Lost! [A Northworld Viking Saga]

Underground!

Thorgaut tried to keep his breathing quiet so the men wouldn't hear him when they entered the house. He felt around in the closet for anything he could use as a weapon to defend himself. There was nothing but dresses and a couple of rag dolls.

He wanted to kick himself for not having taken one of Arnulfr's swords with him on his way out to bathe. But everything had been so calm and peaceful out here in the middle of the woods; he hadn't even considered it.

Thorgaut thought about running into the kitchen to grab a knife but heard the front door squeak open. He pressed his back up against the wall in the darkness. He rearranged the dresses hanging in front of him to block their view if they opened the door to his hiding place.

He heard the men banging around in the kitchen close to the wall he had his back pressed up against. Runa's closet was just on the other side of the kitchen close to the stove, so it was a warm, comfortable position to be in.

There were several loud knocks on the wall a little off to the side.

"What were these guys looking for," Thorgaut wondered. "They must be gathering the food in the kitchen."

He hoped they would take what they needed and leave soon. But the banging got closer to his position, so he shifted his body away from the wall and back towards the door.

The tapping stopped for a minute, but then picked up again around the area he had been just a moment ago. There were two final loud thuds and then silence.

Thorgaut realized the two men weren't looking for food. The pantry was on the opposite wall. "There was no reason for them to be tapping on the wall where he was hiding unless..."

Suddenly, he realized that the men were looking for him. Their little black object must be directing them towards him for some reason. But why?

Thorgaut stepped across the closet to the other side. The tapping started up again, moving back in his direction.

"Schmack!" he realized. They were looking for him. He was a sitting duck if he stayed in here. They probably had him surrounded. One of the men was tapping to shoo him out the door. The other was most likely waiting outside the door with a weapon to take Thorgaut down.

He crouched in the corner considering his options while trying not to panic. He didn't even realize why. He was a Viking warrior and should be facing his enemies with a sword in hand. Here he was hiding in the dark like a little girl.

Thorgaut heard a whisper in the dark that set his hair on edge. Something reached out and brushed against his leg. He stifled a yell and stood up to back away from it.

"Shhh, Thorgaut Kabbisson. Come with me."

He peered down at the floor and saw the faint outline of a head. That was freaky. He considered kicking it, but a tiny head didn't seem as dangerous as the warriors outside.

Thorgaut crouched back down to take a closer look. There was a trap door leading down into the ground. The head belonged to a young boy.

"Svart?" he whispered. The boy put a finger to his lips and tugged his hand to pull him down through the trap door. The banging kept getting louder. Then the head of an ax crashed through the wall above his head letting in a little light.

From the angle he was at, he could see someone's feet outside the door. They were definitely trying to flush him out. He felt relieved at not having tried to flee. The man would have put him down before he could even have gotten the door completely open.

Thorgaut sighed with relief at his latest brush with death and pulled the trap door down behind him. He followed Svart down the ladder and into a chilly, dank open area.