• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

“Still hurts,” replies James. “Don’t worry, I’ll still help build the pile.” He feels a hand on his shoulder and turns to see Jiron looking at him.

“That’s not what I was meaning,” he says. “Just concerned is all.”

“I know,” James assures him.

They sit and rest until they’ve finished their dried beef and drank a small portion of their depleting water supply. “Ready?” Jiron asks. When James nods his head, they get up and begin to work on building a pile to reach the hole.

At first they work together on the larger chunks of stone to build the base. James’ hand prevents them from using the largest pieces but he’s at least able to assist Jiron in moving some of the medium sized ones.

Stone after stone, they move each to beneath the opening and the pile steadily rises. They even remove the door leading to the clogged stairwell and add it to the growing pile to add stability. When all but the small stones that would be of little use are gathered, Jiron climbs to the top and finds he is still four feet from the opening. The pile of stone isn’t stable enough to allow him to jump that far even with the use of the door. The top stone upon which he stands continuously threatens to slip off the pile at any second.

“Maybe we can work some stones out of the wall where it’s broken,” suggests James.

“Good idea,” replies Jiron as he works his way down from the pile.

James takes out his belt knife and walks over to the wall. Large chunks of stone are imbedded within the dirt. Using his knife, he begins working the stones out from the wall. When they are loose enough, Jiron takes them to the pile.

This process takes well over an hour before Jiron once again climbs the pile in an attempt to reach the hole in the ceiling. Once on the top, he stretches to touch the edge of the opening. His fingers are only six inches away this time. The rocks upon which he stands continue to shift and rock in a most unstable manner. Deciding to risk it, he jumps.

His hands grab the edge of the opening as the rock pile beneath him disintegrates. The force of his jump dislodges the carefully arranged pile of rocks causing half of it to slide and spill across the room’s floor.

James holds his breath as he watches him hanging there in the hole. Adjusting his grip, Jiron starts to pull himself up until his feet disappear over the edge. “I made it!” he hollers back down.

“Thank goodness,” breathes James with relief.

A few seconds later, the rope Jiron keeps coiled around his middle drops down through the opening. At the end of the rope he has made a loop. “Here,” he says. “Put your foot in the loop and I’ll pull you up.”

“Okay,” replies James and then climbs the pile of stone to reach the rope. Once at the top, he takes the rope in his good hand and sets his foot in the loop. “Pull it up,” he hollers when he’s ready.

The rope begins to be slowly drawn upward until the slack has been taken up. Then he holds onto the rope tightly as Jiron gradually pulls him up off the disheveled rock pile and toward the hole. He can hear Jiron’s grunts each time he pulls him a little bit further. When his head passes through the opening, he takes his good hand and pulls his upper body over the lip.

Jiron lets go of the rope and grabs him under the shoulders. In one strong tug, he pulls him completely over the lip and onto the next level. James cries out as the rough edge scrapes along his chest as he’s being dragged out of the opening.

Rolling on his back, James uses his uninjured hand to pull up the front of his shirt. The two orbs left in the room below wink out as another springs to life next to him. Looking at his chest, he finds three long scrapes several inches in length. Two are simply red, the third is beginning to well blood.

“Sorry about that,” apologizes Jiron.

James glances at him as he lowers his shirt. “They’re not bad, just stings a little,” he assures him.

“That’s good.” He takes the rope and unties the loop he made for James’ foot before coiling it once again around his waist.

The light from the orb reveals they are in another hallway,