Just after three pm

The entrance to the caves was open, as in wide open. Sorrell checked her phone and again saw that there was no signal still. She cursed and debated heading back, but given that there had only been Lena’s car, she should be on her own.

The caves were as she remembered; glittering quartz embedded in the rock and formations that looked like they were from a fairy tale. Unfortunately, as Sorrell knew, most fairy tales were steeped in darkness: children abandoned in woods, a girl imprisoned in a tower, a baby promised to a bad fairy, wicked stepmothers… who needed real life or computer games to give you nightmares?

She wandered through, finding no one around, using her phone as a torch to see where she was going and scan each room.

“Lena?” she said, hearing her voice echo back. “Lena, if you’re here, say something so I can find you?” Her phone wasn’t enough but she recalled the torch that hung near every doorway. Shining the light, she found the one closest and switched it on, the room automatically much brighter.

The door, the one she hadn’t been through, that led further into the cave network under the peaks was open. She edged towards it, her heart pounding and her head tightening.

“Lena?”

Still no answer, just the faint sound of running water. Zack had mentioned an underground river, but it didn’t sound loud enough for that, however she had no idea how close it was.

“Lena?” she said again, resolved that if she heard nothing, she would head out, drive down the hill and as soon as she had reception on her phone she’d call Zack. He would move a mountain for her. She knew that, but it was only right now she understood it.

Half lost in a thought about the man waiting for her in town, she almost didn’t hear the slight whimper in the corner.

“Lena?”

“Sorrell?”

Her voice was weak but it was definitely Lena.

Sorrell moved the torch about the chamber and saw Lena almost folded in two, her pallor visible even in the dim light.

“What’s happened? Where is he? We need to get you out of there…” Her next words were obliterated by a loud, heavy thud that seemed to shake the world around them. Rocks started to fall from the ceiling, spraying her head and shoulders with small particles, a larger one catching the side of her head.

Lena shook her head. “He’s gone. He said he was coming back. You need to get out of here!” Her sobs were starting to become hysterical and Sorrell could understand why. They needed to get out.

She half ran to Lena, trying not to shine the torch directly in her face. “Can you tell me where you’re hurt?”

Lena nodded then shook her head. “My head. I got out of the car and he must’ve hit me from behind. And my leg. I think it’s broken. I can’t move it.”

Sorrell shone the torch further down and saw how awkwardly Lena was holding her leg. She was going to have to carry her out.

“Okay. This is going to hurt. But it’s only a five-minute walk back to the entrance.” Five minutes over rocky, uneven ground that was slippery and badly lit.

“I’m too big, you won’t manage it. I’ll be fine here—go phone Zack or Alex…”

Sorrell crouched down. “I don’t know what’s happened, but if I leave you here he may come back. This is going to hurt, but I need you to put your hands on my shoulders and help me get you up.”

Lena reached out, her hands shaking. “Then how will you carry me?”

“A fireman’s lift,” Sorrell said. “But I’ll need you to hold the torch and try to shine it so I can see where I’m going. Hands on?” She looked at Lena, the torch light from the floor just about illuminating her pained expression. “Stand up on three. Keep your weight on your good leg. One, two, three…”

As she stood, there was aloud cracking noise and then the rumbling of rocks as they started to fall through, breaking down the fairy tale formations and leaving a nightmare.

Lena clung onto her, her small frame shaking and tears soaking her face and Sorrell’s shoulder.

Sorrell didn’t say anything, there was no way she’d be heard above the sound of rocks sliding. She guessed it was the chamber next door, the one before the door to get beyond the caves the public would visit. The one they would need to get through to escape.

Present time

Zack took a look at Sorrell’s car as they headed to the entrance to Griff’s Cavern. Or where the entrance was. There was no doubt that this was where she was; her car and Lena’s were parked outside, a fine layer of snow covering them.

“Are you going to be of any use or are we carrying you?” Wes Hackett, the co-ordinator of Severton Search and Rescue looked at him, hard hat on his head with the torch switched on. “If it were me and my girl was in there, I’d need sedating right now. I just need the truth.”

It had taken twenty-five minutes. That was it. No explanations, because there were none at this time. All they knew was that Sorrell and Lena were in the caves.

Or on the hillside.

He wasn’t sure which was worse.

“I’m not going to be carried,” Zack said. “I’ll do as I’m told.”

“Then I’m keeping you with Alex because he can punch you if you’re going to do anything stupid. Right,” Wes said. “Problem one: the cave entrance is blocked by about ten foot of snow. It needs clearing.”

“Can I make a suggestion?” Alex said.

“Anytime.” Wes gave him a nod.

“The second entrance is two miles away. I know it’s going to be a rough trek to get up there, but I think we should go in that way as well. We suspect there’s a rock fall inside—we might not be able to get to them this way depending where it is,” Alex said.

“How certain are we there’s been a rock fall? I get what Alex is saying, but…” Scott said.

“The university have been monitoring movement,” Wes said. “I had a message this afternoon. The readings they got suggested that there had been a heavy rock fall, most likely caused by the heavy movement of snow around three pm. I agree with Alex. Let’s go in through the second entrance. There’s been no thaw, so there shouldn’t be any flooding, but depending where they are, you may need to cross through the river.”

“What’s the depth at the moment?” Alex said.

Zack had no idea how he was keeping his head.

“Four feet at most,” Wes said. “But cold. Take full rescue gear.” He turned back to Zack. “Are you sure you can do this?”

Zack wasn’t, but he wasn’t sure he could do nothing either. “I’ll take the second entrance.” He needed the hike.

Wes gave him a curt nod. “Alex, you, Zack, Scott, Mitch and Ludd—second entrance. We’ll carry on getting this snow off so we can get through. Keep in touch.”

And that was it.

There could be no try.

Two hours ago

Silence had often been described as golden, and now Sorrell understood why. It had been twenty minutes since she’d last heard a rock fall. She hoped that meant things above them had stabilised, although she knew that it might not be the case. There would be weight on areas where it had not been before.

She’d managed to move Lena through a narrow gap into the next chamber, one that was definitely closer to the water, so they were further away from where the roof had collapsed. This chamber had contained formations that were almost like mini-caves, meaning there was a thick layer of stone above their heads.

Lena was scared and in pain. Sorrell had noticed a nasty gash on the back of her head from where she had been hit. She was rambling at times, telling stories of her parents and the church, none of which made sense.

Sorrell had slipped into professional mode, knowing she would keep her head if she could be in the role of therapist rather than someone who was in a place she didn’t understand and was scared of.

“I’m cold,” Lena said, shivering.

The cave was cool, but not as cold as outside. Lena was likely going into shock and all Sorrell could do was to keep her as calm as she could. She started to talk to her about the hotel and the plans she had for the restaurant and the bar. And then she talked about the big cottage on the edge of the grounds.

“For you and Zack,” Lena said, when Sorrell had described her ideas for an open plan kitchen. “You and Zack and all his family. And your sister.”

“I don’t know,” Sorrell said. “It’s early days yet to be talking about having a place together.”

“When you know, you know,” she said and yawned. “I’m so stupid. I shouldn’t have come here. I should’ve told you. You always know what to do.”

Sorrell smiled even though Lena couldn’t see. She had no idea what to do right now. They were sealed in on one direction. She could leave Lena for a few minutes and see how far she could get, but the chance of it being one long path to another exit was slim. There would be other routes leading off it, that much she knew from what little she’d read.

Zack wouldn’t have heard from her for hours. Rayah was expecting her to call about tonight; they planned on sharing a bottle of wine with Keren in an attempt to find out yet again what had happened between her and Scott. They would be looking for her. Zack would miss her.

But would they know where she was? How would they find her? Questions started to buzz round her head like flies that she couldn’t swat away. She had to do something. But for all she knew, the man who had hurt Lena was still in the cave system.

“Lena,” she said. “I’m going to take a short walk, just to see where we are. I won’t be long. You’re pretty much hidden from view here.” She wriggled out from next to the girl and stood up.

There had to be a way to get help. Even if it was just to catch a phone signal.

Present time

“Someone’s been here.”

Alex got to the top about a minute before anyone else, taking off like a gazelle being chased by a lion.

Zack stopped next to his brother and saw the footprints in the snow, still fresh. The entrance to the cave system here was narrow, an opening in the rocks which narrowed significantly for about twenty metres, descending steeply down and then widening before it met the river.

He’d started caving in this very spot. It was a good place for beginners, getting them used to the narrow tunnels and the steep drops, without the need for equipment other than a helmet and torches. He knew the routes round here.

“Let’s get down there,” he said. “What are we waiting for?”

Scott shook his head. “Wait. I know you want to get to her, but she might be on the other side of the rock fall and they’re getting her out.”

Zack looked at the ground, needing to move, knowing that Scott was right. There was no point going in there if Wes’ team were about to find her.

“Where are they up to?” Scott said, looking at Ludd who had the radio. He’d heard the voices, crackling over the distance.

Ludd gave him a nod, listening to whatever was being said. “We’ll head down. Over.” He looked at Zack. “The ceiling of chamber three has completely collapsed. It’s going to take days to get through it. We have to go in this way.”

Zack stilled, his feet heavy, his heart heavier. There was a chance they’d been caught in the rock fall. He knew that’s what they were all thinking.

“Let’s go. Are you still with us?” Alex said, looking directly at him. “Can you do this?”

“Yes.” It was one word. The only word he could muster.

Rock falls and humans apart, very little changed cave systems quickly. Zack remembered each turn, each point where he needed to bow his head, each sound of the river as it neared and farred. He’d been twelve when he, Scott and Jake had started caving here by themselves. Their mothers weren’t keen on the idea, but their dads had supported them—as long as they stuck to the rules and the routes they knew, the routes they had been taught. And their fathers had grown up here, sons and grandsons of cavers too.

It was one point two miles to the door to Griff’s Cavern and usually took about forty minutes, depending on the river levels. Today he was going to set a personal best, with Alex and Scott close behind him.

The river was higher than he’d last seen it, the season dictating the levels. In spring it would become impassable for days, maybe weeks, especially given the amount of snow that would melt. But he didn’t have to think about that now. Just Sorrell. Just getting to her and bringing her home.

Something caught his eye as he looked across the river, the light from his head torch illuminating an object not native to the caves. Cavers didn’t leave things, they didn’t pollute. He looked again, wondering if he was hallucinating, but he wasn’t.

“That’s Sorrell’s scarf,” he said, heading straight through the water, leaving Alex behind him. “The first one she bought.”

It was stretched out like a long woollen snake, leading from the river down one of the pathways.

She’d been here. And she’d left the scarf to tell them which way to go, because she wouldn’t know the way out.

“Zack, slow down!” He heard Alex say. Somehow, he steadied himself, picking up the material and bringing it to his face, smelling the residue of her perfume and not giving a shit who saw and what they said.

No one said anything though.

“Okay, carry on. We’re here. She won’t be far,” Alex said. “And she’s been here with the scarf. That means she isn’t under the rock fall.”

Zack nodded and then started to call her name.

Sorrell had fallen asleep. She dreamed that she was in a big bed, with a warm duvet wrapped around her, the sheets soft.

“Sorrell!”

She murmured, not wanting to wake up.

“Sorrell!”

That damned voice. So irritating.

“Sorrell!” It had become louder. Closer. She became aware of the cold, of the sound of running water. Of the girl next to her.

Of Zack’s voice.

“Sorrell!”

“We’re here!” she shouted, her voice hoarse with sleep. “Zack!”

She wanted to stand and to run towards him, wrap herself up in his arms and not let go, but Lena was curled into her, her duvet—or maybe she was Lena’s—and her legs felt numb and tired.

There were lights and voices, the whole chamber lighting up and she saw the beauty of it but could take none of it in.

“You’re alive,” he said. “You’re fucking alive.” He bent down to her and Lena, his arms out to take her, Alex next to him. “Come with me, Ells. Alex will look after Lena.”

“She’s hurt her leg. I think it’s broken. And she’s been hit round the head and I think she’s in shock.” Sorrell didn’t want him to just move her.

“I’ll look after her,” Alex said. “Me and that monster there will sort her. That’s Ludd. He’s a volunteer and paramedic in his spare time.”

“What spare time?” Ludd said. “You go with Zack. He’s been crying a river after you, so sort him out.”

“Are you hurt?” Zack said. “Can you move okay?”

She nodded, glad when he directed his head torch so it wasn’t shining in her face. “I can move, but I’m stiff. I want a hot bath and bed. The Mummers’ Plays…”

“Will be on next year.” He helped her to her feet, hands and eyes checking her over. “Let’s get you out of here.”