Now that no one was around to talk to me, the pin-drop silence in the pit intensified the crippling terror within me.
The boggy soil reminded me of the night I had the miscarriage. My body couldn’t help trembling like a leaf.
I couldn’t afford to let fear overtake me, or else I would probably kick the bucket here. There were so many things left undone. I had yet to raise Summer up and achieve my dreams.
“Scarlett, can you hear me? I found some branches. Be careful, I’m dropping them now.” Laurel’s voice came from the opening of the pit.
“Okay, do it,” I replied.
In the next second, some branches fell from above, and she asked, “Scarlett, why did you ask for the branches?”
I felt for the branches on the ground. Holding it in my hand, I knocked against the ground and found that soil around me was pretty solid.
I took a few steps forward hesitantly. “I’m using them to check my surrounding, because I’m afraid that I might fall into another deeper pit.”
“I see, you’re really smart. Hold on, I’m going to find a vine now.”
Then, I could no longer hear her voice. I continued to scan my surrounding with the branch in my hand. After a few steps, I noticed that something was wrong. The soil beneath my feet was too marshy. To my dismay, I found myself sinking gradually.
My heart grew heavy, and I broke out in a cold sweat. At once, I knew that I had stepped into a swamp in the pit.
I raised my head and shouted, “Laurel, are you there?”
Fortunately, she was nearby and rushed over when she heard me. “I’m here.”
“I’m in trouble.” Deep down, I felt a little despondent. “I think I accidentally stepped into a swamp.”
“Ah!” she shrieked all of a sudden. “What should we do now?”
Feeling hopeless, my body sank gradually into the bottomless swamp.
“Don’t sweat it, Laurel. Quickly look for a vine or seek help. I can still hang on for a little longer. Don’t panic!” Trying my very best to keep calm, I racked my brain for a solution, recalling that before the ground I was standing at earlier was solid.
Grateful that I’m still holding the branch, I poked the ground around the swamp. Sure enough, the soil was much harder. Breathing a sigh of relief, I got on my hands and knees to reduce the weight on my feet.
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