Remains, Part V

“Here,” Boaz said to his companion, handing him the rope that bore the lantern. “Tie this to one of those spikes.” He then took the other rope and climbed onto the sill of the large window that looked down on the shaft. He looked up, gauging the distance to the top of the ruined wall, then, holding onto one end of the rope, through rest of the coil over. It collapsed down on the other side and he quickly tied a knot, tested its strength, then dropped the remaining rope into the shaft.

“Unless these walls are worse off than we think,” he said, “this should hold us. You want me to go first?”

Shazer looked into the hole, then nodded slowly. Boaz grunted neutrally, then grabbed the rope and bounded into the shaft.

It was not wide and Boaz was able to brace himself between his feet and back. Slowly, he moved down, and when the wall at his back disappeared, he leaned against the rope and went quickly to the floor.

“I’m down,” he called up, then raised the lantern to survey the room.

It was a match in size to the room above, but it had no windows or immediate exits. The walls were heavily reinforced with thick, granite pillars, and the ceiling hung low with vaults. The dirt floor was cluttered large, barrels, shoved close together. The wood of the barrels did not look in good condition, and some of them were sagging or broken.

“Stagnation,” Shazer cursed as he came down.

“What is it?” Boaz said.

“I cut my hand,” Shazer said. The blood on his fingers looked tar-like in the muted light.

“How?” Boaz said, looking up. His companion was still wedged in the shaft.

“I touched the wall,” Shazer said. “These pores are as sharp as anything.”

“The pores?”

Shazer resumed his descent and when he was free from the rope, he held his hand under the lantern. Both men breathed in sharply. The skin on Shazer’s hand was torn badly, as though he had skidded along a rough road on his palms.

“The wall did this?” Boaz said. Shazer nodded.

“I have never seen granite like this,” he said, pointing with his mangled hand to the wall. “It looks as though it has been decaying, as though insects or other foul creatures have been eating away at it like a corpse.”

“Don’t say such things,” Boaz said.

“It is true,” Shazer insisted. Boaz grunted and shook his head.

“Such things should not be said aloud,” he said. “Especially this close to the….” He coughed.

“Let’s see to your hand,” he finished.