He was expecting to find some interesting artworks, ancient artifacts or a pile of unopened letters.
But as his flashlight brightened the room, he saw what was truly hidden in there. His heart was pounding in his chest and he was frozen with fear. He had to get away immediately.
Kyle took a few more photographs before he was satisfied. Even though he was hired by his friends to capture their housewarming party, he still wanted to act professionally.
After all, he’d been a fan of the arts since he was a child, and this mansion was too intriguing to pass up.
The halls of the Ybor house was dripping with interesting stories and a rich history.
He wandered off on his own and made his way to the basement. The former owners of the house left so many things for him to explore. As he made his way through all the piles in an attempt to photograph something interesting, he found a corroded door latch.
His interest was piqued and he was determined to find what was hidden behind the door. Moss-covered bricks lined the inside of the building.
He was overwhelmed by the strong smell of decay and mold. He was in awe. He felt like he was in heaven, however, he was unaware that his adventure would soon end abruptly.
His heart was beating with anticipation as he took each step slowly and methodically.
He took as many pictures as he could. His bright flash illuminated the dark space. He was drawn by the mystery that lied before him. He let off another flare as he crept inside the new chamber. Once he stepped inside he could feel many eyes staring back at him…
They were flat and dreary. The faces were pallid with black blotches on them.
His hand slipped and the camera fired off taking an innumerable amount of images as he let out a cry. He swung around and dashed into the tunnel, trying to not look back. He could not believe that there were individuals residing there! When he arrived at the entrance, a group of people were already waiting for him.
He was welcomed by his friends. They heard his cries and got concerned. He showed them the secret tunnel that he stumbled upon.
He felt completely stunned. He saw people in there! He gave his camera to his acquaintance in order for him to locate something with which to barricade the door. The remainder of the group clustered around the screen, looking at the images. One of them let out a gasp.
“You saw this down there? You sure?” his friend said with concern in his voice.
There were also two letters beneath each photo. One photograph in especially helped him comprehend why the authorities were on their way. It made him want to get away from it all.
One of the accidental photos showed the far end of the room was collapsed.
Since it was on their property and could still cave in the rest of the way, it wasn’t safe for anyone to venture in again. The next day, when the cops finally arrived, there was another surprise waiting.
The officers immediately sealed up, but it wasn’t just for the family’s safety.
It took months of research, phone calls, and dead ends before he had enough to form an interesting theory he had to share with everyone.
There was an old brewery only a few streets away from where their friends had bought the house.
The idea was that the tunnels were there as safe ways to bring in supplies during prohibition. As for the sketches on the wall, he was still only left with guesses.
They could have been brewery smugglers, maybe even warnings of who to stay away from.
Since he wasn’t allowed to go back into the room, all he could do was press on. Had now had a new hobby, besides photography. Somehow, he was going to solve this mystery.