The title of this chapter is taken from the film Titanic - it's just borrowed so please don't sue me! Hope I'm not keeping you in suspense for too long; just enough for you to really want the next bit! Enjoy, and start getting scared...
Debbie nodded resignedly and stood up. Something under her ribcage still hurt, but she quickly busied herself, inspecting the screws that held the shelving unit firmly to the wall and finally shook her head.
"These are solid as a rock. We'd need a good screwdriver to have any chance of shifting them."
"There was a tool box just outside the door," said Eve, quickly. "I'll get it."
"Be careful!" Debbie called after her.
Kerry leaned up against the wall and shook her head, smiling. "We need more like her in the job! I can't believe how calm she is, considering!"
"That's the thing sometimes with kids I suppose," Debbie mused. "Though you wouldn't think she was a kid, talking to her. Not many twelve year-olds these days read Sherlock Holmes!"
"It's probably considered 'un-cool' these days," Kerry raised an eyebrow. "Kids who like stuff like that get so much hassle from the others ... been there, done that. And she's such a sweet kid, it's a shame it's not cool to be vaguely intelligent nowadays!"
Within seconds, Eve emerged back through the door and brandished two large screwdrivers as she stepped gingerly over the rubble. "I forgot to check what sort of screws they are, so I got one of each. This one's a crosshead, and this one's the flat sort. Which do we need?"
Debbie inspected the bookcase. "These up here need the cross-head", she reported, balancing precariously on the first shelf. "Yeah, I think they all do. "She stepped down and knelt down to look at the screws lower down.
"These are the same. I'll need something to stand on ... I don't like the look of that table," she began, but Eve had wasted no time in dragging a chair in from the main corridor.
"I think this one's safe," Eve said, testing the chair by sitting heavily on it a few times. "I'll have a go at the lower ones with the other screwdriver."
"Thanks." Luckily, Debbie found that there were only three screws in the top of the bookcase, compared to five on each of the lower shelves. Brushing away a spider's web, she managed the first two without any problem, and the third, although a little more tightly screwed, didn't put up much more of a fight.
"There!"
"Me too, Eve grinned up at Debbie from the floor, where she had just finished on the bottom shelf. Easy."
"So...that's it?" Debbie looked the bookcase up and down. "We'd better have a go at moving it, then." She stepped down off the chair, but landed a little heavier than she intended and as she did, her chest tightened and a huge wave of dizziness swept over her. She gasped and dropped to the floor beside Kerry, suddenly having difficulty taking the deep breath she needed.
"Debbie!? What happened? Are you ok? Say something!"
Trying to remain calm, Debbie nodded, but could not seem to gather enough breath to speak. Each breath was a struggle; it felt like a heavy weight was crushing her and panic was beginning to set in.
Kerry looked around in confusion. Nothing had fallen on her, she hadn't slipped on the chair ...
"What does it feel like?" Eve asked, urgently. "Are you asthmatic or something?"
"No," Debbie gasped. "I don't ... don't know ...it'll be ok in a minute ... it feels really ... really sharp, and ... it hurts to breathe ..."
"Breathe as slowly as you can," Eve urged. "Don't panic, it'll only make it worse." She turned to Kerry.
"Did something happen earlier?" she asked. "I don't think it was getting off the chair that caused this. Hold on, she said she got hit by a piece of wood – could that be it?"
"I ... I thought ... it was ok," Debbie wheezed, doing her best to stay calm. "It's the ... same place. I'm sure it'll go ... go away in a minute."
Kerry looked at Eve who shook her head gravely. "I don't think it will," she whispered. "My mum was a nurse and I read quite a few of her medical books when I was bored. To be honest, I think she's got a collapsed lung; once it gets like this it doesn't usually improve ... what's her pulse like?
Kerry lifted Debbie's arm and felt her wrist for her pulse. Counting silently, she waited for a few moments before turning to Eve. "119 ... oh God, I think she's in trouble."
"I'm ... not deaf, you know!" Debbie did her best to sound annoyed. "Ohhh ... it's getting worse; I can't breathe!"
"We've got to get you out of here now," Kerry struggled to stand, leaning against the wall for support, and hopped awkwardly to the shelving unit, nudging the chair aside. Gripping the side of the shelving unit, she pulled roughly, and its right side edged slightly away from the wall.
"Don't move," Eve ordered Debbie, who was growing paler by the second. She joined Kerry, and together they pulled and pushed the unit away from the wall, revealing an ancient but not particularly sturdy looking door. Eve stepped forward and looked suspiciously at it, before suddenly aiming a violent kick directly in the centre. It wobbled but didn't give.
"Nice try," Kerry commented, rather taken aback. "Maybe ..."
Before she could say another word, Eve took a deep breath and let out a little war cry as she kicked out again, much harder and nearer the lock. It swung open and crashed against the back wall, sending a small cloud of dust into the air. She gave a small, satisfied nod as Kerry paused for a moment, rather startled.
"So ..." she began. "You're sure ...?"
"Yes." Eve smiled reassuringly. "Totally sure. Down there and up the ladder to the manhole. Take the screwdriver and this spanner; you might need them."
Debbie tried to take a deep breath, with only partial success, and started to cough again, as a trickle of dust began to trickle through a crack in the ceiling and something gave a low creak. "You ... have to go," she choked, "I don't think ..."
"Save your breath," Kerry said gently, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We're all getting out of here. I'm going to go and get help, I'll be as quick as I can, but I really think that moving you now could do more damage than good."
"How ... how can you climb a ladder?" Debbie gasped. "You ... can hardly walk!"
Kerry gritted her teeth. "I'll manage, don't worry about that, you just keep calm."
"It's ok, Debbie," Eve knelt down beside her. "I'm staying with you, it's going to be all right, I promise. Let's get you lying down; sitting like that will only restrict your breathing more."
Debbie started up as the ceiling creaked slightly. "No! You have ... you have to go, Kerry, you have to take her with you ..." She wheezed again, tears forming in her eyes as she struggled for breath. Kerry looked back and forth between them, unsure of what to do, but Eve finally made her mind up for her.
"I don't care what you say, I'm staying here," she said, somewhat fiercely. This place could collapse, I know that, but if she stops breathing and she's alone, she won't stand a chance. If I stay here with her, I can do my best to keep her alive until help comes. I have to stay with her, Kerry, you know I do."
Kerry looked to Debbie who was shaking her head frantically, but knew that arguing with the brave little girl would be futile. She ushered her to one side, out of Debbie's hearing.
"It's your choice, Eve," she conceded. "I can't make you come with me. You know how to do CPR just in case?" For a moment, she wondered if Eve even knew what CPR was.
"Yes," Eve said simply. "She'll be alright." Then, more quietly, she added, "I'm not trying to be difficult, really ... I just can't go and leave her here alone ..."
Seeing rebellious tears forming in the child's eyes, Kerry brushed the hair out of her face and hugged her. "I know, love, I know. And I've never met a braver twelve year old ... most of my colleagues wouldn't risk their lives for her, I can tell you!"
Eve gave a weak smile and turned back to Debbie, then paused. She reached around her neck and undid a necklace that Kerry had not even noticed she'd been wearing so far, and held it out for Kerry to see. It was half of a silver heart that was obviously one of a pair which would slot into each other to make a whole when brought together.
"Look after it for me?" Eve asked earnestly. "Just in case ... in case anything goes wrong, give it to my mum – she's got the other half."
"Oh ... Eve, no, really, I'm sure ..."
"Just in case. Please, it would make me feel better. But only you must give it to her, either of you. Don't give it to anyone else, yeah? It's important."
In the long silence that followed, Eve slowly handed the necklace to Kerry who tentatively took it, a single tear leaking out of the corner of her eye. She hurriedly wiped it away, and placed the necklace in her jacket pocket, fastening the button carefully.
"Right," she said suddenly, standing up determinedly. "Time to get going."
Eve knelt down beside Debbie who was clearly getting weaker. Her breaths were coming in short gasps and her face was now a deathly white tinged with blue. Kerry stood by the open door for a moment, peering cautiously inside. Finally she turned back to them and nodded to Eve.
"I'll be as quick as I can. Hang on in there, Debbie; it's going to be all right."
