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"Weweren’t the ones who - tossed bombs when there wasn’t a need!" Harkat snapped "We’d agreed a deal with - the Kulashkas They were letting us go"

"That lot?" Spits snorted "They’d’ve strung ye up and had ye fer breakfast!"

"I’ll stringyou up if you don’t - shut yourhi by Harkat’s tone

"Many Kulashkas died because of you," I sighed "If you’d stayed outside like you were supposed to, they needn’t have"

"Who cares about that lot?" Spits laughed "They ain’t of our world What’s the difference if soot squished?"

"They were people!" Harkat roared "It doesn’t ht - to come in here and kill theht now Spits was only trying to help, in his clu a way out, and leave the finger-pointing for another tiru the lead

"That’s not very polite," Spits cohted to cause havoc"

"Be quiet," I snapped, "or I’ll change my mind and set him on you!"

"Crazy pair o’ landlubbers," Spits snorted, but kept further comments to himself and fell in behindin silence for a nu froot broken in the explosion!) It was completely dark in the tunnel I couldn’t see Harkat, even though he was only a metre or so ahead ofhirey feeton that, I didn’t hear the other sounds until they were almost upon us

"Stop!" I hissed suddenly

Harkat came to an instant standstill Behind an

I cla it with little difficulty from the stink of his breath "Not a word," I whispered, and through the throb of his lips I felt his heartbeat pick up speed

"What’s wrong?" Harkat asked quietly

"We’re not alone," I said, strainingsounds all around us, ahead, at the sides, behind The sounds stopped for a few seconds e stopped, but then picked up again, slightly slower and quieter than before

"Soht foot," Harkat said

I felt Spits stiffen "I’ve had enough o’ this," he muttered fearfully, and made to pull away and run

"I wouldn’t do that," I said softly "I think I knohat this is If I’ would be avery bad idea"

Spits tre hiracefully as I could, and gently laid a hand on the floor of the tunnel A few seconds later, sos - two - four - six - eight

"Spiders," I whispered "We’re surrounded by spiders"

"Is that all?" Spits laughed "I’m not scared o’ a feee spiders! Stand aside, boys, and I’ll sta a foot into the air "What if they’re poisonous?" I said He froze

"I’ve a better one," Harkat said "Maybe these are babies This is a world of - giants - the Grotesque and that iant - spiders too?"

At that, I froze like Spits had, and the three of us stood there, sweating in the darkness, listening - waiting - helpless