Building Blocks by Cynthia Voigt

light?”
    â€œBrann?”
    â€œHere,” Brann said. He moved out to the centerof the room so the light would shine as widely as possible. He turned toward the direction of the sound of a body scraping down a tunnel.
    â€œBrann?”
    â€œSee the light?”
    â€œYes, OK.”
    Brann shone the light toward the voice. But the echoes had deceived him and Kevin hurried toward him from the darkness behind him. Tripped, stumbled against him, and almost knocked the flashlight out of his hand. Brann wheeled around to shine it in the boy’s face.
    â€œI’m sorry,” Kevin said.
    â€œNo harm done,” Brann said, just glad to not be alone in there, glad to see another face. He put his hand on Kevin’s shoulders, and relief made his knees weak. The narrow bones under his hand surprised him, they were so round and small. “Let’s get going,” he said. “I’ll tell you—” but he didn’t finish the sentence.
    Kevin stood aside, waiting for Brann to move. Brann waited for Kevin to move. They looked at one another, in their pale circle of light.
    â€œYou didn’t mark where you came in?” Brann asked.
    â€œI was worried about you—it was a long time. I’m sorry. Don’t you know how to get out?”
    â€œIf I did I’d have been out long ago,” Brann snapped.
    â€œI’m sorry.”
    â€œWhat are we going to do?” Brann asked, after along time. “I couldn’t’ find it. I looked and looked and I could only find the wrong ones.”
    Kevin didn’t say anything.
    â€œYou should have marked where you came in. You should always do that, it’s just common sense,” Brann told the boy.
    â€œI’m sorry,” Kevin said.
    Brann let out an angry breath of air—and heard himself do that, just like his mother did, and his grandmother too. He heard the way he had just been talking to the kid, hammering. His brain had split, he thought to himself, and new things were getting into it.
    â€œNo, I should have marked it too and I didn’t,” he said. “Let’s sit down.” Why had Kevin followed him in? As long as Kevin was outside to go for help, Brann was OK, he’d finally figured that out. For all the good that did now. Back to the beginning, that’s where they’d got to. Trapped still, only Kevin didn’thave to worry because it was for sure that Kevin would get out. Maybe that was what Brann’s fate was supposed to be, they’d sit and starve and he’d die first and Kevin would chew on his bones and that would save Kevin’s life until he was rescued. Then Kevin would grow up and get married and have three children until one disappeared one day.
    â€œWill we die?” Kevin asked him.
    â€œIt’s no good asking that question,” Brann told him.
    They sat shoulder to shoulder, and Brann played the flashlight around on the indecipherable walls of stone, not expecting see anything.
    â€œI guess we could, even so close to the surface. We could, couldn’t we. I’d rather the with someone I like, wouldn’t you?”
    Brann didn’t answer. He was staring at Kevin. “Aren’t you scared?”
    â€œSure,” Kevin said. “But if you think about it—I mean if it has to happen, if it’s fate—I’d much rather with you than anyone else.”
    Brann couldn’t think of what to say. Either the kid was really stupid or he was incredibly brave.
    â€œI mean, I don’t know about you, about yourfamily, but if you’ve run away—and my family, well, they wouldn’t care much. Do you think?”
    â€œNo,” Brann admitted. He was astounded by this kid. “Your mother would.”
    â€œShe might if she wasn’t so busy, but she’s too tired and busy. It’s not her fault, she just has to be. So it would be OK. I mean”—Kevin smiled his odd, sad