《Book of Kings》Chapter 24
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"FUUUUCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK," I screamed while rubble tried to bury me, the others were screaming too.
As I run, I lifted my hands up to try to protect myself but to no success.
Too much came down and with a sudden overwhelming force from above, I was pushed down on the ground.
After several more moments, everything was quiet again.
I was lying on my stomach and tried standing up, but I couldn't move. Straining to look back I saw my lower half buried in rubble from the chest down.
I felt the pressure over my entire body, but it didn't hurt the slightest.
I could still feel my toes wiggling in my shoes. I must have been lucky to not be hurt.
The way back was completely blocked off by the collapsed ceiling. Lope and Wilmot were also lying on the ground in front of me with the lantern being our only source of light, good thing that they were free, would have been better if I was too.
"Guys, you awake?" I would have shaken them, but they were too far away to touch.
"Yeah," Lope said, shaking off rubble from his armor.
He picked up the lantern and checked on Wilmot to make sure he was okay, thankfully he was.
"I can't feel my legs," I said concerned, "just kidding but how often do you think you'd heard that when someones wounded?"
"Quit messing around," Wil hissed at me.
Looks like he doesn't appreciate my jokes.
"Where's Rudges?" Lope asked worriedly.
"He was behind me," the two looked back at the collapsed mine, me still being stuck, "can you guys pull me out?"
"It's worth a try," Lope set down the lantern closer to me.
I reached out both of my hands and each took one of them. They pulled with all of their strength. It felt like they were trying to rip me in half but even with all their strength but to no avail, I didn't move a bit.
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"Looks like you're stuck for good," Wilmot muttered.
"Could you try just once more? The thought of me being stuck here just doesn't sit right."
Again they pulled and the results were all the same. They let go of me, and Lope desperately started to dig through the rubble and earth, "I think we can dig you out."
He was breathing heavily.
"You nervous?" I asked.
"Are you stupid? Are you not nervous? Look at the situation we're in," Wilmot blew up at me, "for all we know Rudges is dead under that rubble and rabid animals await us at the end of this tunnel."
I guess he's nervous too.
I was, too, of course.
I didn't want to die here, but hey, what could I do at the moment? I'm stuck, clear as day. There wasn't much any of us could do.
"Maybe Rudges' is on the other side there and calling for help right this moment?" I said trying to raise hope.
I don't know why Wilmot is so keen on being hopeless.
While still trying to free my self I suggested, "I think you guys should go on without me. I'm stuck for good, and there are not many things you or I can do at the moment."
"Guess you're not the kind of person who would scream at others to not leave them," Lope said giving a chuckle of desperation.
"Nah, I really am just a hindrance here for you guys. Just go on, seriously. The sooner you do the better," I stopped my struggling and just lay down accepting my fate, trying to relax.
"Are you really okay with being stuck here?"
"Yes, yes, things are all fine and dandy," I encouraged him. "Look at Wilmot here," Wilmot had already picked up his bow and the lantern and took several steps forwards, "prime example of a good teammate who listens."
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He anxiously looked at me then at Wilmot.
He's still undecided after all the reassurances I gave him, really?
"Come on, what could you even do here? I don't want to burden you but if you go on like this you're going to be a burden on me, get it?"
Looking back and forth multiple times he gave in, "don't you start to think that we're not coming back for you."
For that, I gave him one thumb up.
He went on and caught up with Wilmot's light. The further they got the smaller the light got. The hope I had that I could just follow their progress, measured by how small the light got was crushed, just after a minute, I couldn't see anything anymore.
I'm no miner so I don't know how straight a mine would be, maybe there are curves like a snake would have? If that was the case then of course the light would be completely out of my eyesight.
On the other hand, it did feel like we were walking in a straight line before the collapse but it looked like I must have been mistaken.
I lay there with nothing to do but wait. Well, I didn't have 'nothing' to do. I could still try to free myself but when thinking about it I thought that the effort would be useless. If two people with their full strength can't do it, how much can I do?
Maybe it was one of those things where you had to do a little but for a long time?
So I started to wriggle, just slightly, as a little worm would.
Who would have known that I could ever end up in such a shitty situation?
Hope I won't be like one of those war veterans with a leg missing.
By the gods, what if they have to cut off both of my legs? What if I free myself, and I find out that they have rotten off, all black and blue?
Just to make sure I bent my toes regularly during my escape act.
"If I can feel them that means they're all right," I thought.
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