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She sat on a hump of limestone and pulled her socks over her wet feet； then laced up the heavy waffle…stompers。 She should've thought to wear old sneakers。
She stood up and approached the tunnel。 She had to duck…it was about five feet high…and as she progressed the ceiling got lower。 Water trickled along the bottom。 Then the ceiling rose again and the tunnel bent sharply to the right。
Her light shone on an iron door； padlocked just like the one at the front of the cave。
This is it； then。 This must lead to the old still。
Once again； she took out her lock…picking tools and went to work。 For some reason…perhaps because of the poor light； perhaps because her fingers felt unaccountably thick and uncoordinated…this lock took much longer。 But after several minutes； she felt the unmistakable give as the driver pin set。 Silently； she placed the lock to one side and swung the door open。
She paused in the entranceway； shining her light around cautiously。 Ahead； a dark passageway cored through the living rock of the cave； its walls smooth and faintly phosphorescent。 She started forward； following it for perhaps a hundred feet； flashlight playing around the walls； until it suddenly widened into a chamber。 But this space had none of the vastness or majesty of the earlier caverns； just a few stubbly stalagmites rising from the rough uneven floor。 The air was chill and close； and there was a smell； an unusual smell： smoke。 Old smoke； and something else。 Something foul。 She could feel the cool flow of air ing from the open door； stirring the hairs on the nape of her neck。
This had to be it： the old moonshine still。
She advanced into the gloom； and as she did so her flashlight picked up something at the far end…a dull gleam of metal。 She took another step； then another。 There it was： an old pot still； an almost cartoonlike relic from a vanished era； with an enormous copper cauldron sitting on a tripod stand and the ashes of an old fire underneath。 Stacked on a shelf above the floor were some split logs。 The top of the cauldron； with its long coil of copper tubing； had been removed and now lay on the floor； partially crushed。 There were several smaller pots and cauldrons scattered about。
She paused to sweep the room with her light。 Off to one side was a table with a couple of glasses on it； one broken。 Pieces of a chair lay on the floor beside a rotting playing card； an ace； Corrie noticed。 In one corner stood a pile of broken bottles and jugs of all kinds： wine bottles； mason jars； clay jugs； amidst moldy trash。 She could just imagine the men tending the fire； playing cards； drinking； smoking。
Now she shone her light upward。 At first she could see nothing； the ceiling was so black。 But then she was able to make out some broken stalactites and a honeyb of cracks that； apparently； had drawn off the smoke。 Even so； they couldn't have drawn it off very fast： her breath was condensing in the air； surrounding her with a fog that the flashlight set aglow。
She approached the cauldron set upon its iron tripod。 It was certainly big enough to boil a human being。 It was hard to tell； with all the dampness； if it had been used recently。 Would the place still smell of smoke from the long…ago days of the still？ She wasn't sure。 And then there was that other smell： the bad one。 Not rotten； exactly； it was even worse than rot。 It was that same smell of spoiled ham as at the crime scene。
Corrie stopped； feeling suddenly frightened。 She'd e to see if the still was there。 Well； itwas there。 She should turn around and get out。 In fact； ing here at all now seemed like a really； really bad idea。
She swallowed。 Once again； she reminded herself that she'd already e this far。 Might as well take five more seconds to finish the reconnoiter。
She tiptoed up and looked inside the cauldron。 A smell of rancid grease hit her as she shone her light inside。
At the bottom was something pale； almost transparent； like a pearly seashell。 A human ear。
She gagged and staggered back； dropping her flashlight。 It struck the hard limestone floor and rolled away toward a dark corner； beam revolving lazily across the floor and ceiling； finally ing to rest against a far wall with a heavy thud。
A second later； it went out； and the cavern was thrown into utter blackness。
Shit；Corrie thought。Shit； shit。
Carefully； she got down on her hands and knees and； moving slowly； feeling along the ground with her hands； crawled in the direction it had rolled。 Within a minute her hands brushed the rock wall of the cave。 She began to feel along it； looking for the flashlight。
It wasn't there。
She swallowed again； sitting up on her haunches。 For a minute； she thought about trying to find her way out in absolute darkness。 But the way back down was so long； it would be easy to get disoriented。 She fought down a feeling of panic。 She would find the flashlight。 It must have gone off in the collision with the wall。 She'd find it； shake the light back into it； and get the hell out of there。
She moved along the wall； first to the left； then to the right； feeling with her hands。
No flashlight。
Maybe she'd taken the wrong tack。 Carefully； she crawled back to where she thought she'd started； and then tried again； crawling in the direction she remembered the light had rolled。 Still； no matter how far she went along the wall； sweeping the ground with her hands； she could not find the flashlight。
Her breath began to e faster as she returned to the middle of the room。 At least； she thought it was the middle of the room： she was quickly being disoriented in the utter blackness。
Okay；she thought。Stop moving； breathe a little slower； get a grip。 Okay； so it was really stupid to e in here with one flashlight and no matches。 But the cavern she was in was small and there was only one opening…wasn't there？ She hadn't remembered any passageways going off； but then again； she hadn't really checked。
Her heart was beating so fast that she could barely breathe。Just slow down； she thought。 Time to forget about the flashlight。 It was probably busted； anyway。 The important thing now was to get out； to keep moving； otherwise； she'd freeze up。 She'd left the door unlocked； thank God； and the lights were still on back in the Kaverns。 All she had to do was get out of this back room and down the passageway。
Stupid； stupid； stupid 。 。 。
Carefully； she oriented herself toward where she thought the exit would be。 Then； just as carefully； she began crawling forward。 The floor of the cave was cold； rough； uneven； covered with greasy pebbles and puddles of water。 It was absolutely terrifying； the pitch blackness。 Corrie wasn't sure she'd ever been in a place pletely without light。 Even on the darkest night； there was some trace of starshine or moonlight 。 。 。 She felt her heart begin to beat even faster than before。
Then her head bumped painfully into something。 She reached up； felt： the iron cauldron。 She had crawled right into the dead coals。
Okay； so she'd gone in precisely the opposite direction。 But at least now she had her bearings。 She'd crawl along the wall until she reached the passage out。 Once in the passage； she'd keep crawling； one hand on the wall；