Another YouTube Fairytale: Matt's Life In Hope Square; Book 1

Chapter 9 - Whittling

Matt and Virgil sat nearby a very large hatch, often kept unlocked for reasons unknown. It was at the very edge of Hope Square's borders, but it was rumored that it connected to the wide, labyrinthian dungeons that ran under the whole kingdom. The dungeons were fairly empty, but they were made so large so that prisoners, should they escape, would become lost and be unable to get out. 

But Matt thought there was more to it than that. That's why he always came to this spot. 

He and Virgil sat beside it, far enough away that there was no chance they could fall in. Matt was whittling away at a block of wood. He showed it to Virgil. "What do you think?" He asked. Virgil looked up from his book. Matt was holding a tiny wooden mouse. Virgil smiled awkwardly and patted the mouse on the head with one finger. 

"He's very cute." He said. 

Matt chuckled. "I try. Here, you can keep him." 

Virgil gave another awkward smile and took the wooden mouse. Matt leaned towards the hatch. it was big enough for a full adult to fall into. And Virgil was only 12, with Matt half his age. They would fall right in. Nevertheless, Matt leaned closer. Virgil noticed, and held him back. 

"Curiosity is good, but this is something you don't want to explore." Virgil said. 

"What's down there?" Matt asked. 

"I think it's the dungeons. But one kid threw a rock down there, and he thought he heard it splash into water.... after 43 seconds." Virgil said. "They send you down there when you get banished." 

"Why down there?" 

"It leads to the dungeons." Virgil said. "The dungeons are where the Daggers are." 

"The... what?" Matt asked. 

"The Daggers. They're kind of like us, but they're all murderers and thieves. And since they're in the dungeons, they can't get out. So when one of us gets banished, they send us down there." 

"Oh." Matt said. He stood up and started walking towards it. "I just want to get a closer look." 

"Oh Matt..." Virgil buried his face in his hands. Matt kept walking foreword until he reached the very edge of it. Looking at it up close, Matt saw that it was about triple the side of a fully-grown adult's armspan. He was tiny compared to it. And he couldn't see the bottom. 

"Hello?" He called into it. His voice echoed over and over, bouncing off the walls. He leaned in only a little bit more. His hand started to slip ever-so-slightly. Virgil noticed. 

"Watch out!" He called. Taken off guard, Matt's hand slipped, but Virgil pulled him up before Matt could fall. However, Virgil's saving grab caused him to drop the wooden mouse right down the hatch into the dungeons below. 

Matt stepped back and started counting. Virgil slowly stepped farther and farther away as matt counted the seconds. Finally, he heard the splash. 

"46 seconds."