This time, the sound was unmistakably hollow, echoing through the ground in a way that made his skin prickle. Walter froze, heart hammering, realizing the mystery he’d lived beside for a decade was about to reveal itself, whether he was ready or not.
Walter knelt beside the newly exposed surface, brushing away clumps of damp soil with shaking hands. Beneath the crust of earth, a sharp corner emerged. It had a rusted edge that caught the light in a dull, reddish glint. It was unmistakably metal and certainly old.