The fifteen minute novel writing experiment is a attempt to write a complete (and very rough) draft of a novel by writing for fifteen minutes each day. I have taken a timed writing from one of the daily prompts done in 2021, cleaned it up a little and used it as my jumping off point into a story. Each day I will take the last line of the story written the day before and use it as my sentence starter and write for fifteen minutes, growing the story as the year progresses.
Day 122: Anya thought there was a possibility that she might be able to hear something.
Anya thought there was a possibility that she might be able to hear something. Deciding it was as good a destination as any other, Anya opened her eyes and began moving softly and swiftly through the corridor. She had to pass through a couple of hidden rooms to do so. Some of them were dusty, filled with furniture on the verge of collapse, while others look freshly dusted and free of anything but the original contents. Anya found it strange as all of the spaces she moved through were sealed off from the main paths and rooms used by the others.
Finally Anya found herself in position behind the vent shaft carved into the wall. It connected both the bathing chamber and the hidden corridor to the surface so fresh air could penetrate deep into the mountain and keep the air from growing stale. At the moment, the air was quite chilled and Anya found not to shiver as she leaned in.
“…don’t know what you are talking about,” Marta was saying. Her voice was faint but Anya could still make out the words. The voice of her visitor were lower, deeper and less distinct. Anya could tell the voice was male, but she could only catch a few words.
“…here…know…train…”
They were not encouraging words. Anya wrapped her arms tighter around herself.
“I’m afraid there has been some misunderstanding,” Marta replied.
“Watch…waiting for…expect…”
Anya wondered if those were really the words he used or of there was something missing. She also wished she could see who it was. ‘If someone is threatening me I should know who it is,’ Anya thought.
“I think you should leave,” Marta said.
Anya agreed with the statement. There was a reply but Anya could make out no words, merely the mumbling of the voice. She heard footsteps and then the door opening and closing. Anya closed her eyes and again pictured the lay out of the space. She didn’t know which direction whoever left would take but She did find out that she could use this corridor to connect to the small study attached to her rooms. Anya decided to take a chance and quietly moved away from the air vent and closer to the space. The entrance was hidden and she had to fiddle with the catch for a few moments before it would release, but eventually the panel opened and Anya was able to step into the study she cleaned earlier that afternoon. As there was no fire in the grate it was no warmer than the hallway had been.
Anya moved to the hidden door leading to her rooms. She paused listening. There were sounds of someone moving around and she thought she heard a fire being lit and metal scraping on stone. ‘The kettle being put over the fire?” Anya guessed.
The panel door was near enough to the fire and indeed the back of the fireplace formed part of the wall in the hidden study so heat began to seep into the space. She heard no voices, but still heard the movement and she hoped that meant Marta was alone. Taking the chance, Anya opened the panel.
Ten til Midnight 