Walking a route Vincent had never remember traveling, they came upon an old
abandoned looking subway tunnel.
Thinking it looked ominous, he looked to Catherine and said, "I must tell Mouse
about this tunnel. We will come back and see where it leads."
Excitedly, Catherine asked, "Why wait for Mouse?"
Tipping his head, he gathered that his bride wanted to go! And so he inquired,
"You want to go NOW?"
Insultingly, Catherine replied, "Don't be so surprised! I love adventure! Come
on let's go, it will be fun!"
Over to See Photo
And so down the old track line they walked, and suddenly they came upon an
old abandoned trolley! In awe, Catherine said, "Vincent! An old Electric subway
car!"
Over to See Photo
Excitedly, Vincent looked at old number 578 and said, "Yes...indeed! Imagine
we have never discovered this here before now..."
Like children, they each climbed up on an end, pretending to be taking the car
for a ride. Catherine then expressed, "I am so glad we found this together
Vincent! It will be our discovery."
Amused at his wife's excitement, he boasted, "Yes...this finding will be the
subject of many conversations to be sure."
Vincent then helped his wife down from the step, and said, "If not for you
Catherine, I surely would have walked right by that tunnel, and this could've
gone undetected for many more months. Who knows when Mouse and I would
have been able to find the time to scout it out. He's been so busy lately with all
the new responsibilities Father has given him now."
In agreement Catherine said, "Yes, but its been so good for him, don't you
think?"
With a hint of reserve, Vincent replied, "Positively...yes, he has definitely risen
to the occasion."
Picking up on his hesitant tone, Catherine asked, "But?"
Realizing his wife seems to have emphatic powers too, Vincent softly smiled, as
he said, "I suppose, I must admit, I miss the old Mouse. Always wanting to go
exploring, or getting into mischief, raising Father's blood pressure a notch or
two."
Vincent then declared, "Ah but change is good, good for us all."
Playfully Catherine asked, "Even for Mouse?"
Nodding Vincent echoed, "Even for Mouse."
He then said, "Let us continue on our way."
Catherine turned to look at the train car one last time, and asked, "Wouldn't it
be something if we could bring it back to the home tunnel's somehow?"
Saying he was wondering about that too, and said, "It is something we will look
into Catherine...I think it would be neat if we could fix it up and everyone could
enjoy it."
As Vincent looked back once more too, he noticed a golden hue, bouncing off
the tunnel wall, quite a ways further. Wondering if this could be prisms from the
Golden Cavern, Vincent asked, "Up for one more adventure?"
Excitedly, Catherine said, "Sure!"
And so they ventured a long way down, past the old railway car, and just as
Vincent suspected, they wandered into the illusive Golden Crystal Cavern!
Being awestruck once more, Catherine said, "It is so beautiful here! The
minerals must be different here causing them to be of a golden hue."
As they ventured forth, and looked all around, Catherine excitedly hugged
Vincent, and said, "This is the best day...I love exploring!"
Smiling a rare smile, Vincent said, "Yes...I see your joy."
To which Vincent suggested, "Why don't you pick a crystal of your liking, and
perhaps we can make something to commemorate our time here."
Excitedly, Catherine told Vincent she thought that was a lovely thought, and of
how much she would love that. And so she asked, "Will you help me decide?"
So together they picked the perfect crystal to keep as a special souvenir.
Feeling so happy they re-found this beautiful cavern, Catherine excitedly said,
"Wait until we tell Mouse we not only found the railway car, but we found the
Golden Cavern too!"
Vincent stood silent for a moment, and then cautioned, "I believe telling Mouse
we found the old railway car should be fine, however to tell him we also found
another discovery, especially this cavern, which he himself hoped to find
again..."
To which Catherine respectfully understood, and said, "Of course you are right."
She then lamented, "But I hate to keep this beautiful place a secret. I am sure
others will want to come here too, especially Ronald and Jenny! They would be
ecstatic to see this along with the other crystal cavern."
Thoughtfully, Vincent schemed, "Perhaps when I bring Mouse to see the
railway car, I can casually suggest a further trek, and allow him to re-discover
this place for himself."
Thinking that was so sweet of Vincent to suggest, Catherine whole heartedly
agreed, and said it sounded like a perfect plan, and that...she wouldn't breathe a
word.
Looking down at the little crystal souvenir, she said, "I suppose I better put this
back..."
To which Vincent said, "This is our day Catherine...I don't see any harm in
keeping it hidden."
Wrapping the crystal up in her hankie, she pushed it down into her pocket, and
said, "Thank you Vincent..."
Seeing a crevasse on the other side of the cavern, Vincent looked out, and
noted, "Ah, so this is the way Mouse must have entered this cavern."
As Vincent looked down toward the ground, he noted, "Yes see here Catherine?
Here are some footprints, and judging from the impression, I would say they are
conclusively from Mouse."
To which Catherine exclaimed, "Amazing you even noticed those prints, let
alone know they were made by Mouse!"
Wondering about the fissure in the chamber wall, Catherine asked, "Vincent? If
we were to go through the crevasse here, where would it take us?"
As he looked outward, he answered, "Looks like a short cut toward the main
tunnels."
He then mentioned, "This makes sense he entered through an alternate route
than we did...I was pondering how he could have missed the railway car."
Agreeing with Vincent the detective, Catherine then asked, "So is this way
closer to our balcony?"
With a nod, Vincent said, "It is closer, however we will have to go out the way
we came in, so I can cover our tracks. Mouse is quite an astute scout, and will
surely notice OUR footprints."
To which Catherine proudly mentioned, "Like someone else I know!"
Humbly, Vincent replied, "Mouse and I honed our skills together Catherine. It
would be difficult for either of us to pull something off on the other."
So strategically, Vincent directed Catherine to walk, and as he slipped off his
wrap, he followed behind her, covering their prints, with a swooshing of his
cloak.
Meanwhile, within the tunnel main, Mary walked with Jacob from the Dining
Hall.
With concern, she revisited their earlier conversation, by saying, "I do hope you
can think of some tactful way to approach Vincent in regard to his
transgressions against Mouse."
To which Jacob said, "Vincent is aware of how Mouse feels Mary. Twas the
reason for their hike to the Crystal Cavern the other day! Need you make
Vincent sound like the villain here? Besides, Mouse has been occupied with the
chamber renovations. He is at the moment working with Ronald on his
chamber. When has he even had any spare time for Vincent?"
In agreement, Mary spewed, "That's exactly what I told him! But Mouse still
feels badly...and misses Vincent's camaraderie...just see what you can do
Father."
With an amused commiserating smile, Jacob said, "I must admit, I understand
how Mouse feels. Gone are the days when Vincent's needs were simpler. Once
Catherine entered his life, it became apparent of how un-fulfilling his old life
was."
Standing up for the good life Vincent had pre-Catherine, Mary argued, "He was
happy Father! How can you say it was un-fulfilling?"
In reply, Jacob said, "Ah...you know what I mean Mary. He has come to know
another kind of life, a reciprocal love between a man and a woman. Filling
empty places he didn't know he had. Once there, one can never retreat from
that joy without feeling lonely. However, if truth be known, I...just like
Mouse...miss Vincent and the old routine we shared as well."
With an understanding tone, Mary said, "Yes...I believe we all do."
"Still..." Jacob thoughtfully shared, "...when I think of the alternative, a man's
life without love, well...we wouldn't want that for Vincent now would we?"
To which Mary replied, "No of course not! Perhaps you can help Mouse
understand this better than I could."
Nodding, Jacob promised, "I will talk to them both."
Just then, Rebecca tearfully approached Jacob, mindful to stand back a distance
to say, "Father, I think you better look in on Eric! He seems to have a fever,
and is very flushed!"
With the scare of the plague still fresh in their minds, Jacob instructed Rebecca,
to isolate Eric inside the Hospital chamber immediately.
To which Rebecca explained she had already taken him there, as not to infect
any of the other children.
Wondering if Rebecca is in danger of an infectious illness, Mary worriedly
asked, "Have you been near him yourself?"
With a frightened look, she nodded, and said, "Yes, it was my shift to care for
the children tonight. And when Eric didn't come back from going to the
bathroom, I checked the laboratory chamber for him. He said he was feeling
sick and I was with him when his fever broke out. No one but me so far has
been near him. But I am worried about the other children, they are unattended."
Calmly Jacob said, "Not to worry Rebecca, Mary will go there straight away."
Causing Mary to urgently interject, "Can't I ask Laura or Jamie? You will need
me Father!"
Not wanting Mary any where near a transmittable illness, Jacob unexpectedly
barked, "No Mary!"
Seeing the hurt in her eyes, he realized he had needlessly shouted, and then
explained, "I only mean, the fewer people dealing directly with Eric the better. If
I need any help at all, you will be the one I call."
With a tremble to her fretful smile, Mary said, "Of course. I will go to the
children."
She began to walk away, then worriedly looked at Rebecca and said, "You
sweet girl...worried about everyone else but yourself."
In a self-sacrificing manner, Rebecca shakily said, "We will be fine
Mary...please don't worry."
Jacob then escorted Rebecca as swiftly as he could to the Hospital chamber.
While they walked there, she sadly relayed something Eric had expressed to her
earlier, saying, "Father, Eric asked me if he was going to die like Ellie."
With sheer determination, Jacob replied, "Not if I can help it!"
Before entering Eric's room, Jacob slipped on his scrubs, and with his mask in
place, he approached Eric.
As he looked at him, slowly he pulled his mask down...as it was apparent to
Jacob...there was no longer any need for it...
Turning to Rebecca he requested, "Send word...ask Peter to come."
Meanwhile, upon their arrival at their Crag version of their New York Balcony,
Vincent placed the torch in the mount, and contentedly said, "What an
enjoyable way to spend the evening."
Vincent's comment about the time of day, caused Catherine to ask, "Evening?"
Looking at Catherine, Vincent answered her by saying, "Yes evening. Can't you
feel the essence of early evening approaching?"
Feeling a little befuddled, Catherine admitted, "Being so far below the home
tunnels, its hard for me to keep track of the time. I often wonder how you and
Narcissa do it? Or the whole community for that matter! No one seems to have
any problems knowing the time of day."
Informatively, Vincent shared, "As far as Narcissa goes, she is one with the
earthly pulls, and in tune with the celestial orbits. As for the rest of the
community, the torches are one of the tools we live by Catherine. The amount
of time the cloth spends soaked in oil, determines how long they will burn."
Getting it, Catherine said, "I see, so as a torch burns out, you know that so
many hours had passed?"
Nodding in approval, Vincent replied, "Precisely, and of course, as you know,
we do have conventional clocks strewn about the tunnels as well, if for no other
reason, Father feels they serve as reminders, we are still a part of the human
race above us."
Happy to learn any, and every tidbit she can about the tunnels, Catherine sat
down on the thick quilted blanket, and contentedly snuggled in next to her
husband.
Suddenly remembering the other little tidbit she learned about the tunnels today
from Narcissa, she jumped up, and uneasily asked, "Vincent, should we be on
the ground? What if there is a snake here!"
Bringing her back down to his side, he acted as her fortress, and pledged, "I
will keep you safe Catherine. You will just have to trust me."
Hugging him tightly, she emphatically trembled, "Oh you bet I will!"
Catherine's nervousness eventually abated, and they began taking turns reading
to one another. After a time, Vincent suddenly stopped in mid-sentence and
jokingly said, "Listen Catherine...William's baked goods, seems to be calling
us..."
Laughing, Catherine said, "And I think I heard your tummy answering back."
Bringing his hand to his growling stomach, he admitted she was right.
Catherine plated their dessert, and with a generous mound of whipping cream,
she served her husband his treat. Watching him take his first bite, she asked,
"How is it?"
Taking one more bite before answering, he said, "Superb Catherine."
He then filled another fork full, and offered her a bite, to which she said, "I
have my own right here."
Raising a brow, Vincent mentioned, "I see that, and you haven't even taken a
bite yet."
Sweetly smiling she admitted, "That's because I would rather watch you...you
make everything look so delicious."
He then sensually said, "Ah, that's because it is delicious, here taste."
As they sat enjoying their dessert, the torch began to twitter, and they realized
they should start heading back to their suite.
Just as they entered their temporary home, they heard a message being
transmitted over the pipes, reporting Peter was on his way to the hospital
chamber!
Wondering what was going on, Vincent tapped out a message, asking if anything
was wrong back home.
Meanwhile, upon hearing Vincent's message, Pascal turned to Mouse, telling
him, "I can't send any more messages or Vincent will hear me. Go ask Father
what I should tell Vincent and Catherine! Should they come home?"
As Pascal waited in his pipe chamber for Father's instructions via Mouse,
Vincent and Catherine grew more and more anxious waiting for Pascal to reply.
They knew someone must be sick, if Peter was joining Jacob in a diagnosis.
Mouse quickly returned, and told Pascal, "Father said Eric only has the Chicken
Pox, and not to worry Vincent and Catherine about it, but then Mary said since
Eric keeps asking for them, maybe Vincent and Catherine should come home..."
As Pascal anxiously waited to hear if he should send a message to the
honeymooners or not, he interrupted to ask, "So what am I to do?"
Then Mouse irritatedly said, "Let me finish! So...then Father said maybe they
should come home."
With an exasperated huff, Pascal quickly executed a message, essentially telling
them, Eric is not serious, but IS asking for them. If at all possible come home.
As Vincent began to decipher the message for Catherine, she was already
gathering some necessities, saying, "I understood the message Vincent! Come
on, Eric needs us!"
In a calming voice, Vincent clarified, "You understand it is not an emergency..."
Stopping for a moment, Catherine tearfully said, "I know...but if he asked for
us, then that is reason enough to go to him Vincent...he has no one else now."
Taking Catherine in his arms, he said, "I suppose it is selfish of me not wanting
to leave. Upon our departure means our honeymoon is over."
Saddened too, Catherine replied, "I know, I hate to leave too."
Thoughtfully, Vincent reminiscently sighed, "It has been a time..."
Catherine agreed, saying, "Yes it has been...the best time of my life."
She then hugged him about his middle, and with emotion asked, "Can we come
back here again."
Compliantly he replied of course, anytime they like, as it was their home away
from home.
Sweetly kissing her hair, he said, "You just tell me when."
After sharing a sorry look of regret, Vincent gingerly bent down for a stone to
tap out the message, saying they were coming home.
To be continued
Chapter Six
| Beyond my Dreams! By Sharon Holtz Chapter Five |
