Soon the air was shrill with the sound of sirens. And this time they did shut off, very near. Hutch kept his expectant face upwards and just as soon as it was quiet again he started to shout.
"Help us! We're in here!....Someone..we need help!"
This time there was an answer.
"Where are you?" Came the distance voice.
"We're..." He paused and muttered. "How the hell?..." then shouted again. "Follow my voice!"
"Keep yelling, we'll find you."
Hutch beamed down to his partner.
"We're homefree now."
Starsky stared at him uneasily.
"It won't be long." Hutch said more softly.
Starsky nodded slightly.
"Okay."
A man's voice called down again.
"Aright, we've found the opening! We don't want to come any closer. We're going to try and start clearing stuff away. And there's some more help on the way. Can you hang on longer?"
"Yes! But my partner is hurt."
"How many of you are down there?"
"Two of us." Hutch shouted up.
"I'll be back in a minute."
Hutch sighed and rested against the wall, then looked at Starsky. His partner was rubbing his hands on his legs then held them up to watch them violently tremble. He clenched them tightly.
Hutch returned to sit by his side. He saw the beads of perspiration, red with blood, run down Starsky's forehead and wiped them gently away.
Starsky took a deep, trembling breath.
"I just want to get outside, Hutch...out of here."
"I know...I know. They're here, buddy. You'll be outside soon."
Starsky's chest started to rise faster. Hutch took one of the shaking hands in his own.
"Starsky. Close your eyes again and think about being outside. You will be real soon."
Starsky obeyed and shut them, but not for long.
"I'm sorry, Hutch. I can't help it."
"There's nothing to be sorry about."
Starsky took another big swallow and Hutch could see him begin the fight against the swift-rising panic. He squeezed Hutch's hand hard as he squinted ahead, concentrating. But all too soon his mouth was gulping for air.
"Can't breathe." He gasped.
"You can..come on, deep breath..."
Starsky suddenly reached up and tore at the leather choker around his neck. It held as he roughly jerked and yanked at it. Hutch grabbed his hand and pulled down.
"Easy, Starsk...take it easy."
A man's voice called down.
"We're working up here. We're going to get you out as fast as you can!"
Hutch peered into Starsky's face.
"Hear that? Huh?...Just hang on."
Starsky violently shuddered and squeezed his eyes shut. One spasm, then another tore through him.
Oh God, not again, Hutch thought as he quickly pulled him into his arms.
"Okay, we got through this the last time, Starsky. We'll do it again."
A hand grasped his arm as Hutch whispered into his ear.
"Stay with me, buddy.....listen to me and I'll get you out of this."
Hutch continued talking, remembering past experiences, reliving them, trying once again to draw his friend back. But there was no let-up in the trembling and with every worsening spasm Starsky dug his fingers painfully into Hutch's arm. Hutch's voice rose as he desperately tried to break through.
Then an loud sound, an long, mournful creaking, interrupted his desperate monologue. He stopped in mid-sentence and squinted up through the falling dust. The beam glared back down at him. A horrible dread rushed over Hutch.
Another quiver in his arms.
He clutched his partner closer.
"Oh God, Starsk" He pleaded, trying to keep the panic out of his own voice. "Please...please fight this."
White dust filtered lightly down on them.
"Hey!" Hutch shouted up to the patch of sky. No one answered.
Then, with a feeble cry of pain, Starsky suddenly went lax in his arms. The hand that had been clutching Hutch's arm slid slowly down. He sank against Hutch, the only movement, only sound, his painful intakes of air.
"Starsk?"
Hutch pushed him gently up by his shoulders. Starsky's face was ghostly pale now, his eyes half shut.
"Hey, pal?" Hutch asked softly, trying to keep the shaking out of his voice.
Starsky raised glassy eyes up to him for just a second then they fell again as he breathed out Hutch's name. Hutch eased him back against his chest. He lay half faint against him, his breaths slower now but so shallow, his hands laying open and limp.
His head, Hutch thought. The only reason Starsky's panic attack had been cut short was because it had been too much strain for his head injury. He watched in dismay as Starsky's eyelids fluttered closed.
"Hey...stay awake, buddy." Hutch said. "Don't be going away."
No response. He gently shook Starsky's shoulder.
"Come on, Starsk. You've got to try. Got to stay awake."
A little movement.
"You going to try, huh?"
A small nod of the head.
Small bits of plaster, slivers of wood fell. Hutch cursed to himself as he gazed ahead.
"Alright, I've been doing all the talking. It's your turn."
Quiet.
"Come on, Starsk."
Hutch waited.
"Ask..." came the weak voice.
"Yeah?...Ask what?"
"...ask 'em.. 'bout my car."
Hutch's smile was thin.
"Okay. I will."
Another pause, then "Are they comin'?"
"They're digging. They're close."
Hutch waited, but Starsky remained silent.
"Stay with me, Starsk. Tell me something."
"..mmm...what?"
"I don't know...tell me about...about when you'd set fire to the street. When you were a kid."
Starsky tried to take a deep breath but flinched against Hutch.
"Okay, take it easy." Hutch soothed.
"...don't feel good."
"You gonna be sick?"
Another pause, and Starsky shook his head no.
Hutch gazed up to the small patch of sky then down again.
"You and your friends got some gasoline...tell me, Starsk."
"We...we got some gas and...went to the top of the street." He stopped.
"Okay, then what?"
"Uh..." Starsky's voice was barely audible. "...we poured it down.."
Just then a tumultuous crack startled them. Chunks of debris dropped onto them. Hutch huddled over Starsky and gasped when a weight hit his injured leg. Smaller pieces followed with clouds of dirt. Then all was calm again. They were coated in dust and covered in pieces of wood and plaster.
Hutch took in the scene around him, anger in his eyes, when his partner's quiet voice reached him.
"We're not gonna make it, are we?"
Chapter 6
Hutch hesitated at Starsky's question. The hopelessness he heard in it.
"Sure we'll make it, buddy....we'll make it." He said. "You know we like to cut it close, huh?"
"..not this close."
Hutch grimaced at the quickening weakness in Starsky's voice.
"I'm going to call up again, okay? Don't mean to yell in your ears."
He shouted up a few times 'til someone called back.
"How are you doing in there?"
"This place isn't going to hold up much longer." Hutch yelled.
"We're moving fast up here. Lots of people working at it. Hang on."
"There's a beam over us...it won't take any more weight."
"I see it. We're working to the side of it, we'll be careful."
Hutch paused, then said in a lower voice. "Please hurry."
The man's voice also softened.
"We'll get you out. Don't worry."
Hutch's attention went back to his partner, laying so quietly against him.
"Starsk?"
"Uhh..."
"Come on, open your eyes. Let's talk some more."
Slow to reply, Starsky finally murmured. "No...dizzy."
"It'll help, buddy." He rubbed Starsky's arm. "Talk to me."
Hutch waited.
"Starsky...I'm not going to let you fall asleep, so you're going to have to try. You were telling me about those little experiments with arson when you were a kid.. remember?"
"Wasn't arson..." Starsky mumbled.
"Okay, your boyhood pranks with fire?"
Hutch thought Starsky was fading off again when his weary voice reached him.
"Hutch?"
"Uh huh?"
"..if everything falls....I don't wanna be buried..no more of this."
"Starsky.." Hutch whispered.
"I just ..wanna go quick."
"Hey, this isn't our time. I know it isn't."
Hutch searched the air for more words of assurance, of encouragement...of false promises. He stopped and looked down at the man in his arms. And thought of their years of friendship.
Resting his chin lightly on Starsky's head, and pulling him closer, Hutch spoke again.
"If the worst happens, buddy," he said quietly. "I won't let go...you're right here with me."
Starsky reached around to grasp the side of Hutch's shirt.
Suddenly a resounding crack, as loud as a gunshot, jarred them both.
They waited, clinging to each other, not breathing.
And waited.
Hutch barely heard Starsky's frail voice.
"Did ya ever think...we'd go like this?"
Hutch took a shaky breath and, raising his head, studied the crumbling ceiling and the awful beam.
"No...I more envisioned you finally wrapping us around a pole with your car."
When Starsky didn't respond at all, Hutch prodded him gently.
"Hey..Starsk."
A board slammed to the ground beside them.
Only Hutch jumped this time.
"Starsky..?" Hutch fought to keep his voice level.
Smaller pieces followed, the air swirled darkly with dust.
"Hutch.."
Hutch lowered his head to hear the faint words.
"It's always been a blast, Hutch...ya know?"
Tears sprang to Hutch's eyes.
"I love you too, buddy."
The hand clutching his shirt let go and Hutch watched as it slowly fell away. He knew he should wake his friend up, drag him back from unconsciousness. Talk to him. Keep him talking.
Another menacing groan from the beam, more pieces clattered noisily to the ground.
He ran his hand through the dark hair, finding the sticky, bloodcrusted curls. He put a finger on the cold temple and felt the even pulse. He felt the rhythms of breath against him, as they slowed and deepened.
He should wake him.
Hutch closed his eyes as he pressed his face into the curls.
He heard the debris hit the ground.
"Go to sleep, buddy."
He felt the thick dust land on his head.
"Go to sleep. I'm right here."
Chapter 7 Final
Under the rubble of the building, in the dark, cramped space, two figures huddled together. One lax and silent, the other tensed with fear.
Hutch remained hovering over his unconscious friend. Shards of wood, pieces of plaster fell, some hitting with force, others trickling softly to the ground. Then all was still again, eerie and quiet.
"Oh Starsk.." He murmured.
It crossed his mind that at times like this people went back over their life, their family and friends. Remembering everything one last time. So he concentrated, tried to picture all the people who had meant something to him, but the images were blurry and they flashed by. The present, so clear and terrifying, stole his attention.
The sickening, yawning sound of straining wood filled the room.
Hutch froze, listening to it.
It waned, then died away and nothing more happened.
"Hey, pal," he whispered, "don't mind telling ya I'm really scared. I'm terrified. This waiting..."
He scanned the walls, then looked down again. He studied his friends peaceful face. The dark lashes on the pale cheeks, the mouth slightly open.
"You know what? If you hadn't been down here with me...I wouldn't have been too cool at all about this. I should have told you that." He paused. "You're my rock, Starsky. Always have been."
Trying to take a calming breath, he softly brushed dust off his friend's shoulder and arm.
"Should have told you a lot of things. But...we never do, do we? People don't walk around wearing their hearts on their sleeves. So..I don't regret not telling you everything cause I think you knew.." he pressed his eyes shut, "..you know how I feel about you."
He paused in the heavy silence.
"I always had it easy, you know. Things fell in my lap. I would have gone on contented with what I had.. before I met you."
He smiled sadly.
"But I met you. I wasn't content anymore. I woke up in the morning...eager..alive. I still look forward to.."
Without warning a slab of cement slammed to the ground at their feet. Dust billowed up from its sides.
Hutch forced his stare away from it.
"My life started the day you came to me, Starsky." His voice shook. "And it'll end when you go....so if this is how it's got to be..."
He gasped as a grinding, screeching sound began. Wrapping himself further over Starsky, he whispered.
"I can do it with you here, Starsk. I can do it."
His heart hammered against his chest, it pounded in his ears.
The terrifying noise grew in volume.
More debris dropped noisily to the ground.
Then quiet.
"Hey!" A voice called, clear and close.
Slowly, Hutch raised his head. He squinted at the bright light pouring in.
A gap, wide and blue, over them. An out of focus face peering through it.
"You alright?"
He still gazed up.
"Come on," the stranger urged, "let's get you out of there."
As relief finally began to flood through him, he looked back down.
"We made it, Starsk." A smile spread slowly across his face. "We made it."
Surprised, he watched the fingers curl into the fold of his shirt.
"Piece.." came the slight voice. "..cake."
THE END
EPILOGUE
The sun, like a giant red eye, watched them as it set over the ocean. It sank low, leaving in its wake long ribbons across the sky and water. Ribbons of crimson and orange. Yellow and gold. Even the sand on the beach wore a soft hue of pink. Water lapped lazily on the shore.
Hutch sat on the long piece of driftwood, watching his friend walk along the beach.
Jeans rolled up and barefoot, Starsky slowly sliced through the cool water at its edge. As he got closer, he looked up and smiled at Hutch.
"Wanna go for a swim?" He called.
"Of course I don't."
Starsky returned to settle on the log beside him and they looked out over the water.
"Well," Hutch said, "back to the grind tomorrow."
"Yeah..all good things come to pass."
"Desk duty." Hutch replied. "Guess we have to start somewhere."
"With your leg and my head, I don't think we'd get far chasin' down a little old lady on a walker right now."
Hutch laughed and a silence fell over them for a moment.
"Hey, Starsk," Hutch asked, "have you called that number I gave you yet?"
"Not yet." Came the slow reply.
Hutch looked over at him.
"They know how to help you deal with stuff like anxiety attacks, panic..."
"I know. I know." Starsky waved him off.
"Just call them. Do it for me."
Starsky shot him a hurt glance.
"I don't plan on being stuck like that anywhere, anytime soon again, Hutch. If I am, and you're stuck with me..."
"That's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?" Starsky's tone softened. "I'm sorry. It just ain't something I'm proud of, okay?"
"It's nothing to be embarrassed about. Come on, Starsk..."
"Look, I'll call them, okay?"
"Okay."
Head down, Starsky dug his feet back and forth in the sand.
"I didn't make it very easy, did I?" He said softly. "Goin' off like I did."
"Starsky..there's only one thing about being trapped down there with you that I'll never be able to forget or forgive you for."
The deep blue eyes shot up to him, aghast, frightened.
"Brahma." Hutch said. "Never, ever wear that
stuff near me again."