Page 87 of Chained

A huge groan of braking metal and the squeal of protesting brakes ripped through the air and the elevator plummeted again. I scrabbled to keep my feet and my broken torch rolled into the side of my boot.

The elevator lurched sideways as one set of brakes gave and I fell to my knees. I slid backwards as the others rolled towards me too and the elevator lurched to a halt again.

A split second passed and we all glanced at each other before scrambling as quickly as possible up the metal incline towards the maintenance ladder.

Other than the hatch there was very little to grab hold of and my fingers scrabbled fruitlessly against the smooth metal roof as the rubber soles of my boots slipped behind me.

A high pitched whining started to fill the shaft, quietly at first but louder and louder as something protested under strain. It was loud enough to make my ears hurt and I wanted to stop and clap my hands over them.

Ker-thunk! With a rending heave, one of the cables snapped and whipped up away into the darkness of the shaft above us. The elevator lurched so that the opposite side was now lower and we all rolled that way. Ker-thunk! A cable on the other side snapped and flew up, out of sight. The elevator careered back again and we were flung in a heap of bodies.

Ker-thunk, Ker-thunk! Again we were propelled back and forth. I hit my shoulder on the raised edge of the hatch. There were only two cables left on each side. The elevator levelled out and I managed to get onto my hands and knees. The others had scrambled upright into similar positions.

I let out a breath, making a lock of my dark brown hair flutter before my eyes.

Vibrations rumbled up through my knees and palms where th

ey were pressed against the cold metal roof beneath me. I felt them in my elbows and hips and right through my spine.

Ker-thunk, Ker-thunk! The cables snapped, one in front of me and one behind. A whip of air passed by my face as the cables shot up into the darkness and the elevator plummeted beneath us.

It felt for half a moment as though I would be left behind and the elevator would disappear beneath me but then a swooping, sucking feeling filled my stomach and I knew I was falling.

Screams filled the air around me. One of them was mine. My hair was wrenched upwards and the air whipped around us as we plummeted down through the shaft.

It stopped with a massive crash and we were thrown down in a heap of tangled limbs.

"Is everyone ok?" Coal called out. His torch had gone off and we were left in darkness.

"No," Alicia replied with a grumble.

"I think I'm in one piece," Laurie said.

"Maya?" Coal called.

I heard him fumbling with something and the torch flickered back to life. Someone had landed on top of me and winded me badly enough that I couldn't speak. Coal was at my side in a moment, I saw him wince as he put weight on his right leg.

His hand twisted into my hair as he helped to prop me up and checked me over.

"I'm fine, just winded I think."

My elbow was throbbing too. I wriggled my fingers experimentally and was relieved to find no evidence of a break. Coal shone the torch above us. We had fallen down a further three floors before crashing to the bottom.

"I thought we were all dead," Alicia exclaimed. She clambered upright and brushed herself off.

"I think I might be," Laurie said, laying flat on the roof of the elevator and taking a huge shuddering breath. Coal pulled me to my feet, his eyes lingering on mine as he finished his examination.

"I'm fine too, thanks for checking," Alicia snapped at him.

"You're bullet proof Liss. I'm not gunna waste my time worrying about you," he replied.

"Or me apparently," Laurie huffed, rolling herself upright.

"Okay, okay - shut up now." Coal stepped away from me and slammed his boot down onto the hatch. It finally gave up and shattered into pieces.

Coal jumped down and thankfully, though it bounced a little, the elevator stayed firmly in place.

Chapter Twenty Nine