They had turned off the juicer and were already climbing on each other's backs to try and get out the way we came in. The one at the very top had a rope around his waist and as the guys pushed him higher and higher, piling more and more guys on the human ladder, we could hear his voice getting quieter. The guy on the bottom was huge, and it wasn't until all 50 or so of them were on his back that he started to grunt and shift his weight around.
 Then a wave of cheers erupted, starting from the top of the tunnel. He had made it. Then we watched as the guy on the bottom seemed to become more and more comfortable. Finally, the guy whose butt had been sticking out of the hole, scrambled up inside the tunnel. A rope was hanging out of the chute and the next guy grabbed on and heaved himself up. 20 minutes after we had read the inscription, Frederick and I were the only ones left. Steph and Alex had just gone up the chute.
 "Well," breathed Frederick, "Here goes nothin'," he started climbing the rope and then was gone.
 I stood at the bottom, looking at the rope. I had never been able to climb ropes, even ones with knots every few inches. This one was thin, and straight. I figured I might as well give it a try. It had been a while since I'd last tried, after all. I grabbed on and tried to remember the trick about wrapping your foot around the rope and standing on it . . .
 Or was it tying some sort of slip knot then. . .
 No! It was tucking under your foot and . . . biting it in your teeth . . .
 "Ta hell with this!" I yelled to the empty room and heaved myself onto the conveyor belt. It was slippery, but not as much as it could have been. After everyone had been walking on it, it wasn't so bad. I flattened my hand on the metal and pulled myself up. Inch by inch, I wiggled my way toward the top. I twisted the rope around my foot in case I slipped, and used it as a stepping stone sometimes. I was about half way when I reached a smooth spot. My hands slipped and my whole body lost its balance. I went shooting back down over all the distance I'd covered. I tried desperately to stop myself but I'd gained speed and it was too late. I was upset and tears welled up in my eyes as I thought of the time I'd just wasted but it turned to fear as I reached the end of the tunnel and realised that the conveyor belt was now bent sideways from everyone walking on it. I shot out and was heading straight for the hard, sharp grid floor.
 I shut my eyes and tightened my muscles. My whole body jerked violently and my neck snapped. Instead of being squashed into the floor, I was swinging back and forth. The rope had tied itself around my ankle and I was swinging upside down.
 "Andrea?" came the long echoing cry from above.
 "HELP!" I cried.
 "I'm coming," cried the voice.
 I tried to stay awake but the blood was rushing to my head and I blacked out, for the umpteenth time this month.