Beginning of a Legend Chapter 4
Helga and Salazar followed Godric as he led them to the abandoned shack. The area was overgrown and it was clear that nobody had been there for years. They could see that there was a path leading to the shack, but the grass was so tall that it was hard to see. Godric kept moving faster making Helga and Salazar have to run to catch up with him. It was clear that Godric had a lot of energy, but the other two were having a hard time matching his energy. It was not long until the three of them were standing in front of the old shack. The door was clearly rusted and the windows were cracked and broken. It looked a lot older than it really was, and it was hard to believe anybody had been living there three years ago.
Godric quickly opened the door and headed inside. Salazar and Helga were hesitant to follow. They were still unsure about what they were going to see when they went inside. Salazar went in first looking around the room. There was a broken bed in the corner and there were some old sheets scattered across the room. Helga walked in after Salazar, checking out the room as well. The door leading to the hallway had a large hole in it. It appeared that something violent had went on there.
"Godric," Helga called.
"I'm down here," came his voice from below them.
They both headed down the hall and to the creaky stairwell. Neither of them wanted to walk on the stairs. It looked as if the stairs would give out if any weight was put on them.
"Are you guys coming?" Godric yelled up to them.
"Are you sure this is safe, Godric?" Helga asked.
"It's fine," he replied. "I walked down the stairs. They are plenty sturdy."
Helga looked at Salazar unsure.
"I'll go first," he stated, walking ahead of her. He walked slowly and carefully down the old staircase. It did not appear that the wood was rotted, and he didn't have any problems walking down them. He stopped at the bottom and nodded to Helga to start down. She started going down slowly, holding on to the side rails. She got down the stairs safely and then tripped at the bottom. Salazar caught her before she hit the ground and Godric came around the corner.
"Sorry," she said. "I told you I was clumsy."
"The passageway isn't far from here," said Godric as Salazar helped Helga up.
"I'm not sure this is a good idea," said Salazar.
"Come on, what's the worst that could happen?" Godric asked.
"We could get killed," said Salazar.
"That's not going to happen," said Godric. "There is nothing bad at the end of this passage."
"You said you have never been to the end," said Helga.
"I haven't," Godric admitted, "But that doesn't mean that there is anything dangerous there. Let's go."
"I have a bad feeling about this," said Helga.
"So do I," Salazar replied.
The three of them continued to walk until Godric showed them the entrance to the passageway. It was dark and it looked like as if it was a cave. Godric began to descend down the passage while Salazar and Helga hesitated. When they noticed that Godric was not stopping they began to descend as well. The walls looked as if they were wet, though neither of them were willing to touch them to figure out if they were. There was a sudden wind gust that hit them, showing them that they were near the exit. Salazar climbed out first and then helped Helga. Before they got the chance to stand up straight, something hit them hard knocking them back several feet. They both groaned and tried to stand up to see what had hit them. Salazar ducked quickly when he noticed a large tree branch coming toward him. He looked around to see that many tree branches were coming toward them.
"Run," he yelled.
Salazar helped Helga up and began to run, trying to dodge tree branches as they went. They were almost out side of the tree's reach when a large branch picked the two of them up. They both screamed as it wheeled them around. Salazar noticed Godric on the ground trying to get the tree to notice him.
"Hold on to me," said Salazar. Helga grabbed onto his arm as he jumped from the tree, hitting the ground hard and rolling.
"Are you alright?" Godric asked, coming up to them.
"You're reckless," said Salazar, getting up.
"Me?" Godric asked. "What do I have to do with the killer tree?"
"You're the one who wanted to see where this passageway went," Salazar answered. "All you said is what is an adventure without danger."
"I could have never predicted this," said Godric. "I'm not a seer. Besides, it's not like any of us got seriously hurt."
"That doesn't mean it couldn't have happened," said Salazar.
"Guys, this isn't helping," said Helga. "Besides, we are going to have to find a new way back to Hogsmeade. There is no way we can make it back to the base of that tree when it keeps trying to beat us to death."
"Where is this place anyway?" Salazar asked, looking around. "It doesn't look like there is anything here. Just a large open meadow."
"I think I see a lake over there too," said Helga.
"So what are we going to do?" Salazar asked. "We don't know which way Hogsmeade is."
"Well, it can't be that far," said Godric. "We can go through this forest here."
The three of them looked into the dark forest. It didn't seem like it would be a bad idea. After all, Salazar lived in the middle of a forest so he was used to walking through the woods and this time he wasn't alone.
"That seems like a good idea," Salazar finally said.
"Are you sure about that?" Helga asked. "How do we know there isn't anything dangerous in the forest?"
"We don't," said Salazar, "But there is no other way to get back and I am not sure I want to risk trying to get back through the tree. Besides I am comfortable walking through forests. I live in one. We better get going before your parents wonder what happened to us."