The Tunnels of Tarcoola (6 page)

‘Looks like it.' David swept his torch in a wide arc as he led them back. Martin scribbled busily, adding hexagons to his incomprehensible map.

They continued downwards. There were more tunnels cut into the sides of the passage, much like the first one. None of them extended for more than twenty metres or so. One led them only a few metres into the earth before rubble and loose earth blocked their path. The massive beams of wood which had once held the tunnel's shape seemed to have collapsed into a splintered heap.

‘I don't like the look of that,' said Andrea, a little shakily.

‘I wonder when it happened?' Kitty said to no one in particular.

‘Maybe we should stick to the stone tunnels,' said David. ‘I think they might last longer.'

The passage led steeply downwards now, twisting and turning. Suddenly David stopped short.

‘What is it?' said Kitty, peeping over his shoulder. ‘It hasn't caved in, has it?'

‘No. Look!' David stepped forward and turned his head, so that his torch beam swept around a huge cave. It was so high the ceiling was lost in shadows. The floor was fairly level, but in the middle it reared up in great rocky projections, like a maze of graceful pillars.

‘Cool!' said Andrea, pushing past the others. ‘It's an underground palace!'

They wandered into the chamber.

‘They're sort of like stalagmites,' said Kitty, stroking one of the pillars.

‘Right,' said David. ‘How do you remember which is which?'

‘Stalagmites
might
just grow up to the roof, and stalactites have to hold on
tight
.'

‘Oh, that's good. My grandfather taught me that stalagmites have a G for
ground
, and stalactites have a T for
top
.'

Andrea took several photographs, the flash lighting up the cave. The walls were honeycombed in places. Some of the hollows were obviously shallow, but many of them extended into darkness.

‘That's it,' she murmured. ‘I'd better not drain the battery.'

Martin was having some difficulty working on his map in the erratic light. Then he dropped a bombshell.

‘Umm, does anyone remember exactly where we came in?' he asked casually.

DAVID
opened and shut his mouth a few times, but nothing came out.

‘I thought you were making a map,' he said finally.

‘Yeah, but . . . ' Martin looked intently at his map. Andrea looked over his shoulder.

‘It doesn't give much away, does it?' she remarked.

‘Well, what about your knife, and marking our way?' Martin said accusingly to David.

‘I was going to, but you were all rushing around taking photographs.' He glared meaningfully at Andrea. ‘Being tourists.'

‘Let's have something to eat,' said Kitty brightly.

‘All right, but we'd better get untied first,' conceded Andrea.

They freed themselves and attacked the food, which Kitty had laid out on a flat rock.

‘Don't eat it all!' she warned. ‘We may have to go onto rations.'

Andrea scratched around in her bag and produced a candle which she balanced on the rock and lit. In the flickering light her face was ghostly. Kitty shivered.

‘There's something about this place,' she said. ‘We're not supposed to be here.'

David wandered around with the torch, trying to find the opening through which they had entered.

‘Look,' he said, coming back to the others. ‘I've found a possibility. I've made a mark there, anyway. We'll just have to have a look.'

‘Okay.' Martin threw away his apple core.

‘Martin!' Kitty's voice was stern. ‘Bring that back here.'

‘All right, Mum.' He retrieved the apple core and put it in the bag.

‘Aren't we going to get tied up again?' demanded Andrea.

‘Oh – I suppose we'd better.' David untangled the rope and tied it on securely, passing the end to Andrea. She did a double knot around her waist and passed it to Kitty and Martin.

‘Let's leave the candle burning here,' Andrea suggested.

They moved cautiously into the tunnel David had chosen. He started to have doubts almost immediately. It felt a little too narrow, and wound a little too tightly. Then suddenly it was broader and flatter.

‘Sorry,' said David. ‘Definitely not it.'

Martin pushed forward to look. ‘There wasn't a wide bit, was there?'

‘No, and it's very rough on the ground now.' David looked down, and his torch swept over rocks and loose stones. ‘I don't like this. Let's go back.'

He turned towards Andrea, and stumbled. A rock rolled under his foot, pitching him into the wall of the tunnel. The rope jerked, pulling Andrea off balance. There was a rumble and, with a flurry of loose stones, the ground opened up beneath her. Andrea screamed and disappeared.

The rope snapped tight around David's waist and his legs were jerked from under him. Face-down, scrabbling for something to cling to as Andrea's weight and momentum dragged him backwards, he could see nothing but a blur of rocks and stones on the ground beneath him. Then his torch went out.

He could hear dragging and scrabbling noises from the other side of the hole. Kitty was screaming ‘Andrea!' and Martin was screaming ‘Kitty!' Were they all sliding into the hole?

David managed to hook his arm around a rock that was not loose and the rope jerked tight around his waist. He could hardly breathe. He fumbled with his free hand for the switch.

‘Don't let me go!' called Andrea's plaintive voice.

‘Can you grab hold of something?' David said, straining to turn on the torch.

‘No!' She was obviously squirming around. The rope tightened around David's waist. ‘There's nothing here. Where's the light?'

Finally David flashed on the torch to reveal Martin and Kitty opposite. They were standing rigid and locked together, straining back against the rope.

‘How long do we have to hold on?' asked Martin, looking up at the light.

David swivelled his head. Between them, the floor had completely given way, leaving a hole about two metres across. The torch beam caught Andrea's pale face as she dangled in the middle.

‘Do you think you can pull her up?' called David.

‘Not while she's tied to you,' said Martin.

‘Get me out of here!' pleaded Andrea.

‘Shut up!' snapped David. ‘I'm thinking.' The rock was cutting into his arm. ‘Look, I'll have to cut the rope,' he said.

‘No!' screamed Andrea.

‘No, listen!' insisted David. ‘We can't all pull you up. We'd be pulling in different directions. Martin, are you sure you and Kitty can take the weight?'

‘It's the only way,' said Martin. ‘What do you think, Kit?'

‘Come on,' said Kitty. ‘Let's just do it.'

David groped for his knife, found it and sawed at the rope. It was difficult, because the rope was strong and the knife fairly blunt. At last he felt the fibres giving way.

‘Get ready!' he called. ‘It's going!'

He heard Andrea give a little gasp as the rope snapped, and the rattle of stones falling past her. Kitty and Martin dug in their heels and held on grimly as she thudded against their side of the hole.

‘Have you got her?' David flashed the torch.

‘Yes!' Martin was breathless. ‘Pull, Kitty!'

Slowly, agonisingly they edged backwards. Scrabbling sounds came from inside the hole. David came as close to the edge as he dared and shone the torch to guide Andrea as she scrambled for handholds. At last she pulled herself up and lay panting on the rocks.

‘Keep going!' urged David. ‘The edge might give way.' Andrea hastily crawled forward and joined Martin and Kitty, who had also sunk to the ground, weak with relief.

With shaking fingers David untied the rope from around his waist. He could still feel the pain where it had cut in.

‘Is everyone okay?' he asked.

‘Yeah. Thanks,' said Andrea.

David stood up and directed his torch beam into the gaping hole.

‘Have a look at this!' he said unsteadily.

The others edged closer to the hole and peered in. The torch beam travelled down through darkness. Far below, a few tumbled rocks reflected the faint light.

‘I think I'm going to throw up,' announced Andrea.

‘Wait a minute,' said Martin. ‘Can't you keep it still, Dave? There's something down there.'

David held the torch as steadily as he could. Something glinted at the foot of the shaft.

‘See that?' said Martin. ‘It's . . . like railway lines. Why would there be railway lines down here?'

‘Look,' interrupted David, ‘I hate to spoil the party, but I've got a bit of a problem here. Like where do I go now?'

He raised the torch and swept it around the edges of the hole. The whole floor of the tunnel between him and the others had collapsed, and there was obviously no way for him to climb back.

‘Maybe there's a way out on your side,' suggested Kitty.

‘I'll have a look.' David turned and shone his torch along the passage.

‘Hey, don't leave us in the dark!' Andrea cried.

‘Light one of your candles, then.'

Andrea groped in her bag, found a candle and lit it. The shadows flickered eerily.

David set off uneasily, testing the floor with every footstep. He didn't have to go far to find the tunnel blocked by a big rock-fall.

‘Can't get through that way,' he announced, coming back. ‘Not on my own. There's about a tonne of rock.'

‘Can we find some wood?' suggested Kitty. ‘Maybe we could make a bridge?'

‘There's no wood.' David had already made up his mind. ‘I'm going to jump across the gap.'

‘No, David, don't,' said Martin. ‘We'll go back and get help.'

‘It makes sense,' said David. ‘I can do it easily.'

‘Let's use the rope somehow,' insisted Martin. ‘We can pull you across . . . '

‘If it was you, you'd jump,' said David.

There was a silence.

‘Wouldn't you?'

‘Maybe, but . . . '

‘But Martin won the long jump at the sports carnival!' said Kitty.

‘Well, so he did.' David didn't quite succeed in keeping the tremor out of his voice. ‘I don't think I went in that event. About four metres, wasn't it, Marty?'

‘Four point four eight, actually,' said Martin reluctantly.

‘Right. Well, I'll need some light. Have you got any more candles?'

Andrea set up all her candles along the sides of the tunnel and across the edge of the hole and lit them solemnly. Kitty retreated back along the passage a little and sat down with her head on her knees. David moved to the edge of the hole and measured the distance across with his eyes, then paced out his run-up, counting.

‘You won't be able to see the edge on your side.' Andrea's voice quavered.

‘I can see it a bit. And I know how many steps.' David kept his voice steady. ‘Now, get back and give me room.'

Martin and Andrea backed along the passage to join Kitty. David turned the torch off and waited for a moment until his eyes were used to the candlelight. He could see their shadowy outlines ahead of him, his goal. Then he was running, his footsteps thundering in the confined space.

Kitty still had her hands over her eyes when he fell forward, gasping, almost on top of them.

‘Not too shabby!' Martin was grinning from ear to ear.

‘My takeoff could have been better,' said David shakily. ‘Do you think I should have another go?'

Kitty burst into tears. Andrea put an arm around her. The two boys blew out the candles and collected them all, then, with David's torch leading the way again, they made their way back to the vast cave.

‘Now all we have to do is find the right entrance,' said David.

‘Let's get into line, the way we were when we came in,' suggested Kitty.

‘What good will that do?' scoffed Martin.

‘You'll see.' They lined up, David first, followed by Kitty, Andrea and Martin.

‘Now, we'll walk around the wall until we find a passage that looks right,' said Kitty.

‘I think it's that one over there,' Andrea pointed.

They shuffled over to the opening.

‘Let's pretend we're just coming out of this passage,' said Kitty. ‘Turn around, David.'

They got into position. David swept the torch beam around.

‘Oh, I see,' said Andrea. ‘Those pillar things are too far to the left. They were more in front of us, weren't they? This is a good idea, Kitty.'

They worked their way around the wall until they found an entrance which seemed to be the right one.

‘This is it!' said Martin. ‘You're a genius, Kit!'

‘I know,' said Kitty modestly, following David into the tunnel. He stopped after a few steps, and she bumped into his back. ‘Ouch!'

‘Sorry, genius,' said David. ‘No go.' He shone his torch onto a solid stone wall in front of him.

‘Never mind,' said Andrea. ‘We're getting closer.'

After a few more false starts they found the way out. When they were sure of it, David went back and used his knife to scratch a big cross and an arrow by the entrance.

‘Now, let's get the ropes on again,' he said.

The others nodded vigorously, and they roped themselves together, checking the knots carefully. David led the way back along the passage to the shaft.

‘Umm, where to now?' he asked.

‘I wouldn't mind getting out of here for a while,' confessed Martin. ‘I could do with some fresh air.'

‘Yes,' agreed Kitty. ‘We can have a picnic in the garden with the rest of the food.'

They climbed up the shaft and made their way out of the cellar and into the garden of the Haunted House. The shadows were surprisingly long, but they found a sunny spot by a pond choked with water-lilies.

Andrea put her bag down, sat down on the edge of the pond and dabbled her hands in the greenish water.

‘I'm starving,' she said. ‘Have you got any more of those muesli bars?'

‘Andrea!' gasped Kitty, staring at her. ‘Your legs!'

Andrea's bare legs were streaked with blood from numerous cuts and scratches, and bruises were starting to develop. She held up her hands. Her fingers and wrists were a mess, covered with scratches.

‘It hurt when I was climbing out of the hole,' she said. ‘But then I forgot.'

‘Come back to our place,' suggested Kitty. ‘We've got some stuff to put on it, and bandaids . . . '

‘Nah, I'm all right. Mum's got some herbal stuff at home. I'll have a long, hot bath.'

They finished the food.

‘Are we coming back tomorrow?' asked David.

‘You bet,' said Martin.

‘We can't,' Kitty reminded him. ‘We're going to the Blue Mountains to see our cousins.'

‘Oh, why does that have to be tomorrow?' groaned Martin.

‘Well, I'll be back,' announced Andrea. ‘What about you, David? Are you up for it?'

‘Oh! Yeah, sure. How about eleven o'clock?'