It was a graveyard smash! (Terry and Dragon are terrible thank them)

[theboywhodied]

THE TRAPPED IN A COFFIN MEME

You and one other are trapped together in a rather small coffin. Both alive, don't worry! For now.

How did you get there, and how will you escape? All up to you!

Comments

[morphitudinous]

A flashlight-laser? The laser might be of some use to break the surface. It could be their only chance. Billy's morpher is here, he can feel it on his belt pressed between them, but it's impossible to use in such a small space.

"I'll try."

He twists his arm and works it downward, straining to reach it. His fingers curl, seeking out any sign of the object. It's there. He brushes it, struggles to grasp it---and there it is. With some effort, elbow digging painfully into the wall, he brings it up, fumbling for Anwei's hand to pass it to.

"Break the wall and push?"

[anwei]

Anwei tries to squash herself flat so that he can get his arm around her. Her ribcage isn't really set up for that, though, and it's a relief when she feel the familiar machined metal cylinder in her hand.

"Got it!" Her fingers move quickly over the memorized switches, setting it by feel in the dark. She would be shooting as straight up as she could manage; she wanted to burn out to air as quickly as she could.

When had she charged the powerpack last? She didn't remember. Hopefully it was recently.

"Going to burn a hole for air first."

She put the lens-end against the box over her, and slid it to a corner as far above her head as she could manage. She didn't know what they were buried in; if it was sand she didn't fancy having liquid glass run down into her face. She moved, tucking her other arm tight to her chest to loosen her jacket, and ruching the material of her sleeve up around the laser and the cloth and wood; she wanted as little air as possible to reach the hotspot. Dying of smoke inhalation would be faster than suffocation, but probably more unpleasant.

"Ready?"

[morphitudinous]

Billy braced himself against the walls, mentally preparing for a fight. If they were going to have a chance to survive, they need to focus and coordinate. He tucked his head into the opposite corner.

"Ready."

[anwei]

She hoped against hope that some mourner wasn't waiting above the; if so that mourner was about to get a hotfoot. Or worse.

She fired, and felt the cloth against her knuckles heat, and smelled smoke. The laser had cut though the box and was now searing into the earth around them. Was it wet, so that the steam displacement would open a air vent? Was it stone, and they would drown in lava?

The smoke was getting thicker. Grimly she pressed more of her sleeve against the wood, and used her other hand to shield it as well, ignoring the blisters forming on her hands. The laser didn't need oxygen to burn, she had to keep it going....

She flicked it off and immediately pressed the lens against the heavy sleeve of her jacket, trying to feel if the clear material covering it was damaged. She flicked it to safe, visible light and turned it on, showing a tiny clothed-lined space and smoke.

Was the smoke moving, drifting towards the hole in the corner of the box?

[morphitudinous]

Billy couldn''t bring himself to risk breathing until he absolutely must. They were on the edge. If her plan didn't succeed, the smoke will quickly kill them. If it did, though, and there's some air, they might just have a little more time to attempt breaking free.

He wished the old idea of safety coffins had caught on. It'd be really useful to have a bell to pull on or a built-in escape vent sometime.

"That's one strong laser," he whispered, the only thing he could think to say.

[anwei]

Anwei breathed through her nose, which hurt; but better a scorched nose than a scorched windpipe.

"Meant to signal ships in orbit," she said, and fired again. The laser itself was getting warm in her hand; it wasn't meant to be used this way...

But this time when she pulled back and switched to normal light, she could see the smoke start to thin as the heated air moved up and out. She put her fingertip to the hole and felt coolness moving past it.

"Think we're through," she said, and hunched down as far as she could. "Try to get some air."

Billy was larger, therefore he needed more air than she did. He might be able to wriggle closer to the venthole.