Chapter 8: The Connection

Zippy was hopping up some wood planks. Another ladder! This time, I wasn't so sure. I mean, I really didn't know where this ladder went. I was all turned around from not being able to see. I whispered to Zippy, "Come on, let's go back the way we came". Why was I whispering? Zippy turned around and looked at me as if to say, "Come on you chicken." I decided to follow the bold squirrel. I laughed to myself. "That squirrel is braver than I am" I thought. So I climbed.

I had not climbed far when my hand hit a "roof." I smacked my knuckles as I reached up into the darkness for the next plank. "Hmmm" I thought, "this is not good." I pulled my backpack off my shoulder with one arm and balanced it in front of me on a ladder rung. I clumsily unzipped the pocket where my flashlight was stored. I reached in and pulled it out. Snapping it on, I scanned all around me. I was ready to leave but Zippy insisted that we keep looking. "Crazy squirrel" I mumbled.

To the right, there was solid wall. But to the left, there was a tight crawl space with a ledge that was about 9 inches wide. But after 3 feet or so, the ledge got much wider and it appeared as if there was a lot more room to move. I wrapped my backpack around my right arm and slide my feet along the edge. Zippy jumped over my head and landed on the ledge as if it was nothing. "Show-off" I muttered.

I was able to move much more quickly once I reached the wider ledge. I moved along the ledge for about 10 feet until I came to what looked like the corner of a building. The ledge suddenly ended and around the corner there was no ledge. Shining my flashlight around the corner, I examined the wall. About four feet up the wall, there was a familiar looking plank. Another ladder? I didn't really have much choice so I reached up with both hands and held onto the plank. "Ouch" I hissed, "a splinter". More carefully, I regripped the plank. I wiggled myself up by bracing one foot on the wall above the ledge and the other against the wall on the outside of the ledge. That seemed to work but the plank did not feel that sturdy. I was glad to climb up beyond that loose plank. I climbed up what seemed like 15 feet until I reached another roof. It was obvious where to go this time but I did not want to move! In front of me was a small opening that looking like a tunnel. It smelled very dirty and dusty but it was the only way to go. Zippy, who had been riding in my open backpack, jumped out and scurried down the tunnel. "There he goes again" I thought. I had no other choice but to follow him.

I crawled into the opening which was about 18 inches square. I could fit in, but there was not a lot of extra room. I wriggled along army man style thinking the whole time that this was a really bad idea. I stopped to rest and looked up ahead. I noticed that Zippy has stopped and appeared to be in a little opening next to some stone work. "The chimney" I sputtered. I recalled that the chimney faced my grandpa's house so I sort of had an idea where I was. I noticed something else too. I could see the opening and Zippy without my flashlight!

I was relieved to reach the opening and crawled into it on my hands and knees. I could see a dim light at the end of a shallow tunnel. The really weird thing was that I could hear a voice! I scrambled to the end of the tunnel toward the light. It looked like some sort of vent.

I peaked through the vent and could not believe what I was seeing. It was the inside of Emma's closet! The closet door was open, so that I could see into the room. I could see Emma's shoes, and I could even see Emma's feet on her bed. I could tell she was talking on the phone but I didn't care.

"Emma!" I called. "EMMA!" I called a little louder. She had heard me! She finished her call and hung up the phone. "How is that!?" Emma said with her best tough voice. "Emma, it's me Jason, I am behind the vent in your closet! Come help me!" "Jason? – what are you… I mean, how did you… Jason?" "Hurry! I said. She rushed over to the vent and peered through to make sure it was me. "Jason!" she said, "It is you… ooohh you are filthy!" "I know" I replied, "But you are not going to believe what I found!"

I passed my pocket knife through an opening in the vent. In about 5 minutes, Emma managed to get the vent cover off with the screw driver blade. She moved a bunch of things out of my way because she said "I don't want you getting your gunk on my stuff."

She has a million questions for me. I held up my hand to stop her questions. Catching my breath, I told her the whole story. The tunnels, the ladders, the room, and the guns, the whole amazing tale. Her eyes were wide but they danced with excitement. She looked like she was about to explode. The second I paused to take a breath, she interuppted, "Can I see them?" she asked breathlessly. "Come to my house – through the front door – in 30 minutes. I've got to get back and get cleaned up"