Chapter 9. The Gates of Hell

It had been a year since the accident and then some. Another Christmas had come, and gone. Seasons were passing as they always had, and always would. Sarah was grateful for the support Eddie and the staff at the nightclub gave. Eddie understood when she turned down invitations, and didn't press. Sarah spent the holidays alone up in the hills. Granny Betty had left the mountain side to Sarah, she'd set up a trust to keep the land for the girl.

Another birthday of the little boy had passed by, and Toby was now six. If it had not been for the kindness of the neighbor Sarah would not have know what was going on in the boy's life. They neighbor told Sarah all that she could about the boy, even took photo's to send to Sarah. Complaining that she could not do justice to the subject and that Sarah would do far better, she sent the pictures to the girl at the club.

Sarah had begun her third year in college, and was finding it hard to keep her momentum. She had taken an early start to the year, hoping that she'd be able to pick up some extra credit hours. While other young people her age were going to the beach and having fun in the sun she was working on camera techniques. She was tired, restless and lonesome. Linda came into town when ever she could, but as luck would have it that was not often enough. Both Linda and Jeremy were suddenly in great demand. Which was wonderful for them, and Sarah would never have wanted less for them. Still it meant there were times when she celebrated a holiday alone up in the hills at the cabin.

Eddie said he thought Sarah should be doing an apprenticeship with a portrait photographer. He said she was too good for what she was doing at the club. To Sarah the praise was wonderful, but there was something in Eddie's voice that worried her. She'd noticed some changes at the club, and found them troublesome. Some of the long time employees agreed, and there were newcomers who didn't seem to gel with the others quite as well.

The supplier of the costumes used by the staff started making delivery errors. The liquor supplier started to short orders. Other little things were starting to occur and Eddie had his hands full keeping thing running smoothly. All the while it seemed the club was more popular than ever. However it was the crowd that was filling the club that troubled Sarah. They seemed hard, and course, and a bit on the seamy side. Eddie looked worried about them as well.

One night Sarah stood by a table taking the photo of the couple in the booth. She was wearing a smile and telling them the smile, the flash light up and the camera was ripped from her hands. She looked at the brut of a man standing with her camera in his hands. He looked like he was about to crush the instrument when Eddie appeared and took the camera back.

"What do you think you're doing?" Eddie demanded. The man leaned toward the Nightclub owner and growled something. Eddie shoved him aside, handed the camera back to Sarah and told her to destroy that print and take another. Eddie led the brut away from her, and Sarah looked at the disturbed couple in the booth.

"Sorry about that. Let me take another," She smiled to put them at ease. Half an hour later, with the roll of film spent she went down to the developer and asked for both prints to be copied. She inspected the copy, seeing why the brut had wanted the print destroyed. She hid the first print in her large carpet bag that she had taken to carrying.

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Kathy snubbed out her cigarette. "I'm telling you Karen, the boy is getting away from you, and if you don't put your foot down now he'll turn out just like Sarah."

Karen sat in the restaurant sipping a drink. "I'm sure you're right. He's becoming very sassy of late, just like the girl." She leaned back in the booth. "It would have been different if you could have just moved in with me like we planned."

"Or if we could have sold that old barn and bought something new and modern," Kathy lamented. "Who would have thought that Robert had a partnership with anyone but you?" She had never really liked Robert, and now was her chance to degrade him.

"I just don't understand why he didn't just tell me the house was Linda's." Karen moaned softly still feeling betrayed.

"It doesn't matter." Kathy said brightly. "You still have all that lovely money to spend." She patted her sister's hands. "What you need to do is get out more, enjoy life."

"I'd enjoy life a lot more if my son would stop acting like I'd killed his best friend." Karen complained. "Yesterday he begged me again to let him spend a weekend with Sarah up at that horrid cabin…And he's taking no interest in going to school."

"You should send him to a military school! That brat needs discipline, he needs order. He needs to learn obedience to authority." Kathy said in an unkind voice. "He spent far too much time with Sarah as it is; he has no loyalty toward his real family!"

"Military School? Isn't that a bit harsh, he's only six." Karen wavered, thinking of her baby in a uniform.

"It would do him a world of good." Kathy suggested harder. "It might make him appreciate his family." She could see she was making headway with her sister. "I know of a school, and it's not too far away. He could board there, and it would knock some of the sass out of him. You know the place, St. John's."

Karen was considering her sister's suggestion. "But the school year is just about to start, I'm sure they are filled up."

"Well we could go and check it out," Kathy said quietly.

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Jareth had plunged himself into project after project. Anything to keep his mind off the mortal girl who'd rejected him. He began to be more active with his own court, thinking it would be a pleasant distraction. Outwardly he seemed to be a very happy man. He had a beautiful bride, who was loved by one and all in the Kingdom. He had made improvements in the castle and the grounds surrounding his palace. Once a month he was giving a royal ball, and was becoming the envy of the five Kingdoms. He had it all in the eyes of others.

He had been avoiding the stair room, doing whatever he could to take different routes though the palace to avoid stepping in there. Her scent clung to the very walls still, and it was too bitter for him. Adrianna and her maids were in the stair room, playing hide and seek. Jareth stood in the outer hall, arms crossed and frowning. The young women didn't even notice.

Gandar happened upon him, he saw his King's features harden. "Sire?" He asked quietly. "Are you vexed?"

"I would have this room sealed if I could." Jareth admitted.

"You know that's not possible." The Chancellor protested softly.

Jareth watched his childish bride play her games, before he turned to walk away.

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Toby stared at the uniform on his bed as his mother began to pack the suitcase that he was to use. "I won't go." He said shaking his head. "You can't make me go."

"Yes you will and yes, dear, I can." Karen folded his things neatly.

"Why are you doing this?" He pulled at her arms.

"I'm doing this because it's the best thing for you!" His mother argued softly. "It's time you got your head out of the clouds… You don't want to end up like Sarah do you? That girl is delusional!"

Toby begged. "I'm sorry, I'll be good….don't' send me away."

Karen pushed him aside. "I'm going to get the new socks I've just bought you." She left him alone in the room with the suitcase lying open on his bed.

Toby knew she'd be back quickly and he didn't have much time. There was no talking her out of this, and he knew it. He moved to the side of the bed, lifted the mattress and pulled out two items. Swiftly he lifted the clothes carefully and placed his treasures under the garments. He looked over his shoulder and saw his mother's shadow approaching. He prayed she'd not notice the clothes were higher than before.

Karen finished the packing and looked at her son. "Tomorrow your Aunt Kathy and I will drive you to St. John's. So get to bed, young man. Tomorrow is a big day for you." She bent to kiss the boy's cheek and found him cold and aloof. "I'm doing this for you, Toby!"

Toby glared at her as she left his room. "You're not doing this for me; you're doing it to me." He growled. He moved to his dresser and opened the center drawer that his mother was not aware of. He kept thing hidden in there that he didn't want anyone to find. He pulled out the little wallet his father had given him. Over the last few years he'd stuffed it with dollar bills from birthdays and other events that had come up in his life. He counted the money, sixty three dollars, he was sure it would be enough to get him where he wanted to go, to Sarah.

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St. John's Military Academy for Boys had a reputation to up hold. The Headmaster Colonel Ratchet was a kind man, with a sense of justice. He was in the main hall when the Williams widow and her sister showed up with the boy. He looked down at the child and saw defiance.

"Good morning, young man." He greeted the boy.

"Sir." The boy said politely, but kept his chin firm.

Ratchet placed a hand firmly on the boy's shoulder. "Welcome to St. John's boy, we'll be making a man of you here."

Toby didn't want to be a man, not yet at least. However he didn't voice his opinion as he could tell the adults were not going to be open to his wants or needs. Under different circumstances he might have liked the Colonel, but not here, not now. Right now he was just another adult standing in his way and making him do something he didn't want to do.

Kathy looked down at the boy, feeling very little love toward him. "Don't baby him," she warned. "He's had far too much of that... And too many fairy stories."

Ratchet was sure of one thing; he didn't care for the widow's sister. "Madam, I assure you we don't baby our cadets."

Kathy wore a wolfish look of triumph on her face. "Good."

Ratchet called another cadet over. "Cadet Thomson, would you take Mr. Williams here to his room and get him squared away?"

The older boy saluted and lifted Toby's suitcase. "Follow me, Williams." He turned sharply and walked with a military gait.

Toby looked up at his mother with an accusatory gaze. "Good bye, mother." He said without offering her a kiss or a smile.

Karen fretted. "Oh dear, maybe this is a mistake."

"Nonsense," Kathy assured her pulling her out of the building and toward the car. "It's the best thing for both of you."

Toby looked at the room, there was only one other boy bunking with him. The other boy was seated on his bed watching Toby with suspicious eyes unpack. The other boy was George Kusang, and he was a year older than Toby. He was as dark as Toby was light. The boy who'd led Toby to the room had told him to unpack and get settled. He ordered Kusang to bring the new cadet down to dinner when the bell rang.

Toby put his clothes into the drawers and hung the extra uniform up in a closet. He unpacked slowly; worried about what the other boy would say when he got to the bottom and had to unpack his treasures. He looked over his shoulder at the other boy nervously. He had reached the bottom and had only the two treasures left. George had moved off his bed slowly, and was now peering over the younger boy's shoulder. Toby half expected the older boy to taunt him and jeer. George moved away, back to his bed and pulled something out from under the mattress. He turned to Toby with a solemn face; in his hands was a much loved stuffed bear.

Toby looked at the bear, and then the boy. "You too?"

George nodded, "No one else knows." He warned. "They don't like baby stuff here, not that this is baby stuff…but they look at it that way." His dark eyes were serious.

"I have something else," Toby said lifting the smooth crystal orb. "It's very special."

George felt his jaw drop. "I've never seen anything like it." He looked at Toby. "Hide that… one of the older boys will try and take it if they know about it."

"Where?" Toby felt a bond with the other. "Where can I hide it that it'll be safe?"

George opened one of the brass decorative balls on the end of the bed. "In here." He handed a handkerchief to the blond boy. "Wrap it and put it in the bed-knob. I found them by accident last year. I keep stuff in mine." He helped Toby fit the bed-knob lid back in place.

Toby extended his hand to the boy; "Toby."

"George," the other said shyly.

Toby smiled, "Do you like stories?"

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Eddie paced, things were going to get rough, and he was worried. He wanted his people safe, and right now he didn't see how that was going to be possible. The squeeze was being put to him. His suppliers were afraid to give him his orders, and were beginning to demand higher prices. He looked over the bills on his desk, and worried about how to keep the club running.

Sarah tapped at his door, "Eddie, could I come in tomorrow early? I want to use the dark room for a School project."

"Sure Sarah," he said looking up at her. "What ever you need. Hey did you check out that new photographer on Benet St.? I hear he's got openings for assistants."

Sarah knew the man was looking out for her best interests. "My schedule and his does not gel. He wants someone who can come in during the day, and I'm in class most days. We have a free day tomorrow, that's why I want to get this assignment done." She patted her hand on the door frame.

"You may have to bring in your own supplies." Eddie warned.

She nodded, "Already planed to, Boss."

"Well fine." He looked back at the bills. "And get your new costume for the week fitted. We're doing Brigadoon this week."

Giggling she closed the door; the thought of the men on the staff wearing kilts was too much for her.

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Toby and George were in the Colonel's office again, the third time in two weeks. He stood at the windows, hands clasped behind his back and frowning. "I'm beginning to think you boys don't like it here."

Toby looked at George, who had a bloody nose from protecting the younger boy from two bullies. "No sir." Toby said firmly. "We don't like being picked on."

Ratchet looked at the boy with a raised brow. "Are you suggesting that upper classmen pick on you?"

"I'm not suggesting, I telling you. They push us around and demand any money we are carrying on us." Toby snapped at the man.

The man towering over them frowned. "I doubt that very much, young man. You're mother told me that you were given to making up stories to cover your bad behavior." He turned to George. "I'm surprised at you, though. You've been with us a year, and you were one of my best first year cadets."

George held the cloth to his nose. "Yes sir."

Ratchet took a seat behind his desk. "This is going to be my last warning to you two. Your classes are going on a field trip tomorrow, after that you two will be restricted to the grounds for three weeks, am I understood?" He glared at the boys. "Dismissed."

Toby waited until they were out of the administration building. "Where are we going tomorrow?"

"Museum in town, why?" George asked.

"I'm going to make a run for it. " Toby announced like a hardened criminal making a jail break. "I'm going to get on a bus and go to my sister."

George paused, "Toby, I want to come too." He then added. "I know where the bus station is." He looked at the younger boy hopefully.

"Ok," Toby said as they walked back to their room.

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Sarah had left her car at the local garage, having a tune up. She had taken the local bus to the club. More and more she didn't like what she was seeing happening to the neighborhood. The buildings surrounding the old theater were looking in need of being demolished. Graffiti covered more and more walls, and rougher and rougher thugs seemed to line the streets. She didn't like having to come in the alley and only used it in daylight hours.

No one but Eddie was in the office, the only other staff members there was Ottis the cook, who was going over his supplies, and Margo the costume mistress. Even Paul the boy who was the developer was not in yet. Sarah went right to work on her project; she was using the enlarger on a still of Toby. She pulled the negative from her carpet bag of the picture she'd taken that had nearly gotten her camera busted. She developed the negative on a larger print and was looking it over as she hung it to dry. She didn't like what she saw.

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Toby and George sunk away from the group; they had said they were going to use the rest room. They waited and watched as their classmates headed up to the next level of the museum with the tour guide. Swiftly they made their way out the front entrance of the museum. George grabbed Toby by the arm, pulling him in the direction of the bus terminal three blocks away. Each wore a school bag on his back, each had taken with him the secret treasures hidden in bed-knobs and drawers. The bus driver didn't filch seeing the boys. Lots of uniformed kid rode the bus.

Toby had gotten the address and phone number of the place Sarah worked from his neighbor Mrs. Monty just before he'd been sent to school. She had told him that if he ever needed his sister she would be there for him. Mrs. Monty had assured him that Sarah called weekly to ask about him, regardless of what he was being told by Karen and her sister.

George had figured out which bus they needed to get on by the route board in the station. "It'll be about half an hour, but we're nearly there."

"How long do you think it will be before they miss us?" Toby asked.

"Sometime after lunch," George said confidently.

"Are you sure you want to go with me?" Toby asked again. "I don't want to get you in more trouble."

"Trouble is my middle name." George quipped.

"No it's not, it's David." Toby said seriously, not understanding the joke.

George looked at him and smiled.

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Sarah reported to Margo's costume room, "Got time for me?" She popped her head in.

The older woman in the purple smock nodded, snubbed out her cigarette and waved the girl in. She pulled a pencil out of her wild curly hair and wrote down a note. "Come on in, Kid." She rasped in a voice that had known too much smoke. "Got your out fit all ready to try on."

Sarah looked at the costume. "Not another corset thing." She complained.

"Nagh," Margo said lightly. "But the bodice is boned lightly. This is much easier to wear than the stuff you wore two months ago."

Sarah looked at the forest green bodice and the rust colored skirt. "Wow, nice stuff, Margo. How did he swing it? Eddie seemed to have trouble with the last two costume companies."

"Eddies troubles have nothing to do with the costume supplier, baby doll… Eddie's troubles stem from a low life low level mobster." Margo was a gossip and everyone in the club loved her. She could get away with what no one else could.

"Margo you shouldn't talk about things like that."Warned Sarah, after what her negative had shown her she was sure talking could be dangerous.

The older woman scoffed. "What can they do, kill me? Kid the cigarettes are beating them to it….filthy habit… but what can I do, I'm addicted." She lit up another as she watched Sarah dress. "It's you who should be careful, little miss." The woman warned. "You and that damn camera are going to see things that should not be seen." Seeing the girl flinch she sucked in a deep drag on her cigarette, the end glowed. "Already have, I'll wager."

Sarah didn't answer, she just kept dressing. "I don't think this is even going to need alterations, Margo." She stepped back for the woman to inspect her. "Except shoes, I think its fine."

Margo nodded, dragging on the cigarette. "Yeah, you got a nice little build on you, and the dress shows it off nicely."

"Hey Sarah," Ottis popped his head in the costume room. "There's a kid out here at the kitchen door who says he belongs to you."

Margo snickered good naturedly. "I had no idea you had a kid, Sarah."

"I don't." She headed toward the kitchen. Her eyes popped when she saw the two little boys in uniforms standing alone. "Toby…Halloween is three weeks away…what the hell are you dressed up for?" Suddenly the boy was in clinging to her. "Toby, honey…What's going on?" She looked at the dark boy. "And who are you?"

"I'm George." The boy said, "We ran away from School." He was proud of the achievement and strutted over to Sarah with his hand extended like a grown up.

Sarah heard Ottis snicker and she pulled the boys down the hall to the little dressing room where her purse was and her camera. "Ok, tell me what the hell is going on."

"She sent me away." Toby sobbed broken hearted. "Mom sent me away because Aunt Kathy told her to."

"Where?" Sarah could not believe her stepmother could be that cruel to the boy.

"St. John's, Miss." George said handing his best friend a tissue from the box he was standing next to.

"How did you get here?" she asked next.

"Bus." Toby sobbed.

Sarah looked at them, astonished. "You two rode the bus alone?"

Toby shook his head, and opened his school bag, Lancelot's head popped up. "Lancelot came with us."

Sarah placed a hand to her mouth, not sure if she were going to laugh or cry. Sounds from outside the dressing room caught her attention. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. "Trouble." She said grabbing each boy by the arm. She pulled them into a hidden panel that most of the staff knew of. She held a finger over each boy's mouth, keeping them still.

"Nothing in here." A gruff voice said.

"Ok, we got the cook and the costume woman and the owner… I guess that's everyone." Another voice said.

Moments later they heard another sound, like M-80's going off. Two, three, six… then silence. Sarah held her hands over the boys keeping them still. She could feel them shiver with fear under her fingers. Biting her own lip, she forced herself to keep still. Again she heard voices.

"Are you sure there's no one here? I mean there's women's clothes in the costume room…" One voice said.

"I didn't see anyone…"

The first voice could be heard from the dark room. "Hey, look at this… it's the boss!"

Sarah cursed herself silently for not having taken down the drying cell.

"That camera girl must be here!" The first voice said angrily. "Find her."

Sarah prayed, 'God if you're really there, don't let them find us. Don't let these two boys get hurt.'

In the darkness something moved, something crept and watched. As the man with the gun in his hand neared a large black object came flying out of nowhere. The cat clawed at the man and sent him backing away.

"God damned cat!" the second voice said. "There's nothing here, no one…"

The first voice growled, "Just to be safe, let's torch the place. I've got the address for the school the camera girl goes to, what say we pay the girl a little visit?"

Sarah heard the voices move to the hall; she opened the hatch slightly, keeping a close eye. She could see something flickering and heard the men laugh as they exited the building though the front door. She pulled the boys out of hiding, reached under the table and grabbed her carpet bag and the black cat sitting near it. "Come on Midnight, I owe you one." She whispered. She tucked the cat into the open bag. She led the boys to a hidden exit out of the room and down a hall. She could smell the fire above. "We don't have a lot of time, so move it." She told the boys.

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A voice in the darkness whispered, "Did we just save the girl?"

"I don't know."

"Should we tell the King?" it asked concerned.

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Sarah opened the door that led to freedom. The alley was filling with smoke and she could hear sirens. "Come on," she pulled both boys behind her as she ran up the alley. She hid with the boys up the street watching as fire fighters began to try and stop the fire. Looking at the boys she realized they were in serious trouble. "We can't go to my studio." She said aloud. "If they have my name and my school information they can find out where I've been living. It's too dangerous to take you there…"

Toby pulled on Sarah's skirt. "What about Gram Betty's cabin?"

Sarah looked down at him. "Good thinking, kid." She looked at George. "I'm sorry, kiddo; you'll have to come too."

George smiled, "Great, I love adventure."

Sarah looked down at her dress, "I'm too conspicuous. We can't take a bus, and the garage is six blocks east of here… so no complaints about how far we have to walk… and we're going to have to use alleys."

Toby still had his back pack on, as did George. "We'll be brave, I promise."

Six blocks and a bit more than a quarter of an hour later, they stood before the garage. Sarah's car was parked in back and she was in the office paying for it and getting her keys. The manager teased her about the costume and she laughed it off. The news of the fire had not yet hit the air waves and Sarah just wanted to get away.

She pulled out onto the road and headed for the highway that would take them to the cabin. "I wonder how long it will be before they notice you two missing."

George looked at his wrist watch. "Right about now, I'd say."

Sarah drove muttering to herself. "Great day, my boss is murdered, I'm being looked for by the hit men who did it, and I'm guilty of kidnapping… what else could happen?"

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Jareth sniffed the air, "Do you smell something?" He asked Gandar standing beside him. "Like… something burnt?"

Gandar gasped and pointed to two goblins still smoldering as they entered the throne room. "Good lords, what happened to them?"

Jareth wanted to know that himself. "Have you been playing by a volcano?"

"No, we were watching the girl…"

"Sarah," Jareth leapt from the throne and in one leap was beside the two Goblins. "Is she alright? What happened?"

The least chard of the two nodded, "She's fine. .. we saved her… I think… at least the man with the gun didn't find her."

"Gun?" Jareth looked confused. "A man with a gun was after Sarah?"

Gandar had not seen his King so concerned for anyone or anything in several years. "Sire?"

Jareth held up a hand and listened to the Goblins.

"We hid in the walls…" the one said. "Teasing and tormenting her like you said we could… and it's been great fun… for us…" He began to shift from foot to foot nervously.

The other charred one began to talk. "She was talking to the boy…"

"What boy?" the King snapped.

"The boy." The charred one said firmly.

"My boy?" Asked the King, when they nodded he sighed. "Go on."

They looked at each other and the charred one continued. "Men came in… they took the other's in the building prisoner. The girl hid with the boys…"

"Boys, there was more than one?"

"Two." Said the less charred holding up two fingers on one hand. "I counted them."

The Charred one looked at him in wonder. "I didn't know you could count.."

The less charred nodded proudly. "I can count to ten…one.. two…"

"Get on with it!" Ordered the King standing up.

The Charred one spoke up. "The man with the gun in his hand was in the room they were hiding in… he was getting too close….so I threw a cat at him." He smiled proudly. "Got em too!"

The less charred one nodded.

"And then?" The King was losing his ability to endure much more.

The less charred one looked up at the King. "The girl led the boys to a secret passage and escaped when the men set fire to the building."

Jareth grabbed the little Goblin, pulling him to his face. "You're sure the girl and the boys are safe?"

"Well they escaped… but…" the charred one watched as his partner's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "I think the men with the guns were going to go to the Girl's School to look for her."

Jareth shoved the goblin away, he was now seated on the floor of his throne room, and he drew a crystal from the air. "Show me the girl." He ordered. In the orb he could see the girl driving. "She's going to the cabin."

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Sarah turned on the radio after an hour of driving. "And this just in…there were three bodies found in the smoldering remains of the Cinema Nightclub. Owner Eddie Martino and two of his employees. Sources say there was foul play at work here." Sarah reached to turn off the knob when the voice said. "And there is still no sign of the missing boys from the museum… its thought that one of the boys may have been abducted by a family member." Sarah shut off the radio.

"I'm a kidnapper." She said sarcastically; "Just a hardened criminal."

Both boys looked up at her and wondered what she was talking about.

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Karen was in the police station, as was Colonel Ratchet, Kathy and several others. The officer in charge was telling Karen it was likely that Sarah had been involved in the murders. Kathy boasted that she always knew that Sarah was a bad seed. Karen moaned that her baby was in mortal danger and no one was doing anything. She then fainted.

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Sarah pulled up to the cabin and shook her head. "We can't stay here long."

"Why not?" Toby asked stepping out of the car and looking at the hills he loved.

"Because they are looking for me… and your mother is likely going to remember this place." Sarah warned. "I'm just going to grab some things from in here and we'll be leaving."

"Hey Sarah," Toby called after her as she went into the cabin. "When did they put in a heliport?"

Sarah looked out the open door and cursed. "Son of a bitch! Ok boys come on, we've got to hide." She pulled them under the cover of the pine trees beside the cabin. "That's not the cops." Looking around she headed for the only place she felt she knew would hide them, the old covered test shaft.

Sarah took the flashlight she'd just slipped into her purse next to the sleeping cat out. She motioned the boys to hug the wall and walk slowly to the bottom of the shaft. She whispered for them not to say a word, but to just hug the shaft. She was glad that the wall was deeper and wider at the bottom, somewhat hidden from the top looking down. She heard voices above, echoing in the shaft. Some one was looking for her. A light was shone down the shaft, but then went away.

Then it went quiet, Sarah looked at the boys as her eyes adjusted to the dark. Whispering she told them to keep as still as they could.

"This would be a nice time to be in your enchanted forest." Toby quipped.

"OH Toby, I wish I could take you both to the enchanted forest right now." She said without thinking.

The earth rumbled, the bottom of the shaft gave way and the sound of the rumble covered the sounds of their screams as they fell into the darkness.