Beckon by Tom Pawlik Page B

side.”
    They spent the next several minutes pushing against alternate edges of the door but had no luck. Whoever built this door had definitely constructed it with an eye toward security.
    By now, despite everything that had happened, Jack felt a pang of hunger and checked his watch. It was nearly five o’clock, and he had no desire to spend a night in this place. They decided to break for water and food. Once he’d had a chance to sit and think further, Jack hoped an idea or opportunity might somehow present itself.
    As he ate, he studied the door, feeling an almost-irresistible compulsion to press on. Now more than ever—not only for his father’s sake but for Rudy’s as well. He’d found evidence that there was in fact a remnant of a lost civilization hidden away in these caves. A barbaric and brutal culture to be certain, but one that might hold untold secrets of the ancient world. And Jack needed to bring it into the light. It was the discovery of a lifetime. It would silence his father’s detractors once and for all. And maybe, in some small way, it might bring Rudy’s death some meaning.
    Jack stared at the doorway. After a moment he shone his light along the bottom and crouched down to inspect it more closely. “There’s a little slot cut into the wood here. I wonder if this is some kind of keyhole.”
    Ben peered over his shoulder. “Maybe it’s like a garage door and swings up from the bottom. If it’s hinged near the top, it’d be easy to push open from the inside but more difficult to pull it up from the outside.”
    Jack leaned back on his heels. “They’d just need to bring some kind of tool with them. Like a handle they can stick inside to pull it up.” He gathered his courage and felt inside the groove. “Yeah, there’s a space here. Do you have something we can wedge in here?”
    They searched through their packs, and Ben pulled out one of his C-shaped metal carabiners. He worked it into the groove and twisted it to the side until it wedged into the wood. Then he pulled.
    The door swung up toward them easily with only a soft creak.
    â€œIt’s lighter than it looks,” Ben said.
    As the door swung upward, Jack could see a series of primitive ropes and wooden pulleys on the inside. “Looks like they have some kind of counterweight system rigged.”
    â€œThat’s not very secure.”
    â€œIt doesn’t have to be.” Jack shrugged. “All it needs to do is keep the giant spiders out.”
    The doorway opened onto a narrow passage, so long and deep that their flashlight beams seemed to get swallowed by the black void.
    Jack could feel his chest thumping but fought back his fear with a sober determination. He knew the answers he was seeking lay somewhere in the darkness ahead, and that compelled him forward despite his apprehension. “I guess we keep going, then.”
    Ben removed his carabiner and let the door close behind them.

Chapter 13
    The air felt warmer inside the tunnel, which made sense if this was leading them to where the N’watu were living.
    Ben cracked a couple of glowsticks and suggested that they proceed with their flashlights off. No need to attract unwanted attention. Besides, if the N’watus’ eyesight had adapted to the darkness, the lights might prove to be a useful weapon if the situation warranted.
    They followed the tunnel, keeping as quiet as possible. Jack found his palms sweaty. Since the N’watu had found Rudy’s jacket, they would probably be wary of additional intruders. Then again, living for generations inside this cave system had most likely given them heightened senses of smell and hearing in order to compensate for the lack of light. For all Jack knew, the N’watu were already watching them.
    The passage wound downward, and before long Ben put a finger to his lips, then stuck his glow stick inside his pocket. Jack knew Ben