I glanced at the sun. It was still plenty high which meant I had a decent amount of time before I had to be home. I knew I hadn’t been in the comic shop long, but it had taken even less time than I had realized.
Which such an opportunity available to me, I decided to take another route home. It was time I learned a bit more about my neighborhood. That’s the excuse I told myself anyway. In truth, the necklace I’d just found was calling to me. It wanted to show me something, and I felt obligated to obey. Magical trinkets frequently had that effect on me. I didn’t find them often, but when I did, they came to me for a reason. More times than not, that reason was so I could deliver it to someone else.
I followed the road back toward the house until the first intersection I came to. Recognizing the street name, I knew if I turned right it would have taken me straight to June’s school. I hadn’t walked that way before, but I didn’t expect to find much. The amulet was pulling me left.
It was a rundown block, ending at a steep hill that separated a set of train tracks from the general public. A street ran parallel, separated by a tall chain-link fence.
Reaching the end, I turned right and kept walking. I’d passed this little road many times when Mom took us to the store but hadn’t paid it much more attention than that. It set back behind everything else and considering it was immediately before the viaduct, it seemed like it would be a pain to access from the main road.
Following my silent guide, I walked up the steady incline. Reaching the top, I realized why nobody really used this road. It was only about three blocks total in length but was only accessible from the main road and the side street I’d entered from. The far end, the end I was reaching now, went into what I could only guess was an old train yard.
A concrete barrier blocked access by vehicle, and a dilatated guard shack sat just on the other side where an old manual crossing gate sat closed and neglected with time. Both the barrier and the guard shack were covered in graffiti of various color and artists. Wherever the necklace was taking me, it was clearly beyond this point.
I paused just outside the barrier and glanced around. There were no security cameras within sight and the last house I’d passed was nearly half a block back. If someone lived there, and I highly doubt it, they didn’t seem to pay me any mind. My decision made, I skirted the barricade and slipped past the tall fence and into the yard.
I saw almost instantly why they’d placed the barrier at the entrance. Black tire marks of varying thicknesses and densities marred the surface as far at the eye could see. Some were wild spiral shapes where people had done donuts. Others were paired in straight lines that tapered off at one end or the other. This had been a place of burnout contest, races, and general vehicular fun at some point. And judging by the amount of litter and broken beer bottles, it had gotten out of hand a time or two.
I heard one of the ever-frequent trains squealing down the tracks off to my left. I’d been annoyed by the constant noise when I first arrived, but I was starting to grow accustomed to it. Glancing over, I noticed the three sets of tracks that crossed the bridge over the main road. They were adjoined but separate to this yard. I was grateful for that. The last thing I needed was to have someone call the cops on me for trespassing.
Old trains were scattered throughout the yard, seemingly stripped of anything valuable some time ago. A few metal buildings rested here and there, doors broken or missing. One in particular was little more than a frame, all the tin siding having been taken.
Overall, I’d found a pretty cool place to explore when the option presented itself.
Following the pull, I came to another concrete barricade, only this one wasn’t blocking access. It was guarding a recess into the ground. I made my way around discovering another one on the other side. Between the two, and at the bottom of a short set of stairs was a steel door. It had been painted green at one time but was now mostly rust. It reminded me of one of the old storm shelters, only this one was stronger than any of those I’d seen.
I made my way down the stairs, the necklace leading the way. The bottom landing was covered in leaves, broken sections of old foam cups, cigarette butts, and empty beer cans. Judging from the surprising lack of vandalism, much of this appeared to have blown in from the wind.
Carefully, I crossed the debris and reached the door. I could feel a power on the other side, calling to the necklace, and by extension, me. Inspecting the rusted barrier, I noticed an old style doorknob, though I wasn’t sure how old it was. It certainly didn’t look like anything I’d seen before. But there was one element that I could recognize.
At the center of the knob, where a key would normally go, there was a recess about the same shape and size as my amulet. I wondered if it could really be that easy.
Extending the small device, I pressed it into the knob. To my surprise, it clicked into place. Carefully, and extremely cautiously, I turned the knob and the door creaked open.