The Suicide Exhibition: The Never War (Never War 1)

The Suicide Exhibition: The Never War (Never War 1) Read Free Page A

Book: The Suicide Exhibition: The Never War (Never War 1) Read Free
Author: Justin Richards
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who had carried the pickaxe staggered, and fell. He pitched sideways with a cry. Another soldier made to grab him, but was too late. His hand closed on empty air. The falling soldier disappeared over the edge and into the darkness. His shout echoed round the passageway – the sound of hopeless terror.
    Streicher had firm hold of Smith’s arm, pulling him up and back from the brink.
    Ahead of them was a gaping hole, about ten feet across. The section of floor had pivoted on the far side, tilting away. Below was darkness. The cries of the falling soldier faded into the distance.
    Smith handed the pickaxe to another soldier and took a deep breath. ‘A bit more extreme than I was expecting,’ he admitted. ‘Sorry about that poor fellow. But thanks for the helping hand.’
    ‘My pleasure.’ Streicher smiled grimly. It might have saved a problem later if Smith had fallen. There again, it looked like they might still need the man’s help. The loss of another soldier was regrettable, but Streicher was used to death.
    The jump was made more difficult by knowing the consequences of not making it. No one asked if the ground on the other side would be secure, but everyone was wondering. Streicher went first.
    He took a short run up, and leaped across the abyss, landing heavily on the other side. The ground was firm. Smithfollowed, taking a longer run up, moving clumsily, arms flailing in the air as he made his ungainly journey across. He landed close to Streicher with a loud sigh of relief followed by a nervous laugh. The others crossed without incident.
    ‘I think this could be it,’ Smith announced, aiming his torch down the passage.
    A short way ahead, what Streicher had taken for more shadows and the continuing passage was now visible as a huge barrier. It was caked in mud and grime. Smith rubbed his hand over it.
    ‘Metal,’ he announced with surprise. ‘Bronze, perhaps? Or iron. Difficult to tell in this light. Not what I was expecting, though, whatever it is.’
    The door – and there was soon no doubt that it was a door – was embossed with a series of circles and lines. It was hinged on one side. A heavy latch slid into a socket on the other side. It took two of the soldiers to slide the latch back out of the socket. It finally gave in a shower of dirt and rust. The door creaked on its hinges as if it too was sighing with relief.
    The two soldiers leaned back, using their whole weight to drag the door open. It moved slowly at first, the metal screeching in protest. Once it was free of the frame, it swung ponderously outwards. Then it jammed on the uneven floor leaving a gap just wide enough for a man to squeeze through. Behind it was a gaping maw of darkness.
    Streicher stepped towards the darkness, Smith at his side. The torch beams disappeared into the void, as if it was swallowing up their light.
    ‘Best send one of your men first,’ Smith said quietly. ‘I mean, hell, I’m guessing they’re more expendable.’
    Streicher did not reply, but motioned for one of the soldiers to lead the way. The man took a torch from one of his colleagues, and struggled through the opening, almost immediately calling back that it was safe.
    Smith squeezed through the gap after Streicher, the other SS men following behind. He was fascinated, but wary. Mostof them had been lucky – he himself had been very lucky – with the collapsing floor. But they couldn’t rely on luck for ever. Smith, more than most, understood the importance of proper planning and meticulous research. This place, by its very nature, denied them that.
    Beyond the door was a small, empty antechamber. Ahead of them was another wall. The stonework was more regular, tighter fitting than the other walls they had breached getting this far. Smith glanced back past the door behind him, out into the passageway beyond. The small chamber they had just entered made no sense. It was like a watertight compartment before a vital section of a ship or a submarine.

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