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top of the stairs, the mother halted. In a shrill voice, she announced, ‘You, young man, should be ashamed of yourself. You’re a nasty, horrible creature. What’s the matter with you, saying such awful things to an innocent little child! I hope your skin falls off and you rot in hell forever! And rest assured, we will report you! You’ll be out of here on you insolent little ass!’
    They resumed their climb up the stairs.
    The moment all four were out of sight, Mark swung a leg of the cordon. He hurried over to the hole, sank to his knees, then leaned forward and lowered himself headfirst into the darkness.

 
    Chapter Nine
     
     
    I did it! I did it!
    Feeling gleeful and scared, Mark skidded and scurried downward. The slope beneath him was very steep at first. After it levelled out, he belly-crawled forward a little farther. Then he stopped and lowered his head against his arms.
    He was breathing hard. His heart was thudding. Though he felt sweaty all over, the air in the tunnel was cool. It smelled of moist earth, but the dirt beneath him didn’t seem wet.
    I can’t believe I made it, he thought.
    I can’t believe I did that!
    Damn! he thought. Hope I didn’t warp the little girl for life.
    He laughed, but kept it quiet so the quick bursts of air only came out his nostrils and he sounded like a sniffing dog.
    Stop it, he told himself.
    For a while, he heard nothing except his own heartbeat and quiet breathing. Then came faint voices. A man's voice. A woman’s. He couldn’t hear them well, or what was being said, but he imagined the little girl’s father was in the cellar with one of the female guides—maybe the pretty one, Thompson, who had given Mark directions to the restroom.
    The bastard was right here.
    Well, he doesn’t seem to be here now.
    He imagined the two of them roaming through the cellar, looking behind the various crates and steamer trunks scattered about the floor.
    Maybe he went down in the hole.
    That’s not very likely, sir. What he probably did was hurry upstairs as soon as you left.
    I happen to think he’s hiding in the hole. Would you please check?
    Then Mark heard a voice clearly. It did sound like Thompson. ‘All I can say is we’ll keep an eye out for him and toss him out on his ear if we run into him. Let me know, though, if you see him again.’
    ‘You can count on that, young lady.’ Fred, all right.
    ‘But I imagine he probably took off after his little stunt.’
    ‘He terrified my little Nancy.’
    ‘I understand. I’m sorry.’
    ‘I don’t know what kind of outfit you people are running here, letting a thing like that happen.’
    ‘Well, we have a lot of visitors. Once in a while, someone gets out of hand. We do apologize. And we’ll be more than happen to refund…’ Her voice began to fade.
    Mark pictured them walking away, heading for the cellar stairs. He still heard Thompson and the man, but couldn’t make out their words. Then their voices were gone.
    I’ve really made it now, Mark though. I’m home free.
    He felt sorry about causing trouble for Thompson. She seemed nice, and it was his fault she had to deal with the girl’s father.
    Hell, he thought, she probably has to contend with crappy people all the time. It’s part of her job.
    What if she comes back?
    She won’t, he told himself.
    Maybe she suspects, just didn’t want to mention it in front of Fred.
    He imagined her coming back without the angry father. But with a flashlight. And maybe a pair of coveralls to put on to keep her uniform from getting dirty.
    She has temporarily closed off the cellar to tourists.
    Standing just outside the cordon, she takes off her tan blouse and shorts. This surprises Mark somewhat, even though it’s only happening in his own mind. He thinks maybe she is removing her uniform so it won’t get sweaty when she crawls through the hole.
    Apparently, she doesn’t want her bra or panties to get sweaty, either. Mark can hardly blame her; who would want to spend the