by Frank Foley
The door was a time-lock door and now it was closed it
didn’t look like it was opening again for a while.
‘Well, it’s locked.’ said Jerzy. ’ We’re
screwed.’
Skunk was feeling at the door and cursing. ’What the
hell are we going to do?’ he said.
They stood there for some moments, Jerzy watching Skunk
and Skunk pushing against the door and walls cursing. Then Jerzy noticed the
hatch.
‘Does it open?’
‘Hold on, hold on.’ Jerzy was up at the hatch,
pushing hard at it. Then it moved and Jerzy’s head was disappearing
through. ‘Lovely,’ he said.
‘What, can we get through?’
‘No problem.’
Jerzy climbed down and he was sweating for the hatch was
high up and he had to strain to hold it up. He was breathing hard.
‘Bit of a climb,’ he said, ’but it’ll be alright.’
He went over and sat himself down against the wall, and wiped the sweat on
his face through his hair. The box was on the floor in front of him. Skunk
looked at him and for a minute they didn’t speak.
‘Come on, then,’ said Jerzy, when he had his breath
again. He stood up and set about climbing through the hatch with the box.
Skunk watched Jerzy with the box and didn’t say anything.
It was impossible. It was too difficult a climb and too
heavy a box. Skunk tried briefly, but it was no use.
‘Look, I’ll have to get up there, and you can pass it
up to me … that’s the only way we’ll get it out.’
Skunk was nodding slowly in agreement not looking at
Jerzy, but then he stopped nodding and looked straight at him.
‘Maybe I should go up,’ Skunk said, ‘and you can
pass it up to me … I’ll be able to lift it better when I‘m up there.’
Now, Jerzy was shaking his head. ‘No, no, you’re
stronger. You’ll be better lifting it up to me.’
Skunk had folded his arms. He stood there looking at the
floor.
‘Well, let’s try it at least,’ said Jerzy.
Skunk didn’t move. ‘I think I’ll go up first
anyway,’ he said, but Jerzy was already passed him and climbing.
‘It’s okay,’ Jerzy said, ‘ I’m there now.’
Jerzy climbed up and Skunk stood below watching him. He
stood there with his arms folded and watched as Jerzy got to the hatch and
breathing hard again pushed it with his arms above his head. Then Jerzy was
up and pulling himself through, lifting himself up with his arms. He
disappeared for a second, then leant back through the hatch, his arms
hanging down.
‘Pass it up, then,’ he said.
Skunk stood still, looking up at him.
‘Come on then, pass it up.’
Skunk shook his head. ‘I can’t do that,’ he said.
Jerzy leant further down through the hatch. His face was
wet and purple. ‘Come on, for fuck’s sake, pass it up.’
‘No. I can’t do that.’ Skunk walked over to the box
and sat down. He had his elbows on his thighs and his chin rested in his
hands. Jerzy swore at him and then climbed through the hatch and back down.
‘Fuck’s up with you?’
‘I’m not letting you have it.’
‘What?’
‘I’m not passing it up to you … you pass it up to
me.’
Skunk got up and began climbing up to the hatch. Jerzy
watched him. ‘Are you fucking kidding me?’ he said.
It took some minutes, but finally Skunk was through the
hatch. He righted himself, then said, ‘Alright, pass it up.’
Jerzy laughed at him. He, now, was sitting on the box.
‘I’m not pissing around, pass it up.’ said Skunk,
and when Jerzy didn’t move he pulled himself back up. Jerzy waited and
then Skunk was there again, leaning forward, straining, holding a gun.
‘Pass me up the fucking box,’ he said. Skunk was
dripping sweat onto the floor. The two men were looking at one another and
the room was very quiet. Then Jerzy was laughing and shaking his head.
‘Or what?’ he said.
‘Or I’m going to fucking shoot you,’ said Skunk.
Jerzy was laughing. ’And get it out how exactly?’ he
said.
Skunk came back down.
Jerzy was sat with his back against the wall and Skunk
sat opposite him. The box was where it always had been on the floor between
them. They sat like that for a long time without saying anything.
‘You should have gone,’ said Jerzy. ‘When you were
up there, you should have gone. Could’ve brought someone back, sorted it
out … not now though.’
Skunk looked up at the hatch.
‘Not now though,’ said Jerzy, ‘can’t let you up
there now, can I? You go up there again and I’ll have to shoot you, won’t
I?’
Skunk was looking at the hatch.
‘And if I go up there, well, then, you’ll have to
shoot me, won’t you?’
Jerzy looked at Skunk and Skunk began to say something,
but stopped. The two men were watching each other and looking at the hatch.
For the longest time, neither one of them said a thing.
