Hutch sat on Starsky's couch, turning the pages
of a magazine absentmindedly. He took another look at his watch and sighed
aloud. His partner had gotten out of the shower twenty minutes before,
flashing a smile as he made his way to his bedroom with a "Be right there."
It was Saturday afternoon and they had a double date. They were supposed
to meet the two
young women they'd met only last night in Huggy's bar at the amusement
park's front gates. In five minutes. Hutch got up and strode over to stand
outside his partners' closed bedroom door.
"Come on, Starsky! We're going to be late." He hollered. "They're not going to wait forever, you know. We're not that hot."
"Speak for yourself," came the muffled reply from the other side.
Hutch shook his head. "Would you please just move it, huh?"
The door opened and the dark haired man stood there, looking pleased with himself. "Well?"
Hutch looked him up and down.
"Well what? I see the same jeans you had on before. In the last twenty minutes you've combed your hair and found a clean shirt." He said frustratedly.
"How do I smell?" Starsky leaned into his partner a little, baring his neck.
Hutch sniffed the air then backed up a step.
"Uh...Starsky, what is that?"
"Brahma." Starsky replied, twitching his eyebrows up and down. "Guaranteed to attract females."
Hutch waved the air with his hand as he turned back down the short hallway.
"I don't know about the human kind, but I think it'll stampede every cow herd in this state, Brahma Boy."
"You think so?" Starsky's face fell.
"You smell so."
"Maybe I should go change. I splashed some on the shirt too. It lasts lon.."
"Starsky!" Hutch spun around. "We're late now,
just..." He stopped in midsentence as an odd feeling in his legs startled
him. A wobbly, rubbery sensation rippled up the length of them, then stopped.
It had only lasted a few seconds, and Hutch was wondering whether he had
imagined it when he looked up and saw Starsky's expression. His partner
stared back at him
apprehensively.
"What just happened?" Starsky muttered.
"You felt it too?....I don't know.."
Suddenly the floor shuddered violently under
them and both men reached unsteadily for the walls. This time the tremor
didn't stop. Staring at each other in disbelief and horror, they felt the
walls themselves begin to quiver under their hands, then shake. They agitated
against the movement under their feet. A strange noise, a rumbling grew
along with the sounds of things beginning to teeter and fall off of their
perches in the apartment. Ornaments in the living room crashed to the floor,
glasses and dishes
clattered as they slid out of shelves in the kitchen.
"Let's get out of here! Now!" Hutch yelled. He turned and was stumbling towards the living room when he looked quickly over his shoulder then stopped. Starsky was still standing where he had been, the light fixture from the ceiling laying at his feet in pieces. He gazed blankly at Hutch, swaying with the tremors, but no longer holding onto the wall. Suddenly a thin red line of blood appeared and raced swiftly down his forehead. It slowed at the corner of his left eye, then continued its pace again down his cheek.
"Starsky?"
Just as the first crimson drops fell onto his shirt, Starsky blinked slowly back at Hutch then crumpled to the floor.
"Starsk!" Hutch made his way back along the wall as quickly as he could to where his partner lay on his side. A violent shake sent him tumbling to the floor and he landed almost on top of the still form. Hutch raised his head to look at the face that was so close to his. Starsky's head shook slightly back and forth with the rhythms of the earthquake. Blood dripped onto the carpet. Hutch reached to touch his face when a loud crack, then another, made him look up in horror.
"Shit!" Struggling to his knees Hutch crawled behind Starsky and grabbed the unconscious man under his arms. He got back to his feet and started to drag Starsky back into the bedroom. The jarring vibrations were worse now, and with Starsky's dead weight his progress seemed agonizingly slow. Just as he got into the corner of the room there was a loud snapping sound over his head.
"Oh God." Hutch moaned as he fell back against
the wall. He tried to cover his friend as the ceiling started to rain,
then pour down on them.
Chapter 2
In less than half a minute it was over. The mad shakings had disappeared, leaving an exhausted stillness. What had been a frightening clamor was gone and now only an uneasy silence filled the air. The first thing Hutch was aware of after opening his eyes was the white dust rotating slowly in the shaft of light above him. He squinted up at, puzzled. The second thing he became aware of was the pain in his leg.
"Uuhh, he groaned and looked down. Oh God. Starsky. His arms were still wrapped around his friend whose back was pressed up against his right side, quiet and motionless.
"Starsky?" He nudged him with a gentle push from his body.
"Come on, Starsk. Wake up." He rasped, but got no reaction.
He shifted his weight to sit up straighter, grunting with the pain in his right leg, a hard throbbing just below his knee.
Hutch looked around.
They were laying in a small space, surrounded by chunks of plaster and splintered pieces of wood. About five feet above their heads a huge beam from the roof of the building itself reached out of the debris and ran downwards, beyond their feet, into the rubble again. Hutch's eyes ran the length of it, realizing it had deflected some of the fallout from the ceiling. And had created the tiny, narrow crawlspace they were in now. The corner walls had held behind the two men, saving their lives. There was a small, chimney-like passage over them, and peering up through it, Hutch made out a small patch of blue sky. Light filtered down, giving a gray cast to the dust-filled air. Their teardrop shaped cocoon was only about four feet across at the floor which was littered with rubble.
"Mmmm..." Starsky moaned and slowly turned his head. Hutch looked down at the dark, dust-coated head resting on his chest.
"Starsky. Do you hear me, buddy?" Hutch gently squeezed one of the arms he was holding.
"...uhhh..." Starsky stopped moving then Hutch felt him take in a sharp breath.
"Hutch...?"
"Right here.. right behind you."
Starsky started to twist around when he let out another moan and sank back again. "Ohhh.. my head."
Hutch reached up to touch the wet, sticky hair and carefully part it, searching for the cut in the gloomy light.
"You got pretty hard hit on the head, Starsk. Got knocked out for a few minutes."
Starsky moaned again, then jerked when Hutch's fingers found the wound. Blood still oozed out, but slower than it had before.
"Sorry." Hutch brought his hand back down. "Hurt bad?"
Starsky didn't answer as he began to take in his surroundings.
"What happened?" He muttered finally.
"Looks like we had an earthquake."
After a moment's silence, Starsky asked quietly. "Where are we?"
"At your place....do you remember?"
"Uhm..." Starsky continued his inspection around him.
"Starsk," Hutch asked. "Can you move? Does it hurt anywhere else?"
Starsky slowly pulled himself up straight and away from Hutch. Just as slowly, he turned to look at the blond man.
"No....just my head." He mumbled. "You hurt?"
"I think my leg got hit...nothing serious."
Hutch looked for the first time at Starsky's face. The dark red trails of blood contrasted with the pale skin. Hutch wasn't sure if it was the thin coat of dust everywhere that made his partner so pale, or the blow he had taken to his head. His eyes were dull and heavy.
"Starsk," Hutch sat up straighter himself, "don't move around."
Starsky's eyes left him and traveled over the wall of debris only a little over a foot away from his face. He looked at the pieces of the wreckage that reached out to him in odd angles. He twisted around in the rubble underneath him. Another barricade loomed behind.
Hutch followed his path over the macabre scene enclosing them, then back at his partner. "We're in your bedroom. Or we were."
Starsky didn't reply. Slowly his gaze found its way up to the hole of light, its top out of reach, and stared at it a moment. Then, looking back down, he put his hands on the ground in front of him and tried to rise.
"Starsky...don't" Hutch leaned over and grabbed his arm. "Don't move. We'll figure something out. Just stay still for now."
"No," Starsky answered. "We've gotta get outta here."
"We will," Hutch tightened his hold on the arm. "But let's think about it first. We can't just start digging and cave everything in."
Still trying to stand, Starsky got off one knee then groaned and weakly fell back against the wall behind him. A few pieces of plaster broke loose and dropped to the ground.
"Starsky!" Hutch hissed. "Don't do anything!"
Starsky dropped his head down into his hands as Hutch released his grip.
"Look....we can't panic, buddy. And you've got to try not to move around. Are you dizzy?"
The dark head came back up and Hutch watched as he took deep, long breaths, slowly scanning up and down the dark walls again.
"We're buried." Starsky whispered.
"Just for a while."
"We were in my apartment?" Starsky looked back at him, perplexed.
Hutch nodded. "Uh huh. Getting ready to leave and it hit. You don't remember any of it?"
"No." he answered then suddenly winced hard and pressed the heel of his hand against his forehead.
"Oh God..."
"Starsk?" With a grunt of pain Hutch awkwardly hauled himself up to crouch beside him. He put a light hand on his shoulder.
"Hey...you okay?"
He waited a moment 'til Starsky dropped his hand back to his lap. Hutch looked at the wet smear of blood on his hairline and the pinched face.
"Damn." Starsky replied hoarsely, "... helluva a headache."
Pulling his shirtsleeve over his hand, Hutch used it to dab at the bloody forehead and face.
"The hallway light fell on you. You probably have a concussion... I don't want you to move around, Starsk." Hutch stressed. "You'll make it worse."
"We can't stay here."
"Right now we have no choice. I don't want to try digging yet, partner. The whole rest of this place could come down on us. Not to mention that beam."
Starsky squinted up at the beam as Hutch eased himself down beside him, straightening his leg out as far as he could before it reached the opposite wall.
"We're stuck here for a bit." Hutch said. "We just have to wait for help."
Starsky was examining the shadowy rubble again. His eyes wandered over the walls when, dreamily, eerily, they started to contort. They swelled slowly outward then drew back again. Out, then in. And each time they drew in they were closer, malevolently reaching to embrace him. Starsky felt the thickening in his throat, the hardness in his chest.
"I can't wait, Hutch." He gasped.
Chapter 3
Hutch watched his partners expression as he gazed slowly around him.
"I can't wait." Starsky repeated.
"You can. We have to."
The walls seemed to be breathing, contracting, closer and closer.
"Starsky....listen to me."
Starsky turned his way, real fear in his eyes.
"Oh God, Hutch. I've got to get out." He whispered desperately.
"We will, partner."
The dark blues eyes returned to the walls . Hutch reached out to put a hand on the side of his face, turning him back.
"What is it?"
"It's too small in here." Starsky answered in a low, wavering voice. He swallowed hard. "I can't stand it."
His chest started to rise and fall rapidly as panic rolled down his features. Hutch put his hands on his friend's shoulders as they heaved.
"Just try to relax.... try to calm down."
Starsky pressed his eyes shut.
"Take deep breaths...come on. Slow down."
For a long moment he fought the mounting anxiety then his eyes flew open.
"No!" He pulled back and away from Hutch.
Hutch grabbed at him and missed. Before he knew it Starsky was on his knees, grabbing onto the wall to balance himself as he rose. Thick white dust fell with pieces that clattered to the ground. Hunched over under the short ceiling, he began to claw at the debris in the small passage.
"Starsky!" Hutch lunged and caught him by the back of his shirt, yanking him back down. Starsky fell onto Hutch's legs and bits of wood and plaster followed him, sprinkling over them both.
Hutch gasped and clutched at his leg as spasms of pain raced up and down it. It was a moment before he opened his eyes again to see Starsky was sagged, panting, against the other wall.
Trying to catch his own breath, Hutch studied him.
Starsky had made known to an aversion of small spaces before. If an elevator
was too crowded when the doors opened, he would wait for another. He got
squeamish when sitting between two people in a car, and whenever Hutch
had flown with him Starksy had insisted on First Class, telling his partner
he liked the foot
room. But Hutch hadn't realized how severe his claustrophobia was until
now. Maybe Starsky hadn't either.
"Starsk?"
"..uhhh?"
Bracing himself, Hutch pulled the aching leg back and crawled over to him. He leaned a shoulder carefully on the wall to face Starsky. His face was even paler than before and his eyes were open slits. His breaths came fast and shallow.
"Hey." Hutch whispered.
"..my head...." Starsky's words were barely audible.
Hutch reached up and put the back of his hand on the side of Starsky's face. It was cold, and clammy with perspiration.
"Close your eyes, Starsky. Just stay still and rest. I'll get us out of here, partner.
He watched as the eyelids shuddered downward. Hutch ran his hand lightly over the dark curls.
"Keep your eyes closed. I'll get us out, I promise."
He felt the warm slickness in Starsky's hair and looked at the dark shadow on the palm of his hand and glanced quickly away in frustration. Feeling helpless, all he could do was rub up and down Starsky's arm as he listened to the respirations gradually slow and lengthen.
Suddenly Starsky leaned over sideways, taking a big breath and holding it.
"Feel sick?" Hutch asked as he moved his hand to Starsky's back.
Starsky only moaned back, waiting for the wave of nausea to pass. After moment he sat back up again, resting his head against the wall.
"You okay?" Hutch asked.
Starsky looked at him, looked through him, bleary-eyed.
"...yeah."
Hutch held up two fingers in front of his friend's face.
"How many fingers am I holding up, Starsk?"
Frowning at the hand, Starsky was slow to reply "Two."
Hutch closed his hand into a fist and held up two fingers again.
"How many now?"
A pause.
"Three now."
Hutch dropped his hand, trying to keep his expression even. He glanced up at the shaft above them.
"I'm going to stand up and yell for help," he said. "I want you to stay where you are. Okay?"
A small nod was his reply.
Hutch worked his way up to crouch under the light shaft, hobbling on his good leg. Peering up he began to yell.
"Help!..Someone help us!...In here!"
Hutch continued shouting for a long time, taking quick glances down at his partner. Starsky stayed huddled back against the wall. When his voice started to rasp with the yelling and the dust, Hutch sat down again. He placed a hand on Starsky's shoulder and peered at the downturned head.
"How you feeling?"
".. it's better." Starsky mumbled.
"Good. I'll get up again in a minute."
"Hutch?"
"Yeah, buddy."
"Sorry."
"Hey..." Hutch squeezed the shoulder and smiled weakly. "You start this earthquake?"
Starsky lifted his head and looked at Hutch.
"You know what I mean." He said quietly.
"I don't like it in here either, Starsk. Close your eyes."
Suddenly their ears picked up a distant sound. A siren. It was far off but soon grew louder and louder. They looked hopefully at each other then Hutch awkwardly stood back up. He started calling, then pausing, and calling again. Starsky stared up, his face frozen. The siren was so loud now that Hutch gave up his yelling and waited for it to stop.
They listed to the wailing as it paused, so closeby, then begin drift away and fade. The siren grew fainter and fainter, 'til there was nothing. Hutch dropped his head to his chest in disappointment.
Starsky's voice broke the silence. "Oh shit...oh
shit, oh shit..." he mumbled as he clumsily rose to one leg, then tumble
back down, only to try again.
Chapter 4
Hutch dropped to Starksy's side just as he was frantically trying to rise and grabbed his arms. Starsky' eyes were crazily racing around the dark confinement again. Every terrified glance brought a quick intake of air until he was gasping loudly. Seemingly unaware of Hutch, he continued his attempt to get off the ground.
"Starsky!..Starsk!" Hutch shook him. A quick wince of pain but Starsky kept up his futile struggle.
"Starsky! Look at me!"
Hutch put his hands up to hold his partner's head and firmly turned it towards him.
"Look at me, buddy..." He cried. "Look at me!"
But Starsky only twisted his head away, clawing and tugging at Hutch's arms.
Hutch dropped his hands to Starsky's shoulders and shook them as he called his partner's name again. Starsky flinched hard at the jarring. His eyes squeezed shut and his struggling ended, only his chest still heaving.
Hutch's heart fell.
"Oh God, Starsk,... I'm sorry." He whispered as he slid a trembling hand back up to his face. "I'm sorry."
"We're trapped, Hutch.."
"I told you, we'll get out."
"Oh God," Starsky leaned away with a groan. "What's happenin' to me?"
Hutch caught him and locked his arms around him.
"Listen to me, partner." Hutch's voice shook as he held him close. "Close your eyes and listen to me, okay?"
Except for his panting, Starsky was rigid in his embrace.
"Close your eyes. Listen to my voice. You can get through this, Starsk. I'll help you... just stay with me."
Starsky pressed his face into Hutch's neck and Hutch felt the quick, hot breaths.
"Alright, I know it's hard. But I'm right here...you just focus on me. You can do this."
"I can't..." Starsky gasped.
"Yeah, you can. Concentrate on me. Fight it, Starsky...come on, we're outside somewhere." Hutch paused just for a second. "Remember when we were at the airport, watching the planes take off?"
Starsky quivered as mad rushes coursed through his mind and body. They began a tug of war with Hutch's words, seizing at him and pulling him backwards. The words faded away as the madness pounded at his heart, flew crazily through his head. Then the voice, distant, familiar, called his name. He searched for it, trying to push away from the grasping terrors.
"... you remember, Starsk? ..clear night...all the stars were ..."
The voice was leaning out to him, offering a hand.
"..... laying on the car.... whole wide sky above us... than our eyes could take in.."
Starsky clambered towards it.
"...to think about that. It was warm out, a beautiful summer evening. The stars were endless, everywhere......"
The possessive spasms began to let go and the frightening disorder chasing him slowed. Air entered his lungs again.
"There was a quarter moon, not much, but even it was so bright...We talked all night. Remember?"
Hutch felt the tense muscles drop a little, the ragged breathing evened and the hands that were trying to push him away a moment ago were now clinging loosely to the back of his shirt.
"Yeah," came the small reply.
Relief flooded over Hutch. He didn't realize he'd been holding his own breath, 'til the rush of air escaped him.
"We'll do it again... soon, huh? I want to do that. "
Another shiver ran through Starsky, and he stirred in Hutch's arms. Hutch felt the quiver and ran his hand up and down the length of his back.
"You're alright, Starsky. Got you right here. Won't let anything happen."
They sat that way in silence, Hutch all the while his kneading his back, rubbing it, using the constant physical motion as an anchor now, instead of his words.
Starsky stayed there, silent, resting heavily against him. The anxiety attack had drained him, Hutch knew. Had taken away what little reserves he had left. Damn, Hutch swore to himself, not only are we trapped in this godawful hole, he's hurt and I can't do anything for him.
Starsky stirred.
"You okay now, Starsk?" Hutch asked softly.
Starsky took a long, deep breath and let it slowly out. He pushed himself back from Hutch.
"That's never happened...I mean..not like that."
Hutch's smile was thin. "Probably never had an opportunity like this before."
Starsky turned his exhausted face away.
"Hey," Hutch said, "it happens to a lot of people."
Not answering, Starsky shifted on his seat 'til he was leaning back against the wall. Hutch started to move too when he suddenly hissed and grabbed at his leg.
"Hutch?"
"It's nothing." Hutch said through clenched teeth. "Just if I move it the wrong way."
"Think it's broke?"
"No..wouldn't be able to move it all then." Hutch waited for the pain to pass then gingerly pulled himself over to sit against the opposite wall. He sighed and they looked at each other without saying a word, Starsky dropping his eyes away first.
After a short silence, the deep blue eyes looked back at Hutch.
"Well, coulda been worse than an earthquake." He said.
"Yeah?"
"You could've been riding a ferriswheel with me."
Hutch laughed under his breath.
"You weren't going to get on that thing?"
"Piece 'a cake." The strain on his face belied what little bravado was in his voice.
Hutch studied his friend.
"How's your head?"
"It's okay."
Hutch knew he was lying by the drowsy eyes and the pallid skin.
He watched his partner's eyes run over their dark enclosure and was just about to say something to draw him back when Starsky let out a shaky sigh.
"My place...all my stuff."
Hutch paused before he answered. "I'm sorry, Starsk....Provided I still have a place, you know where you'll be staying, huh?"
Starsky nodded.
"I'm going to yell again." He began to rise.
"I'll yell." Starsky started to follow when Hutch looked down.
"No. You stay put."
Starsky didn't argue. His head pounded with the movement and another wave of nausea threatened to wash over him. He slumped back down. Through the dim light, he saw the walls slowly begin to lean in again. He felt their pressure on his chest and looked to Hutch, keeping his eyes on him.
They heard them again. The sirens approaching. Many of them now. Hutch said a silent prayer that this time they would be found. Resting his sore leg, he awkwardly leaned against the wall and he and Starsky stared at each other as they listened. Hutch once again waiting to shout for help. The racket, the wailing increased, louder and louder.
Loud enough that they never heard the groan
from the beam over their heads.