Chapter 16 - The Silent Guardian
As Lily stumbled through the maze-like basement of the tenement building, a hand suddenly reached out from the shadows and grabbed her arm. Lily opened her mouth to scream, but a large, rough hand gently covered her mouth. "Shh, little one. I’m not going to hurt you," a deep, raspy voice whispered. Out of the darkness emerged an old man with a long gray beard and eyes that sparkled with intelligence despite his ragged clothes. It was Old Samuel, the building's homeless caretaker whom everyone ignored.
