Part 31

"That's not going to do any good."

Maurice, Frank, Owen and Kyle stood breathless before the massive door. For the past twenty minutes they'd been pulling, pushing, twisting, and attacking the iron structure with no result.

Even after their efforts, Owen couldn't even say with any certainty that the thing actually WAS a door.

Oh, certainly, it looked like one. But there were no hinges where it connected to the stone, and no seams around the indented handle-like structure that was the only feature on the metal surface.

And, most importantly, it wouldn't open.

It wouldn't budge, even with four healthy men attacking it with all the force they could muster.

Well... three of them had. Maurice's participation was half-hearted at best, which he justified by saying he'd already tired himself out trying to open it alone.

Now, while everyone rested, Owen was examining the metal surface closely, his nose less than an inch from the iron.

"I said that's not going to do any good," Maurice grunted.

"Then let me waste my time in my own way; it's not costing you anything-"

"It's costing me," Kyle interrupted. "We've wasted time on this thing and now Brad-"

"I'm really tired of hearing about your friend, son. He ran off; that's his problem. You want to run off and get lost finding him, go right ahead." Maurice gave Kyle a shooing motion toward the corridor. "Go on. Just go and shut up about it."

Kyle scowled, but then his face straightened into a determined nod.

"Fine." He turned to leave. "I'll do that."

"That's not a good idea," said Owen.

"So are you telling me I can't go?"

Owen turned from the door and shrugged.

"No. Just that its not a good idea to split... WHICH I have been saying from the beginning."

"Yeah, but we HAVE split up," said Maurice. "And nothing's happened. So-"

"Nothing's happened that we KNOW of," Owen corrected. "Besides, if you're in such a hurry to wander around alone, how come you stuck with us when you found us?"

"Because-" Maurice folded his arms and leaned against the wall before he answered. "-I lead you to this door. Thought you could open it."

"And now you've obviously decided that we can't, so-"

"Oh FORGET it!" Kyle snapped. He stormed off down the corridor. "All this talking and nobody's DOING anything. ...assholes..."

"You want me to keep an eye on him?" Frank asked.

Maurice and Owen both regarded him cooly. The fact that he had asked Owen instead of Maurice did not go unnoticed; although both men seemed equally disturbed by it.

"Look, I'm not in charge-" Owen began.

"Then I elect ME!" Maurice snapped. "And I say let the little shit wander off. There's nothing back that way anyway; that's the way I came. He'll be all right."

"Then he's wasting his time," said Owen. "A fact that you could have TOLD him before he left."

"Nevermind," said Frank. "Just never-fucking-mind. Once you two figure out who's got the biggest dick... or brain... just let the rest of us know." Frank went after Kyle, leaving Maurice and Owen glowering at each other in front of the iron door.

"Looks like we've split up again," Maurice said, smiling. He made a show of looking around. "... strange... I don't see the world ending."

"Yet," said Owen. "But give it time."