Troy let the rucksack slip from his shoulder, and raced back to the cavern. Even as he ran, he could hear and feel the remaining supports in the tunnel beginning to buckle.
In the the flurry of dirt choking the tunnel space, he almost tripped over Moffitt. The brit lay on the floor, winded and hacking. Clutching his ascot to his face.
Sand needled his eyes and stung his throat. Troy pulled out his own bandana.
"Jack!! Where's Hitch??"
Moffitt coughed through his ascot,
"Still in the cave, get him out!"
Troy needed no urging. He left Moffitt and ran for where the cave had been, seconds ago.
A gust of wind plucked at his shirt, and the clouds of dust parted as something flew past him. Only inches from colliding.
The uniform blended so well with all the sand in the air, it took a moment for Troy to recognize Tully. His khaki shirt was open and streamed behind him like wings.
The private threw himself on the new, third wall of the tunnel. Ripping and scrabbling at the dirt and rocks with his bare hands.
Whatever he pulled away was quickly replaced by rolling waves of dirt and grit.
"Tully! You're gonna pull the roof down our heads!"
"We have to get him out, Sarge!!" Tully was frantic.
"We will," Troy countered, "but we can't if the rest of the tunnel comes down too." Tully backed away, but he eyed the wall with a mix of longing and loathing.
Troy's breathing labored in the clearing atmosphere of the tunnel. He offered an arm to pull his second to his feet, and came up empty.
Moffitt had passed out.
Finally able to see, mostly, Troy could tell Moffitt's leg was stuck under a boulder.
With Tully's help Troy freed Moffitt, and between them they supported him out into the daylight.
In the open air, Moffitt quickly regained consciousness. He erupted in fits of sneezing and coughing, while his body tried to expel dirt.
Moffitt was coated in fine dust, as was Tully. Troy guessed he wasn't much different.
"How's your leg? Anything broken?" Troy picked up the rifle Tully had dropped when he ran into the cave-in.
"No," the brit wheezed, "I was lucky. The soft ground cushioned the blow..." he coughed, "Might be sprained, but not badly."
"When can we go back in?" Tully had two rivers of tears that cut through the grime, and he was blinking painfully
"Don't touch your eyes Tully. We'll wash that grit out first, and make sure Moffitt's alright," Troy ordered. "I'm going to get the jeep so we have medical on hand."
"And then, Sarge?" The dark eyes pierced Troy.
Troy looked away, back down the tunnel.
"We're going to get Hitch."