Chapter 23

Chapter 23

As they lacked picks and other digging tools they had to undertake with bare hands the task of removing the stones that covered the hollow from which the hot air arose, filling their fingers with cutting and bleeding wounds, but when they saw that the original fissure was becoming a hole of increasing dimensions, enthusiasm rewarded the effort. After more than two hours of work, they were finally able to open an access to what was inside the mountain, whatever its nature. Since the shadows had already fallen in the surroundings they decided to suspend the tasks until the dawn lights appeared and projected a little light into the well so they could discern what they were facing. They returned to the corner under the ruins and rekindled the fire of which only embers were left.

“There is little wood left in the surroundings.” Jack reported after his collection tour. “We will not be able to keep this fire alive another night.”