A Journey To The Clouds, Escape From Cloud Castle - Book Two - ✓

Chapter Six

Deep beneath the Crew of Doom's lair/ There lies a savage hare/ Next to it, there is a tame mare/ She will take you to the stair." I mutter out loud.

"What?" Ally asks. All I can do is point. She repeats what I just said and stares at me wide eyed.

"We'll need to go down there won't we?" I ask, though not wanting to. She nods with a look of disgust on her face. Who knows what's down there? I walk over to the trapdoor, open it, and gesture to Ally.

"Ladies first?" I ask.

"Nope! Gentlemen first this time." she throws back, laughing. I glare at her, but I smile as I open up the hatch. She catches my smile and adds, "Hey, at least someone as strong as you will be able to protect your weaker counterpart." I chuckle as I lower myself into the dark tunnel below.

I drop my foot on the stone ground with a thud. Ouch! I think I landed on my ankle too hard.

"Ally it's safe to come down but be careful. I think I sprained my ankle." I call up to her, half sarcastically. She carefully climbs down the ladder and lands on her feet landing like I did but more graceful. She catches my look and keeps walking.

"My father and I did many things together, as you probably have picked out. He would do athletic training, so he could be prepared to go back in the army if he had to. So, I went with him. Of course, that was just a jump, but landing gracefully is important, mind you." She says. She flicks dust off of a nearby bookshelf.

"So basically I've been living under a rock for my entire life, and you've been doing all the fun stuff?" I ask. Ally looks at me and grins.

"You can put it that way if you'd like. I have to say, you've come far then what you were just those few weeks ago." She says. I tilt my head to the side.

"Come far. . . " I trail off, confused.

"With your athletic skill." She adds quickly. I nod in return, but I stay doubtful that I've improved with anything over these past few weeks. We walk for a few brief minutes, exhausted because of what happened just a few moments ago. We quickly find a large pile of straw, and lay it on the floor. We then drop to the ground to get some rest.

When I wake up, I can't tell if it's the morning. I start to panic, but then remember that me and Ally are in the 'lair'. As I stand up, I look around at the mossy stone bricks around us. Upon closer inspection, I notice slight indents in the bricks, that almost look like they were imprinted on there. I think that there are drawings on them. Somewhere behind me, Ally stirs.

"Where are we, Connor?" She mumbles.

"In the Crew of Dooms lair, remember?" I remind her softly. I groggily stand up from the straw bed, stretching out my back. I should have expected to get tense after sleeping on the uncomfortable hay. Oh well.

I catch that Ally is in the same situation as me; she rubs on her back, and she rolls her shoulders.

"Let's get going. Maybe we can find something down here." She says. I nod in agreement. "You never know what might be down in an evil group 's giant lair." she adds with a wink. I smile, but say nothing.

We walk down the long, deserted corridor. The floor is made up of dry, cracked stone. Wooden torches line the brick walls. Each flame, bursting with heat as we walk past them.

I walk in front, with Ally behind me just a few steps. I feel my hands starting to shake as the warmth of the flames die down.

"Connor. . ." Ally trails off. I stop abruptly and turn towards her. It was a carving. But this one was different. This was of our mothers.