Kathy to echo through the cavern more loudly than her scream. She wanted to scream again, but the sting of the slap kept her silent.
“We’re going to have a party,” Elizabeth whispered “Just you and me and my baby.”
“Baby?” Kathy repeated hollowly. “What baby?” She wasn’t sure what Elizabeth was talking about, and her mind, clogged with confusion, couldn’t seem to get a hold on anything. Then she knew that Elizabeth must be referring to a doll.
“Sit down,” Elizabeth ordered her. “I’ll bring the baby.”
Slowly, Kathy sank onto one of the rocks that served as a stool and watched in fascination as Elizabeth produced a sack and placed it on the tablelike boulder.
“It’s broken,” Kathy said as Elizabeth pulled a bundle of doll’s clothes from the bag. “There’s no head.”
“Yes there is,” Elizabeth muttered. “Here.” She pulled the bonnet out of the bag and set it on the table. It rolled over, and the cavern echoed with another scream as Kathy saw the distorted features of the cat’s face, the eyes open but sunken in now, the stump of flesh at the severed neck beginning to putrefy.
Kathy fought to control herself. She thought she was going to throw up.
“I don’t want to stay here,” she said, her voice quavering with the beginnings of hysteria. “Let’s go home.”
“But we have to have a party,” Elizabeth said, her voice carrying a silky sweetness that somehow frightened Kathy even more. “That’s why we came here.” She began propping the body of the cat up on one of the rocks, and Kathy watched in horror as Elizabeth tried to balance the head on the decapitated torso.
“Stop that!” she cried. “Don’t do that!” She felt the sting of another slap, and this time she struck back. Her hand flashed out, but before it could make contact with Elizabeth, the other girl had leaped on her.
Kathy felt Elizabeth’s weight coming down on her and tried to brace herself, but there was nothing to brace herself against. She rolled off the rock to the floor of the cavern, and felt Elizabeth’s fingernails digging into her face. She screamed again.
“Don’t do that down here,” Elizabeth said, the silkiness gone from her voice and her breath coming in quick, shallow gasps. “Down here you have to be quiet. My friend doesn’t like noise.”
Beneath her, Kathy whimpered, and tried to regain control of herself. She had to, she knew, or the beating would continue. She forced her body to go limp.
“Let me up,” she whispered desperately. “Please, Elizabeth, let me up.” The beating ceased then, and Kathy felt the pressure ease as Elizabeth let go of her. She lay quietly, her eyes closed tightly, waiting for whatever would come.
“Sit there,” she heard Elizabeth hiss. “Sit over there, and I’ll pour us some tea.”
Kathy opened her eyes slowly, and looked around. Elizabeth was sitting on the rock nearest the end of the dangling rope ladder, and Kathy felt her hopes fading. She had thought she might be able to climb out of the shaft before Elizabeth could stop her. Now, she could see, that would never happen. She got shakily to her feet, and sat carefully on the rock opposite Elizabeth. Between them, the macabre corpse of the cat sat propped on a third rock, its lips stretched back in a deathly grin. Kathy tried not to look at it.
“Now,” Elizabeth said. “Isn’t this nice?”
Kathy nodded dumbly.
“Answer me,” Elizabeth snapped.
“Yes,” Kathy whispered, afraid to raise her voice.
“What?” Elizabeth demanded, and Kathy was afraid for a moment that Elizabeth was going to hit her again.
“Yes,” she said, louder this time.
“Yes what?” Elizabeth said relentlessly.
“Yes,” Kathy said, wrenching every word out, “this is very nice.” Elizabeth seemed to relax, and smiled at her.
“Tea?” Elizabeth asked.
Kathy stared at her.
“Answer me!” Elizabeth demanded. “Do you want some tea?”
“Y-yes,” Kathy stammered. “Some tea …”
Elizabeth began to mime pouring tea and passing a cup to Kathy. Kathy hesitated for a split second, but quickly pretended to accept the invisible cup Elizabeth was holding out to her. There was an odd, wild look in Elizabeth’s eyes, and Kathy felt panic beginning to grow in her. She wanted to bolt for the ladder, but knew there was no way she could get to it before Elizabeth got to her.
“I think we should go now,” Kathy said slowly. “I really think we should. Mrs. Norton will be looking for me.”
“Fuck Mrs. Norton,” Elizabeth said quietly. Kathy’s eyes widened at the word, and her fear grew.
“Please, Elizabeth,” she said fearfully. “Can’t