THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

CHAPTER 4

by Alyssa G

Catherine headed out on her lunch break to pop into her favorite local bookshop. Mr. Smythe had lots of great classics and first editions, and she was hoping to find something new to surprise her favorite Tunnel dwellers with.

The weather was chilly but clear, and she was enjoying the break from the piles of paperwork in the fresh air. She couldn’t help noticing the number of construction workers that seemed to be very focused on something below the streets of New York. Hardly an unusual occurrence, but since meeting Vincent and the others Below, anything having to do with digging or city work below the streets caught her eye. Steam was pouring out from multiple places, and giant orange cones were being set up. A large part of the street was being blocked off as well, though she was still able to get through to the front door of the store.

She said a quick hello to Mr. Smythe behind the counter and continued on to the back of the store. She spotted a beautiful illustrated copy of Alice in Wonderland, as well as a couple of books from the Wizard of Oz series that she had not seen Below on her previous visits. She debated purchasing a Narnia book as well, but couldn’t help wondering how Vincent would take to it.

Better to hold off sending it Below for now. I’ll quietly check with Mary to see if there’ve been any issues with books like this before. The worst that can happen is that I will send it off to Nancy for her kids.

A couple of crafting books came next; they would give the children something to be busier with during the cold winter months. Of course, it would probably make picking up craft supplies a necessity, but it was an errand that she would enjoy. It had the added bonus of supporting Cozy Crafting, which was owned by a couple who had been Helpers since the earliest days of the Tunnel world.

“Let’s see, what’s next…”

“How about these?” A man with a familiar grin and an old dusty baseball cap said to her while waving a book in each of his hands.

“Kristopher! I see you’re back from the dead again,” she said, with a grin of her own. “Decided to give up art and pursue a career in book selling?”

“Nope, I just found something extra special for you. Well, actually, it’s for your friend. Well…actually, it’s for your friend’s family and friends. Actually…”

“Kristopher…what are you trying to say? Since when do you know any of my friends?”

“I’ve met at least one of them.” At Cathy’s confused expression, he added, “You know which one I mean.”  And then he smiled, winked and waggled his eyebrows, all while tapping the Narnia book that Cathy was still holding.

“I am not going to talk about him in the middle of a bookstore where anybody can hear us,” she answered in a whisper, “and you shouldn’t either!” She hurried to the register, hoping that a quick exit would end the conversation.

“They’re in trouble, Cathy.”

His shouted words across the store halted her escape. She turned around and walked back to him, her face a mixture of anger and fear. “This isn’t funny anymore. You tell me right now what you know, how you know it, and exactly what kind of trouble they’re in.”

Kristopher tilted his head towards the window outside, where more men had come to join the existing city workers. “You think that looks bad out there? That’s nothing compared to what they’re going to be dealing with Below.” He added the two books he was holding to the pile already in her arms. “Take these. Don’t worry,” he added in a whisper, “I’ve already marked the best parts.”

Cathy looked down at the books with a frown. “Underneath New York by Harry Granick, printed in 1947? Under the City Streets: A History of Subterranean New York by Pamela Jones, printed in 1979? Kristopher, what is this?” When she didn’t get an answer, she looked up, only to find that Kristopher Gentian was gone.

  * * *

As Vincent and Devin walked slowly back to Vincent’s chambers, they discussed what Narcissa had, or rather hadn’t, said.

“I don’t get it, Vincent. What was the point of going all the way down there if we weren’t going to get any answers?”

Vincent looked at his brother and sighed. “Narcissa gave us the answers, we just don’t understand them – yet.”

“So, talking in riddles is her way of dispensing wisdom?” Devin shook his head and laughed. “And they call me a fraud!”

“Devin…”

“All right, all right, I’ll back off. I know she’s your friend. She even seems like one of those people you meet sometimes when you’ve been wandering for a while who seem to know more about the world than they let on.” Devin stopped and grabbed his brother’s arm. “But that doesn’t change the fact that something seems off here and we still don’t know what’s going on.”

“I agree,” Vincent said as they continued walking. “Not that I know what to do about it.”

As they made the final turn before Vincent’s chamber, they saw Father up ahead.

“Ah, Vincent, there you are. We received a message from one of our Helpers that Catherine has an urgent package for you. It’s waiting for you at the 14th Street entrance.”

“I haven’t been down that way in years,” Devin said with a fond smile. “Do you remember all the trouble we used to get into there? You, me, Pascal…anyone else who was feeling mischievous that day…”

“I remember, though I suspect Father would rather those adventures had never happened at all.”

“Can you blame me?” the Tunnel patriarch asked in a huff. “I don’t know what all of you did while you were down there, but you always came back with various injuries, and usually covered in enough dirt to fill several mud pits!”

Vincent laughed and put his arm around his father’s shoulders. “‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…’” Vincent smiled at his father’s outraged look and turned back to his brother. “I won’t be long, and then we can continue our conversation. And in the meantime,” Vincent added, ” I believe Father was looking to have a conversation with you of his own.”

“Vincent!” Father shouted after him in annoyance, but he continued walking away, leaving Father alone with his son for the first time since his return to the Tunnels. “Well, Devin, perhaps we should take this opportunity to talk.” He headed into Vincent’s chamber, Devin following closely behind him.

Devin sat in Vincent’s usual chair, his back to the stained-glass window.

Father stood behind Devin, trying to gather the courage to speak, but instead found that he was unable to face his son, and chose to face the colored glass instead. Father wet his lips and opened and closed his mouth several times before forcing himself to speak at last. ” You must think me very cruel.”

Devin turned his head in surprise. “Huh? What are you talking about?”

“You came here seeking comfort and shelter and a chance to heal, something that we have offered to many strangers and Helpers in the past. And yet, for my own son, I can’t find the words to offer such comfort.”

Devin looked down at the table, a sad smile on his face. “It’s not like we’ve ever been the type to sit down and really talk.”

“I know, but…the truth is, I’ve…I’ve…been too ashamed to bring it up. When I think about what I’ve done…”

“What are you talking about?”

“People say that they want their children to be better than them, to grow up to be better people than they are,” Father said with a sigh. “But they don’t talk about how much of a spotlight it shines on their own mistakes, on their own foolishness.”

Father sat down on Vincent’s bed, looking upwards, tears filling his eyes. “You saw things I never could, that I never would. You saw a chance to give Charles freedom and joy and a way to let him experience the world while keeping him safe. I couldn’t…wouldn’t…see those things. I just…” Father cleared his throat several times, and placed his right hand over his eyes, bowing his head in sadness and regret. “I was so sure…”

“I don’t get it. You barely knew Charles. Why is this bothering you so much?”

“Because I do know Vincent. And what you did for Charles, I kept Vincent from having.” Father raised his head, meeting Devin’s eyes for the first time since entering Vincent’s chamber. “I know that, when you were both children, you and Vincent planned to travel together to faraway lands and have all sorts of adventures together. And I never really worried about those conversations. I figured it was just the sort of imaginings that children have, that you would both outgrow those things in time. After you left, Vincent never talked about those things. Oh, he went Above, and I worried about that, but he was careful…well, for the most part.”

Father stood up and walked over to the painting of Catherine and Vincent together, the one that had raised so many questions, and yet held so much beauty. “I know you weren’t here then, but you may have heard about it from some of the others. Catherine wanted to take Vincent to a little cabin in Connecticut, to show him the beauty of her world. A place where he could be free for a few days, in the sunshine, to have a normal life, if only for the briefest period of time. I was concerned that he would be harmed. I insisted that going would be utter foolishness. I and several others pushed and pushed and pushed until he finally dropped the matter and agreed not to go. I was so sure I was right, that I had kept him safe…but lately, knowing what a gift you gave to Charles, I wonder if maybe, instead of keeping him safe, I kept him from the freedom he deserved.” Father turned to look at his son, adding sadly, “A safe gilded cage is still very much a cage. So, in the end, did I keep him safe, or simply add more bars to his prison walls?”

Devin stood up and walked over to his father, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Father…”

Shouts and running feet interrupted whatever Devin might have said next.

“Father, Father!”  Jamie came running into Vincent’s chamber, out of breath and looking terrified. “Vincent said you were here, and to get you right away. He said it’s urgent you come meet him. The news Catherine sent down – Mouse is still going over everything, but it looks really bad.”

“If it was so urgent, why not just send out word on the pipes?”

“Vincent said not to, Father. He didn’t want to take a chance on worrying everyone until he and Mouse were absolutely sure.”