She nodded in the dark. 'Just get me out of here, I've never been so scared in my entire life.'
'Take my gloves,' Matt said. 'They will help you get back up.' He took Suzie's hands gently, helped her tug on the working gloves. Matt led her to the rope, almost banging her head with the long nose of the NV goggles. Strange contraption, but remarkably effective. Matt thought,
The girl found the rope. Matt guided her feet to the first foot holds. He looked up and described the climb as best he could. He put his hands on her waist and gave her a good start up the wall, then stepped back.
'Just keep going, Suzie. You'll see the sunlight soon. If you have to stop and rest, take your time. I've got some gear on, I can see okay down here.'
Matt decided not to tell her he hated spiders.
Eventually the girl reached the top, Matt could hear the boy screaming for joy. Matt tested the rope and began to climb back up. Without the gloves, it cut deeply into his hands, but they were calloused from years of physical labor. He kept his eyes on the rock face, just to make sure nothing slimy or furry was planning on a sudden assault. Boards and rock groaned and moaned around him. The walls were closing in. Matt felt claustrophobic. He wanted to get the hell out of the place before something else collapsed. He was born for the mountains, not for a dark cave in the desert.
As he reached the top, the world went white. Matt suddenly couldn't see!
He cursed, almost let go off the rope. He'd forgotten to turn off the goggles. The sudden appearance of sunlight at the top momentarily blinded him. Matt found foot purchase in the rock. He let the NV goggles dangle around his neck. He blinked feverishly then kept his eyes closed for a while. His muscles trembled. White spots gradually turned dark again. Matt opened his eyes. His vision had returned to normal. Satisfied, he climbed the rest of the way out. Relieved and panting, Matt rolled out into the hot sand.
'Mister, we are so damned grateful I can't tell you!'
Matt sat up. The miner had crawled away and was sitting near a cactus, cradling his claw hammer. Matt waved, 'Sorry about that, mister.'
'It wasn't my fault,' the man said. A crafty look crossed his pocked features. 'That evil Dark Man did it, pushed her down there. He does all kinds of bad shit.'
Matt Cahill felt a chill in his bones.
Before he could ask any questions, the two teens started screaming and waving. Someone was coming from the highway. Their father at long last. He was driving a battered white police cruiser.
It said
