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Chapter 7

"Alan?" Gordon rasped out.

"Yeah Gordo?" Alan asked, his voice tired, breath short.

"You ok?" he looked around, searching for the clocks-nothing.

"As well as can be expected." He coughed lightly. "I'm tired; its getting way too warm in here and the air tastes very stale." He sighed. "How long left Gordo?"

"I don't know." Gordon whispered. "I don't know-I can't see a clock."

He leaned against the wall for a moment. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen a clock. He didn't know how much time was left. Alan's laboured breathing in his ears told him he didn't have long-but how long? How long did he have?

He opened his left hand, which was clenched into a fist around the key and looked at it.

"Gordo…" Alan murmured. "Please Hurry. I don't wanna die in here."

Gordon pushed off the wall and stared down the walkway-he had to be close, he just had to be. The fear in his brother's voice channelled all his fast waning energy and he broke into a run, ignoring his own pain. The only sound he could hear was Alan's breathing.

In.

Out

In

Out

Gordon didn't know how much time had passed; he just kept going, not allowing himself to stop. But Alan's voice cut sharply across his concentration.

"G… Gordo…" choked. "C... can't breathe… Gordo…"

Gordon faltered, chest heaving, his eyes wide, the word 'No' chanted in his head as he heard Alan's breathing getting slower, more ragged, more choked. He was about to take off again when he saw a side way, he looked down it. It was long, narrow, overgrown with evil looking plants. But right down there he thought he could see a door.

He couldn't let the chance that this could be it slip. He hurried into the tunnel. The branches snapped as he walked, his feet slipped, the ground coated in some kind of slime. The going was slow-too slow.

"G… Gordo… i… I love you… remember… tell da… dad and the… the others… i… you… it wasn't your fault…"

"No! No Alan! I'm coming! I'm nearly there! Alan please!" Gordon cried.

"Not your fault Gordo…" Alan said faintly.

"ALAN!" Gordon tried to run, but his foot slipped and he went sprawling, the headset slipped off his head. Gordon scrambled back to his feet desperately and towards the door, as quickly as he could.

He slammed to a stop at it and jerkily tried to get the key into the lock. It wouldn't go in! His panic was getting the better of him. His little brother was in there dying. This had to work, it had to go in! It just had to!

"TIME UP!" The hoods voice rang throughout the cavern-like maze. "YOU LOSE INTERNATIONAL RESCUE!"

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