Crude Sunlight 1 (14 page)

He fell, once, twice, and almost failed to rise after the third. Limping and hobbling he moved on, till a distant echo stopped him. He stood still, alert and frozen, sure that he had imagined the sound. It came again, a distant echo from above, his name, and with a cry he tried to run toward it, ascending a spiral staircase and then calling out calling out in a hoarse, wild voice as his flashlight flickered and almost died. He smashed it against his palm and it burst into brilliance once more, powerful and bright.

"Thomas," called a voice. Julia. Then he saw her, standing at the base of a flight of steps, one hand on the rail as if afraid to let go, her flashlight blinding him as he ran toward her. "Thomas, is that you?"

He didn't answer, instead grabbing hold of her arm as he passed and pulling her after him, mounting the steps with trembling legs. He had to get out. He had to get away. Julia was protesting loudly behind him, but he didn't listen. He had a vague impression of peeling wallpaper, of dark doors flitting past him. His feet pounding the floor. Sunlight. Coming in through the rent in the far wall. He stumbled over the littered bricks and then he was out, fresh air and sunlight on his face.

Thomas dropped the flashlight, and walked slowly forward, breathing deeply, inhaling the cold air with powerful gasps. He felt dizzy and disoriented.
Henry. Where was Buck?
Julia was by his side, her hand on his shoulder, and then he was leaning over, hands on his knees, eyes closed. If he could just catch his breath. If he could just focus, for a moment, on what had to be done. One what the next step should be. But he couldn't.

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