The Descent - Episode 3

We reached the crest of the ascent around 11pm. The moon still shone brightly in the sky but was now beginning to become veiled in a thin layer of cirrus clouds high in the stratosphere. As I caught my breath Lou surveyed the track behind us. All at once I paused to notice her expression. She was glaring at the track, squinting to see something below. It was apparent by her expression when her brain defined the image that her eyes had captured. My heart sank as I watch her begin to tremble in fear. Neither one of us being especially heroic or brave I turned to see what it was she had caught sight of. I too had to strain to see with the waning moonlight offering little assistance to my eyes. I had a hard time resolving the image in my mind just as Lou had and then it hit me and I too felt rushed with fear. The Grease Bum had surveyed the wreckage and found it to be devoid of carcasses meaning only one thing; we had escaped. Having already reported his success to his employer it was now paramount for him to finish the job before they arrived to inspect his handy-work. My mind searched for ideas as my eyes searched for exits. I reached for my bag and grabbed one of my vials of Liberation 11. I pulled off its specially made cork top and fanned the vial downward towards the ascending tracks. The concoction turned to mist as the wind caught it and it settled slowly down onto the tracks - instantly vaporizing their steel and wood construction. Thanks to the manner in which it had dispersed it removed a section of track large enough that the Grease Bum would not be able to jump its span. The mist continued earthward and tore through the chain mechanisms below. The Grease Bum stopped fast and, realizing that both his mission and his livelihood had been ruined, shook a greasy fist at us before retreating as swiftly as he could to escape his employers' wrath. I turned back toward the passengers who all now looked at me with anticipation. I asked to see their belongings so I could devise a method for us to descend the track ahead. I found several large umbrellas and many old suitcases from the commuters. I lashed the umbrellas together using six of them to make a structure to support the suitcases atop them and two of the umbrellas, which I thought to be the sturdiest, to run horizontally across the structure to hold it to the rails with the umbrella handles. I motioned for Oliver to come to me and he did. I reached for my tools and Liberation 11 vial from my pack and Lou assisted me as we began the process. We formed a channel of foil atop the helmet on both sides of the hinge. We then had to line the foil with a special lubricant I had made to keep the L11 from eating the foil. Then I spread a small layer of L11 on the hinge; just enough that it would fizzle out after consuming solely the hinge. The L11 worked its magic and the helmet burst free. I pulled its two halves apart and it cracked from the strain and final broke into two pieces. This whole process, due to the care I took in administering it took us at least 25 minutes. I paused to catch my breath as my nerves had usurped all of my emotional and physical energy at this point. The other passengers watch the event in amazement, none of them understanding why I would have tools for such a task. Then after Oliver smiled slowly, the passengers let out a faint and measured sigh of approval. We then boarded my makeshift rail car and began our descent, slowing ourselves with an extra umbrella I pressed against the side of the rails.