Josh heard the incoherent whispering voices long before he came upon the guarded mineshaft. He approached on his belly, crawling slowly as soon as he heard the troubling sound. Despite the urging of his grandfather through his walking staff, Josh trembled with each inch forward. When he finally came up to the rise and was able to look out over the scene, his breath caught.
A great hole in the side of a hill slope with old wooden support beams was like a great maw of darkness. Purple and red swirls of an energetic entity spiraled within. The whispering voices came from the mineshaft. Josh knew that to be true as he stared at it, tried to make sense of the unsettling oddity. Old buildings stood silent behind the opening. Old pieces of mining equipment lay scattered about the area: broken barrels and crates, rusted wheel pulleys and stakes, and a mixture of detritus and abandoned mining paraphernalia.
"What is it?" Josh said as quietly as he could.
"Scary," his grandfather said and Josh wondered then and there if only he could hear his grandfather's voice.
Movement.
Josh ducked his head as he saw three black-garbed figures suddenly shift where they had been sitting perched in the area. Josh had not seen them as his eyes were so focused on the mineshaft. They all wore tattered black clothing that covered them from head to toe along with black gloves and boots. Each wore the old plague masks with beak-like features and brimmed hats, reminding Josh of old pictures he had seen.
Crows. That's what Walter had meant about the Shivering being guarded by crows. He felt himself suddenly wanting to scream. Of course these things would remind Walter of the carrion birds. Who were they? If he had to guess, he would say at least two of them were women.
"Anson. Anson. Anson."
The voices from the mineshaft formed a single word--name--and Josh wiped the tears from his eyes.
Approaching on horseback, Anson came into view. Each of the crows turned their heads to the arrival with silent regard.
"I am here," Anson called out. "And so is the stranger."
"Stranger. Stranger. Stranger. Joshua. Joshua. Joshua," the voices said, overlapping each other.
Josh wiped his eyes further and desperately wanted to flee.
"Come out, Joshua!" Anson called. "We know you're here. Doris told me where you were after she delivered that creature friend of yours to the girl. I'll deal with them later." He paused, looking around. "Your persistence is far greater a priority for me."
The whispering continued but the voices did not focus to single words.
"You cannot wait here, Josh," grandfather said. "He will outlast you."
Josh watched Anson wait and the crows as they did nothing from their seated positions. Their heads tilted and moved as if searching for him. Josh gripped the walking staff and considered running straight for the mineshaft. The kids were in there. He knew it. If he could not get away then he would accomplish his original goal.
Something hard suddenly pressed into the small of his back causing him to scream out in pain.
"Found him!" It was Cannon.
Josh got free and was on his feet raising his grandfather's staff but Cannon only smiled and laughed. "Back off!" Josh screamed.
"Hmm, no," and Cannon's foot kicked forward, slamming against Josh's stomach and pushing him backwards.
Josh tumbled and rolled down into the mineshaft's clearing. He coughed and rubbed away the dirt that got into his eyes. The voices from the mineshaft were laughing now. Anson smiled and the crows watched.
"Get up, Josh," his grandfather urged.
Josh did but as soon as he was to his feet, Cannon was there, grabbing him and spinning him about until he was thrown and his momentum carried him close to the mineshaft's entrance.
"Food. Food. Food."
Anson dismounted from his horse and approached. Cannon was steps away and had his dusting tin out in his hands, ready to pinch and use against Josh again.
Josh acted quick. He pulled the length of rope and lighter from his bag, lighting the old coil. The flame licked across the surface and Josh swung the rope overhead once and launched it at Cannon as he was distracted. The rope struck and tangled around Cannon's face. He screamed out in pain, dust falling from his fingers and tin toppling to the ground.
"Kill. Kill. Kill."
"No!" Anson screamed.
Cannon was on the ground writhing about in pain.
Josh turned and found the three crows advancing. Behind those masks he could see red eyes without eyelids. They grabbed for him altogether.
"Josh! Hold on!"
Josh had no idea what his grandfather meant until the walking staff moved on its own. He held on as it struck and swatted at the crows. Weaponless, the mineshaft's guards took the brunt of the strikes not knowing what was happening as Josh clearly struggled to maintain hold of the staff. But, his grandfather's control of his old companion cracked bones and sent the black-garbed creatures to the side and into the dirt where they lay in pain or unconsciousness.
Anson rushed forward and grabbed the walking staff, taking notice of the staff's changes. "You damn fool! You should never have touched the spring! You don't know what you've done! You've doomed the Valley! You've ruined everything!"
Josh fought through his burning muscles and the blood pounding in his ears as Anson's voice pierced his eardrums. The voices of the mineshaft shrieked now. Not in pain but in pure rage. Too many words and muffled groans followed. Josh twisted the staff but he could not best Anson's strength.
Heat struck Josh in the back of the head and he lost his hold of the walking staff. He heard his grandfather call out. Josh turned and saw Cannon whose face was badly burned--puckered and pink--eyes set to kill Josh. The rope lay beside Josh, smoldering. He turned to Anson. "Don't," he said already knowing what was coming.
"You wanted so desperately to go in," Anson said, spittle flying from his mouth.
"Now. Now. Now," the voices cried.
Anson nodded, not conflicted by the demand. "You'll regret it all, boy." Anson turned and threw Josh's grandfather's staff into the blackness of the mineshaft. Laughter erupted within and Josh heard the faint cry of his grandfather's voice.
Josh stood and made for the entrance.
"They're dead!" Anson screamed. "You'll find them in the Shivering and you'll be consumed by the madness just like them."
Josh did not care. He hurried forward, fear and anger pushed aside. "Grandfather," he said, knowing he had to retrieve the staff--he could not lose him again. As soon as he was inside, the voices attacked him, hands made of hot air grabbing him and pulled him deep into the darkness.
"Josh, I hear you," his grandfather said from somewhere close by. "Fight it! I'll find you."
Josh fought but could not break free from the Shivering's hold. His eyes caught sight of earthen walls, more mining items, and skeletons. Josh had to find a way. He had to get away. He had to get to his grandfather. He had to run, but he was trapped. Not dead, though. So long as he had breath, he would fight. He no longer heard his grandfather's voice but the voices of the Shivering surrounded him.
"Here. Here. Here."
"Gone. Gone. Gone."
"Lost. Lost. Lost."
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