Doubt And A Decision

Doubts flooded Sister Dorothee like a spring tide and threatened to drown her. Her legs were suddenly too weak to hold her up, let alone carry her back or forth. She slid down the rough rock face and crouched on the cold stone floor.

Soft footsteps echoed through the narrow corridors. Dorothea jerked her head up in horror and peered into the darkness beyond the faint candlelight. Who was approaching? WHAT was approaching?

A yellow cone of light swung restlessly to and fro with every tapping sound. Noises and movement came from the direction Dorothee had come from, i.e. from above, from the monastery. Had her absence been noticed? Had the superior sent someone after her to bring her back? Did the head of the convent possibly know about these tunnels?

Dorothee squinted and stared intently at the newcomer. Gradually, a shadow emerged from the gloom. The light turned out to be the glow of an electric flashlight. The figure was wearing the black habit of a nun. Her white face, framed by a veil and hood, stood out in stark contrast. Sister Dorothee breathed a sigh of relief when she realized who had followed her.

“Sister Innocenza! What are you doing here?”

Dorothee didn't know why her younger co-sister was here. But she was glad not to be alone any more. Innocenza was friendly and trustworthy. And she had a natural knack for numbers. The cellarer had already secretly chosen her as her successor, but had not yet spoken to anyone about it. She had only assigned her a few auxiliary tasks, which she completed with flying colors thanks to her quick mind.

“I'm glad that I've found you, Sister Dorothee. Something woke me up and I couldn't go back to sleep. Somehow I had the urgent feeling that you needed me. When I realized that your cell was empty and you weren't in your office either, I started looking for you. That's how I discovered the open door to the cellar and concluded that you had come down here.”

“I'm glad you found me too. Apparently it was providence that led you to me.” She tried to push herself up, but sank back with a groan. “Help me up, please.”

With the proffered hand, she managed to sit up.

“What's that?”

Innocenza had discovered the parchment and looked at it curiously.

“Oh, this?”

Dorothea briefly considered denying what she had learned and felt from the writing. But apart from the fact that lying was a sin, it would certainly be better to share what she had discovered with someone else. That could bring her closer to resolving her dilemma. So she briefly described the plight of the monastery and her increasingly **** search for a rescue. She did not fail to mention the strange, inexplicable urge that had driven her here.

“That means it's a treasure map and we'll find a hoard of gold and jewels down there?”

The younger woman's face lit up with excitement and her eyes flashed with a sense of adventure.

“That would be very unlikely.”

“Well, if we don't look, we'll never find out.”

Determined, Innocenza put her foot on the top step of the stairs.