The heat was stifling. It was so humid that the air felt thick and it seemed like it might start raining at any moment.
Ezra stopped and called to his friend, �Vin! I-I need to rest.�
Vin stopped and, with a deep sigh, walked back to where the undercover man was. He frowned and said, �We ain�t gonna get there, if�n we don�t move, Ez.�
Ezra sighed and nodded. In a soft voice, he explained, �I realize that, Mr. Tanner, however, I find myself unable to continue at this juncture. If you will allow me a moment to catch my breath, we can then proceed.�
Vin scowled, but seemed to decide that the southerner�s words made sense, because he said, �Five minutes.�
Ezra nodded and leaned against a nearby tree. He took a drink of his water and looked over at his friend. He frowned and asked, �Why do you suppose Mr. Larabee decided to pair the two of us together? Did he believe that you would be able to help me actually finish this godforsaken course?�
Vin shrugged and said, �He might have or he figured I could keep ya out of trouble.�
Ezra laughed and then stopped when he saw the irritated glare from the Texan. Holding up a hand, he said, �My apologies, Mr. Tanner. It is merely that, you and I seem to get into more trouble when we are together. I seem to recall an incident with a Snow Cat?�
Vin scowled and snapped, �That weren�t my fault, Ez!�
Ezra nodded and quickly said, �Of course not. It was an accident, but you must admit that, if Mr. Larabee wanted to keep us out of trouble, the last thing he would do is pair the two of us together.�
Vin scowled and nodded. Then he looked up and sighed. Turning back to the southerner, he said, �Come on. Best get movin�.� Ezra nodded and pushed away from the tree.
**
Farther down the trail, Ezra noticed that the ground around them had openings in it. He frowned and wondered absently how deep they were. He paused for a moment and took off his pack. Opening it, he removed his water bottle and took a sip. Then he slung the pack on one shoulder and followed quickly after the quiet sharpshooter. As he passed one large crevice, his foot slipped. Before Ezra knew what was happening, his feet had gone out from under him and he was falling.
Vin continued for a few steps, but stopped when he heard a sharp cry from behind. He spun around and noticed that he was alone. He walked back a few steps and called, �Ezra! Hey, pard, where are ya?� When he received no reply, he grew concerned. He walked back along the trail and saw Ezra�s pack lying on the ground. Vin scowled as he noticed that Ezra�s tracks went off the trail.
Then it appeared as though the southerner had slipped on the loose leaves that littered the ground. In horror, Vin realized that the slick conman had fallen into one of the large crevices in the ground. He lay on his stomach and peered down into the opening. It was black as pitch, so he pulled the flashlight and shone it down. He still couldn�t see his companion, but saw the evidence of his passage into the hole.
Vin shook his head and called down, �Ezra! Can you hear me?�
**
Ezra woke up and sat up slowly. His head ached but he was relieved to note that he wasn�t seriously injured. Not remembering what had happened or where he was he looked around and realized that he couldn�t see. He frowned and then the memory of falling hit him with startling clarity. He�d fallen down an opening in the ground and was no doubt under the ground.
Ezra fought back the growing panic. He felt as though he was suffocating. He took a few shuddering breaths and covered his eyes with his hands. Then he heard a voice from somewhere above him.
�Ezra! If you can hear me, answer me,� he heard the Texan�s frantic voice call from above.
Ezra glanced up and saw that it was a little lighter above than it was here, so he couldn�t be down too far. Realizing that Vin hadn�t left him, he practically sobbed in relief and called back, �Vin! Get me out of here!�
After a few moments, he heard Vin reply, �Are you hurt, Ez?�
Ezra sniffled and rubbed his eyes. Clearing his throat, he called back, �I- I hit my head, but I think I�m all right. Vin, please, please get me out of here!�
**
Vin frowned slightly. At first he�d been relieved that he was finally getting an answer from his friend, but then he noticed that the southerner sounded like he was about to panic. Vin called back in what he hoped was a soothing voice, �Ezra, listen. I have to go get the others. You need to stay calm.�
The response was immediate. Ezra answered in a frantic tone, �Vin! Vin, please don�t leave me!�
Vin frowned, �What�s wrong, Ezra? Why don�t you want me to leave you? I have to get help.�
Vin waited, then Ezra answered tentatively, �I- I�m afraid. Vin, please don�t- don�t go. It�s bad enough being down here in the dark. I- I don�t think I- I could d-deal with being alone too.�
Vin could hear that Ezra was struggling not to panic, and wasn�t doing a very good job. He frowned slightly, but he knew what fear was so he wasn�t about to judge the southerner. In the calmest voice possible, he called back, �Ezra, I want you to sing. Okay, just close your eyes and sing. That will keep your mind off of where you are.�
Vin hesitated, waiting for some kind of response. Then he heard a soft, tentative voice singing. At first it was too soft and broken to understand, but after a few moments the voice grew stronger and Vin recognized the song as �Amazing Grace.�
Vin waited a moment more, then got to his feet and ran through the forest to the cabin the team was staying at. Vin skidded into the main room, where he found that everyone had already gathered.
Chris scowled, �You two were supposed to stay together on the trail.�
Vin shook his head, �Chris, Ezra fell down a big hole. He�s stuck. We need to get him out of there!�
The others, who had been about to tease the Texan for being the last to return from the cross-country trek, immediately started moving. Chris nodded and took charge. He turned to JD and said, �Call the Ranger station and tell them we have a situation. Josiah, Nathan, get the first aid kit and the climbing gear.� He looked at Buck and said, �Get some flashlights.�
Vin tapped the older man on the shoulder and said, �We have to get back there quick, Chris. When I left, he was...trying to stay calm, but the second he realizes that he�s alone, he�ll panic.�
Chris scowled at the Texan�s words, but nodded and said, �Let�s move it, Folks!�
**
�I once was lost, but now I�m found. Was blind but now I see,� Ezra finished and looked up toward the opening. He listened for a moment, then remembered that Vin had said he needed to get help. Ezra gasped and called, �Vin! Vin!� When he didn�t get an answer, he realized that he was alone and could feel the panic growing inside him again. He rested his head on his knees and struggled against the tears that were forming. �Oh, dear Lord, please get me out of here,� he sobbed softly.
Somewhere in the back of Ezra�s mind, he wasn�t a man trapped in a deep crevice in the ground, he was a scared little boy locked in the cellar by his uncle. Ezra�s mind traveled back to the summer he�d spent with his Uncle Charles. The man had two sons and a daughter. The boys would tease him and goad him into fights, which were always Ezra�s fault. His uncle would punish him by locking him in the dark cellar for hours at a time.
Ezra pulled away from those dark thoughts and tried to think of another song to sing. Anything that would keep his mind occupied so that he wouldn�t panic. In a soft voice he began, �Be thou my vision, oh Lord of my heart. Naught be all else to me save that thou art...�
**
Chris and the rest of his team finally got to the hole Ezra had fallen down. Vin and Josiah immediately fell onto their stomachs and peered down into the darkness. Josiah was the first to hear the soft, frightened voice echoing upward, �s-still be my vision, o-oh ruler of all.�
Josiah looked up at Vin; then both men called down, �Ezra!�
�V-Vin? J-J�siah?�
Josiah sighed, �We�re here, brother. Are you all right?�
All the men started when they heard the broken sob in response to the question. After a moment, the southerner answered, �G-get me out of here, p-please!�
JD looked at Buck and frowned in concern. �He�s really scared, Buck,� he whispered to the older man.
Buck laid a hand on his shoulder and said, �He�ll be fine once we get him out, JD. Don�t you worry.�
While the others worked to get the harness ready to lower to the trapped man, JD went over to sit with Vin and Josiah next to the hole. He looked up at the profiler and said helpfully, �Maybe he�d feel better if he had a flashlight?�
Josiah smiled and nodded, �That�s not a bad idea, JD.� He took one of the flashlights and tied a rope to its loop. He flicked it on and started lowering it carefully into the dark hole.
Vin called down, �Hey, Ezra. We�re sending you down a flashlight, okay?�
After a few moments, they heard Ezra�s relieved sob and his answer of, �Th-thank you. I-I�ve got it.�
Vin looked up and noticed that two rangers had joined the others. He looked at Josiah and said, �Keep talkin� to him. I�ll see what�s up.� The big man nodded and turned to look down the hole and talk to the frightened man below them.
Vin walked over to where Chris was talking to the two rangers. As he approached them, he heard one of the rangers say, �Do you know if he�s hurt?�
Vin shook his head slightly, �Said he hit his head. Might have a concussion. It took him a few minutes to answer me the first time.�
The other ranger frowned, �You�ve been talking to him? How is he?�
Vin sighed and nodded, then said, �He�s not hurt, but he�s real scared. We sent a flashlight down to him and my friends are talking to him.� He pointed at JD and Josiah, who were taking turns calling down things to the trapped man.
The first ranger, a small woman with blonde hair, nodded and walked over to the hole. She glanced at JD and Josiah and said, �Hello, I�m Karen.�
Josiah nodded and said, �I�m Josiah, and this is JD.�
After a moment of not hearing anything from above, Ezra called up, �J-Josiah?�
Josiah sighed, �It�s all right, Ezra. We�re still here. We were just speaking with a ranger.�
�Oh, okay,� came the timid reply. �Josiah?�
Josiah smiled, �What is it, Brother?�
�When are you going to get me out of here?�
Karen called down, �Hello, Ezra. My name�s Karen. I�m a ranger. We�re going to have you out of there in a few minutes. Are you hurt anywhere?�
After a few moments, Ezra replied, �J-just my head, but I- I�m rather frightened. I- I don�t like...it down here.�
Karen nodded slightly, �Just try to stay calm, Ezra.� She glanced at Josiah and said softly, �How old is he?�
Josiah frowned, �He�ll be 34 on his next birthday.� She looked startled at his reply. The voice she was hearing from below them was not the voice of a man. It sounded more like the children she�d rescued from the caves in the area.
She turned to her partner, �Sam, we need to get him out of there. I think he�s claustrophobic or has some other phobia. Either way, he�s about a step away from panicking.�
Sam nodded at her and said, �We�ve got the rope secured. Once you get the harness on, you can head down.�
Chris looked over at the rangers, �We�ll help lower her down to him.�
The rangers nodded and Karen slipped the harness on and went over to the hole. JD peered down and said, �Okay, Ez. Karen is coming down to get you. Just sit tight.�
�Okay,� came the timid response.
**
After a few moments, Karen was at the bottom of the hole. It was rather deep. No wonder the trapped man was panicking. It had been nearly an hour since he�d first fallen and his fear could only have gotten worse as time passed. �Okay, I�m down,� Karen called up. Then she slipped out of the harness and walked over to where the man was huddled, staring into the light cast by a small flashlight.
Karen knelt beside him and touched his arm. He flinched away and looked up at her with fear evident in the wide green eyes. �It�s all right, Ezra. I�m here to help you.�
In a small, timid voice, he said, �K-Karen?� At her slight nod, he threw his arms around her and began sobbing openly. Rubbing his shoulders and back, Karen whispered soothing words into his ear, until he finally calmed down and pushed away.
Karen smiled slightly and his faint apology. �It�s all right, Ezra. Let�s get a look at that head, then we�ll get you out of here, okay?�
Ezra nodded slightly and touched the side of his head, where it had struck the rocks on the way down. Karen shone her high-powered flashlight on it and nodded slightly, �You�ve got quite a bump there. Probably a mild concussion, as well. How many fingers do you see?�
�T-two,� the southerner replied softly. Karen nodded and helped him to his feet. She gently placed a helmet on his head and then helped him into the harness.
She looked up toward the opening, �Okay, pull us up.� Ezra gasped as his feet left the ground, but quickly calmed down again.
Soon, they were headed up out of the deep crevice. Ezra hit his head against the rock face, but the helmet protected him from further harm. As soon as they were near the surface, Vin grabbed Ezra�s hand and helped him out, while JD took Karen�s and helped her.
Chris and the others let go of the ropes as soon as the two were safely at the top and crowded over to their friend. The southerner�s hair was more than a little tousled, and he was covered with dirt, but otherwise seemed fine. Karen helped him out of the harness and removed the helmet, while Sam began checking over the now-rescued man for injuries. As Sam stepped back, Ezra threw his arms around the closest member of his team, Chris, and broke down into uncontrolled sobs.
Chris was completely caught off guard by the normally unflappable undercover man�s response, but tried his best to comfort the sobbing man.
Sam smiled slightly, �You don�t really need to bring him to a hospital, but you probably should. He doesn�t seem to be injured, just overwrought. Try to get him to talk about it.� He turned to Nathan, �He has a mild concussion. He can sleep, but wake him every hour or so.�
Josiah thanked the two rangers and they headed back to the station. Chris looked at the man cuddled in his arms and scowled slightly. Incredulously, he said, �He fell asleep.�
Nathan nodded, as if that was what he�d expected. He gently lifted the sleeping southerner into his arms and whispered, �He�s exhausted, Chris. He�s been through an awful lot today.�
Chris nodded and got to his feet. The others had gathered the gear already, so they all headed back to the cabin.
**
Nathan put Ezra in his bed and pulled the covers over him. Then he crept out into the common room. He looked at his anxious companions and said, �I�ll have to wake him in an hour, but he�s sleeping for now.�
JD frowned slightly, �Why was he so scared?�
The others shook their heads, equally confused by their friend�s response to his ordeal.
They sat for nearly an hour in the common room. Chris was staring out the window. Buck, Vin and JD were talking quietly and playing a game of cards. Nathan sat next to the door to Ezra�s room, reading a medical journal and Josiah sat in the corner near the fire, meditating.
No one was prepared for what happened next. From the bedroom, they heard shrill screams, followed by sobs. In moments, they all had burst into the room. Ezra was struggling with his covers, still obviously asleep and having a nightmare. Nathan ran to his side and gently took his arms. In a soft voice, he said, �Ezra, hush. You�re okay. It�s just a nightmare. You have to wake up.�
�Let me out. Please, I�m sorry. I won�t do it again! Just let me out,� sobbed the still sleeping man.
Josiah came to Ezra�s other side and pulled him into a rough embrace. �Hush, now. You�re safe. No one is going to hurt you. It�s all right.�
Ezra finally came awake and snuggled deeper into Josiah�s embrace, mumbling softly, �I�m sorry, I�m sorry, I�m so sorry.�
Josiah, realizing that he was awake, but not aware of his surroundings, asked, �Where are you, Ezra?�
If his companions were startled by the question, they were even more startled by the response of, �Uncle Charles�s cabin.�
Josiah nodded slightly, �What happened at his cabin?�
Ezra sniffled softly and said, �I was fighting with Jacob and David, and th-they said I started it.�
Josiah nodded slightly again, �Uncle Charles doesn�t like you to fight?�
Ezra shook his head, �He doesn�t like me to win our fights.�
Josiah frowned, �What�s he do when you win the fights, Ezra?�
Ezra sniffled again and answered softly, �L-locks me in the cellar.�
Josiah nodded and said, �You�re safe, Ezra. He isn�t here; we are. You�re not in the cellar; you�re safe in your own bed here at the cabin.�
Ezra pushed away and glanced around in surprise. Then looked at all his friends and blushed. With a moan of embarrassment, he buried his face in the pillows.
Chris started toward his friend, but Josiah waved him away. He got up and whispered, �We shouldn�t crowd him right now. He�s very private about his childhood. He�s embarrassed by what happened. This is something he needs time to deal with.�
The others nodded their understanding. Nathan frowned, �I�ll have to keep waking him up every hour or so.�
Josiah nodded and said, �Just don�t pry, Brother. He�ll talk about when he�s ready.�
**
Just as Nathan was going to head in to wake Ezra up, the southerner come out into the common room. Vin smiled slightly and said, �Hey, Ez. How ya feelin�?�
Ezra shrugged and mumbled, �Better.� They noticed that he�d taken a shower and changed into clean clothes, before coming into the main room. Ezra walked over to the small kitchen area of the cabin and pulled out a bottle of water. Without another word he walked outside and sat on the old porch swing.
Josiah rose to his feet and followed the southerner outside. He sat on the railing and looked out into the forest. �Beautiful evening,� he commented softly.
Ezra nodded, then said quietly, �Josiah? How did you know?�
Josiah smiled slightly, �I didn�t know exactly, but I knew there had to be some reason why you were so afraid down in the cave.� They sat in silence for a moment, then Josiah said quietly, �Being afraid of the dark can make camping in the woods an interesting experience.�
Ezra shook his head and said, �It�s stupid. I�m a grown man! Little children are afraid of the dark.�
Josiah looked at the southerner and smiled slightly. �Children are afraid of the unknown. You are afraid of abandonment. Your fear of the dark is caused by that; it�s completely different from why children fear the dark.�
Ezra looked down at his lap, trying to absorb what the older man was telling him. He glanced up when Josiah spoke again. �I must say it explains a lot though. Why you hate camping, why you don�t like to be out in the forest without a tent at the very least.�
Ezra stood up and leaned on the railing, �I always have some light on in my home.�
Josiah nodded and replied, �I�d noticed that, Brother.� In a serious tone, he said, �It�s nothing to be ashamed of, Ezra. Your uncle was psychologically abusive of you. That�s bound to leave some scars.�
Ezra glanced at Josiah and nodded, �Everyone knows now, don�t they?�
Josiah laid a hand on the smaller man�s shoulder. �Yes, but no one judges you, Ezra. We understand you a little better now. We�re your friends and we�ll be here for you. Understand?�
Ezra smiled and nodded slightly. Then he chuckled, �I can not wait to get home tomorrow!� Josiah laughed and both men entered the cabin.
End