The World Below (ON BREAK)

Chapter 2

Monday, 8:15 am

Upper world

Stacy was having a rotten day. She woke up far too late, and was scolded by her father for it. She had her usual breakfast of cereal while simultaneously reading the fifth book in her favorite book series.

Stacy changed out of her pajamas into jeans with ripped knees, a shirt with a wolf on it, and a blue cardigan. She put her caramel colored hair into a loose braid, grabbed her backpack, and scrambled for the door. She snagged her lunch and ran full speed out the door and straight into her friend, Jessie.

Accidentally knocking herself and Jessie over, she quickly apologized and then smiled. Jessie was her favorite person, her one solace. She could be herself around her and neither cared. They had the same interest, were the same age, and lived nearby. Jessie's curly hair was put up in a ponytail and was a bit mussed up from falling, but otherwise she was fine.

Jessie had walked with Stacy to school since they became friends in 3rd grade. Now in 7th, they were inseparable. As she walked and talked about the book she was reading, she noticed something. Under a few cardboard boxes in an alleyway, there was a hatch. But what would a hatch be used for out here? Stacy had to know.

She asked Jessie if it was alright to take a little detour and ran with her into the alleyway. With Jessie's help, she was able to scootch aside the boxes covering the hatch. It didn't seem to be used in quite a while. She checked if it could be opened but was in vain. It was locked, seemingly from the inside.

Intrigued, Stacy grabbed a stick from nearby and began banging on the hatch. once, twice, three times. Then the door opened by itself, and she accidentally hit something. A male voice shouted "Ow! What was that?" and then the sound of thumping. Did whoever was down there fall?

"Hello?" Stacy tried calling. No answer. The person down there was either injured, or worse.

"Is someone down there?" she tried calling.

This time, there was an answer. "Whoever's up there, I'm not going to hurt you, so please don't hurt me. I don't like fighting."

Stacy was shocked. She didn't think anyone lived down there.

"I'm going to come down! I have a stick! I will use it if I have to!"

The boy called back, "No! You can't come down! I won't let you."

Jessie grabbed Stacy's arm. "You can't! What if he's a serial killer or something?"

Stacy shrugged out of her grip. "Then I guess I'll find out the hard way."

With that, she began to descend into the darkness.