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‘Be careful!’ he shouted.
She emerged expecting daylight but was greeted by almost total darkness. She fastened the torch to her head and made her way down the path as quickly as she could, trying to balance the urgency of finding a signal with her own safety. If she didn’t make it, Ned certainly wouldn’t and she didn’t like the idea of Arlo being stuck in the cave with the unstable rocks.
It felt like ages before she reached a point where a couple of bars of signal appeared like magic. It was past four and fully dark as she dialled the emergency services. Now all she could do was go back to the cave and wait.
‘Stay outside!’ Arlo ordered as soon as she’d entered and given him and Ned the news that the MRT were on their way.
Ignoring him, Katie went in and stifled a gasp of shock.
Ned was barely conscious, murmuring words Katie couldn’t make out. Even in the torchlight, his face was white. Arlo had put a pad over the wound but it was red with blood.
‘Katie, it really would be better if you went outside and waited for the MRT,’ Arlo said, his face almost as white as Ned’s.
‘I’m staying,’ she said, kneeling beside them in icy water. ‘Ned. Ned. Stay with us. Don’t go to sleep. The rescue team know where we are and they’re on their way. Think how much material you’re going to have for your screenplay. You can dine out on this for years.’
Ned opened his lips and mumbled something. ‘Don’ wan’ l-lose you.’
Katie put her ear to his mouth. ‘Ned. Say that again. I think I can hear the helicopter.’
Ned tried to speak again, this time even more quietly.
‘No one’s going to lose anyone. We’re all coming out of this, aren’t we, Arlo?’
She glanced up at Arlo, whose lips were pressed together in a line. Fear flickered in his eyes but then he leaned over Ned too. ‘Katie’s right. We’re all getting out of this.’ He looked at Katie. ‘I think I can hear something. Go out and wave the torch. Make sure they can see us – and hurry.’ Arlo’s tone was desperate and Katie realised he was right.
She scrambled to her feet and heard Arlo talking to Ned. ‘Ned, mate. Help’s almost here. Try to stay awake. It’ll all be over soon and you’ll be fine.’
Katie rushed out of the cave, almost slipping on the slate. Snow was coming down but over the fells she saw the lights of the helicopter and the clatter of its rotors. There were lights below in the valley too, coming closer quickly.
‘Here!’ she shouted until her throat hurt. ‘Up here in the cave!’
She waved her arms frantically and the lights moved closer much faster. She heard voices.
‘Hold on, we’re coming.’
Then, from behind, she heard a loud crash and splash and a cry of fear, but whether it was Ned or Arlo, she couldn’t tell.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
‘Wait! Katie! Is Ned still inside the cave?’
A woman put her arms around Katie, pulling her back from the cave.
‘Yes! I heard the roof fall. Ned’s in a bad way and Arlo’s with him.’
‘Arlo’s with him?’
Katie realised that the woman was Erin, but she’d been unrecognisable in a white helmet and red waterproofs.
‘Yes. He stayed with Ned. I—’ She put her hand over her mouth, the crash and scream still reverberating in her ears.
‘Stay out here,’ Erin ordered kindly. ‘It’ll be easier for us all if you do.’
The cave was now swarming with the rescue team, powerful torches illuminating both of the chambers.
‘They’re here!’ Erin’s voice cut through before being swallowed by lots of other voices.
‘The roof is in a fragile state.’
