I screech to a halt.
Dread crashes over me as I realize my mistake. The farther in I run, the longer it’s going to take me to get back. If I spend all four minutes running, it will take just as much time to get back.And then the time we will have to make it up from the basement, through the castle, and then out past the blast radius, will be even shorter.
A terrible clanging starts in my head. Mabona’s tits. I need to go back.
Snapping my gaze down at the watch, I find that I only have one minute left now before I need to light the rope on fire.
I whip around while a panicked noise comes from the back of my throat. Sprinting back the way I came, I cast desperate glances down at the pocket watch.
The fire on the makeshift torch splutters.
With a jolt, I realize that the added draft almost made the fire go out. Yanking it back so that it’s in front of me instead, I hold the barrel as far away from me as I can. My muscles shake from the effort, but I keep at it while I hurtle back down the corridor.
The seconds tick by.
I need to start setting up the rope soon.
Dragging in short, shallow breaths, I look more down at the watch and the torch than I do at the path ahead of me.
I skid to a halt.
Wait. Did I take a right or a left back there? I was so focused on the time that I wasn’t paying attention to the corridor. I was supposed to take a right, but now I’m not sure if I did.
The seconds continue ticking by mercilessly.
With a cry of desperation, I slam the barrel down on the ground right where I am. I can’t wait any longer now, or I will miss our set window of time.
After carefully placing the torch on the floor, I grab the small barrel with one hand and pry open the cork at the top. Then I yank out the rope that Kath gave all of us earlier. It’s coated in some kind of stiff material.
Ten seconds.
I shove one end of the rope into the barrel.
Eight seconds.
Grabbing the other side of the rope, I pick up the torch as well and quickly start unfurling the rope as I move.
Then that flash of panic hits me again. I don’t know if I took a right or a left. If I did take a right, I should keep going straight ahead. But if I did make a mistake and turn left instead, I need to go back first.
Five seconds.
Goddess damn it, I need to know.
Four seconds.
I will just have to run back and check quickly first.
Three seconds.
Placing the other end of the rope on the ground, I straighten it as much as possible.
Two seconds.
I bring the torch down to the rope.
One second.
It catches fire.
