Beyond the Deep: The Deadly Descent Into the World's Most Treacherous Cave by William Stone & Barbara Am Ende

Author:William Stone & Barbara Am Ende [Stone, William & Ende, Barbara Am]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Adventurers & Explorers, Autobiography, Biography, Caving, Expeditions & Discoveries, History, Non-Fiction, Sports & Recreation
ISBN: 9780446561273
Google: vVc7AQAAQBAJ
Amazon: B00FOUPDD0
Publisher: Hachette UK
Published: 2010-05-29T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

It was drizzling as Bill dragged himself up the Jungle Drop. Cool water trickled down the vines that dangled into the sinkhole, and soothed his aching muscles as he hoisted himself out of the cleft. After sixteen days below ground, the incessant chatter of the jungle and the musky smells of the vegetation overwhelmed his senses. He crested the dirt balcony, stowed his muddy yellow Jumars, crawled through the rocky entrance tunnel, and stepped out into the adjacent field. Corn and black beans had sprouted in his absence. He felt conflicted as he sat down on a jagged boulder to wait for Noel: Life was much more comfortable here on the surface, but also far more complicated.

The dusty trail up to the village had turned to mud, and Bill’s rubber-soled Bata boots provided no traction. He slipped and fell repeatedly. Picking himself up for the umpteenth time, he joked to Noel that he was beginning to understand what it was like to be a greased pig. Noel replied with an off-color joke about greased pigs. By the time they reached the cookhouse, they were both covered with mud.

Barbara heard them coming, and walked down from the bunkhouse. She fixed them a stew of military-style MREs (meals ready to eat) served over spaghetti, and tried not to wince as Noel slurped down two large bowls. As they ate, she filled them in about events on the surface. The Mexican authorities had been notified about Ian’s death, as had the British embassy. Bill’s longtime friend Sergio Zambrano was en route from Mexico City to help navigate the local bureaucracy, and a team of British cavers was on the way down from an expedition at Cuetzalan to assist in the evacuation. Rob Parker had broken the news to Ian’s wife, Erica, and had made arrangements to return to Scotland with his body.

“There’s something else you need to know, G,” Barbara said. “Parker is here. And he’s really, really upset. He thinks the rig killed Ian.”

Bill looked up from his food to glare at her. She held up her hand to preempt his rebuttal.

“I know, I know,” she replied. “I’m telling you what Parker thinks. He thinks the rig killed Ian. He believes that. And he’s got most of the rest of the camp believing that, too.”

Bill gulped down a mouthful of food and began to voice a question.

Barbara answered before he could get a word out: “Farr, for sure. Maybe Porter, hard to tell.”

Bill took the news hard. He flopped his elbows onto the table, dropped his head into his hands, and said nothing. He hadn’t slept a full night in almost a week. He had bags under his eyes, and bruises all over. On top of all that, the emotional defeat was crushing. Barbara gave him a hug, then washed the dishes.

Wes Skiles ambled into the cookhouse a few minutes later. He’d arrived earlier that evening, along with fellow Moles Tom Morris and Paul Smith. They’d driven straight through from Florida,

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