"Trust me, and let's talk. We're in no hurry."
"Are you serious?" he asks nervously. When I nod, he continues. "Okay, even though it sounds absurd. That would be great. Cindy always says she misses work."
This mine is either old, or they built it badly, which is good but also bad.
"It would be perfect, then. Are you already thinking of having other children?"
"If I get out of here alive? Yes."
"We'll get out alive."
"What about Isabel?"
"She's amazing."
Fuck! I can't find what I need.
"How did you meet?"
"We grew up together, then she left, and I … well, I ended up in the room with you. When I got home, I met her on the plane, and it was love at first sight. I didn't know it was her, but my heart did, so I fell in love."
"Oh, first love is never forgotten."
"This time, you’re right."
"I'm always right." We laugh and take a breath.
CJ slowly moves his foot.
"Now, what do you put on it as a weight?"
"Trust me. As soon as you take off your foot, run."
"Nathan, what the hell are you doing to block the weight? I'm not leaving you here!"
"This," I say, showing him Isabel's hair tie.Love, please, I need a few seconds, a few seconds.I kiss it and tie it up, trying to block the mechanism for the umpteenth time. And I succeed. Okay...
"That won’t work."
"It must, or we’re dead. Now, on my three, take off your foot slowly and run. Don't look back."
"Weister...”
"It's an order, CJ!"
"Yes, sir."
"Okay, one, two, three...”
CJ runs and the pressure holds.Come on,I run … one-thousandth, two-thousandths, three-thousandths, four-thousandths, five-thousandths. I throw myself to the ground while it explodes.
The noise is deafening. I feel excruciating pain, and my ears ring. The dust around us is blinding. I'm out of breath.
Dark.
"Weister, son of a bitch, open your eyes!"
I slowly open my eyes, but they’re heavy and the pain takes my breath away.
