The Sinking Inn (Part 3)

“Yes, your dog. The one you just gave that bread to,” I replied, starting to become annoyed. 

“Oh, dropped some bread, have I?,” he said, glancing down.” How careless of me. These old fingers you know?” He reached down and scooped up the bread and putting it to his mouth, bit off a chunk and chewed  on it thoughtfully. 

"Are you about to tell me that you have no dog?” I asked.

“I have three dogs, actually,’ he replied. “But they’re all at home guarding the coops. I don’t bring them into town with me.”

“Well, then I guess your old eyes missed this one that must have followed you. For it was at your feet when I came in.”

“You certainly are sure of yourself, aren’t you?” the old man said. “The young seem to be that way these days. So certain about everything.”

I had had enough. “Fine", I said. “If it is the common sport of this town to make strangers feel foolish and unwelcome, then so be it. I am tired of this town and this day also, so I am going now to bed. I bid you goodnight sir. “

I got up, angrily, and started towards the stairs. But I realized that I didn’t actually know which room was to be mine. Also, I was already beginning to feel guilty at my reactions to the old man and thought to pay for his meal by way of apologizing to him. I crossed to the Inn Keeper and said as much.

“Morgan, for such as I understand your name to be…”

“It is that, sor. Morgan…”

“Yes, as well as my own supper I wish to pay for the old gentleman’s food as well. For he has been good company and I am afraid that I was rude towards him at the end.”

“Old gentleman, sor?” Came his slow reply. 

Now I was beside myself. “Yes!” I fairly shouted at the fat old fool. “The old gentleman. That gentleman over…” I turned to point to the table at which the old man sat but he was gone. He was gone, his coat that had hung on the chair was gone and the only thing that remained there was my empty ale cup and the half-eaten bowl of bread. I turned back to the Innkeeper and stared at him. Daring him to return my look and hoping that he would. 

“I would like to go to my room now,” I said with great measure, emphasizing each syllable and word, all the better to make known my displeasure.

“The second room on the right will be yorn,” said Morgan. “It isn’t locked.”

Without another word, I turned and mounted the stairs quickly leaving the fool to stare after me, his mouth hanging open. I arrived at the top of the stairs and turned to my right and to the second door along. Locked. I cursed under my breath and marched back down the stairs to have it out with the inn keeper. I was beginning to wish now that I had taken the bed under the tree with a fire and the horse for company. Better that than this mad house.

However, when I came out into the inn’s main room the counter was deserted. But I was not to be denied and I rounded the bar and pushed on the kitchen door. It too was locked. I pounded on the door crying out the man’s name. There was no reply. I pounded again, harder. Nothing. 

The once blazing fire had now gone out and the air inside the Inn was beginning to chill. 

“Madhouse!” I shouted out and once more began to climb the stairs hoping  that another of the rooms would be open and vacant and that I could, at last, find some peace. But as I started to ascend the stairs I felt as though the very floor had been pulled from beneath me. It seemed as though the entire building had been shoved aside and I fell heavily against one wall. Another jolt and I was thrown to the other wall. The building was shifting on its foundations!

I struggled and re-gained my balance and then jumped down the few stairs to the ground floor. I ran to the main door and threw it open seeking to escape before the roof came down around my ears. I gasped at what I found. From bottom to top I was met with a solid wall of earth. And this wall of dirt and rock outside was slowly moving upwards! The building wasn’t shaking, it was actually sinking down into the earth!

I screamed and fled to the one window in the place and flung open the shutters. It was the same thing. An earthen wall ascended as the room, the Inn, and I in it, collapsed into the soil. The horrendous noise of the walls scraping against the rock outside was deafening.

Suddenly, to this was added another noise and I turned about to find a steady stream of soil spewing out of the fire place. The earth was coming down the chimney! I hurled myself against the flu rod but it wouldn’t budge. The amount of sediment crowding down the chimney wouldn’t allow the hinge to work. 

I sobbed in frustration and fear and turned again only to find a slow flood of earth descending the steps from what had been the second floor. Obviously the roof was now below ground level and the earth above was beginning to collapse around it and over it, flowing in through the remnants of the destroyed thatching.

In shock and shaking with fear I staggered to the table in the centre of the room and sat down. My situation was now hopeless and I began to weep. I bowed my head and buried my face in my hands. And, soon, the earth buried my hands and all of me with its cold inevitability.