I'm really excited about this story! I live near Chicago, and it's been really fun wandering around finding the places that Edward might have lived in, or should have.It's really astonishing how much of Chicago's history dates back to the early 1900's.
I'm totally in love with the University Of Chicago campus, so it will probably be prominent in the story settings. Besides, who doesn't want to know more about Edward, the unbelievably attractive human? Lol. Anyways, I really love reviews, constructive or not. They just keep me inspired to keep working or improve, so please drop me a line or too.
PROLOGUE: Somewhere, some Secret Tunnel, Chicago.
He gripped her wrist tight in his; his fingers instinctively finding the reassuring beat of her pulse. The corridor was dark, and the flashlight Edward had found wasn't much help. Cobwebs brushed at her face, and she jumped a little each time. They strode deeper and deeper into the depths of some place, long forgotten, that for some reason needed to be rediscovered just right now. Something scampered across her feet and she whimpered, kicking it off before drawing closer to Edward.
"Edward, can you see the end?"
" Not really." He grimaced and gestured towards the scrap of paper that had led them this far. " The map is kind of vague here. It's just a verse, here: 'To find heaven and the promises it doth reap, first thou must the door to hell seek.' What's strange is that I've been looking everywhere, but there's no door. The only I can see, are these designs here on the walls." He touched the rock face, tracing the lines of something Bella couldn't see. She took the flashlight from him, and shined it on the rock. Barely visible were tiny figures of men, stick figures, running towards something. Bella stared at them for a moment, and then something clicked:
" Edward, when did these start?"
"Oh, about 50 meters back or so."
"Is it possible, that maybe we missed it? Maybe the 'door' we're looking for is back there. You know, the figures are kind of running away from something…like the entrance to hell?"
Edward glanced over his shoulder." Maybe you're right. We can go check it out."
They inched back along the wall. Edward kept track to the figures, stopping when there weren't anymore.
" They stop here, Bella."
Bella walked up to the very first design and peered at it very closely.
" Hey Edward, can you look at this? Your eyes are sharper than mine. What does that look like to you?"
He craned his neck and looked at it from a number of angles. Then he gently reached out and pushed inquisitively on the center of the etching.
" Well, it kind of looks like-"
Suddenly, and without warning, the floor dropped out from beneath them, and then they were plunged into a gaping hole of darkness that swallowed their screams. Bella couldn't see a thing, but felt the cold, desperate hands of Edward enclosing her and holding her tight as they fell into the black abyss below.