Chapter 11
The cellar was vast, its vaulted brick ceiling disappearing into the shadows far above the weak beam of David’s phone. Rows of ancient wooden wine racks lined the damp walls, most of them empty, their bottles long since turned to vinegar or dust.
"Keep close," David whispered, his hand guiding Sarah through the labyrinth of decaying oak barrels. They moved toward the far end of the cellar, where a heavy iron-banded wooden door promised an exit toward the northern orchards and the highway beyond.
As they reached the heavy door, David grabbed the cold iron latch and pushed down with all his weight. The door did not budge. He threw his shoulder against the ancient wood, straining with all his might, but it remained locked tight from the outside, held fast by a heavy deadbolt.
"It's deadbolted," David whispered, frustration and exhaustion breaking through his voice. "They knew about these passages. Eleanor knew we would try this."
Sarah set Toby down gently, holding his hand as she scanned the dim corners of the cellar. "Look over there, David. By the corner."
Partially hidden behind a rotting crate of empty bottles was a low, grated iron window set high into the stone foundation wall, leading upward to ground level near the edge of the northern orchard. A sliver of pale moonlight cut through the iron bars, illuminating the thick dust motes floating in the stagnant air.
"The coal chute," David realized, running over to inspect the opening. It was small, barely wide enough for an adult to squeeze through, but Toby could easily fit if they boosted him up. "Toby, buddy, listen to Daddy. Can you crawl through that little window up there? It leads right outside to the trees."
Toby looked up at the high, dark opening, his lower lip trembling. "I'm scared, Daddy. It's dark out there."
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"You have to be brave for Mommy and me," Sarah said, kneeling beside him and kissing his pale forehead. "Once you get outside, run straight to the big oak tree by the road. Hide in the bushes until we find a way out to you. Do you understand?"
Toby nodded bravely, wiping a tear from his cheek with the back of his dirty sleeve. David dragged an empty wooden crate beneath the window, boosting Toby up onto it. Toby stretched his small hands upward, grabbing the bottom edge of the iron grate, his messy brown hair brushing against the cold stone foundation.
