should turn around. Still, she'd been hoping to find something a little darker and more unusual, something that absolutely, irrevocably belonged to this new underground world, so she clambered up the side of another rock until she was balanced delicately on the top, looking down into shadows that looked as if they were ready to gobble her up. She wobbled a little, her dirty hands constantly seeking fresh purchase on the rock's dark, wet surface. Using her knees, she turned around a little and peered further back into the cave. The darkness seemed to go on forever, and she was tempted to think that maybe the cave never ended.
"Hello?" she called out again, starting to feel the cold, damp air on her skin. "My name's Charlotte Abernathy! I'm looking for the witch!" As soon as the words left her mouth, she knew that they sounded stupid and childish, but she still believed that this was the only way she could possibly revive Ettolrahc. Despite the freezing cold of the cave, she hoped that Ettolrahc might suddenly warm her from within.
Spotting another rocky outcrop nearby, she decided to go a little further. She strengthened her grip with one hand, while reaching out with the other to the next rock, hoping to straddle the two and then make a crossing. The job was delicate, and she knew full well that she had to be careful, but after a moment she was able to bridge the two rocks. Maneuvering her knees, she tried to swing one leg out to the other rock, but she found the distance to be a little further than she'd imagined. Pausing for a moment, she realized that she was in a difficult position, and that going backward would be no easier than going forward. Taking another deep breath, she used the tips of her fingers to grip the next rock before reaching over with her other hand. One of the voices in her mind told her to jump, while the other voice told her to be careful. The argument became increasingly heated, and the girl scrunched up her face as she tried to drown them both out, but finally she let out a gasp of frustration.
"Please!" she shouted.
And that's when her knee slipped against the first rock, instantly sending her tumbling down into the darkness below. Within just a couple of seconds, the only sound was the continued dripping of water from the roof of the cave, and it was as if Charlotte had never been there at all.
Part Two
Sinking
Twenty years ago
"Mummy!" Charlotte shouted, her voice filled with pain and fear and tears. "Mummy, help me! Please!"
She waited, gulping at the air as she tried to stay calm. The pain from her snapped ankle had become so intense and overpowering, she could barely even think. All she knew was that she was cold and alone down in the darkness of the cave, and she couldn't understand why her mother was taking so long to find her. Surely she must know? Surely she must have heard her cries?
Reaching down, Charlotte fumbled in the pitch darkness as she ran her fingers down her leg until she reached the site of the immense pain. The tips of her fingers ran against torn, bloodied skin, and suddenly she felt a sharp jolt of pain as her fingertips touched something hard and jagged. A piece of bone was jutting out the side of her ankle.
"Mummy," Charlotte whimpered for a moment, before realizing that whimpering would no good. She needed to be loud. "Mummy!" she screamed at the top of her voice. "Mummy! Help!"
Today
"And the last time you saw Sophie, was... what time exactly?"
Standing in the kitchen, the two police officers had cautious, sympathetic looks on their faces, which Charlotte figured they must have had drummed into them on some kind of sensitivity training course. They were doing a very good job of pretending to be taking the whole situation seriously, even though Charlotte was convinced that they were probably, secretly, finding it hard to deal with Ruth's histrionics. It had only been three hours since Sophie had gone down to play by the river, and Charlotte felt
"Hello?" she called out again, starting to feel the cold, damp air on her skin. "My name's Charlotte Abernathy! I'm looking for the witch!" As soon as the words left her mouth, she knew that they sounded stupid and childish, but she still believed that this was the only way she could possibly revive Ettolrahc. Despite the freezing cold of the cave, she hoped that Ettolrahc might suddenly warm her from within.
Spotting another rocky outcrop nearby, she decided to go a little further. She strengthened her grip with one hand, while reaching out with the other to the next rock, hoping to straddle the two and then make a crossing. The job was delicate, and she knew full well that she had to be careful, but after a moment she was able to bridge the two rocks. Maneuvering her knees, she tried to swing one leg out to the other rock, but she found the distance to be a little further than she'd imagined. Pausing for a moment, she realized that she was in a difficult position, and that going backward would be no easier than going forward. Taking another deep breath, she used the tips of her fingers to grip the next rock before reaching over with her other hand. One of the voices in her mind told her to jump, while the other voice told her to be careful. The argument became increasingly heated, and the girl scrunched up her face as she tried to drown them both out, but finally she let out a gasp of frustration.
"Please!" she shouted.
And that's when her knee slipped against the first rock, instantly sending her tumbling down into the darkness below. Within just a couple of seconds, the only sound was the continued dripping of water from the roof of the cave, and it was as if Charlotte had never been there at all.
Part Two
Sinking
Twenty years ago
"Mummy!" Charlotte shouted, her voice filled with pain and fear and tears. "Mummy, help me! Please!"
She waited, gulping at the air as she tried to stay calm. The pain from her snapped ankle had become so intense and overpowering, she could barely even think. All she knew was that she was cold and alone down in the darkness of the cave, and she couldn't understand why her mother was taking so long to find her. Surely she must know? Surely she must have heard her cries?
Reaching down, Charlotte fumbled in the pitch darkness as she ran her fingers down her leg until she reached the site of the immense pain. The tips of her fingers ran against torn, bloodied skin, and suddenly she felt a sharp jolt of pain as her fingertips touched something hard and jagged. A piece of bone was jutting out the side of her ankle.
"Mummy," Charlotte whimpered for a moment, before realizing that whimpering would no good. She needed to be loud. "Mummy!" she screamed at the top of her voice. "Mummy! Help!"
Today
"And the last time you saw Sophie, was... what time exactly?"
Standing in the kitchen, the two police officers had cautious, sympathetic looks on their faces, which Charlotte figured they must have had drummed into them on some kind of sensitivity training course. They were doing a very good job of pretending to be taking the whole situation seriously, even though Charlotte was convinced that they were probably, secretly, finding it hard to deal with Ruth's histrionics. It had only been three hours since Sophie had gone down to play by the river, and Charlotte felt
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