“Hey, Bill, that’s a cool idea! Let’s try it! But what’ll we dig with?”
“I can jab away with my penknife. The dirt’ll keep falling down into the culvert.”
“Let’s go!” Ronnie exclaimed. He was tired of sitting. He wanted to do something to help them escape—anything.
Bill turned on his light. Phil was stretched out on the floor with his eyes closed. “Come on,” Ronnie nudged him. “We’ve got things to do.”
Bill explained his plan to Phil as they moved down the culvert. Phil agreed that it was worth the try.
They reached the end of the culvert. Bill played the beam of his flashlight about among the giant slabs of concrete and brick that had tumbled to the floor of the culvert. Inky black crevices ran upward between the pieces of rubble, and as Bill moved the flashlight about looking for the crevice he had in mind, the jutting ends of the masonry cast weird shadows upon the walls and floor.
“There it is!” Bill said suddenly, holding his light steady. “That’s the one. See how far up it goes?”
Ronnie saw a twisting passage, which gradually grew smaller toward the top. Halfway up, a giant slab almost sealed the crevice into two parts, but Ronnie judged that there would possibly be room for Bill to squeeze past.
Bill removed his raingear and handed Ronnie the flashlight. “Keep the light where I need it,” he instructed. Then he boosted himself into the opening and began to worm his way upward. Protruding edges of brick and mortar gave him support for his feet or a hold for his hands. Soon Ronnie saw him enter the narrow aperture.
Bill continued to edge forward, forcing his shoulders and arms between the two giant slabs. Then he stopped and began to struggle. Ronnie could see that he was wedged tightly between the two slabs.