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The first flashback scene for chapter 4. The title of this chapter is Between the Lines.
The modern occupants of Niam have only a rudimentary understanding of Niam's past, especially anything prior to the Earth decade of the 1960's. Mary McGalland led the expedition into Niam, using her inquisitiveness, smarts and quick witted nature. That much is known to be true. But despite this glamorous stature that she's been assigned to in Niam's history books, the truth is not nearly as rosy as storytellers would lead you to believe.
Which begs the question of who the storytellers are.
It was late in the afternoon. Just past Melody, Mary-Anne could see the array of clouds cased in the glow of the evening rays. She wanted to step outside, but she couldn't go anywhere with this busted foot of hers. She had to lay back in her bed.
Mary’s head was tilted over to her left. Melody Catratt sat at her bedside. As usual, Melody was very chatty. Mary's mother was back in the living room, poised over a pot hanging in the living room fireplace.
"I hope your foot will heal up soon," Melody said. "I say, that was a mighty deep hole you got yourself into!"
"My foot feels mostly cured. I should be out of bed in no time."
"Yes, but it will be long before you go into those woods again, Mary-Anne!" her mother piped up as she stepped in the room. "There are many dangerous creatures out there who could tear a grown Christian man limb from limb! I would not dare see such a sight befall on you!"
"I scarcely bore intention to endanger myself," said Mary as she sat up. "I was only curious as to what laid yonder the fields and forest."
"And why did you venture into this underground cave I was told about by Melody – even with your sore foot? You had such little care for your own well being, Mary-Anne?"
Mary wasn’t sure how to respond. She thought about telling her what she found in the tunnels, but Mary was reluctant. It was possible the adults would think the tunnels were cursed. Mary didn't think that, but she didn't know what to think. Whatever those tunnels were, they were certainly not cursed! Mary didn’t have evidence to prove otherwise, but she had made her mind up on that front!
With nothing to say on the matter, Mary could only hang her head.
"I am sorry, Mother."
"Pray the good lord that you are! I shall see to your father. I will have him find that hole in the ground and seal it up as soon as possible!"
Mary let out a gasp. Now she had no choice! She had to say something! Mary was about to do so, but Melody motioned for her to hush. She displayed a modest grin.
Her mother stepped outside to find Mary's father. Chances were that her father was helping the Laughshild family with building their house.
"Why did you silence me?" Mary asked Melody. "I cannot have father seal those tunnels!"
"And he will not!" Melody insisted. "I am sorry for all this. I should have known when to keep my tongue to myself – but I had Hollard and the boys cover up the hole with wooden planks! They threw dirt, grass and hay all over it! You can walk over that hole in the ground and never know it was there! I promise you! Your father will never find it!"
"Can these planks support heavy weight?"
"It appeared to me as if they could hold anything."
"Have the boys tried exploring those ruins?"
"They have, but none tried to go as far as you did! They’re plum terrified of that ceiling, Mary! I don’t blame ‘em! I dare say, the whole thing could come crashing down!”
"Yes. That is a problem," sighed Mary.
"Hollard is not worried. Strange conservation I had with him yesterday! He claims to know someone who can help brace the walls. Says he's riding here to Farmington on horseback."
"I heard that boy likes spinning tales of grandeur," Mary scoffed. "Even if Hollard tells the truth, one person cannot make safe those vestiges. You would need teams of burly, capable men for such an undertaking!"
"Yes. I most certainly would say so. Speaking of capable men, I do hear the Laughshilds are funding a railroad company to lay down tracks by our town! We'll even get a train station! The Laughshilds are wealthy enough to will it, it seems. The company is already in town. They even have a line of fancy stage coaches right at the Laughshild's front door! I never seen such proper stage coaches, Mary-Anne! They say Fabius Stukely Railroad Company on one side! On the other side, they say, 'Pioneers for the future' – a most cheerful advert, I would surmise."
Just as Melody finished talking, the two girls heard a loud commotion outside. Melody rushed over to the small window a few feet away from Mary's bed and peered outside.
"Oh, my! Your father has a man pinned to the ground! An out-of-towner! They're in front of the Roster house!"
The Roster house was a large cabin that contained escaped and freed black slaves. They came here in hopes to escape the reaches of the south. They came a long way to get here.
Melody could barely make out what was being shouted amongst the men, but she understood what was going on. Mary did as well.
"Move along! Leave this town be!" Melody heard Mary's father shout.
The other man was released. He scurried up from the ground and glanced menacingly over at the youngest of the freed slaves, who was backed up against the outside cabin wall. There was some more shouting before the culprit fled. He mounted his horse and galloped away.
The conflict was resolved. Still, Melody and Mary were none too happy about it. Events like these gave the sense that the rude and vile were swarming these lands like an infestation of cockroaches.
"Ever sense you fell in that hole, Mary-Anne, there's been a strange feeling in the air," Melody stated quietly as she backed away from the window. "I'm starting to think this dreaded feeling does not arise from those tunnels, but from mankind itself. I've been wondering if the two are somehow related."
"Civilization has no knowledge of those tunnels," rejected Mary with a wave of her hand. "My fall gives no reason to stir the evil's of Man! If anything, those tunnels are a refuge. I would pray they remain as such. That is until an agreement of their existence can be breached amongst reasonable adults – my mother excluded."
I'm not much for begging, but if you think I did something worthwhile, consider chipping a dollar or some satoshi's my way.
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