JULIET'S QUILL

CHAPTER 7: THE DARK TUNNEL

Eloise was following me and her dad at a slower pace, trying deliberately to stay behind. I looked at her slim physique over my shouder once, trying to avoid her eyes.  I was walking through the familiar corridor that led to the beautiful antique living hall where i was seated earlier today.  Louis didn't stop and passed beside the expensive couches. He kept walking towards the main door. For a moment, i thought he was going to lead me out of his house but he stopped at the threshold. 

"We don't need you any more, Eloise"  He said coldly. 

"But dad..."

He raised his hand to stop her from protesting. The stone expressions at his face were screaming loudly that it was no use to protest.  He turned his head towards me, and spoke in his deep voice. 

"Mr. Marcus, I need you to help me with something. And for which you'll be highly rewarded. But if you still want to back out, you can."

I thought of the paper Eloise gave me in the car. She told me not to accept any offer, but then inside the room, she told me to co-operate.  I turned around, to have a glimpse of Eloise. May be, she could give me a signal.  But she was already gone. I saw the waterfall of her black hair dangling hair touching the curves of her hips as she walked further down the corridor.  I could still taste her strawberry lip gloss on my lips.  I bit my my lower lip, realizing that i was on own now. 

I spoke grimly,"I won't back out"

Louis nodded his head, and said something to a black suit man who appeared almost magically behind me.  He seemed like a secret Agent in the movies. He was almost of my height, slightly heavier than me. He ignored me completely and whispered something in quick "Italian". Louis nodded and answered him back in fluent italian. It felt so weird standing at the door of an unknown man, listening to his conversation in some other language to another unknown man. I had no idea what was i thinking when i agreed to see Louis.  If he had sent someone less attractive than Eloise to fetch me, my answer would have been in negative.  

The man turned to me, and said in his specific accent 

"I'm Doctor Stephen Waldrof"

"Marcus Breton"

I shook his hand and he motioned me to follow them outside. We were heading towards a small building. I had noticed a large Green house at the right side of the drive-way when i reached here in the morning. 

"I thought, it was a Green house"  I spoke to break the awkward silence. 

The two men looked back. 

"It's a Green house" Doctor Stephen smiled. 

"oh, Right" I started walking again. I had no idea what they wanted from me. I just hoped that they weren't expecting me to do anything related to the plants. Botany was something i abhored more than all other subjects. The  sun was shining brightly above me. I was feeling a thin streak of sweat trickling down my neck. 

Louis unlocked the glass door. 

"Watch your head,Mr. Marcus"

I haven't noticed that the door was smaller than the ordinary ones. I ducked down and entered the glass door. Doctor Stephen followed me. I looked around anxiously. 

This place looked like a part of fairytale world where elves and fairies would have lived. It looked more like an enchanted forest than a green house. The vines had wrapped around the metal beams, their ends matted together forming a beautiful green ceiling on the inner side of the glass dome. The sweet fragrance of roses made me feel like standing inside a perfume shop. 

Marble-white benches were placed at a little distance from eachother.  The coloured stones were arranged in a beautiful Mosaic to make a serpentine pathway through the beautiful replica of the forest. 

Louis pointed towards a rose plant. 

"They are the rare hybrid black roses, genetically engineered in our own labs"

"In your own labs?" I gaped. 

"yes, where do you think we were taking you?" Doctor Stephen frowned. 

I raised my eyebrow,"Oh,okay"

I had absolutely no idea where i was going. I heard the birds chirping around me. These dulcet chirps were so different, it seemed like these birds were singing the tunes of proper songs.  The tune started getting louder and louder. I looked up and a tiny blue bird resembling the logo of twitter but with a pink beak sat on my shoulder. 

"Hello, little birdie"  I montioned my fingers towards it but it didn't flew away. 

"Mr.Marcus, that's not a bird...It's a double lens Camera."  Doctor Stephen smiled. 

"Oh" I bit my lip.

The bird twisted its head and flew away. I realized that these people had a lab with genetic engineering technology and flying bird cameras. But i still couldn't understand why they brought me to this place. I thought to remain quiet, and follow them blindly through this enchanted forest. 

Louis stopped a few inches away from the glass door. We had reached the end of the green house. He turned around, and removed the vines with his foot. At the floor of the green house, was a hidden trap door. He lifted the handle, and the door fell open. 

"What i am going to show you could change the world forever. But the only reason i am trusting you is because i believe you could help me"

"How can i help you? I don't know anything about.... Science. You know what i mean..."

Doctor Stephen shook his head in amusement,"We don't want you to help us make any scientific discovery. We just need you to help us in a little thing"

Louis raised his head,"Let him see it himself. Don't pressurize the boy"

He pointed towards the dark tunnel and spoke again," Get inside, Marcus"

I hesitated for a moment but then proceeded towards the small door. I stared inside, and there was nothing but unknown darkness. I took a deep breathe, and advanced my first step down through the trap door.