Time passed. A week had gone by and I'd barely realized it. My days in Notre Dame were filled with exploration. Well, with conditions, I was sure to keep away from the areas Father Jean forbade. I wasn't about to be disrespectful, I knew I was on thin ice as it were.
My bare feet padded on the stone walkway. I was back in my regular clothing, though they smelled much better. I'd even been able to mend them! I'd always enjoyed sewing, had my life been different I may have ended up a seamstress instead of a delinquent. I gazed down the hallway, my mental blueprint scanning for options. I'd run through these same corridors all week. To say I was desperate would be an understatement. There was just… nothing. No options. No hidden doors. No secret alleys. Nothing.
"I have to be missing something." I hissed, turning on my heel and retreating. The bells tolled 11 times as I walked. I walked in sync with their tones. It's nearly lunchtime. What a difference life in the cathedral had been. I'd forgotten what it felt like to have regular and consistent mealtimes, comfortable sleeping provisions and just general safety. I was living the dream, if not for Ward's men sneering at me through nearly every window and the anxiety I felt for Gordon and Ion I'd be thoroughly enjoying myself.
"Ines!" I turned to see Peggy rushing towards me. She never ran, it wasn't godly to do so in the church. Instead she did the fastest walk I think I'd ever seen a person do. Her bustles flaring behind her in an almost intimidating way.
"Peggy?" I answered, stopping my stalking.
"Did you hear? We're making candles this afternoon!" She cooed. It only took a day or two for Peggy to warm up to me. She was full of sunshine, someone who hadn't been hurt by the world quite yet. She was warm, whereas I was cold. She reminded me in many ways of Willow.
"Ah, very nice." I responded. Peggy loved crafts, but I wasn't terribly fond.
"Oh don't be like that." She chided. "It'll be fun! Maybe some crafting will clear your head and help you find a solution?" She pressed on.
"I don't know about that." I shrugged.
Peggy's face fell and she sighed defeatedly. "Alright. Sorry to bother you."
"Wait Peggy." I felt guilt clutch my heart at her defeated look. She had a knack for making you feel like you kicked a puppy. " I'll go, sorry I'm just out of it today."
Her face lit up once more. "Blessed day! What fun we'll have Ines!" She hugged me, little giggles escaping her.
"Yeah, fun." I gave a pained smile. In any other circumstance it probably would be fun. She's right though, maybe a distraction would help reorganize my thoughts.
Just then Father Jean appeared, framed by the corridor entrance.
"Ooo I'll talk to you later Peggy." I escaped her hug and rushed after the archdeacon. I could only vaguely make out her goodbye as I fled. "Father Jean!" I called to his retreating figure.
"What can I do for you Ines?" Jean turned to face me. He still wasn't thrilled that I had disrupted the peace of his church but he'd warmed up to me bit by bit the past few days. Though I could sense he still distrusted me, and probably won't weep when I leave.
"I've been meaning to ask, is there a basement?" I asked.
"Basement?" Jean's brow furrowed.
"Yes, maybe one that connects to the catacombs?" I put my hands together, a bit of a prayer I supposed.
His eyebrows raised in understanding. "Ahhh. No nothing like that."
My shoulders slumped in disappointment.
"The only thing beneath this church is a crypt." He paused. "I assume that is not the exit you are looking for." He raised a brow.
I chuckled. "No. Not quite."
"Going down is not the answer." Jean continued. "But perhaps going up?"
I peered up at him confused. "Up? What, climb down?" It wasn't a bad idea. I'm excellent at climbing trees. Though a cathedral was far from a tree. Trade in rough bark for smooth stone, it'd be very risky.
"It's possible. I may know of someone who can help." He responded, his tone cryptic.
I felt my heart rise with hope. For the first time, hope!
"Father!" A voice called from the direction of the main entrance of Notre Dame.
Jean and I both whipped around to face the cry.
"Father, they're attempting to break in!" A bishop gazed at Jean, his eyes panicked. "What do we do?"
Jean gazed at me and that hope I'd been feeling fizzled out. It was nice while it lasted. "Run and hide." He ordered before rushing off to the main entrance. "Contact the captain of the guard!" I heard him order the bishop as he retreated.
My breathing quickened. I knew it was a matter of time. Ward was a criminal, he wasn't going to respect any law! I ran out of the corridor and into the main church. My eyes scanning for a hiding place, anything! Ward was thorough, every spot I contemplated would surely be found in a matter of moments. My eyes settled on a door. A door that housed a staircase going up into the towers of Notre Dame.
"Perhaps going up." Jean's voice echoed in my head. I squared my shoulders and rushed for the door. As my fingers grazed the doorknob a loud boom shook the whole cathedral.
The doors had been broken and splintered. Wards men shuffled in like cockroaches, dropping the large beam they'd used to bust in.
My hand grasped the handle and I yanked the door open. I raced up the steps two at a time, never looking behind me, always focusing ahead. Somewhere below me I could hear the door open and distant voices.
"Shit." I breathed pushing myself to run faster. It felt like hours of running but I made it. A heavy door greeted me and I gratefully shoved it open. Turning around I searched for some way to lock it or block it. Nothing. "Shit!" I hissed again. I turned, I was outside, a bridge extended ahead of me, it connected the two towers. Surely there was a good hiding place in the bell tower. I ran across the bridge and flung open the door in my way, slamming it behind me and leaning against it. Once more looking for a way to lock it.
"Uh…" a voice startled me. I whipped around and scanned the interior. There was a man in the room with me. I hadn't considered that part. He was a head taller than me, his hair a deep red and his eyes a bright blue. If he were anyone else the descriptors would stop there. He was different, his back was hunched and his eyebrow was swollen over his left eye, his legs bowed and his chin weak. He wore a green tunic fastened with a leather belt. He wore burlap pants tucked into leather boots and on his wrists leather braces. His arms and legs were bulging with muscle and though his appearance should have been frightful, I found a great kindness in his eyes.
"Hi." I breathed. I was still trying to catch my breath after my sprint up the stairs.
"Hi." He answered. He looked bewildered. I don't think he got many visitors.
"Sorry for dropping in like this." I joked nervously. I glanced behind me. "You wouldn't happen to have a hiding place?"
"Hiding place?" He quirked an eyebrow. "Wait, you're that girl, the one who got in here last week? The criminal?" His voice was soft and he spoke quickly and clearly.
"Uh…yeah." They had to be close to the end of the stair climb. "I don't have a lot of time, do you have a hiding place?" I plead.
"W-well I." He stammered. He eyed me warily.
Desperation was clawing at my stomach. I pushed myself off the door and placed my hands on his muscled forearms. "Please." I breathed. My eyes pleading as I gazed at him. "If they catch me, they will kill me. And not quickly."
For a moment there was silence. The man gazed back at me with a look I couldn't quite read.
"Yes, I have a spot." He turned. "Follow me." With great dexterity he used beams and rope to climb nimbly into the log.. "Quickly!" He glanced at the door.
I nodded and climbed hastily up the ladder. I followed the hunchback to a particularly cluttered section of the loft. It looked like it was where he kept broken statues, gargoyles, bits of rope and other objects. Jackpot, it would be easy to find a spot amidst the clutter.
"In here." He gestured to a tall ivory statue, she was cut off at the waist, scorch marks climbed up her torso. Maybe struck by lightning? I maneuvered to get behind her when I noticed her shudder. Awestruck I watched as the man pushed a statue of solid marble to the side and revealed a trapdoor. Not even Gordon possessed such strength and he was the strongest person I'd ever met, well until now I suppose.
The man lifted the door and held his hand out for me. "I can lower you down." He wouldn't meet my eyes. "If you like." He added.
I peered into the hole and felt my knees quake. A lone support beam was directly below me. And below that a 200+ foot drop into the main cathedral. I knew I'd climbed a lot of stairs, I hadn't realized just how many.
The sound of a door opening had me forgetting about any reservations. I grabbed the hunchback's hand and he lowered me onto the beam with ease.
"I'll get you out when it's safe." He promised before shutting the door on me. I could hear light scraping as he moved the statue back into place.
I willed my breathing to slow. "Don't look down." I breathed creeping along the beam. Light beamed through the floorboard imperfections. With some luck I may be able to see what was going on.
*Bang!*
I flinched, at the sound of the door flinging open. I gazed through my peephole and saw 2 men glower into the bell tower. Their faces stern. I knew they were Wards men but I didn't recognize them. Must have been new recruits. One had a faint mustache, and the other was clean shaven and lanky. "Lanky and Wispy." I smirked.
"Oye! Bell ringer!" Wispy called out his eyes scanning the room.
"Can I help you?" The hunchback must have made himself known, the 2 goons faces contorted into looks of disgust.
"Bit dramatic." I mused as they eyed the bell ringer.
"What happened to your face mate?" Wispy grunted.
With a thump the bell ringer was on their level. "Just my face. Born this way." He grumbled. "What do you need?" He pressed on.
"You seen a girl come through here?" Lanky asked his gaze leaving the hunchback and scanning the room.
"A girl?" The bell ringer played dumb pretty well. I would be impressed if I wasn't so terrified.
"You deaf?" Wispy hissed.
"Easy." Lanky elbowed Wispy. "She's small, real small. White blonde hair, nasty scar on one side of her face."
"Not just her face, scars go down her body too. Not sure how far though." Wispy continued. "Wouldn't mind finding out though." He and lanky had a good laugh at that. I felt my stomach shrivel. Revolting.
"Doesn't ring a bell." The bell ringer's tone was darker.
"Heh, cuz you ring bells." Wispy chuckled.
"Well we'll be poking around if you don't mind." Lanky started rifling through some scraps of paper on a table.
"Actually I-" The hunchback protested.
"It was a rhetorical question mate." Wispy smiled wickedly. "You don't have a choice." He turned and flipped a table.
I watched as Wispy and Lanky tore the bell tower apart. It didn't take long as the tower wasn't particularly wide though it was tall. I couldn't see the bell ringer but guilt clutched at my stomach. Just another person I'd inconvenienced. He probably regretted helping me now. I'd be sure to help him clean up but the boys were rough. Some of the stuff they scattered broke.
"Is all this truly necessary?" The bell ringer hissed as a glass shattered on the ground.
"It is." Lanky smirked, tossing a scrap of wood behind him.
I could feel the Bellringers glare through the floorboards. Lanky' s smirk faltered and he broke eye contact with the hunchback and went back to destroying the belltower.
*BOOM*
The noise shook the tower, at least it felt like it did. I clutched the beam, my nails digging into the wood. "Don't look down you dummy." I hissed, my eyes squeezed shut. I opened them and found the cause of the sound. A large wardrobe lay face down in the corner of the room.
"There you have it, you've destroyed everything in my home." The bell ringer grunted. "And what do you know, there's no girl." He motioned for the door. "Leave." He ordered.
"Well." Wispy wiped his hands on his shirt. "Seems like it."
"Probably got a good look at your face and ran the other way." Lanky scoffed a wicked smile on his face.
"Surprised we didn't hear the scream." Wispy chortled his face contorted into a devilish smirk.
I wrinkled my nose at the both of them, they really didn't have much room to be speaking on looks. The insults followed them out the door along with their foolish laughter. They really thought they were hilarious.
Soft footsteps made their way towards the trapdoor and I too shimmied my way across the beam towards it. The scuffing sound sounded once more as the bell ringer moved the statue. With a gentle creak the door lifted open and there he was gazing down at me. He extended his hand and I grasped it, eager to be off this damned beam and on solid footing. With no effort the hunchback lifted me into the tower and shut the door behind me.
"Best leave this off, just in case." He patted the statue with his large hand.
"I'm sorry." I breathed. I met his eyes with my own. I hoped he could see the sincerity. "I didn't realize they'd destroy your home I-." I gestured to the tower and stopped short as I took in the sight. Curtains ripped from their rods, crockery and cutlery scattered and broken about. Tools and scrap wood thrown Willy nilly. The guilt I'd been feeling redoubled.
"Oh this?" The bell ringer scoffed. "Don't worry about it. It's not the first time I've had to do a deep clean." He walked into the room grabbing a few trinkets as he went.
"Even so, I feel bad, I can help." I grabbed a couple things as I went.
"Oh that…that isn't necessary." He looked flustered now.
"Please, I insist." He was a quick mover, I was struggling to keep up, that was unusual for me, usually I was the quick one. "Hey, wait I-" I grabbed his arm and managed to stop him. "I want to help." I doubled down.
Now he turned and looked at me. His expression was odd. A mixture of confusion, awe, and fear.
"I'm Ines by the way." I let go of his arm and held out my hand.
"Quasimodo." He responded. He hesitated a moment before taking my hand and shaking it gently. His grip was strong, his hand enveloping my own.
"Pleased to meet you." I smiled lightly.
He gave an unsure smile back.
A faint shouting could be heard coming from below. His gaze turned stony as he once more approached the trapdoor, swinging it open as we peered down.
Shouts echoed off the cathedral and I could just barely make out father Jean throwing his hands in the air in frustration. The voices that bounced back up to us were barely audible though "sanctuary" and "claim" could be deciphered.
"They've claimed sanctuary." Quasimodo grunted, shutting the door once more.
"All of them?" My eyes widened.
"I don't think so. We can't house that many people. Probably just a select few who didn't ransack the cathedral. The rest broke laws when they..well forcibly entered and destroyed church property. Phoebus will probably collect them soon." He explained going back to his cleaning.
I joined him righting things and collecting what I could. My head was in a different place now though. What the hell was I going to do after I helped clean this tower? I couldn't go down. Couldn't stay up here. I'm a broken record at this point, but well…shit.