The tunnel was harder to climb than it had been to descend.
Gravity, which had once been a helpful companion pulling them toward the unknown depths, now turned into a relentless adversary. Each handhold felt slicker, each foothold more precarious. Pebbles and grit rained down with every movement, skittering past my face and into the darkness below. Their bodies scraped against the rough stone walls grabbing dirt along with them, and the stale air grew thick and close, offering no relief to their alreadu tumoltious climb.
small bodies really were annoying.
