The Hole

30

Fred and Sarah ran, hand in hand, just behind Charlie and Ellen Simmons. They met no resistance in the form of demons, but had more than enough to cope with from falling debris, shifting footing and a blast of noise from below that threatened to deafen them.

Weemean. Weemean.

It was only good luck and Charlie’s foreknowledge that brought them up and out into tunnels that were in better shape, better able to cope with what seemed to be an imminent collapse.

A new tremor hit, a big one, causing Sarah to stumble and fall against him. As he helped her up, she looked him in the eye, then kissed him, hard, on the lips.

“You’re stuck with me now, you know that, right?”

Fred kissed her back.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, darling. Let’s get out of here and get our lives started.”

They fled upward, into the light. Behind them the whole mine system began to collapse in on itself. They turned a final corner and emerged into watery morning sun, just as the tunnel fell in behind them with a soft crump and a puff of dust.