Chapter 45
FORTY-FIVE
The entrance to the cave was almost completely blocked by rocks and landfall. Ernie was standing next to Morgan with his hands in his pockets. There was a gap that was big enough to squeeze through but only if she could contort herself the right way.
‘What do you think?’ he asked her.
She shrugged. ‘I don’t know, it looks kind of hard to get through that. How would you drag somebody through if they were unconscious or fighting back? It’s not big enough.’
‘I don’t know, but do you want to check it out in case they did manage it or if they went in there to hide by themselves and got hurt?’
She nodded. ‘Be stupid not to after coming all this way. Is it safe?’ She was thinking about the guy over a hundred years ago who had gone in there on a hike and ended up being crushed to death.
He shrugged. ‘I think so, it doesn’t look like there’s been any landfall for a very long time, and it doesn’t look any different from the last time I was here a couple of years ago.
I don’t think I can get through that gap though, Morgan.
If you go in, you’re going to have to go in alone.
My back is pretty knackered; I just about made it down here without it giving out and it’s the main reason I had to give up volunteering for Mountain Rescue.
If I try and squeeze through that I’m not going to be able to make the ascent back up to the top.
I might not even make it back out of the cave. ’
Morgan stared into the blackness that seeped out of the gap and closed her eyes.
Every horror film she’d watched that had a cave in it filled her mind.
The Descent had been terrifying with those cave-dwelling creatures, and she really didn’t want to go in there alone, but she had no choice.
She opened her eyes. ‘I’m okay, I can do it.
You wait here and if I get stuck or anything happens, can you ring nine nine nine and tell them our exact location. ’
He nodded. ‘I’m not being funny, Morgan, but you better not get stuck or hurt yourself.
I really like your aunt Ettie and I don’t think she’d ever forgive me if that happened, so maybe just take a quick look inside and then straight back out.
Don’t go exploring in there, because for one thing, you don’t have a hardhat, ropes or the right equipment to do that.
You are literally going to squeeze through the gap and shine your torch around then straight back out. ’
She smiled at him. ‘You sound like my boss, Ben. That’s exactly what he would say.’
‘Good, then perhaps you might listen to me. I have it on good authority that you struggle to sometimes do what’s best for you and always put others first. Which is very honourable, but sometimes in situations like this it’s always your own safety first and then you get the help you need to do the job properly, if you get what I’m saying. ’
‘Yes, squeeze through, have a look and get the hell out. If those two women are in there, I will tell them help is on the way and then get the help. I got you, Ernie.’
‘Good, because I don’t want to be hexed by Ettie. I know you are her most precious thing and if she knew I was about to let you do this alone she would hex me for sure. This is between us; don’t tell her I let you go in alone.’
‘I promise, I won’t get you in trouble, Ernie. I appreciate you bringing me here. Why did you say yes when you’re in pain with your back? I could have found someone else eventually.’
He paused. ‘Because Ettie asked and I didn’t want to let her down.
I also didn’t want to let you down, or those women.
It’s the right thing to do. I can go home take two paracetamol and put a heat pad on my back, but those girls may be running out of time, and I wouldn’t want to live with that on my conscience.
Just be careful for both of our sakes.’ He winked at her, and she grinned at him.
‘I promise.’
She began to climb up the rocks to the gap and thought how much she liked Ernie.
How amazing it would be for Ettie to have a loving, warm relationship and good company instead of being alone all the time.
She reached the opening, relieved that reaching it hadn’t been as hard as it looked and pulled the torch out of her pocket.
It was darker than a black hole inside of that space, and she swallowed the lump of fear that seemed to have lodged itself in the back of her throat.
She had thought the killer had to be strong if the girls were hidden here, but now she realised he’d have to fit through these gaps too.
What sort of person were they looking for?
Switching the torch on she shouted, ‘Hello, is anyone in there?’ Her voice echoed back to her as she squeezed through the gap, bending herself at a funny angle to get through it. She felt her back groan as she pushed herself inside, her entire body consumed by the darkness.