Stumbling back toward the only shaft of light in an otherwise darkened space that now terrified her, Mel found her way to the solid wall of hope that she skimmed round to enter the basement with its blaze of fluorescent light her one and only thought – escape!

Reaching the locked door, she suddenly froze to realise that the hairpin she had deftly used to unlock and relock the door was back in Catherine’s hair and she needed it to get out. Running back down the five steps to the floor below, Mel wasted no time worrying about being tidy – the devil himself was hot on her tail as far as she was concerned – and escapism was foremost in her mind. Thus, drawers flung open Mel rummaged for anything that might ‘work’ to unlock the door and found…nothing! As her plight became paramount, Mel started to cry, trembling silent tears afraid to make a sound that might signal her whereabouts to any would be pursuer. Not only did she need to get out of the basement but she was also scared witless as to what had happened to Catherine and would it happen to her. Would they both drop off the face of the earth falling into some kind of vortex from where there was no return? She had heard of such things, but until now had thought them pure science fiction. Still behind all good fiction was an underlying foundation of fact and Mel started pounding at the basement door, twisting the handle pushing for all she was worth in the hope of breaking through solid oak. When it refused to give she slumped to the floor her back to the door, facing that gaping hole in the wall imagining all kinds of demons about to enter and coming to ‘get’ her.

There she would stay until Peter, returning from his visit to the tunnels, returned to the house, and upon discovering his basement door locked but a sliver of light coming from beneath that signified occupancy, would fear the worst and open the door to investigate. But that would not be until the morning, leaving Mel to spend the worst night of her life in absolute dread and horror.

“I might ask you the same question!” Catherine retorted as she scrambled back and away from the young man that stared down at her with mouth agape, but if she thought her escape was imminent she was very much mistaken as her back touched against something warm yet solid and…furry.

Hands on floor behind her Catherine leaned back to see what it was she had come up against and the scream that might have erupted following the discovery was prevented to leave her lungs as a firm hand was clapped over her mouth.

“Shh! Don’t scream. You’ll bring everyone running.” Eyes wide Catherine stared again at the young man she had seen first, her eyes quickly riveted to the other person sat behind her, never in all her life had she seen anyone that looked like that!

Laughter suddenly bubbled forth, laughter along with an overwhelming rush of relief, and as the hand was snatched back from her mouth Catherine said, “Oh it’s a mask, sorry I thought…” she laughed nervously, “I thought…well I thought you were for real.”

Had she of expected laughter for her observations it was slow in coming, and Catherine swivelling round to scrutinise the person behind her further wasn’t certain why none was forthcoming. Instead, the steady blue gaze that met her own of stormy green seemed to hold an apology and a sadness that was reflected in the eyes of the young man that had held a hand to her mouth.

Silence descended over the three as Catherine on the brink of doe like flight looked around her wildly for a means of escape, an action that was not lost on the two beside her.

“Don’t go! We’ll not hurt you, will we Vincent?” The older lad told her.

“No.” For the first time Catherine heard ‘it’ speak and despite the fact that this strange person, unless it was a mask, looked grotesque Catherine warmed to the sound of his velvet like voice and she began to relax.

“Where am I?” She wanted to know, suddenly looking up at the ceiling from where she had tumbled, “How did I get down here?”

The older one giggled, “One of my booby traps I’m afraid, sorry.”

Catherine grinned, “Well nice to know they work, could do with a softer landing though.” She told him rubbing her butt to emphasise her point. Both boys laughed and the older one told her, “Booby traps are not meant for visitors, well not your sort anyway, more like unwelcome visitors. So who are you? I take it you know Peter?”

“Why do you say that?” Catherine was curious.

“’Cos that’s Peter’s way in and before you ask he knows not to touch the mechanism to come down here…anymore that is.” The older boy laughed out loud, as he remembered the two times Peter had forgotten and had come crashing down into what he affectionately termed his dungeon.

“Oh. Well yes I know Peter, but he doesn’t know I’ve found his way in.”

The older boy, dark haired and dark eyed grinned at Catherine, “oooh you minx you. Hope you can endure Peter’s wrath, that basement was strictly off limits.”

“You know about the basement?” Catherine was amazed.

“Course I do, we all do, Peter helps treat us when Father hasn’t got the correct supplies.”

“Father? We? You mean there are more of you down here?”

Suddenly a curious glance was passed between the two lads, and the older one asked, “Hasn’t Peter told you anything?”

“About what?” Catherine asked him.

“About us?”

She shook her head, “Until five minutes ago I never knew you existed, and until about an hour ago never knew that these passageways existed, and until about two hours ago never knew what was inside the basement, but my friend Mel and I were curious…” Her voice trailed away and clapping a hand to her mouth she suddenly announced, “Oh Mel! Oh my God, Mel will be worried sick, I have to get back up there to her, can you help me?”

“I could…” the older boy’s voice trailed away as he questioned his friend with his eyes and seeming to make a decision told her, “Unfortunately I can’t. Now that you are here we have to report the fact that the bridge was broken so to speak and you will have to meet our… leader.” He’s been going to say Father but at the last decided leader would have a more dramatic affect and he was right as Catherine started to tremble violently. “Your…your…leader?” she asked timidly.

“I’m afraid my brother is set to frighten you.” The velvet voice spoke from behind and Catherine felt a firm hand upon her shoulder she assumed, hoped, by way of comfort. “There is no leader among us, though there are people that we hold in higher esteem who only have our community’s best interests at heart. The person we must take you to is our father, but you will find him a just and fair man so long as you promise to maintain our secret.”

That word ‘secret’ held all the fears of God for Catherine, yet even so the soft velvet voice held a certain reverence for the man known as father, as Catherine found herself more intrigued than frightened. Still there were other matters to attend to. “But what of my friend, Melanie? She will be worried about me.”

“One moment.” The older lad told her. He moved away into a realm of candlelight that Catherine had only just acknowledged existed and for the first time she saw him clearly, or as clear as was possible beneath candlelight and gauged that he was possibly in his early twenties and apart from one very long scar running down his right cheek he was very good looking. Instantly drawn to him, Catherine felt her heart skip a beat as she begun to build romantic castles in the air and completely forgot the presence of the lad behind her, the one she dared not look at too closely until he removed that mask.

When the older boy returned to stand in front of her again, he seemed not to have done anything or spoken to anyone yet he was able to verify, “Your friend has reached Peter’s basement. She is frightened and trapped but she is safe. I will send word to Peter of her predicament so that she might be rescued.”

“Oh no, but you can’t! She needs my hairpin to unlock the door.” Extracting it from her hair Catherine held it out to him, “Here take it to her. If Peter catches her in the basement there will be hell to pay!”

“No can do I’m afraid. As it is, your friend has no knowledge of people living down here. If someone approached her from the tunnels she would know and there is no other way anyone can approach her, and none of us have the keys to Peter’s front door. Our guards are watching her, but she knows nothing of their presence.”

“Then you must let me go back to her. She will be expecting me and I can help her get out and Peter will never need to know.” Catherine told him rationally. The answer was staring them in the face it was that logical, but the good-looking boy would not buy it.

“Sorry. Our security has been broken. The guards were alerted by your friend’s screams and have already announced that fact, but they do not know that you have fallen through my booby trap, or that you are here, but if they were to find out and I had not reported it, I would be in serious trouble and breach of promise. I could be expelled from our community for doing that and you have to understand your meddling would have been the cause of that. So why should I be forced to leave my home because you chose to break the rules?”

He sounded annoyed and Catherine quick to respond in order to pacify him replied, “I’m sorry you should not lose your home on account of my behaviour, but when Peter finds out he will be furious.”

“Peter’s wrath is nothing compared to that of our community. There is so much more at stake. If we were to be discovered down here, there would be more than I that would lose their home, not least Vincent here who has nowhere else he can possibly live.” The older boy told her frankly.

“Devin’s right.” The mask told her, “Without these tunnels my life would not be worth living.” There was a wealth of sadness in those words and Catherine’s heart reacted violently, still there were things she did not understand and said so.

“You’re Devin?” She looked at the older boy he nodded, and turning she asked the other, “And you’re Vincent?” He too nodded but shook his head when Catherine asked, “And that’s a mask you’ve got on right?”

Catherine gasped, “Its not a mask? Then how?” Gingerly with disbelief she reached up a hand intent on touching his face but he flinched away.

“We don’t know.” Devin told her, “We don’t ask its not polite, but you’ll never find a gentler spirit than Vincent’s, except when he’s mad.” He grinned and traced the scar on his cheek with his fingertips making the action impossible not to understand.

“He did that?” Catherine turned back to Vincent, “You did that? But why?”

Both boys grinned, “We had an argument” They spoke as one, and Catherine could see that whatever it had been about was long forgiven, not only that but it was obvious to her that their was a special relationship between these two.

“You say you’re brothers?” Catherine asked anxiously to neither in particular.

“Vincent’s adopted, but yes we are brothers.”

“Oh.” Catherine could find nothing to say. The relief was immense. Having just married herself off to Devin and being busily fantasying that she would bare his children she was grateful to hear that they would not run the risk of being of the furry kind.

“So, if you are ready, we will take you to our leader.” Devin announced offering her a hand to help her up. Catherine took it without preamble in fact she decided she’d given herself away for the look he gave her was inquiring.

“Our father.” Vincent reiterated with a chuckle.

“That all depends where the love lies bro, you always were his favourite one. Leader works well enough for me.” Something in his reply tugged at Catherine’s heartstrings. If what he said was true then Devin had missed out on the finest quality of love every child should have, the unconditional love of a parent and that he hadn’t made Catherine feel so very sad. And at that point she decided that come what may, whatever happened, whatever came, from that day forth if he would let her, she would provide for him that unconditional love that had so obviously been lacking all of his life.

Father was not amused, neither come to that was Peter who upon being presented with this intruder of the tunnels almost blew a gasket. And Catherine shocked to discover Peter in this strange world of tunnels and lanterns to which she had been thrust into could do nothing but sit and allow the ravings to go on over her head as if they were not directed at her at all.

Finally, as tempers cooled and Catherine was read the coded law for tunnel dwellers and visitors alike someone felt fit to smile at her and ask if she was unharmed by her fall into their world. Catherine grinned and assured the kindly lady that had asked that only her pride had been injured and with that the questions and explanations began.

Catherine learned how their world had come to be, of the people that relied upon its sanctuary for their safekeeping, she met the children, well nourished and well behaved among them and she heard the story as ageless as time of how Vincent was first brought to them. Of his survival and upbringing into a safe world that accepted him as one of their own, saw pasts his differences and loved him for the person that he was. Catherine noted with some amusement that this particular history lesson was somewhat uncomfortable to Vincent listening on, and she sent him a knowing smile that was completely sympathetic.

“So,” Father wound up by saying, “This is what we must do. Since your friend Melanie knows something of the tunnels we must brick up that entrance.” Peter groaned and Catherine winced only now seeing the disadvantage of this for him. “It has to be, I’m sorry.” Father eyed Catherine sceptically and she shifted uncomfortably knowing that these necessary things were all because of her meddling in things that did not concern her. Still had she not…Catherine smiled at Devin and received for her trouble a beautiful smile back that sent her heart a flutter. Had she not of disobeyed Peter, had she not of gone with Mel to investigate their discovery then she would never have known that this beautiful boy existed…and at that moment in time Catherine never wanted to imagine what the world would have been like not knowing that he was in it. Therefore, with that thought in mind her behaviour didn’t feel quite so bad.

“I suggest that we brick it up only temporarily, and not directly outside of the basement. If we take it inwards a few yards, up to the place Catherine fell through the wall and as far as her friend is concerned possibly as far as the passage could go, then that should be sufficient. And Peter, there is that other entrance…you know the one?”

“Cobwebby way?” Peter chuckled, “Yes I know where you mean, but Catherine hates spiders.”

Drawing her brows together Catherine looked at each person in turn, “What does it matter if I hate spiders, I’m hardly likely to come back here again am I?”

A deathly silence descended at her words and Catherine felt uncomfortable understanding what she had just implied “At least I didn’t think I would be welcome to come again? Are you saying that I can?” She looked directly at Father when she asked the question.

“Oh my dear you seem to have missed the point somewhere. I’m afraid that once you have been here you have to continue to visit us. In fact your falling in on s so to speak designated you to the rank of helper. From now on we can find all manner of jobs as your punishment.”

Wide-eyed Catherine stared at him, “And how long will it last?” She whispered hoarsely.

Devin burst into laughter and Father shot him a ‘thank you very much’ look that told Catherine that he had been toying with her. All the same there was an underlying truth about the statement he had made and Catherine laughing a little uneasily told him, “Actually though you didn’t mean that…”

“Says who?” Father’s eyes twinkled merrily at her discomfort and Catherine relaxed enough to continue, “Well since you put it that way perhaps there are things that I could do to help you all down here.” Father did not miss the ‘look’ that Catherine directed at his son Devin and could not help retorting, “And some more than others no doubt, huh?”

Catherine blushed, as funnily enough did Devin who had just realised the depth of Catherine’s emotions toward him something that with his usual friendliness toward visitors’ he had missed earlier and he found that the idea of Catherine’s devotion toward him wasn’t nearly half as bad as he may have imagined. In fact, he rather revelled in it. Catherine was a very beautiful young girl with curves in all the right places.

“Well anyway, that is what we will do as regards sealing the old basement entrance and Catherine?” When Father felt he had her undivided attention and that his son wasn’t the recipient of most of it, he went on, “Peter will direct you here through ‘cobwebby way’ from now on and will show you how to announce your arrival, okay?”

Catherine nodded, her eyes peering over the older man’s shoulders to his handsome son just sitting beyond. It was hard to keep her eyes off him, even though she was becoming aware that others were conscious of the fact and she was a trifle embarrassed. Shaking herself back to earth Catherine made to stand, “Well perhaps I have outstayed my welcome already, can someone show me the way back to Peter’s house? Unless you are leaving now Peter?”

“I wasn’t but I will. Your friend will need rescuing if nothing else.” He replied gruffly letting her see in no uncertain terms that her love life mat y have been richly rewarded for her misbehaviour but it would be sometime before he would forgive her for it.

“May I make a suggestion?” All heads turned to Vincent surprised that he had spoken, as he hadn’t up till then.

“What is it, Vincent?” Father asked him.

“I think Catherine should return by the way in which she came. It might be better all round if Melanie can be made to presume that Catherine had bumped her head…” Vincent faltered he didn’t like to lie and knew his father liked them even less but sometimes…”well you know that would account for her not hearing Melanie shouting and the time that has lapsed. If Catherine were unconscious…” his suggestion trailed away leaving the others to speculate further on his idea.

“Yes I see.” Father rubbed his bristled jaw with the fingers of one hand, “As you know I don’t like having to lie, it is something we deter against down here Catherine, and its unfortunate that on your first visit to us, here we are contemplating doing just that, but Vincent does have a point. If we leave things as they stand your friend might take it upon herself to one day seek out the tunnels with or without the friends you say betted with her on what was inside the basement either way it is a risk we are unprepared to take. Melanie must assume that the tunnels that are beyond the basement are nothing but the passageway she termed them to be and we must brick up the entrance a few yards from the basement wall to ensure that possibility. So if you return the way you came, hand her the hairclip so that she might unlock the door to get back into the house and Peter you be in place to ‘welcome’ them home, we might just get away with this.”

“I’m so sorry to have caused so much trouble.” Catherine whimpered quite distressed.

“So you should be!” Peter flared, “Nevertheless what’s done is done and I’m certain we can find a way to rectify the situation. I have a further idea too. I will explain to your friend and to you Catherine,” he told her sternly, “that the basement area used to be one. The passageway behind was part of the original floor space but I had a wall erected to make the space smaller until I could afford to fit out the floor space as one room. I’ll explain that the passageway beyond actually goes nowhere and before the basement was as it is now, the whole area resembled that of the roughened walls beyond. Hopefully, that should suffice don’t you think?” He directed the question at Catherine, who shrugged, “Sounds ok, but Mel wouldn’t buy it. There will be no need to explain anything to her. The more you say the more likely she will smell a rat. She already believes you are creating monsters down there, Peter, I think you should just blow your top at finding us in the basement and insist that Melanie goes home, actually at this time of night you’d better take her home in your car, or have her father collect her. If Mel decides to investigate further I can bluff my way round it, and should she insist on checking it out without or without the gang then she’ll find nothing but a dead end by then, won’t she? When will you brick up the way in?” Catherine directed the last part of her statement to Father.

“The moment you are gone. We cannot run the risk of leaving it too long. Our sentries keep reporting that your friend is still in the basement but there’s no telling when she might pluck up the courage to seek your whereabouts, my dear. The sooner you get back up there the better I think.”

Catherine couldn’t argue with that but she was mystified at how Father knew, since no one had interrupted their gathering to bring him any messages from the sentries and she commented on this. Everyone smiled, “Morse code.” Devin explained, “Well sort of anyway that tapping…here it?” Catherine had heard it and nodded, “well its how we send messages to one another down here. Those that understand the code have been kept informed of your friend’s position all the time you have been down here.”

Catherine was impressed, “Can you teach me that code?”

“That will be a task for their pipe master, you’ve yet to meet him.” Peter told her, “But regretfully that pleasure must be reserved for another day. Young lady we should leave now.”

“You’re coming too?” Catherine was surprised.

“Not with you. Devin will show you the way back. I have my car up at the park so I’ll drive home. With the aid of the sentries we can arrive home simultaneously so that I can catch you and Melanie coming out of the basement…or should the hair clip not work…release you from there.”

“If you’re ready then?” Devin was already standing his intention obvious. “You coming Vincent?”

Vincent declined, “No I’m sure you can manage.” Devin looked at his brother with open curiosity, had Vincent too noticed that Catherine appeared interested in him? Devin decided against the idea, for Vincent would not want to miss an opportunity to prod his brother in the ribs over it if he had. Still Devin overlooked the fact that Vincent was not only very astute but he was also very gallant at times and feeling very much like a gooseberry on such an occasion Vincent had declined the offer to see Catherine home. However, the moment Devin, Catherine and Peter had left he launched his suspicions on Father.

“Did you see the way she looked at Devin?” Leaning back on his chair, Vincent roared with laughter. “Oh am I going to rib him over that or what?”

“You and me both.” Father chuckled. “It would appear that she has a huge crush on my son, but then who can blame her Devin looks the spitting image of me at that age.”

Vincent laughed out loud. “I wonder what he’ll do about it?”

“Probably ask her out.”

Vincent sobered, “You’d allow that?”

“Not before time. Vincent, at twenty-two Devin has waited more than long enough to date someone.”

“But she’s not of our world.” Vincent reminded him as if that meant anything.

“That’s as maybe, but now she has been introduced to us, I have a feeling we will be seeing a whole lot more of her. I get the impression that she’d be a good companion for you too, Vincent.” Father eyed his son knowingly. Since the incident with Lisa Vincent had rather been afraid of anything to do with the opposite sex. Father thought that Catherine might be just what Vincent needed to get over Lisa’s attitude. Six months ago, Lisa had proved in no uncertain terms that she had no romantic notions toward Vincent, much to Vincent’s sorrow and Father despaired that any woman might ever feel remotely romantic toward his unusual son. Still that experience had left Vincent vulnerable around the opposite sex, vulnerable and apprehensive, not knowing whether they were being friendly for friendships sake or were being sincere. Well Catherine looked sincere but unfortunately for Vincent she seemed only to have eyes for his other son, Devin. Still Father hoped that through her Vincent would learn to enjoy being around a girl again and would stop being so self-conscious about his differences.

“She does seem nice.” Vincent replied after a long pause. “She’s very pretty too.”

Father chuckled, “Ah you noticed. I wondered if you might.”

“Who wouldn’t? Someone as beautiful as Catherine though could never feel anything for someone as ugly as me.” He replied sadly.

“Vincent! Don’t put yourself down like that. You have to shake off this Lisa syndrome do you hear me!”

“Lisa syndrome Father, what do you mean?”

“You know very well what I mean. Six months ago, before all this flared up you took the opposite sex as they came – as friends as great as those of the same sex as you, now no more. Now you view them all as potential partners that might or might not accept your differences. Do you think I haven’t noticed this?”

“No. But I wasn’t aware that I did this.” Vincent replied sincerely.

“Vincent, you’re eighteen, you’ve years yet for a lasting relationship. All the same I know how every young man dreams of the day he will meet the love of his life, marry her and have children and you are no different Vincent, despite the obvious. You have a wonderful spirit and your heart is sincere, you are developing into a very strong young man not just physically but also mentally. But your heart carries battle scars that I affectionately term the Lisa Syndrome and if you let it the hurt it caused you will never go away, and you won’t move through and beyond it Vincent, you won’t.” With eyes of sympathy, Father told him tenderly.

“Then what should I do, Father?”

“Rejoice with Devin that he has found someone, but when he offers for you to join him don’t let the fact that someone is interested in him romantically deter you from association with your brother. In other words, Vincent never put yourself down or take a back seat you are as good as the next man and don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise. That’s what you were doing when you refused see Catherine back with Devin wasn’t it?”

Vincent nodded, “I hadn’t realised…but yes, you’re right. I was avoiding what was so obviously happening between them. I thought I might be in the way.”

“Did you ever stop to think that Devin might have liked your company? I feel he is at a loss as to know how to handle such a situation. After all it is the first time anyone from up top has shown any interest in him.”

Vincent chuckled, “It’s the first time anyone anywhere has shown any interest in him.”

Father laughed too, “Well then I think he would have been glad of your company and you wouldn’t have been a gooseberry at all. In fact, I wouldn’t mind betting that he is feeling every bit the gooseberry right now. I bet the cat has most definitely got his tongue.”

They both laughed out loud and then changed the subject talking about tunnel matters never realising that their last remark over Devin could never have been nearer the truth. For at that very moment and back at the spot where she had fallen onto her bottom Catherine and Devin were in a tight embrace kissing one another most passionately. And despite what Father had maintained Devin was exceedingly grateful that his brother had declined the offer to see Catherine home. In fact, at that moment in time, Devin had forgotten everything relating to life in the tunnels as his mind became geared for doing only one thing… with… Catherine… Catherine… Catherine…

To be continued in part four.

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