“Jean-Pierre,” Dr Capri said quietly. “I think Bhrigu is telling the truth. He had nothing to do with it. All this…”
“I don’t care,” Jean-Pierre replied. “Maybe Debby is better, but we still have to get out of here as quickly as possible.”
David, who was already inside the boat, caught the doctor and the Frenchman’s gaze:
“The boat is flimsy. Do you think we can all get across at once?”
“Fine, we can squeeze,” Jean-Pierre answered. “Only together.”
He went to the wall and picked up the torch which was attached to it. He gave it to Debby, who sat down next to Bhrigu. Yulia and David sat opposite.
The doctor and Jean-Pierre both pushed the boat away from the shore. The boat was very small and barely fit four people. There was one narrow thwart at the end of the boat and another thwart in the middle. Between the two pairs of people was David’s backpack.
“David, jump out,” Jean-Pierre said after looking around the inside of the boat. “We will swim behind the boat.”
David shoved his backpack under the thwart and jumped into the water. Dr Capri sat in his place and took up an oar. Yulia took the other oar. Jean-Pierre pushed the boat and asked David to take hold of it with his hands, while he swam behind.
The boat moved along the calm surface of the underground lake. The bottom immediately disappeared from under their feet and the light slapping of the oars against the water began to fill the vaults with even sounds
“Bhrigu,” Dr Capri asked in English, “and still, could you explain what is happening? How is it possible that the exit from the cave has disappeared?”
“Tulu-Manchi,” the hermit began quietly, “need you to understand question. How it happen? Or why it happen?”
“Both,” said David, pulling himself closer to the boat on his hands.
“Hmm,” Bhrigu smiled. “Good answer. I don’t know how it happen. It matters not much. But clear you have to go out a different way than you came.”
“Just to get out,” said Jean-Pierre, overtaking the boat. “How much longer?”
“Little,” answered Bhrigu. “Little further,” said Bhrigu. “Exit is close.”
“Debby, pull the torch forward,” Jean-Pierre asked.
Debby turned to the bow of the boat and held the torch forward over the water. The stalactites and stalagmites appeared out of the darkness. They were lumpy and yellowish and looked like huge dead snakes. Some protruded from the water in a frozen desire to reach the ceiling, others dangled from above.