Episode #36 Continuing through to the Chinese Voices you are hearing...

“So, you are saying that all those stories of Chinese immigrants living underground in tunnels, our parents use to talk about were true?” Jordan calmly answers, “Yes I remember those stories, they were horrific! I still can’t imagine being banned from Canada. Doesn’t seem like that is what our country stands for.”

“Yes, I must agree. Not only did our government ban the Chinese from Canada, dividing families, but they put a head tax on them. First fifty dollars, then it went up to one hundred dollars and lastly going up to five hundred dollars when prohibition happened! Plus, the highest amount being more than what they could make in a year.”

“Plus, they all ran and hid underground if they weren’t legal immigrants. Building tunnels to live in! That’s simply crazy!”

“Jordan, I remember your Dad talking about how they built the underground tunnels between buildings, giving them warmth because of the basement walls being on either side of the tunnels. How only those who were already legal with a business such as a laundry shop, a restaurant or a retail operator felt safe enough to live above ground. Most of the Chinese immigrants had a family in China they were not able to have contact with.”

“Yes regrettably, I remember how sad that was to hear. Seeing it feels even more sad to me.” “Jordan I couldn’t agree with you more! I also remember him saying how those who had a laundry shop above ground, or a restaurant, or a retail shop had a secret door giving access for building tunnels to live in under the Railway Station, allowing entrance to a shed to come and go and not be seen.”

As you both are walking through the tunnels, you imagine what it would be like to live in such a place when you notice where the Chinese voices are coming from. Seeing about a dozen Chinese men gathered in a small area. “OMG Jordan, look at all those younger Chinese men washing clothes in a basin of water, using lye soap and a washboard. Look at how bright red their hands are, and all those open wounds on every knuckle!”

“That looks like it is very painful. Didn’t my Mom say something about how lye soap will eat your skin away?”

You both continue walking through the tunnels completely in awe watching how these poor Chinese people have to live. Further down from where clothes were getting washed you and Jordan stumble on to a second group of about ten younger men working, also in laundry, this time they are ironing clothes.

Now, with somberness filling your body, “Jordan, remember how our parents explained that the next level up in laundry was doing the ironing?” Jordan instantly responds, “Yes, but didn’t they end up still burning themselves?”

“That is absolutely true. I remember Mom explaining how an iron was made from charcoal back then and would need to be heated over a coal fire to be able to have it iron anything. A lot different then what we have now, that’s for sure.”

You both walk through the ironing area, you conclude, it must be much warmer than any other part of the Chinese section. Most likely due to needing a coal fire to heat the irons. This group of men seem happier, or maybe it is just less pain in their eyes. You are not sure as you continue walking along, watching them move back and forth between the coal fire and back to iron a piece of clothing.

“Look how they are sweating, Jordan! I guess by all rights it is much better then working with lye soap. I can’t imagine having to heat up your iron at least five times, just to iron a shirt. Horrific is right!”

Jordan starts walking, “Didn’t our parents say something about a folding level. The best level of laundry, other than being a legal immigrant and having a laundry shop.”

“Yes, I remember them talking about that, maybe we should see if we can find that too?” Excitement bubbling, “That sounds like a great idea! Hey, didn’t our Dad talk about some bootlegging and opium dens?”

“Oh yes, he sure did! Remember it had something to do with gangsters running the booze through the tunnels and working with the Chinese, since both were hiding from the cops? I bet that would be who we saw back there.”

Pointing behind you. Jordan chuckles, “Didn’t those gangsters say something about meeting in the opium den tonight?” Chuckling back, “They sure did! Maybe we will see them again. Do you remember the story of what the opium den was first used for?”

Jordan answers, “If I remember right, it was used for the Chinese, so they didn’t feel the pain as much, if at all. Then they became addicted to it, making it impossible for them to ever get out of the tunnels.”

"That sounds right to me. Wow we came to a T-junction which way should we go?" Jordan is quick to answer, “Right please!”

You turn right and walk a truly short distance, entering into what seems to be a bedroom of sorts. There are built in bunkbeds on every wall, with a table in the center of the room. Then you see them, Chinese men crawling out of the beds and using a bong to smoke opium. “Well, I don’t think we found the folding room.”

You both make your way out of the den, ending up in yet another tunnel leading to an area that has the ripe smell of stale booze. There along one wall sits wooden whiskey barrels wrapped with metal clamps, one on the top half, a second on the bottom half.

At least ten in a row, all side by side, empty bottles in crates next to them just waiting to be filled. Then you hear voices from a distance. Its two men talking to each other. One is saying, come on we need to get out of here before the cops come! The other is agreeing, you then see them running down yet another tunnel.

“Hum, Jordan did you see those gangsters running that way? Let’s follow them to see where they go.” Jordan already heading in the gangsters directions saying, “Come on! Let’s go!”

You both follow close behind the gangsters watching them race through tunnels going different directions and stopping at another T-junction looking both ways and heading left. Once catching up, you look around the corner of the left side into darkness. When looking to your right you see another room, one that catches your interest.

You turn back to Jordan, “Look what I found! The folding room! Let’s check it out!” Jordan follows close behind, “Wow! This sure is a lot nicer place to work, then the other places we have seen!”

Walking into the folding room gives off a form of kindness, seeing a much nicer area, almost like it is not a part of the tunnels. There are tables to use for folding the clothes, there is even a place to hang suits and jackets, even hangers to use and real walls. You notice a small door on the back wall half hiding behind hanging clothes. Making your way over you pulling it open, behind is a wall, reminding you of those other walls that flipped you around.

Anxiously, you share with Jordan, “I found another secret doorway, come here help me lean on it. Let’s see where it takes us.” A little hesitant Jordan agrees, “This is crazy! But whatever let’s see what happens!”

The two of you lean your backs on the wall, sure enough it flips you right around like the other ones had. You find yourselves in the back room of a laundry shop, you can hear whispers coming from the front of the shop. You both walk through the back entrance way up to the front, to find what looks like a Chinese husband and wife doing their job as laundry shop operators.

“Well Jordan, I guess this proves that the Legal Chinese immigrants were a part of the tunnels being made and supporting those who were illegal immigrants. Shall we head back and check out that last tunnel and see where those gangsters went?”

“Great idea, maybe we will even find our way out of here!” With curiosity in your voice, “Oh, yes I wonder where that secret door is that fits the Golden Key! We need to find that pretty soon I bet.”

The two of you make your way back to the wall, lean on it with your backs and flip yourselves back into the folding room. From there you head down the tunnels you witnessed the gangsters run down. It doesn’t take long before you find yourself in an exceptionally large area, big enough to be someone’s home.

A few hints are there for you both to find, imprints in the dirt where people have sat and laid down. Some rags sit in the corner and a kettle in another corner. Straight across the room is another tunnel, you walk up to it, peeking around the corner finding it only goes straight. Jordan’s voice breaks your thought process.

“What did you find now? Another tunnel?” Jordan laughs and takes a look for herself. “You bet Ya! Let’s go, maybe this will get us out of here!” You head down the tunnel without a further thought. Jordan is sure to follow right behind!

It seems to take some time before you come to the end of the tunnel, finding a ladder heading up to above ground. When climbing the ladder, you are met with a heavy round cement covering. It takes both of you to lift it, entering into what looks like a small shed with nothing in it. When pushing the door open you find yourself in a Railway Yard?

Jordan reaches from behind you helping to push the door open with excitement! “I really hope we are back to reality.” Agreeing, giving a swift push of your own, adding a little prayer, “Please take us back to real time!”

As you are peeking around the edge of the door, “Crap Jordan I was hoping we would be back to real time not in a Railway Station Yard!” You can hear the sad voice of Jordan, “Me too!”

Your foot hits the dirt, Poof! To your surprise you are now standing in the center of the Village. Everything around you still looks the same, even the girl and the woman still hover, above the ground, in their own little section of the village footpath. All the buildings are still dilapidated with weeds encompassing them.

You take another step, looking back for Jordan, with fear in your voice you call out, “Jordan are you still with me? Jordan if you can hear me step on the dirt! JORDAN!” You begin to think you have lost Jordan.

Then you hear the confused voice of Jordan, “What? How did we end up here? Are we back to reality now?” With a slight you laugh, “I sure hope so! Everything pretty well looks the same to me. That was quite the journey we just went through.” Jordan stands next to you, “I must agree, still I’m not quite sure how we ended up back in time. Or back here for that matter!”

You start walking, “Me neither but it was fun. How about that secret door? Let’s hope time didn’t change here, we need to find the door! It is starting to get dark out, better get a move on finding it! Where should we look?”

“Well from here we should maybe look through the lodge or maybe the recreational room, they are the closest buildings with doors.” “You think it will be a regular door, door? Jordan? It did say something about being a secret door, maybe its not just a regular everyday door?”

So now what are you going to do? With two choices to make which episode are you interested in opening?

IF YOU THINK YOU CAN FIND THE SECRET DOOR IN THE LODGEG OPEN EPISODE #14

IF YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN FIND THE SECRET DOOR IN THE RECREATIONAL CENTER OPEN EPISODE #15

Enjoy and have Fun! Good Luck to All!

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