The School of Hidden Ruins

What are the Undergrounds?

The Undergrounds are a series of cave-like tunnels, wide expanses of land, and high ceilings. They were originally created with wildlife animal habitats in mind. Vegetation that has died off is replaced with a dense overgrowth, sometimes splitting through hard rock and stone.The Underground walls are jagged and cliff-like. The extreme terrain varies from a swamp-like muck, to patchy hard-packed dirt, to cracked stone and lush grasses-all to the accommodations of the Creatures. The tunnels branch into open land where the high ceiling gives full view of the light's source. The Undergrounds were first believed to be created by coal miners and abandoned. Later found by a scientist by the name of Abner who released wild beasts into the land that evolved into species of their own. These are the Undergrounds.

 

Regulations of the Undergrounds

1.          Follow all instructions

2.          Before entering the Undergrounds, be sure you are not being followed.

3.          Report to the school custodians/Keepers before entering the Undergrounds

4.          Only enter when the Lights are on.

5.          Never enter the Undergrounds alone.

6.          Carry a standard equipment belt at all times.

7.          If nothing else, a flashlight is your only weapon in case of power failure. Creatures are afraid of the Light.

8.          The Map is your lifeline. Follow its course.

9.          If you do encounter a Creature do NOT stay and fight.

10.          Leave nothing but footprints.

11.          Keep all doors and portals to the Undergrounds hidden and locked.

12.          Tell no one of what you’ve seen.





An Excerpt from the Underground Club Handbook Volume 1

CLUB Oath

I will follow all rules of the Club

I have read all Instructions of the Undergrounds and solemnly swear to follow these instructions carefully and without question.

Under no circumstances will I tell anyone about the Undergrounds or this club or discuss the whereabouts of any of the secret locations linking to the Undergrounds hidden and locked.

I solemnly swear to follow all orders of my fellow superior clubmates without question.

I will not draw attention to myself above ground and or discuss matters of the Club during school hours thereby endangering the secrecy of the Club. Unless, of course, it is of dire emergency in which case I will follow the emergency procedures of Section D Subsection A in the Club handbook (Vol. 1).

If I do hereby break any rules of the Club it will be for good reason and I will accept the consequences without totally spazzing out.





                                                                                        * * * * *

Tess reached in her backpack as she ran, her hand wriggling around the zipper. She struggled to free it, blinded as her hair smacked against her face.

         “Tess watch out!” Todd warned.

Tess turned, but she wasn’t fast enough. She felt herself lurch as Todd leaped in front of her, grabbing her backpack and dragging her to the ground. Something whooshed past above her head, making her hair fly up, but she couldn’t tell what it was. Her hand seemed to scream with pain.

A vast, titanic-worthy shadow masked her face in darkness. Her mouth dropped as it passed. Small creatures, hundreds, maybe thousands passed overhead, flocking together, their tiny wings flapping in unison like a drum line. Tess tried to form words, she really did, but her throat clogged and the words never came. Or maybe they did, but the wide array of deafening, sharp screeches chorused louder than ever.

“Bats!” Todd cried, huddling into a fetal position.

Tess shook her head, her mouth still open. “Those aren’t bats,” she said.

The great shadow passed, and two heads whirled around to watch as the bat-like creatures dived for the ground.

“You’re right,” Todd gasped, “Bats aren’t suicidal!”

The flock was headed straight for the ground, row by row. But there wasn’t a sickening thud. There was only the sound of skittering feet and murmurs of squeaks as the wave of creatures landed. Their wings drew in as one, and they skittered on the ground, their tiny feet kissing the land as they ran, toppling over each other.

“R-rats!” Todd squealed, scrambling to his feet. He turned to run.

Tess grabbed his leg from her place on the ground and he tripped, smacking flat on the soil. Moaning, he turned towards her. “Oof! You happy? Now they’re going to trample us both. What are those things? Bats or rats? Brats?” he nodded. “It suits them!”

Tess sighed and brushed her pants off. She wasn’t sure what they were, but that didn’t matter. They were rat-bats, for now. And besides, brats just didn’t sound right. “C’mon,” she snapped, “We haven’t got all day.” She jumped to her feet and tugged on Todd’s shirt but he didn’t budge. He was facing the direction of where the rats had come. The rat-bats had cleared out, only a thin line in the distance showed any evidence of them being there. That, and their puddles of unmentionables scattered across the ground. She tugged Todd again. “Let’s go,” she repeated.

But Todd wasn’t listening. He was pointing. “If th-those rat-bats weren’t ch-chasing us then w-were they running from something?”

Tess frowned and crossed her arms. “Todd, don’t be ridiculous they were…” Her voice trailed off as she followed his trembling finger. And wide-eyed gaze. For a second time in only a few minutes, her mouth dropped like a plank, her heart hammered, and she wondered if she would faint. Instead, her mouth opened wider and a horror film worthy scream erupted from her mouth.Todd was sure somewhere in the world, glass was shattering. “RUN!”