At that instant, Malcom heard a snip sound, then a twang, and then snap!
The rope snapped from the ceiling, and his body came crashing down on the hard dirt rock floor of the cave.
"Next time, I'll pray for a softer landing."chuckled Malcom as he untied the rope from his feet, which nearly broke in his hands, because it was so old and brittle.
Malcom stood to his feet slowly, still aching from the beating he took.
Voices told him someone was coming, sounded like Fred and the old woman arguing. 
"You just go and check on him, make sure to strip him down to, i need to go sharpen this edge." the old woman ordered.
Fred came whistling a tune, and turned the corner, and saw the rope lying on the ground.
He started to turn and yell out, when Malcom came up from behind him,wrapping his arm around Fred's throat.
The young outlander struggled but couldn't break free, and Malcom snapped his neck.
Letting his lifeless body fall to the ground, Malcom quickly moved along side the cavern wall, he wasn't in the clear yet.