The Outsider (Original Version)

Chapter 7- The Smell of Death

The horse incident threw a lot of people off, but they all seemed to be okay at this point.

So all is well I guess.

Today there is something going on again with all the adults, including Tucker, in the town.

Guess when they announced the town meeting?

Right after the horse incident.

I feel like I screwed up again, and that I'll have to leave again.

A knocking sounds at the front door.

The library was so quiet that I forgot I was inside it.

The mansion is so quiet that its defening sometimes.

I put down the book I tried to read on the couch and walk to the door, opening it to see Lindee and the "tough" guy from before.

"Hey Petra. You've met Hudson, right?" She asks, gesturing to the boy.

Yes, but I had no clue what his name was.

"Yeah. He was one of the people at the park right?" I ask, letting them in.

They stare in awe at the beauty and hugeness of the place, making me smirk.

"You guys should close your mouths, your going to catch flies." I joke, making them look at me in confusion.

Ugh.

"You know? Because your- never mind." I mutter shaking my head.

I lead them into the living room and we sit down on the couches.

"So what's up?" I ask, sitting on the arm of the couch.

They both smile lightly.

"We were hoping you were doing something cool today." Hudson confesses, making me sigh.

"Sadly no. I was planning on looking around the house a bit more, mainly because this place seems to have more secrets than that most outside has lava." I say, making them smile at the idea of going through this house.

Lindee stands, hands on her hips.

"So? Where first?" She asks, making me remember a door near the end of the hallway.

"I got an idea." I say, walking into the hallway.

At the end of the hall there is a door that is obviously locked, making me go right up to it.

The door doesn't budge, making me look back disappointedly.

"I don't think it will open." I state, not noticing the quiet cracking sound by my feet.

Hudson shrugs.

"There has to be other stuff right?" He tries to encourage us.

Lindee smiles, turning to keep looking.

I take one step and my feet fall through the floor, making me land hard on my back somewhere below the house.

"Ugh....." I mutter, just laying on the ground for a minuet.

"Petra!" Lindee shouts, looking down.

I'm much too far for them to lift me, and I don't think they could manage the jump down.

"Go get Tucker! I think I'll need help getting out of here! He'll know what to do!" I shout up.

Hudson nods and runs off, leaving Lindee at the top of the hole, staring down.

Finally, I get up, the air in this place hitting me like a brick.

It smells like decaying bodies, which makes me cover my mouth with my sleeve.

"I'm going to look around!" I wheeze, walking around.

It looks as if I'm only at the beginning of a large cave like system.

This place could scar the crap out of the toughest person alive, mainly because of how it smells, and how you can't seem five feet in front of you.

"Petra! Where did you go?!" Lindee shouts.

I don't answer as a large drop catches my eye.

My hands and knees keep me up as I try to see what's below, but its too dark.

"Hey Lindee! Toss down a flashlight or something!" I shout, making her scoff.

"Okay, I though a rope would be a better choice." I hear her mumble, making me laugh lightly.

The smell of decay and death is much stronger here, but something else hits me too, something that I wish I couldn't name.

A clanking noise sounds from the hole, and I make out the look of a flashlight.

My feet carry me over and I look up to see Lindee staring down at me.

"Has Hudson come back with Tucker yet?!" I shout up to her, making her shake her head.

I nod, walking back towards the drop.

My hand flicks on the light, casting a beam of white light onto the ground below me.

Its hard to make out but it looks as if there is some sort of building down there, making me try to get the light closer.

"Petra! Are you okay?!" Tucker's voice echo's through the cave.

I get up, taking one last look at the drop, cursing myself for not having anything to go down.

"Yeah! I'm fine!" I shout up walking into the light coming from the hole.

I hear a sigh of relief.

"Okay! I'm sending down a rope! Climb it!" He shouts as a thick looking rope falls down, hitting the ground with a thud.

I take hold of is, taking one last look at the dark cave before climbing up.

I reach the top, wheezing slightly.

"Are you okay?" Tucker asks as it takes me a minuet to catch my breath.

After a few more seconds I feel as if I can get air into my lungs and I stand, happy to smell fresh air again.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Thanks to you." I say, a small smile.

He simply nods, the slight blush on his face amusing me.

We walk into the living room as a group, sitting down.

I sit in the arm chair, happy to sit on a cooshy chair.

"So what was down there?" Lindee asks, making them all nod.

How do I explain what was down there.

"I didn't see much, but it smelled as if something crawled down there and died. Many things at that." I say, making them all confused.

"You mean like an entire cave filled with dead bodies?" Tucker asks, looking grossed out.

I simply nod, hoping that it isn't true.