by Pam Harvey
E.D. struggled on a few more metres before pausing. There was something else. Straining every muscle in his body, he listened. A low rumble, like a distant roll of thunder, was gradually creeping up towards him. E.D. didn’t often feel frightened, but the darkness, the deep growling noise coming towards him, the guard in the office and the fact that he’d left his motocross bike parked against the back wall of Explore! for anyone to come and steal, caused a tightening knot in his stomach and sweat to break out on his brow.
E.D. swore softly to himself. Slide back down and get out of the tunnel, or press on? But press on to what?
The distant rumble was now a growing roar.
‘Head back.’ E.D. grimaced, letting go of the walls and hoping he’d return to where he’d started and the safety of the room. But to his amazement, he found himself stationary, suspended in the tunnel. He should have been moving backwards!
The noise increased, and E.D. realised why he was stuck. A cool breeze was quickly turning into a blast of air. Suddenly he was pushing at the walls, trying to force himself backwards, but the wind roaring through the tube from behind was pushing him the other way.
Bracing himself against the blast of air, E.D. hunched his body, pressing his feet and hands against the sides of the tube. A deafening roar of wind rushed past him. E.D.’s hair and clothes flapped wildly as he clung desperately, forcing as much of his body as he could against the sides of the tube.
Suddenly a foot slipped free and his body jerked forward. The noise from the tube snatched the scream from his mouth. Then his hands gave way. The howling blast of air had won. E.D. was being driven forward, gaining speed every second, plunging deeper into the black tube.
The darkness was terrifying. The tunnel curved to the left then suddenly dropped. E.D. was diving in a vertical descent, plunging into the depths of Explore! Putting his arms up to protect his face, he plummeted downwards, faster and faster. Just when he thought he couldn’t endure another moment of the terrifying dive into blackness, the tunnel evened out, and sparkles of light started to appear. Were they stars? E.D. looked again. He was slowing down, somewhere way beneath Explore! He wondered how he was going to get out. There was no way he’d be able to climb back the way he’d come.
Finally E.D. came to a stop. He reached out a hand towards the glittering lights surrounding him but felt nothing. Tentatively he raised an arm, stretching it directly above him. Nothing. Then he looked down. There were twinkling lights beneath him too. Slowly E.D. stood up. The tube had flattened out and widened. He could stand up without hitting his head.
Again he raised an arm. This time he could just touch the roof of the tube. E.D. almost jumped out of his skin when a voice suddenly echoed down the tube.
‘Welcome to space,’ a low, resonating male voice said. ‘The final frontier. You are going where no man or woman has gone before. It will get hot, it will get cold, it will get light and it will get dark. Very dark. Please adjust your helmet and crash equipment and attach your goggles. Your journey recommences in fifteen seconds.’
E.D. turned right, then left, trying to make out where he was. Crash equipment? Goggles? The sound of air rushing through the tunnel started up again. ‘Take up your position and prepare for flight,’ the voice said.
‘Position? What position?’ muttered E.D., lying down again, this time feet first. I’m in the black tube, he reasoned. Nothing can happen to me. It’s just another ride. Okay, a bit darker and faster than the green tube, and one hell of a lot scarier than any ride he’d taken before, but still a ride.
Slowly E.D. began to move. This time he didn’t resist the force. The tube was getting lighter as it gently turned upwards.
‘This is your last warning about goggles. You are approaching the sun,’ the voice called. The tube made a bend to the left. It was quickly getting hotter. A moment later E.D. was thrust into the brightest light he’d ever experienced. It wasn’t yellow, but white. He shut his eyes, covering them with his hands as the air forced him along the tube. Ignoring the voice that was now reeling off a whole bunch of facts about the sun, E.D. cradled his head in his arms, desperately trying to shield himself from the blinding light. He had hardly noticed the temperature rising, but suddenly drops of perspiration were falling from his brow. The heat was intense.
‘The surface temperature of the sun is a staggering 6000°C,’ said the voice, as E.D. sped through the tube. He sensed the light softening and a cool burst of air. He slowly unfolded his arms, waiting a few more moments before opening his eyes. The tube had swung around another corner, the glow of the sun lighting up the tunnel behind him as he sped further away.
‘What next?’ he muttered, beginning to shiver as cool blasts of air attacked him from all angles. Then everything went black again. The air pushing him along died, and the lights around him went out. The speakers crackled then a voice spoke.
‘Hello? Is there anyone in there? In the black tube?’
E.D. looked up.
‘Hello?’ E.D. called out.
‘If you can hear me, don’t panic. You are not in any danger. We will have you out in a moment. All the features have been deactivated. Get yourself comfortable. In a moment a blast of air will deliver you to the exit.’
‘I’m here!’ E.D. shouted.
No one replied. A few seconds later the blast of air came. E.D. dived onto his stomach, arms stretched out in front of him as the wind from behind started pushing him forward.
It was a journey of upward twists, sudden dives, 180-degree turns, even a somersault where the tunnel curled up and over itself. E.D. got the sense that someone was now controlling his journey. He wasn’t travelling at a frighteningly fast pace like he had been at the start. All the time the man through the speakers spoke to him, reassuring him, telling him there was nothing to worry about. He’d heard the voice before. It was Mr Taylor, the school principal.
‘I’ll be in big trouble if I ever get out of this thing,’ E.D. mumbled, as he felt himself slowing and the noise of the airflow decreasing. E.D. sat up, spun around, and started scrabbling backwards again. Wasn’t that a sliding panel he’d just passed? Ignoring the voice now telling him to wait, E.D. reached out for the panel, sliding it open. Suddenly the air started rushing again. Had they seen him? Were there cameras in here as well? Stretching his arm out, E.D. just managed to curl his fingers around the edge of the opening before the full force of air tore through the tunnel. He was hanging by only his fingers, his body stretched back down the tunnel.
Gritting his teeth for one final effort, E.D. dragged himself forward, hauling his body centimetre by centimetre towards the opening, the wind whistling and howling as it sped past his face. First one leg and then the other, E.D. clambered through the opening and out of the tunnel. Wobbling and staggering, he got himself over to a door and pulled it open to discover a long, dark corridor. He crept down slowly. Somewhere in front of him a dog barked. E.D. pressed on and finally reached the office. It was empty.
He unlocked the door and stepped outside. The dog stared at him.
‘Hey boy,’ E.D. said quietly, throwing his last cabana sticks at him and climbing the wire fence. He was relieved to see that his bike was still where he’d left it. As he climbed on, he glanced at his watch. It had been only thirteen minutes since he’d parked the bike even though it felt more like thirteen hours.
He had nothing to report for his adventure either. Nothing, that is, except that Dave Kelly had visited Explore!
Chapter 13
Mrs Hunter’s car, Teasdale—City Highway: Friday afternoon
‘So, what do you reckon’s going on down at Explore! then?’ Angus asked.
‘I don’t know,’ said Hannah. ‘If I’d been able to open that data stick, we might know a lot more.’
Hannah watched Gabby close her eyes and sigh. It was probably the last thing she wanted to talk about at the moment. Gabby reached into her swimming bag down near her feet, pulled out her iPod and started fiddling with the controls. Just
for one day she wanted to focus on one thing and one thing only—tonight’s race.
While E.D. had been having his hair-raising adventure in the black tube, Gabby and Pat had been fine-tuning last-minute details for the race. Gabby had arrived home from school to find a note from her mum on the kitchen table.
Darling—over at Rosie’s. The pool rang to say that there’s a place for you in the States tomorrow night down in the city—something about you being the fastest non-qualifier? Someone had to pull out. Pat and I will take you—bring along a couple of friends and we’ll have a bite somewhere afterwards. Pat will be here by 5. Mum.
Gabby closed her eyes, wondering whether Andrea Simpson was behind them or in front on the road to the State Aquatic Centre. As long as she was behind at the end of the race, she thought, before letting her mind be taken away by the music.
Hannah settled back into the plush seats of the four-wheel drive Gabby’s mum was driving.
‘I just can’t believe E.D.’s story,’ she whispered to Angus, not wanting to disturb Gabby.
‘What do you mean can’t believe? E.D. wouldn’t lie,’ Angus said, turning to look at his friend.
‘I know that. I mean, what an amazing trip. The black tube. I’m sure glad it wasn’t me.’
Angus smiled. ‘He’s just so lucky he never got caught. And I reckon they might be replacing Cabana.’
‘Cabana?’
‘The security dog.’
‘Oh yeah,’ Hannah smiled. ‘Probably replace the security guard too.’
Gabby turned and glared at them. Her nervousness started to rub off on the others in the car, and soon everyone was silent, staring out their respective windows.
State Aquatic Centre: Friday evening
Angus and Hannah had never been to such an impressive-looking stadium. They stared up at the domed roof and the glass walls on the far side. Gabby’s mum took them to some seats high up towards the back of the stand, while Gabby and Pat headed for the recovery pool to start her warm-up.
Officials rushed about near the main pool, setting up the podium steps for the place-getters and organising plastic tubs for the swimmers to put their clothes, water bottles and towels in. An electronic scoreboard flashed information and the noise in the crowd grew as the seats filled.
‘When’s Gabby’s race?’ Angus asked, gazing at the entrance where people were streaming into the stadium.
‘Fifth race of the night.’ Hannah looked at her watch. ‘Six-fifty.’ Angus opened the program Hannah passed him.
‘Wow, there’s a lot of events,’ he said, flicking through it.
Gabby had completed her main warm-up—some stretching, a 400-metre swim, 100 metres with a kickboard, some one-arm pull-throughs and then three dive sprints. She was now sitting beneath the grandstand in the marshalling area, mentally going through the race. She and Pat discussed breaking it up into three sections—the start, strong and mean; the middle—firm and steady with a focus on form; and the end—R and R: Respond as Required.
Gabby hadn’t seen Andrea yet but she would soon, and this time she’d be ready. This time she was prepared. It was Andrea who’d be in for the shock of her life; assuming she didn’t know that Gabby had been called up at the last minute. Gabby still felt ashamed when she remembered how she’d reacted seeing Andrea line up in her race the previous month.
‘Under 16 400 metre freestyle swimmers over here, please,’ an official called, standing by the door to the pool. Gabby’s chest tightened. Taking a deep breath, she stood up, grabbed her towel and took a nervous sip from her water bottle. The other swimmers gathered round.
Andrea hadn’t noticed Gabby, who was standing back from the group, behind one of the other swimmers. Gabby glanced about. They look huge, she thought. Broad shouldered, long legged. The best in the state.
‘Right, listen up everyone. Here are your lanes. Gabriella Hunter, lane one,’ the official called. Gabby felt a wave of disappointment. She was replacing the second worst of the eight swimmers.
Andrea Simpson spun round. Gabby noticed the surprised look on her face. Andrea quickly smiled, even giving Gabby a little wave, but she hadn’t been able to hide her shocked expression. Gabby acknowledged her with a slight nod of the head.
Andrea’s name was the fourth to be called—lane six. Fourth-fastest time, Gabby thought, avoiding the stares from a tall girl standing next to her.
‘You sure you’re in the right age group?’ the girl asked, a moment later. She sounded concerned, rather than sarcastic. Gabby looked up at her and smiled.
‘You bet I am,’ she said quietly.
‘Right, line up in order, starting from lane eight and follow me out to the pool, please,’ the lady announced, closing her clipboard.
Gabby waited for another chance to stare at Andrea as she walked past, but Andrea kept her head down, avoiding eye contact.
She’s nervous, Gabby thought, satisfied. She joined the end of the line and headed out into the stadium. A huge cheer erupted from the crowd. This was one of the glamour events and there was a high degree of expectation about the race, with talk of a national record. Gabby glanced up at the scoreboard, seeing her name in orange letters alongside lane one. She felt her stomach muscles tighten. She was a total unknown. The stranger in a dud lane. The little kid from the country. Maybe four and a half minutes of racing would change that.
The crowd noise faded as Gabby paced around like a caged tiger at her end of the pool. It was just her and the lane of water in front of her. Pat’s words washed over Gabby as she stared resolutely ahead. One race, your race; one race, your race.
When Gabby’s name was introduced, she almost forgot to acknowledge the support from the crowd, waving her arm as an afterthought. She walked to the edge of the pool and scooped up a handful of water to splash over her face.
A whistle blew and the swimmers walked quickly to their blocks.
‘Take your marks!’
Gabby settled onto the block, her legs flexed, ready to spring like a gazelle and soar out into the water.
What was keeping the starter? Why was he hanging on like this? Gabby felt herself slowly begin to overbalance. Press the button, she pleaded. The girl next to her was going. There was a splash from the far end of the pool. Gabby and a few others dived in.
When she returned, Gabby noticed an official talking with Andrea; she must have broken. Gabby patted her face dry, threw her towel back into the tub and prowled the poolside, waiting for the call-up. The water had settled her. Now she was just hungry to race; burning to win. Or at least beat Andrea, who must surely be rattled after breaking.
The second start was clean. Gabby plunged into the water, her legs butterfly-kicking powerfully, before bursting out a few seconds later feeling a million dollars.
Form, she thought, determined to maintain a smooth, steady rhythm. Don’t get carried away with the moment. She settled into a gliding, easy stroke, surging through the water. She made a point of breathing to her right for the first 25 metres. There would be plenty of time to see where she was in relation to the rest of the group.
She shot into the turn, glancing across the pool as her body turned sideways. She was in front! Gabby pushed off the wall hard, stretching her body as thin as possible as she surged through the water before breaking again. She felt on top of the world. Gabby focused on her form. Her arms were working beautifully and her shoulders were rotating so well she thought her chin could almost touch them. With each stroke, Gabby concentrated on pulling her body over her hands, pushing them through the water rhythmically and preparing herself for the next stroke.
Down the pool she swam, elegant and graceful. Gabby snuck a look to her right. She was now a metre clear of the field and sensed she was edging further away from them.
The thought of pushing it too hard flashed into her mind, just like last time. Surely not. She cruised into the second turn, trying to block out the fact that she was in the lead. Pat called laps three to six the workman’s laps. Grind them
out. Keep the rhythm and pace even. Focus on the stroke and maintain good height in the water.
Gabby spun into the third lap determined to follow Pat’s advice. So far the race had gone perfectly. Stroke after stroke, Gabby swum, seemingly effortlessly, up the pool. She was like a machine. The swimmers in the middle lanes were putting on a burst, sensing that the girl out in lane one was getting away from them.
Gabby occasionally heard the dull roar of the crowd.
Andrea was lying in fourth place, splashing and crashing her way down the pool in a frenzy of activity, but also making ground on the three ahead of her.
With two laps to go, Gabby still held the lead, though it was now less than half a metre. And it was Andrea, in lane six, who was challenging.
Sensing the increased noise from the spectators, Gabby started to kick harder and reach further out with her arms. She still felt good—the extra training and over-distance work she’d been doing with Pat were kicking in.
The workman’s laps were over. It was time to break this race open. R and R. Respond as Required. In the space of 20 amazing metres, Gabby had suddenly surged just ahead.
The crowd gasped and cried in delight as the small girl in lane one powered away from the pack.
‘She’s inside national record pace!’ someone yelled. Eyes quickly turned to the electronic scoreboard. Every person in the stadium was on their feet as Gabby turned for the last time. Even the officials had dropped their clipboards and were racing to the pool edge.
‘GAB-BY! GAB-BY!’ Hannah and Angus screamed, and soon most of the spectators were chanting her name. Gabby was being carried along by the noise of the crowd. She was 30 metres away from the finish when a new gasp erupted from the stand.
‘Wow!’ someone cried. ‘Look at the kid in lane six!’
