Big City Darkened Nights

Chapter #19

The minute pause it took Carr to look into the tunnel almost panicked the men. They're relieved to hear him tapping and shuffling along.

Getting to the mystery opening Carr listens first. Hearing nothing but his throbbing head. Inside he sees the outline of a bed. Stepping towards it he trips over an iron box. Touching the box's framework, he feels a built-in lock and tries the lid, locked.

He pats along feeling out the rest of the space. Starting at the bed, standard wood beam construction. Straw for fill, touching the bedding Carr tilts his head. Feeling the sheets with both hands Carr's surprised to find out evil old Hags like nice things too. The sheets are silk, Carr considers taking them but stops thinking of who slept between them.

Finding no other furnishings Carr locates a handle on the trunk and drags it out to the group. They all turn hearing the iron box drag on uneven stone. The grunts uttered let them know its' Carr.

Captain Avilo inquires on behalf the group, "What have you got there?"

Carr heaves it over some rocks, "A box."

Worried something will hear Dell grumbles, "That's a thief for you."

A bit curious Avilo queries, "Why? What's in it?"

Dropping it behind Dell, Carr pants, "Don't know. It's locked. Maybe Tetra's got the key."

Reaching back Dell feels the chest, while Carr wanders towards the Hag.

Junior fantasizes, "I bet all the valuables she took from her victims are in it."

Being it was a female being Dell suggests, "Maybe just clothes."

"Too heavy for just clothes." Avilo also points out, "Valuables? Maybe to her. She didn't want treasure; her maggots were more important."

Cornelious needlessly corrects, "Larvae."

Having seen something personal Avilo restates, "Maggots. Those Larvae were the twisted nightmares of fallen foe. Just bigger than the ones in my dreams. Usually, they'd be crawling over something I was eating. I'd see their distorted faces and wake up in a cold sweat."

The men get quiet in thought.

Finding Tetra's body, Carr kneels down searching her torso for a key.

Cornelious knows those dreams, "Gaylord would say those dreams are to help your soul heal and there's a meaning if you can see it through."

"Healing the soul, eh?" Avilo thinks about it.

Trying to share with the Captain the old mage notes, "I've never made it through a full dream. That kind would surely cause me to wake."

Not finding a key Carr returns to the group, "I guess we may never know what's in the chest."

Dell teases. "What's the matter? Aren't you a thief? Can't you pick a lock?"

"My picks are in the castle." Carr sits down, "And it is a little dark."

Junior recalls the tale from dinner, "I thought you said you picked a lock in the dark?"

Carr defends, "I knew that lock and had my picks. Compared to the darkness here. That closet seemed to be lit by a candle."

Junior sees something in the second large opening and pokes Carr. "Hey what's that over there?"

The whole group tries see but has no idea where they are looking.

Carr does glimpse something moving, "It's small whatever it is."

Confirming what's seen, Junior questions, "Did it seem to have a really big nose and be walking on two feet?"

Staring into the dark Carr sees it hiding behind a rock, "I think so. A couple hands high and it has little wings."