« Deception » Book 1: City of Secrets

"True," agreed Mark. "But we're all crazy in our own way, maybe not as severe as them, but still.."

"Yeah..." Lilly said. As they started to approach town, Lilly could see more people, but it was impossible to tell what they were like.

They soon emerged onto the sidewalk, stores and townhouses lining the streetsides.

A man walked by, and tipped his hat before hurrying into a nearby store. "Okay, I wonder where we should go?"

"Hmm, let's try down that street," pointed Mark.

Lilly nodded, and, again began looking around. "We'll find something eventually," she muttered to herself.

Mark nodded as well, looking around. ((Eh... WB.))

((Same here. Uh...))

((Blahhh.. how about they find a secret room off the basement of their house?))

((Sure! Should we just skip to where they go back and find it?))

((Sure! I call not starting. >=D))

((Aw, dang. xD))

As they entered the new house, still unsucessful, Lilly sighed. "This is harder than I thought? I wonder if the house has an attic or a basement that someone used to store wood . . . ? We could build something," she said, an idea springing into her head.

"Hm... let's go check. I think this door leads to the basement."

Lilly nodded, and opened it. Finding the light switch, she flicked it on, and trudged down the steep stairs.

Mark followed her, playing with her hair as he walked. She was so cute.

Lilly resisted the urge to fall asleep. It felt so good!
As they entered the basement, Lilly peered around. It was utterly empty. "See anything?"

"Nope, only that rug over there," Mark shrugged, pointing to the tattered oriental rug in the center of the room.

Lilly nodded, and walked over to it. "It looks super old. I wonder if there's anything under it?"

"Let's find out," said Mark, crossing over to it.

Lilly followed him over, and crouched down by the rug. She tugged the rug, and shoved it aside. "It- it looks like it's a trapdoor!" she exclaimed.

"Whoa!" Mark exclaimed, bending down to inspect it. "I wonder what's down here... reckon it's safe?"

Lilly pursed her lips, then grinned. "I dunno, but I reckon we can find out." She heaved open the door.

The stench of stale air wafted up to them. Mark peered inside as light flooded the room. A wooden ladder led down to an earthen floor; it seemed there was an entire secret basement beneath the basement. "I don't think anyone's been in here for a hundred years," whispered Mark, testing the ladder for strength. "But nothing a little air freshener, a vacuum and a lamp can't fix."

Lilly bobbed her head in agreement. "Mark, I think you may have found your hideout..." she whispered. "There's so much we could do with this place."

"Excellent," Mark grinned, climbing down into the dank earthen hideout. "I think this place might of been part of the underground railroad..." he whispered in awe, noting the yellowed and torn slave posters.