Pilot Stories

Underground World

TIME OF WRITING: 2016, aged 16

OVERARCHING IDEA: Long-story short I became obsessed with the Little Sisters from Bioshock and for some reason combined them with the concept from the claymation movie BOX TROLLS. I honestly can't place why I decided to write this or where on earth it may or may not have gone...

Enjoy I guess...???

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Prologue

I sat silently in the library, my eyes staring at the contents of a book. The window allowed a comforting glow to envelope the room, the sun setting gradually to end the day.

I almost felt guilty, staring at these books, holding them with my dirty hands. I have been invited to come over tonight, but I had to wait until after work, which mainly consisted of being outside, looking for things.

I rubbed my eyes as the words started blurring, closing the book for a moment to blink away my daze.

It was only then I noticed Professor Martin slamming the door open in a flailing motion, before closing the door in a panic, leaning his whole body against the double doors to obscure whatever was seeking to enter the library. I kneeled on the chair, hugging the book to my chest as he made frantic motions to block the door with large objects; chairs, the small sofa and even going so far as to push his bronze three dimensional map against the door.

I was shocked at the amount of effort an old man could achieve when he seemed scared. "Professor?" My words were drowned by his quick feet, his usually old body didn't seem effected by the sudden exercise he was forcing himself to do it.

It was only when he stopped he seemed to notice me, his eyes showing a sudden fright for my presence. "What are you doing here, Tia?" His words were panicked, noticing what he had done to the door.

"You... You invited me over for tea and books, sir." I looked to the door and back to him, "What's happened?"

The door was bashed, muffled voices heard from the other side of the barricade. "Open up, Professor!" Despite the stifled voice, I could hear the anger behind it, followed by more knocks which pressed against the door, giving way only slightly. "We know you're there!"

I hopped off the armchair, still clutching my book as I hid behind the Professor. "What are they doing?" I squeaked.

The Professor ignored my questions as he looked around the library for another means of escape, but all that was available was the window, but we were on the second floor of the palace. "You can't be in here," he told me as the soldiers continued to demand the door be open, "We need to get you out immediately." Despite the situation, his voice was calming, which managed to help me calm down.

I wasn't allowed in the palace, I got here through the servant staircase and through the secret door behind one of the bookcases. You could get through it through an unused, small room next door.

"Why can't we just go through the bookcase?" I asked.

"They have all the rooms covered," my teacher informed, he walked to the window, pushing it open to look out. I stood in the centre of the room, a faint breeze managing to soar into the room, bringing a leaf with it which rested on a chair before the door. The savage knocks disturbed it further, making the golden leaf flutter to the ground.

"Open up!" they continued.

I approached the door, not to open it, but out of curiosity. "Tia!" Martin hissed, "Get away from there!" He grabbed my shoulders and pulled me back as the soldiers ceased for one moment.