Underworld by M. L. Woolley

and went about scratching him
behind his ears. I couldn’t help but wonder if the
mutt is dead too. I had always hoped that pets would
go to the other world when they passed away.
    Lizzie is a beautiful and charming woman who is
fierce in following her obligations. I suppose she has
her reasons but some rules were meant to be broken.
Most people learn through mistakes and a few rules
are bound to be broken along the way. There is a
smell of fear in the air and Lizzie was staring at me in
the strangest way. She walked up to me slowly and
stopped a foot from where I stood. Reaching out, she
touched the locket Jen had given me, and a surge of
power ran through both of us. Lizzie was thrown
backwards and caught herself on the arm of a chair.
She leaned against the chair and looked startled.
    To my amazement, the outline of a face began to
appear, in a globular shaped mist that floated a few
feet off the floor. The mist grows in size and there is a
presence that circles around me. Electrical waves of
current flow through me and a strange glow emits
from my locket. I can feel warmth and a tingling
sensation coursing through me. All of a sudden I
have the strongest sense that there is an open portal. I
need to find out the truth but no one seems to want to
tell me anything.
    I am awakened about 4 a.m. by a noise. Something
beyond my control compels me to get up. I had been
told not to leave my room at night but the force is
strong. I pull on my clothes and walk as quietly as
possible to the bedroom door. I ease the door open
and look both ways to be sure no one is awake.
Nervously, I began to walk down the long corridor. I
place each foot carefully to reduce the squeaking
floor is making. I must find out the truth about this
place and the rub is that I know things are being
hidden from me but I don’t know why. I am indirect
with people when I need to be bold. I suppose it’s a
remnant from my dysfunctional family and the lack of
trust of people on my part. I have always questioned
people’s motives and used an avoidance strategy
which has not served me as well as I would have
liked.
    On one hand, the people here show kindness and
seem genuine; however, the missing information
makes me doubt their sincerity. I look over my
shoulder as I walk in the dark corridor and think I see
a black shadow disappear into the wall. I am
transfixed on the wall but I don’t see the mysterious
shadow again. I continue down the dark corridor and
can just make out a light coming from a window at
the end. When I reach the window,I don’t see
anything at first, but the light reveals a crack in the
wall. It was actually the outline of a door. It would
have been hidden but for the direct light that
illuminated my discovery. I turn around behind me
and scan the hallway for the shadow I had seen earlier
but there is nothing. I push on the wood panel I
several areas and nothing happens. Just as I am about
to give up I notice that one of the rocks on the
cobbled floor is standing slightly higher than the
others. I put my foot on the rock and the small door
cracks open.
    I push the door shut behind me and continue down a
cobble stone hallway that opens up into a great room.
I’ve never seen anything like it. I stumble into the
room with my mouth open in surprise.
    The entire length of the room is a wall of windows
that reaches well over 20 feet high. The ceiling is
open air and the moon bathed the place in soft light.
There is a pool of water at the far end that is fed by a
small stream. The sound of running water purrs in
the background and wildflowers surround the pool. A
rainbow of color plays off the water and just beyond
is a path leading outside of the house. Ornate shelves
line the inner wall that is attached to the house and
there are all manner of things placed on them. The
top shelves have stacks of books and other shelves
hold ornate boxes. Some are adorned with ivory and
others have delicate silver