Chapter 3. The Tunnels.

                                    

                                          
“Just this way, not far to go now, we’re almost there!”  Drew chirped, walking ahead, skipping a tiny bit as he carried his rucksack of supplies on his back which was bouncing a little as he walked/skipped. His chirpy bouncy manner amusing Chloe and Tizzie greatly as they walked close behind him with Kier behind them, keeping watch for any threats. 
                          
“where are we going exactly?” Tizzie asked, politely, gripping Chloe’s hand in a anxious manner. 
                          
“We’re taking you to safety, to out base.” Kier replied from behind her. “it’s safer than you both  going back to that district, far to crowded, plus those Heartataks will be there and could attack.” 
                          
“hang on….what are heartataks? You didn’t tell us what they are exactly.” 
                          
“Heartataks, they’re the henchmen of The Cardinal and King, They’re the scum of the earth, making life difficult for everyone.” Kier explained.
                          
“some say that they’re actual creatures of darkness, demons.” Drew piped up from the front of the group.
                          
“and they’re incredibly violent, evil and wouldn’t hesitate to rip you apart with no trial should their masters command them to. They are to be avoided at all costs.” Kier concluded.
                          
“were they chasing you then?” Chloe asked, intrigued by the mention of these ‘Heartataks’. 
                          
“yeah….”
                          
“why? Are you criminals?” Chloe became suddenly suspicious of her new male companions. 
                          
“no, well sort of, I guess… to them anyway. We’re outlaws I guess. It’s difficult to explain, especially out here in the open. We’ll explain when we’re back at base. It’s far too dangerous here.”
                          
“So you are? What did you do?” 
                          
“Nicked some supplies from the docks by the riverside, don’t usually get caught, but someone only sneezed loudly and managed to get us caught.” Kier explained, directing a glare at Drew who seemed oblivious to it. 
                                                              
“Almost there!” Drew chirped, turning the corner down a narrow alleyway all of a sudden. The girls followed him down the higgledy-piggledy , narrow, dark alleyway, following the many twists and turns  until they reached a small shop front. 
 
It appeared to be an old antique shop or junk shop. Its old fashioned windows were dusty and appeared to have not seen proper, direct daylight in decades. The paint on the edges of the windows was a peeling dusty old black and  had obviously seen better days when perhaps every summer the owner would have given it a new coat of black, or perhaps navy blue. It’s hanging shop sign had vanished from above the door, all was left of it was it’s steel foundations which were rusting and had the same peeling black paint. Above the shop window, on the peeling black wood were faded gold lettering reading “Sumner and Co, Shoppe of Olde delights Est. 1988.” 
                          
 Tizzie gazed at the little shop, her eyes full of wonder. She loved little junk shops. It was where she’d usually find her little clock pieces to create her steampunky artwork and her goggle lenses inserts. She adored finding little quirky items of jewellery, or old books with dog eared pages and old smelling scents. Chloe also enjoyed junk shops, she enjoyed the idea of looking through old things and the history within the items. 
  
“come along then!” Drew said, unlocking the door and holding it open for the girls. The small little bell dinged politely as they entered. Kier locked the door behind them and implemented the various little security devices on the door. 
                          
The girls gazed in awe at the contents of the shop, it was full to the brim with old pieces of junk, furniture with elaborate carvings, little statuettes of  cherubs to old grandfather clocks gathered together in a corner looking down upon the rest of the dusty inhabitants of the shop, ticking almost unimpressed at the newcomers. It wasn’t just normal looking goods that cluttered up the shop floor, but strange devices that the girls had never seen before, with various levers, mechanical arms and various other mechanisms. They stood gazing around at the wonders before Drew motioned for them to follow him.