Page 73 of Soul Sucker

“Like what?”

“There should be an alarm button to push somewhere. We could start with that.”

“They usually only ring within the building and I bet everyone has gone home for the weekend.”

“Let’s find it anyway.”

He crawled across to where he thought the doors were, eventually bumping his knee against the steel plated metal. Kneeling up, he felt over the smooth surface until he discovered the control panel. He systematically pressed every button he found, but nothing lit up.

“Morosov?”

“I’m right here.”

“I can’t hear any alarms going off.” Neither could he.

“We’re trapped, aren’t we?”

He turned back to her. “Just for the moment. There might be a remote alarm that rings straight through to the fire department.”

“The air is going to run out and we’ll suffocate.”

He found her hand. “We won’t. This thing isn’t sealed. There’s plenty of air coming in for just the two of us.”

“Stop being so fucking reasonable!”

“It won’t help if we both panic, will it?”

“Shutup.” She squeezed his hand so hard he heard his bones crack. “I just want to get out of here.”

“We could try and climb out.”

“You’re right. There has to be a service hatch. How are we going to reach it?”

“You could stand on my shoulders?”

“Do you really think that would work?”

“I don’t see why not.” He pulled her to her feet. “Put your backpack and jacket down, take off your shoes and climb up to my shoulders.”

She took off her jacket and he caught hold of her around the waist. “Go on.”

She scaled him with an ease that reminded him that she had older brothers. He steadied himself as she tentatively knelt on his shoulders.

“I can’t see a thing.”

“Use your hands. Aim for the center of the space.”

“There’s something there, but I can’t…” He almost staggered as she pushed upward. “I can’t make it move.”

“Slow down and think it through. Tell me what you can feel of the mechanism.”

“There’s a square hatch about two foot wide. In the center of it is a wheel-type thing, and at one corner there is some kind of latch.”

“Okay, so you probably need to turn the wheel and then somehow use the latch.”

“Easy for you to say.”

He kept quiet while she obviously fought with the mechanism. “I can’t do it. I’m not strong enough.” She slithered back down to the ground and he held her in his arms. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t move it even an inch.” He kept holding her, aware of the frantic beat of her heart against his and the fear shuddering through her.

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