautiful, smart, independent and spunky. You know what you want, and aren’t afraid to do what’s necessary to obtain it. I like that. I’ve never been that way myself until recently.”
“You mean when you took on this new, what did you call it, Godack look?”
“Gothic. Gothic. Yes. When I started dressing, acting in the Gothic lifestyle, my self-esteem was boosted, and my self-worth began to soar. Although I don’t like scaring people or making them fear me, the respect and attention I get is more than I ever got before. It’s actually made me a better person.”
“Well, whatever works I guess. I just think you should be yourself. You shouldn’t have to pretend. That’s always been my philosophy.” The smell of the ocean was getting stronger as Ailsa and Spike made their way toward the exit. “I’ve always loved the smell of the salt air. What about you?”
“It’s okay. I’ve only been by the ocean a couple of times when I went on vacation. Where I live in Alaska, I’m not near the ocean, so I never smell it.”
“Well, I’ve always lived by the ocean, from the day I was born. It’s in my blood I guess. To me it’s invigorating. Gets me going. Gives me a feeling of euphoria and satisfaction, an appreciation for God and everything around me.”
“I guess everybody has their thing.” Spike thought he heard a noise behind him and he stopped and shone his flash light back down the long, dark tunnel.
“What is it?” Ailsa asked.
“Shhh. I thought I heard something.”
“It’s probably a rat or something. I heard things when I was in here before. It was a rat or dripping water when I checked it out.” Just about then, a large rat scurried across the floor and disappeared into a small crack in the wall. “See. Only a rat.”
Spike stood staring for a few seconds. “Well, I guess you’re right. Let’s just keep moving. I’ve never been one for dark, confined spaces.”
Ailsa started walking again. Spike turned around to follow. Up ahead, Spike could see what appeared to be the end of the tunnel.
“Is that the way out?”
“That’s it. We have to grab a ladder that’s mounted to the wall overhead and pull ourselves up and over a ledge. The drain is up above on the opposite ledge.”
“So who designed all this anyway?”
“I have no idea. My home has been in my family for centuries. As far as I know, it was built when the house was built.”
“Seems pretty ingenious considering what you have to work with.”
“What, so we’re so primitive that we’re dumb?”
“No,” Spike said emphatically. “I didn’t mean that. I’m just saying what you have done is amazing considering the amount of labor and work it would take to build. In my time we have machines that do most of the work. People just run the machines and the manual labor is pretty minimal.”
“So people are lazy.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say lazy. I might say pampered. We’ve gotten to the point in life where we’ve made life easy on ourselves. We’ve probably attained what you said you’d like to be able to do, make life easier.”
“So do you like it that way?” Ailsa asked.
“Yes. However, because of all the advances, people are able to do more in less time. Thus, they cram more in to a day and really their lives end up being more hectic than if they didn’t have those things. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t live without them.”
“Well, it looks like you might now.”
“Don’t remind me.” Spike thought about his predicament and had mixed feelings about it. If he were stuck here, his life would definitely be easier from the standpoint of deadlines, schedules and so forth. However, he would have to work a lot harder. If he was able to go home, he wouldn’t complain, but he would miss Ailsa’s company and the potentially slower pace of life.
“Here we are,” Ailsa said.
Stopping, Spike shone his light up the shaft that led to the drain. He could see the ceiling and the dark space next to it where the shaft shifted to the right. Above that was the drain.
“I’ll go up first and open the drain if you want,” Spike said to Ailsa.
“Thanks, but it’s fine. I left it open when I came in. Follow me.”
Ailsa began to climb. Spike averted his eyes as Ailsa pulled herself up the ladder and began to climb. He wanted to give her some respect and dignity since she was wearing a dress. After a few minutes, Ailsa called out to Spike.
“Okay. Come on up.”
Spike reached up and grabbed the ladder. Pulling with all his might, Spike started to ascend. Using his feet on the close stone walls around him, he was able to maneuver into position and climb until he reached Ailsa. Once on the ledge, he noticed Ailsa’s face was anything but happy.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know,” Ailsa said. “I left this drain open and now it’s closed.”
“Maybe that’s what Slick did when he came down here. Maybe he went outside to get something and shut it when he left so as not to arouse suspicion if anyone came looking for you.”
“Maybe, but something doesn’t look right.”
“What do you mean?”
“Look at the edges. The metal is all shiny. It looks different than the rest of the drain which is pretty rusty and worn.”
“Let me take a look.” Spike looked at the drain overhead. Jumping up, he was able to get his fingers through the opening. Pulling himself up he called back down to Ailsa.
“Shine that light up here.” With Spike hanging from the drain, Ailsa’s flashlight illuminated the shiny edge of the drain. Eerie shadows danced overhead on the ceiling inside the base of the lighthouse.
“Oh no.”
“What?” Ailsa asked concerned.
“It’s welded shut.”
“It’s what?”
Dropping back to the ledge below Spike turned toward Ailsa. “I said it’s welded shut.”
“What’s that mean?”
“Whatever device Slick was carrying, he used it to fuse or melt the metal of the drain to the metal edge around the top of the drain.”
“You mean the two metals are now one?”
“Yes. He literally made the two metal edges into one. There’s no way we can get this open.”
“Do you think he left that device in the lab?”
“I doubt it. I’m sure he took everything that would have been of use to us so that we would be trapped here for good.”
“That can’t be the end of it.” The sparkling green of Ailsa’s eyes glimmered in the reflected light from Spike’s flashlight. “There’s got to be something we can do. I’m not giving up that easily.”
“Nor am I. Let’s go back to the lab and see if there’s anything we can use to loosen this lid.”
Ailsa agreed. After carefully navigating back down the old ladder, both Ailsa and Spike were once again in the tunnel and headed back toward the lab. After another twenty minutes or so, they arrived at the brightly lit lab.
“Look for anything that might help us get that lid off.”
“I am,” Ailsa said.
For the next thirty minutes, Ailsa and Spike worked in silence attempting to find anything that they could use to loosen the drain. They found nothing.
“I guess our only choice is to try the other tunnel.”
“Slick went down there too, remember? He probably welded that drain shut too.”
“I don’t know if he could,” Ailsa said. “That drain was overhead like this one with the exception that the ladder was rusted and gone. He wouldn’t have been able to reach it.”
“And what if he did?”
“Be more positive. The least we can do is check.”
“Whatever. I guess we don’t have much choice.” Spike’s enthusiasm on escaping was beginning to wane. Ailsa’s was too, but she was better at keeping it from showing.
“Let’s go.”
Ailsa headed into the second tunnel to attempt an escape by exiting through the drain and into the bailey.
“Hey, you know, even if we can’t reach the drain, it’s right in the middle of the courtyard where everybody always walks anyway. We could yell until someone hears us and they could help us out.”
“The courtyard?”
“Yes. The courtyard in my home.”
“My god. How big is your house?”
“Well, not any bigger than most other castles.”
“Castle? Castle? You didn’t tell me you lived in a castle.”
“Well, what did you expect?”
“I don’t know. I live in an apartment.”
“What’s that?”
“An apartment? You probably wouldn’t know. Well, it’s basically a small place to live. It’s in a building with several other units of similar size. They are all together in one place. Usually each apartment consists of a small bedroom, a small bathroom, a kitchen and a living area. Total square footage is usually around 800 square feet.”
“That’s it? How can you live in such a small place?”
“How can you live in such a big place?”
“That’s how I was raised. It’s all I’ve ever known.” Ailsa stopped and turned to look at Spike. “Is this apartment all you’ve ever known?”
“No. When I was younger, I lived at home with my parents. They owned a house. It was bigger, around 2000 square feet, and it was on its own piece of property. It wasn’t like an apartment where everyone is in the same place.”
“Even that house sounds small.”
“Well, I guess that’s how times change.”
“I guess so. I just glad I’m not the one who moved through time and ended up in the future where I’d have to live in a small apartment. I’d probably go crazy.”
“Some people still do,” Spike said laughing.
Ailsa gave Spike a bewildered look. “Let’s get out of here.” Ailsa turned and headed for the second exit. After traveling a few minutes, Ailsa led Spike down the two steps into the small room that connected to the shaft underneath the drain in the bailey via the short twenty-foot tunnel.
“Here it is,” Ailsa said cheerily as she shone her light across the room.
“Great. Now how do we get out?”
“Over here.” Ailsa shined her light across the small room and the beam climbed the ladder until it reached the opening to the tunnel.
“Oh no!” Ailsa cried. “It’s blocked off too.”
Looking up, Spike noted that Slick had blocked the entrance to this tunnel as well by welding his own pieces of metal across the opening. It appeared that Slick had drilled holes in the stones overhead and had shoved the metal rods deep into the ceiling. Then he took the bottom of the metal rods and had welded them securely to the top rung of the eight-foot ladder that was connected to the wall. Whatever device he had been using, it was able not only to weld but also to puncture and drill through material. After having seen what Slick had done with the lab and his time machine, Spike suspected that he’d also invented some type of phaser or handheld laser device that he was using for protection as well as for various other jobs.
“We’ll never get out now,” Ailsa said. “I don’t have any other ideas.”
“What about that other tunnel, the one at the junction back down the tunnel we just came in. Does it lead out?”
“I don’t know. I never went down it. For all I know, it leads to another drain and Mack sealed it off too.”
“Well, before we get paranoid, let’s check it out. Maybe there’s a way out after all.”
Ailsa kept her emotions in check and responded to Spike with a voice indicating her confidence and positive attitude.
“Okay. Let’s check it out.”
Turning back around, Spike and Ailsa walked the 75 feet or so to the T-junction. Looking left, they could just make out the few rays of light shining in from the lab. Looking right, they turned their flashlight beams into the darkness. As far as they could see, there was no end. Of course, in the blackness down in the labyrinth of tunnels, the light from the flashlights still had a hard time going very far.
“Well, let’s go,” Ailsa said. “We don’t have all day.”
“Who says. We might.”
Ailsa gave Spike a playful slap on his shoulder before turning and heading into the darkness ahead. Spike smiled to himself and followed Ailsa into the unknown. Both walked in silence for a few minutes as they navigated the tunnel. As with the other tunnels, this one too was made of stone and had an arched ceiling to prevent it from collapsing. Here and there, the floor and walls were damp with moisture and the smell of stale air and ancient slow-growing moss and lichen stuck to the walls like wallpaper. After walking nearly a hundred feet, they came to a set of stairs that led down. Shining their flashlights down the stairwell, Spike and Ailsa could just make out the bottom. It appeared that there were around fifty steps or so to the bottom. As they began to descend, they noticed that some of the steps were beginning to show their age. Some had pieces missing from them; others had crumbled away over the years until there wasn’t much of a step left at all.
“Give me your hand.”
“What?” Ailsa asked.
“I said, give me your hand. I’ll help you down these stairs. With the condition of them and your being in a dress, it wouldn’t be that hard to slip and fall.”
Without replying, Ailsa gave Spike her hand. Carefully, they worked their way down the old stairs until finally they reached the bottom. Spike let go of Ailsa’s hand and the two of them turned to see what lay ahead. When they did so, they were greeted by a dead end not more than twenty feet away. Walking the short distance, Spike and Ailsa looked up, down and around to see if they’d missed something. It appeared this was the end of the tunnel.
“Now what?” Spike asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe this had some secret door or something that will open. Otherwise, what’s the point of building this tunnel if it has no where to go.”
“Someone could have built it with the intention of finishing it later but never got back to it.”
“Maybe,” Ailsa replied. “But I don’t think so. When I was in the lab, I bumped something on the wall where I was hiding. That’s when I found this tunnel. I’m thinking that maybe this “dead end” isn’t really a dead end at all. Let’s look for some kind of lever or movable stone or something. I have this feeling that this isn’t the end.”
“I guess there’s no harm in trying. We’re out of other options.”
Ailsa and Spike began to search meticulously every nook and cranny in the tunnel. Slowly running their hands and fingers over every indentation, every subtle depression in the stones and every tiny crack, the two of them were determined to find something.
“This is odd,” Spike remarked.
“What’s that?” Ailsa asked while continuing to run her hands along the walls.
“This dead end. You’d think that it would be flat, just a plain wall. But it’s not.”
“What do you mean?” Ailsa stopped and turned her flashlight toward Spike.
“Well, look at the wall. It has a slight curve to it. It’s not curved inward but rather outward, toward us. The curve is slight, but there’s enough there to indicate that this curve is part of a larger curve, almost like a circular wall with a rather large circumference and we’re seeing just a part of it.”
“You’re right. I hadn’t noticed that.” Ailsa stood thinking for a minute. “If my calculations are right, I’m guessing that we’re close to the northwest tower. All four towers on the castle are curved. I’d say that their circumference is probably around 90 feet or so at the base.”
“So, let’s see. If I remember right from math class, pi times diameter equals the circumference, right?”
“That’s right.”
“So, are you a math wiz?”
“Well, I love math. I’ve had several tutors and have been able to get pretty far in my understanding of it. It’s actually quite fascinating.”
Spike looked at Ailsa with a face indicating intrigue and curiosity. He wasn’t sure what to make of her. She was beautiful, smart, owned a castle, had a staff of workers that attended to her, was single and now this. What didn’t he know about her, he wondered.
“Okay, so if pi times diameter equals circumference, then that means the circumference divided by pi will give us the diameter. Let’s see.” Spike did some quick calculations in his head, moving his lips silently as he did so. “That would make the diameter of the towers at the base around 30 feet.”
“That sounds about right. I’ve never measured it, but I’d guess you’re pretty close. However, I’m thinking that down here the base is going to be bigger. When you stand on the ground and look at the towers, they slowly spread out at the bottom. The diameter at the top is probably around 25 feet. At the bottom, as you just said, it’s around 30 feet. If the towers go underground farther for stability and perhaps a hidden tunnel, then I’m sure the diameter is larger maybe more like 35 to 40 feet or so depending on how deep they went. I’m guessing right now that we’re probably around 60 feet under the surface of the castle.”
“Well, that would make sense. The amount of curve on this wall certainly indicates something with a larger circumference. I’m thinking the same thing you are. There must have been a reason for this tunnel. It could have been built and left incomplete, but I want to believe that it is complete. Let’s keep looking.”
Ailsa nodded in agreement and turned back around to continue her perusal of the walls surface. Spike did the same. After some 30 minutes or so of uninterrupted searching, they found nothing.
“I don’t know Ailsa. I’m not finding anything. You?”
“Nothing.” The disappointment and discouragement in her voice was evident.
“Maybe the best thing to do is go back to the room we were just in and begin yelling as loud as we can. Maybe someone will hear us.”
Ailsa’s eyes lit up. “Even better than that would be to go back to the lighthouse. That drain is right inside the door. Cuthbert checks the lighthouse every night before dusk to make sure everything’s working right. He’d easily see us there.”
“Great! We’re saved!” Spike yelled out. An aura of hope and salvation filled the small space wherein Ailsa and Spike had been for the last hour or more.
“It’s already late. Do you think he’s already checked the lighthouse today?”
“Probably. I say let’s go back to the lab, see if Mack left anything to eat and wait until tomorrow night. I don’t think one night will kill us.”
“I agree,” Spike said. “Let’s rest there where it’s warm and dry.”
Turning around, Ailsa started back up the steps.
“Hold up. I’ll help you.”
Spike started toward Ailsa when he tripped on some loose stones, stumbled forward and smashed his foot into the front of the lowest step.
“Dog gone it anyway!” Spike blurted out as he hobbled backwards and reached down to grab his foot.
“Are you okay?” Ailsa asked descending the couple of steps she’d already climbed.
“I think so. I smashed my toes good though. They’re going to be sore.”
Looking down at the step Spike said, “Stupid step!”
Ailsa looked at him funny. “It’s not the steps fault.”
“I know. It’s just a way of taking out my frustration on something. Let’s go.”
Ailsa turned once again and started up the steps. As Spike was about to do the same, something caught his eye. Stopping, he stepped back off the bottom step and took two steps backwards.
“Hold on Ailsa.” Ailsa stopped about six steps up and turned around, her flashlight illuminating the area around Spike. “I might have found something.” Ailsa came back down the steps and walked over next to Spike. Turning around, she noticed one of the stones had moved where Spike had smashed his foot into it. Reaching down, Spike carefully wiggled the stone. Dust and stone powder cascaded off of the edges as he slowly wiggled it out of it’s hiding place. Having removed it, Spike took his flashlight and shined it inside.
“There’s some kind of lever here. It appears to go straight down. I can just make out some kind of rod or shaft that goes underneath us to the wall behind us.”
“Maybe that’s it. Pull it.”
Reaching in, Spike was immediately attacked by a spider. Jerking his hand out, he shook it off and Ailsa stomped on it.
“Thanks.”
“No problem. I’ve never liked spiders.” Ailsa’s face registered her dislike of arachnids.
“Okay. Let’s see what happens.” Spike again inserted his hand into the hole. Pulling with all his might, the lever wouldn’t budge.
“It might be rusted. With all this moisture down here, plus this handle having been unused for so long, it may not move.”
“Try again,” Ailsa said trying to motivate Spike. “This could be our freedom.”
Spike grabbed the handle again. Pushing and then pulling he felt the handle begin to break loose. Trying again, he was able to move the handle toward him a couple of inches. Under the stone floor, they could hear the movement of the rod. Spike pulled again. Suddenly, the handle gave way and moved all the way back to a horizontal position. The sudden release caught Spike off guard and he fell backwards onto the floor.
“You okay?” Ailsa asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Getting up, Ailsa and Spike were both startled when the curved portion of the wall behind them began to slowly slide to the right. They stood in awe as the low rumble of stone on stone echoed through the tunnel. The door continued to disappear into the wall until finally coming to rest flush with the wall of the tunnel. Shining their lights into the open void, Ailsa and Spike were greeted by a staircase that spiraled upward. The stairs were only about two feet wide. Walls on both sides encased them. The stairs circled round and round as they ascended upward. The amount of space taken up by the stairs seemed to indicate that there was something else inside this area. Since they had guessed that the circumference was probably 35 to 40 feet, that would still leave an area inside this tower behind the wall to the right of the stairs for something else. Both Ailsa and Spike realized this at the same time.
“There must be something else behind this wall.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Ailsa said. “But right now, I’m not worried about that. I want to see where this goes. It could be our way out.”
“I agree. Let’s go.”
Both Spike and Ailsa began to climb, Ailsa taking the lead. Working their way upward in a continuous circle, Ailsa and Spike found themselves stopping several times to catch their breathes. After climbing for some three or four minutes, the stairs ended. A small five-foot hallway stood before them. At the end was another stone wall. This one, though, had a handle clearly visible sticking out of any empty space in the wall. Ailsa looked at Spike.
“Be my guest,” Spike said. “I pulled the other one.”
Ailsa reached up and pulled. A muffled click came from behind the wall to the left of the lever. The wall moved slightly inward. Ailsa and Spike began to push on the wall. As they did so, it began to move. On the opposite side of the wall, they could hear something sliding along the floor, almost as if this door had been intentionally blocked. Pushing harder, they were able to move the door inward a good two feet. A room was visible beyond. Ailsa stepped through the opening.
“I can’t believe this!” Ailsa cried from the inner room. “I can’t believe this!”
​
​
​
​