the thing my brain has been trying to tell me all along, but I was preoccupied to listen, the embossed pattern on the larder doorknob is the same imagery from the tack of the jeans. I fold my fingers around the large intricately caste dome brass doorknob. I need a manicure. I pause like they do in all the best thrillers, where the actress has perfect nails and the violins screech away to create a dramatic pause, and turn it clockwise, “here!" I yell, everyone comes pouring into the kitchen, Daniel still looking at the face of his smart phone, and they spot what I’m twisting in my palm. This part is where the music is building into a crescendo.
I open the already oiled door, it howls in protest still and we peer in, its dark, and I close it back up, looking at the faces behind me for further instructions. None come, the knob is still in my hand, I have not let it go, I don't really want to. "All the best stories have a cellar in them somewhere!" Says Nigel, we are all shaking our heads, "what? You don't like thrillers?" We laugh, probably with nerves. “So?” He asks, “We go in?” He returns his clean glasses back to his nose.
We decide to have a quick look before Stan and Liza get back, they've been gone almost an hour now. "Torches, get the torches." Says Nigel Like a child at Christmas. I twist the handle once again, the brass now warm in my hand, and we gaze into the darkness together. The orchestra have quietened and slowed.
Can I have a cuppa first please?
More in chapter thirty-five, Tuesday:5thnovember2013 devils pit
Armed with a powerful torch each, yes, we'll be perfectly fine with torches to protect us, and not a small amount if trepidation we all stand waiting behind Daniel, our deputy leader since Stan is currently unavailable.
Daniel turns the chunky rubber knobbled handle of his torch and a strong shaft of light cuts through the still dank darkness of the cellar anteroom, slowly and creakily the door slowly opens to its fullest and a shaft of light penetrates the dark space beyond. Beyond the door is a tiny dark chamber disguised like an old pantry, shelves line the walls and there’s a very old dusty light bulb that swings lazily from a cable above disturbed by the only breeze that’s likely come in through this door in years, or is it? It of course won't work like all the best thrillers, and we gaze into the dark room. I’m almost sure I catch a very feint whiff of Chanel no.5, but dismiss it due to withdrawal from lack of tea altering my usually keen perception.
Daniel pokes the shelves in turn to find the entrance, assuming this little pantry is a disguise to a cellar. And an old powdered English mustard tin does the trick. With a little click of a latch the shelf swings up on its end revealing a doorway, of course. It's popped ajar and beyond is darkness. I swallow. I need tea badly.
Bloody hell.
There’s a narrow dark staircase heading down into the blackest darkness I have ever seen, and I live in the countryside with no street lights. Reaching around on the wall there's a light switch but as an homage to all good thrillers it doesn't work either, I hear Kurt flick it on and off several times... you couldn’t make this stuff up.
Typical, I think, more stairs going underground, this must be a cosmic test of my character, making it all about me makes me feel better somehow. My heart is doing its best to escape my chest, I can hear the blood pounding in steady rhythm around my skull, or is it my ears, I don't decide on an answer. I hum a Depeche mode song in my head 'Just Can't get Enough,' and feel slightly better, Essex boys will do that to you.
There's another door, it swings open fully now revealing the flight of stairs, protesting like its 500 years undiscovered, then suddenly it glides smoothly like someone wanted it to appear old and unused, but oiled it half way. The light that comes in with us strikes a series of mirrored surfaces placed at intervals around the room, bringing free light into the space, just like in the main house, the light is dimming in the late afternoon but it’s sufficient to see and quite ambient.
Going first Daniel trains his flash