Part 10

Anja Krebber

The ride down would have done any fun fair proud. I tried not to yell too loudly when I hit my head on the first bend, was a little better prepared for the centrifugal forces in the second. My elbows collected a number of contusions on the way down, but at least the landing, after a free fall of what I guessed must have been at least five meters (it later turned out, it had been one and a half), was soft - and moist. I put the thought of whatever I had landed on firmly out of my mind and turned to scramble in the rough direction of where I thought the gate to freedom must be. The olfactory assault on my senses would have forced me to my knees if I had not already been in that position. Faint rustling sound brought home the fact that I wasn't the only denizen of this deep and I was almost thankful when my groping hands encountered stuff that squished between my fingers instead of needlesharp teeth.

Finally my head encountered the opposite wall. Concrete. Now which direction was the door in? I decided to try right and after about two meters met a corner. Whoever called right right had obviously never found himself in a situation in which right turned out to be wrong. Swearing like a Caribbean pirate fresh out of rum I felt my way back into the other direction and finally sensed glorious metal under my sensitive fingertips - very locked metal.