"They should have been here by now. How did things turn out like this? Oh, right because a man couldn't get what he wanted so he's punishing me instead." I sigh, closing my eyes.
Matthias said someone would be here within 30 minutes of me leaving the small apothecary shop he owns and yet the only things I've seen in the last hour while I've sat here are, 3 rats, 1 mouse and a handful of spiders. I shook my head trying not to think about how big those rats were. Eew. Well cared for pet rats, cute. Those rats... Not so much.
Resting my head against the tunnel's wall behind me. I took a deep breath and held it for 10 second while trying to calm my heart rate. Anxiety won't help me in this situation.
Letting the breath go, I opened my eyes and looked around the tunnel. It was about three people wide and high enough for a grown man to walk in without having to hunch.
Lined along the walls where sporadic sets of steps leading to doors and few ladders leading to covered holes in the ceiling of the tunnels. I can only assume the ladders lead into rooms like the one I escaped from, and the doors lead out to places around town. It smelled a bit musty and was a little dusty but overall, not terrible place to hide.
Who knows the reason why the tunnels were created or how old they are? I can only assume it was for servants to avoid crowded areas and move around the village more efficiently. Or for the Merchants who come through the kingdom from time to time to use.
With the length of this tunnel and all of the branching tunnels off it, it's a wonder how far the tunnels stretch out under the kingdom. Were they only under the Bridge district? Did they reach farther then the West Tower of the wall that surrounds the Kingdom?
Since Mattias is the one who drew me the small map to get to this wooden door, marked with an upside-down T in the middle of it, I'll have to ask him when things settle down.
"Alright!" I said while patting the step under me. "It's about an hour passed the time Mattias said the person should've been here." I dusted myself off while standing and grabbed my bag.
Mattias did said if something happened and the person didn't show up, I should wait a bit then head to Bernath Street. Which is in the Iron Quarter, where I'll find another Apothecary shop, I can lay low at for a bit.
I think I've waited long enough. One whole extra hour not knowing what's been going on is definitely long enough time to wait before leaving.
Facing the door, I grabbed the handle and took on last deep breath and pushed the door open.
I stepped out of the tunnel and pleasantly realized I was on a little side alley called Abernathy. It's named after one of the lower-class nobilities and hardly used. It was close to the boarder of the Bridge District and the Iron Quarters which makes things a lot easier for me.
As I turned to close the door, something slammed into my back. Hard.