13
The torch light began to flicker, and the immediate tunnel surrounds appeared and disappeared in spasmodic, flickering moments of dark and light. Traynor slapped the torch against his palm. Finally, the light went out and stayed out, plunging the tunnel into a complete, suffocating blackness. He stopped, and Sam crashed clumsily into his back.
“s**t, what happened?” Sam asked.
“Sorry,” Traynor said. “b****y torch is f****d. Batteries must be dead.” He slapped it again, with no result.
“What’s the problem?” Foley asked from the rear.
“Torch batteries are flat,” Sam explained.
“Flat?”
“Yeah, Russ, flat. You know, like running out of charge.”
“I know what ‘flat’ is, Sam,” Foley huffed. “How could they be flat, we’ve only gone a short distance?”
Traynor turned around and spoke to S
