A few seconds later, a quarter clatters on the floor, indicating that Wax has safely reached the top and the stretcher can be re-lowered and

readied for the next load.

Jed is next. Hand over hand, Navidson and Reston haul the body upwards, the excess rope gathering in coils around their feet. As Tom does not operate a Hi 8 during this sequence, we can only imagine what his reaction was as he struggled to lift the corpse over the railing. Nonetheless, a minute later, a second quarter clatters on the floor. Reston goes next.

Navidson double-checks to make sure the end of the rope is still securely tied to the last banister and then begins hoisting his friend up the

shaft.

"You are one heavy bastard," Navidson grunts. Reston lights a green flare and gives Navidson a big toothy grin:

"Going up like the fourth of July."

At first everything seems to be proceeding smoothly. Slowly but surely, Navidson draws more and more slack rope down onto the floor, steadily lifting Reston up through the bore of those stairs. Then about half way up, something strange happens: the excess rope at Navidson's feet starts to vanish while the rope he holds begins to slip across his fingers and palms with enough speed to leave a burning gash. Navidson finally has to let go. Reston, however, does not fall. In fact, Reston's ascent only accelerates, marked by the burning

green light he still holds in his hand.

But if Navidson is no longer holding onto the rope, what could possibly

be pulling Reston to the