Blind Descent

In the scattering light, A

"That's the tricky part alluded to earlier," Holden said. A

"What's he doing?" The words gusted out, and A

"There's no place to be, and the Wormhole's so tight it's sort of pay-as-you-go. He's changing ropes. Hooking onto the rebelay. He'll let himself loose a little bit at a time as he gets that part of himself into the hole. The hard bit is feeling for the Gibbs down at your feet. Sort of like tying your shoelaces when you're halfway down a python's throat."

Iverson squirmed a moment more, A

"Removing the foot ascenders," Holden said. "Last link."

Abruptly, the hands were sucked back into the limestone. The boots followed. All that remained to indicate that any life-form had ever existed was the gentle swaying of the rope.

"He's good," Holden said admiringly. "The man is good. He could thread himself through all four stomachs of a cow and never even give her the hiccups."

A

"Not yet. Oscar will holler when he's ready. There's no room to turn around in the Wormhole. He's got to crawl on up a little ways. There's a chimney. He'll go up, spin himself about, then come back down so he can get the gear and pull you in. One of you guys will do the same for me.

"The creepy-crawly part of the hole's fifty feet or so." Holden answered A

A

"All set." The words reverberated across the chasm, and A

"Now you next," Holden said. "Have fun." He smiled and she smiled back, glad to know him, glad to have him with her. Holden Tillman's smile was better than a bottle of Xanax.

A

"Looks good," he said when she had finished. "See you on the other side."

A

Closing her eyes, she forced herself to relax, let the rope and metal take the weight. After a steadying breath, she began again her crippled walk, this time with more success. The rope inclined, tension increased, the cams locked and unlocked fluidly. Much to her amazement, she found she was enjoying herself. Deep in the bedrock of the Southwest, and she was probably as high as she'd ever climbed. She laughed aloud and hoped Holden wouldn't mistake it for hysteria.

The ascent was over too soon. Head against the wall, feet over the rift, she dead-ended. By craning her neck she could look back far enough to see the opening she was supposed to get into. It was nothing snort of miraculous that Iverson had managed it without aid. She felt utterly helpless.

"Oscar?"

"Right here." An ungloved hand, looking sublimely human, came out several inches above her face and the fingers waggled cheerfully. "Put your arms over your head like you're diving."

It took a minor act of will, but A

Now's not a good time, she warned herself. "What next?" she asked, needing to move.

"Is your rear end in?"

"Feels like it."

"Okay. There's space to your right. You're going to have to stretch over, reach down, and let loose your foot ascenders."

A

"Left is harder, but you're short and flexible," Iverson said encouragingly.

A

"Get your body as straight as you can," Iverson told her. She squirmed her bones into a line. Every movement was dogged by difficulty. Clothing and gear caught and dragged. Her hard hat pulled, choking then blinding her. Fear built. She began to count in her head to drown out the distant buzz of panic, a sound like a swarm of angry bees.

"Okay. Good. Grab my knees and pull yourself the rest of the way in."

A

"Watch your light!"

She stopped just before she rammed his groin with the apparatus. "Caving is not conducive to human dignity," she grumbled.