Monsters at the Door - Part II (3 of 7)

"Hmmm? What's this?" Daphne approached the array of lit candles that dotted the floor in their rusting iron holders. The slow dripping wax made her wonder how long they had been burning. There on the floor amongst the pattern-less positioned candles was something else. It was the thing that had caught the redhead's attention.

A collection of brown parchment was visible in the flickering yellow light. There was a dryness and chipped edges that gave the impression of untold age. Some were rolled loosely, maintaining an accustomed form, others were tied with scratchy looking twine. But one of the scrolls was open, held flat by the weight of a heavy iron candle holder.

A curious Daphne pattered up to the discovery and crouched down, carefully placing her hands on her backside in an effort to maintain a modicum of modesty from the taxed limits of her purple dress hem. She settled the weight of her lithe form on bent toes that stretched against the reinforced threads of her pink pantyhose. Daphne could feel the heat of the candle on her shins and she rocked her weight backwards, careful not to get to close. She didn't want to singe the gossamer fragility of her nylons. It feels like I have been dressed impractically for mystery solving for over 50 years, thought Daphne to herself.

Resting her elbow on the supple stocking bearing flesh of her creamy thighs, she leaned forward and squinted at the unrolled parchment.

"Hmmm... some kind of... map?" Daphne murmured. There were crude drawings and markings, and even some text written on the page. The teenage sleuth's pink lips read along in an unconscious murmuring whisper as she studied the notes. The parchment appeared to be a treasure map, replicating the structure that she found herself in. If the words were true, legends stated that there was an ancient, long lost treasure hidden within the halls of this place. Here under the Museum of Natural History, there was a treasure of immeasurable value.

"How can it be that nobody knew about this after all this time? That nobody has found the treasure by now?" Daphne nibbled on her soft and plump lower lip, reading. It turns out that a group of guardians patrol the halls of this cave, ensuring that the existence of the treasure remains a secret.

"Guardians?" Daphne whispered breathlessly at the mention of that word. She felt suddenly nervous, exposed, and vulnerable. Suddenly she felt foolish in her stocking feet, the hosiery too sheer and frivolous. Her dress felt too short, impractical, and defenseless. Daphne felt the growing, gnawing, stomach pit feeling of being watched. She twisted her neck around, feeling her heart rate increasing, instinctively needing to check her surroundings, but certain she didn't want to discover that she was no longer alone.

"Jeepers! This place gives me the creeps!"