Stuffing the phone back into my pocket, and wiping my eyes, I shone the flashlight at walls and ceiling. Nothing there gave me any hope. The beam above me groaned as more dirt sifted down.
How long would it be until the ceiling collapsed? Even though it looked like the builders of this tunnel had used railroad ties or something similar to shore it up, these had weakened with time. It would be safer to move on down the narrow passageway. Cobwebs clung to my hair and arms as I crept forward, trying to walk quietly and not jar the wood which held up a mountain of dirt.
Something moved along the wall. I wasn’t alone. Spiders! Judging from the webs hanging from the ceiling, the place must be crawling with spiders. I could cope with spiders, but snakes? Hopefully, no snakes shared my prison.
The tunnel narrowed. Tree roots protruded like accusing fingers from ceiling and walls, slowing my progress. The ceiling dropped lower and I had to bend over.
Inches of dirt beneath my feet muffled my footsteps. The tunnel began to slope upward.
The air seemed a little better here and either my eyes were adjusting to the darkness or light was filtering in from somewhere ahead.
The passageway narrowed still more. A thick root protruded all the way across it, from one wall to the other, forcing me to crawl under. Getting down on all fours, I proceeded to crawl.
Have you read the newest Ned McNeil moonlight mystery? Murder By Moonlight is available on Amazon.com. Free to those having Kindle Unlimited.
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