Eight year old Lily walked through the quiet hallways of the old grand estate.
The large house belonged to her grandmother, but today it felt unusually silent.
Lily carried her small yellow plastic hammer in her right hand.
She liked pretending to build birdhouses in the wide backyard.
Her mother, Clara, had been working in the ground floor study an hour ago.
Clara was organizing old family files and heavy wooden boxes full of letters.
Lily stopped near the back pantry where the floorboards always squeaked underfoot.
She heard a faint muffled thumping sound coming from directly beneath her feet.
Lily dropped her plastic toy and dropped down to her knees immediately.
Lily: Mommy?
She pressed her left ear flat against the cold wooden floorboards.
A soft voice called out from beneath the thick oak planks.
Clara: Lily, is that you?
Lily: Mommy, why are you under the house?
Clara: The old cellar door collapsed behind me!
Lily felt her tiny heart start to beat very fast.
She looked around the empty hallway for any adult who could help.
The long carpeted hallway was totally empty and silent.
Lily: Hold on, Mommy!
Lily picked up her small hammer and hit the metal hatch edge.
The dull thud echoed down the long empty corridor without opening anything.
She banged on the dark iron latch three more times with all her strength.
Tears began to gather at the corners of her brown eyes.
Lily: Mommy, please answer me!
From under the dark floorboards, Clara spoke in a shaky, gentle tone.
Clara: I am right here, sweetie, but the latch is jammed shut.
Lily: I cannot lift the heavy wood by myself!
Lily pulled on the iron ring with both of her small hands.
The heavy oak hatch did not move even a tiny fraction of an inch.
Her little fingers slipped off the cold, rough metal ring.
She began to cry softly while kneeling beside the closed hatch.
Footsteps suddenly echoed from the kitchen around the corner.
Sarah, the house custodian, walked into the hallway holding a soft white cloth.
She stopped instantly when she saw the little girl crying on the floor.
Sarah: Wait! Let me help you!
Sarah set her cleaning supplies down onto a nearby wooden chair.
She hurried down the hallway toward the frightened young child.
Lily: My mom is trapped underneath! Please save her!
Sarah gasped and knelt down beside the crying young girl.
She placed a gentle hand on Lily's shaking shoulder to calm her.
Sarah: Take a deep breath, Lily. Show me where she is.
Lily pointed her tiny trembling finger directly at the dark wooden hatch.
Lily: She is down there in the dark cellar!
Sarah pulled on the metal latch with a firm grip.
The rusty iron handle rattled loud, but the wooden door stayed closed.
Sarah: Clara, can you hear my voice down there?
Clara: Sarah, thank goodness you are up there!
Clara: A stack of old wooden crates fell against the ladder entrance.
Sarah: Stay calm, Clara. We will get you out right now.
Sarah looked up the hallway toward the butler's main office desk.
Sarah: James! We need your help in the main pantry hallway!
Heavy footsteps quickly approached from the front entry foyer.
James, the lead property manager, turned the corner with a serious face.
He saw Sarah and Lily kneeling over the closed floor door.
James: What is going on over here?
Sarah: Clara is locked inside the underground storm cellar below!