I’m bending my neck as far as I can.”
“If you set me on fire I’ll never forgive you.”
“Thanks. That really helps the nerves.” But actually it did. Jack, like Carolyn continued to make light of the situation. They both knew and were both grateful for that little bit of attitude.
“It’s not working,” said Carolyn finally. I just can’t see enough to risk starting the lighter.
Jack thought for a minute. “Ok, we roll.”
“What?”
Jack stopped sitting up and simply fell over. Doing so, he pulled Carolyn down unwillingly with him.
“You could’ve given me some warning. Straighten your legs,” said Carolyn who as usual caught on fast.
“Okay. Now I think the best way to approach this is you on top,” said Jack.
The both laughed at the innuendo.
“Okay,” said Carolyn. “When I say go, roll to your right.”
“Got it.”.
“Go!”
With much difficulty, Jack rolled onto his stomach pushing his face down against the dirty warehouse floor. Carolyn was propelled a bit but found herself having to scrunch, inch by inch onto the top of him backwards. Eventually they met again: butt to butt, the back of Carolyn’s head resting on the back of Jack’s.
“There. I think this will be easier. Good idea.”
“I never realized you had such a fat head,” said Jack, whose nose hurt from the weight on top of his skull pressing onto the cement floor.
But Carolyn was already positioning for the lighter. They both started to turn their heads sideways. Unfortunately they moved in different directions.
“Ow! Jesus! To the right! To the right!” yelled Carolyn.
“Like I’m supposed to read your mind?”
“Just move your head to the right.”
Jack’s ear pressed flat to the floor and Carolyn’s face pressed to Jacks cheek.
“Dancing cheek to cheek...” sang Jack.
They both moved their arms and hands out to the right as far as possible.
“Who has the best view?” asked Carolyn.
“I think I do,” answered Jack. “That means you’re going to have to follow my instructions very closely unless we both want to end up fried detective.
“Got it.” Carolyn was all business now.
“Maneuver down about two inches.”
“Okay.”
“Now grab a hold of my fingers. That should help guide you.”
“Got them.” She had managed to grab three of the fingers on his left hand.
“Okay, here comes the tricky part.” Jack sounded tense.
“Wait!”
“Good God woman! You scared the bejeezus out of me. Now is not the time for surprises.”
“I just want us to be in sync for contingencies.”
Jack sighed.
Carolyn continued. “If something goes wrong, I’ll use my coat sleeve first to pound the area with my elbow and then we roll until its out. Agreed?”
“Agreed.” He had to admit, she had a point. “Are you ready now?”
“Okay. Go.”
“Feel my fingers? You’re going to need to turn the lighter backwards and the rope is about five inches above them. Feel for the rope first with your other hand if you can.
“I feel it.”
“Then, anytime. Now you get to make up for that spatial reasoning test you failed in high school.”
“Ha ha,” said Carolyn, but it was a rote response. She was carefully feeling around and turning the lighter.
“Anytime now...” I’m going to be deaf in my right ear by the time—”
“Will you be quiet! I’m trying to concentrate.”
Jack shut up. After about thirty seconds Carolyn said, “Okay, I think I’m in the right place. Does it feel right to you.”
“Yeah, from what I can see.”
“You’re still gonna get a few burnt hairs from this probably,” warned Carolyn. “Be careful not to jerk and make it worse.” She flicked the lighter at the first rope strand around Jack’s wrists. She did a good job of focusing it on the rope. Jack could feel the heat, but no burn. He waited.
After a minute he said, “What’s taking so long?”
“I dunno. It’s a thick rope.”
Jack kept his eye on what he could see. “Yeah.” He
“If you set me on fire I’ll never forgive you.”
“Thanks. That really helps the nerves.” But actually it did. Jack, like Carolyn continued to make light of the situation. They both knew and were both grateful for that little bit of attitude.
“It’s not working,” said Carolyn finally. I just can’t see enough to risk starting the lighter.
Jack thought for a minute. “Ok, we roll.”
“What?”
Jack stopped sitting up and simply fell over. Doing so, he pulled Carolyn down unwillingly with him.
“You could’ve given me some warning. Straighten your legs,” said Carolyn who as usual caught on fast.
“Okay. Now I think the best way to approach this is you on top,” said Jack.
The both laughed at the innuendo.
“Okay,” said Carolyn. “When I say go, roll to your right.”
“Got it.”.
“Go!”
With much difficulty, Jack rolled onto his stomach pushing his face down against the dirty warehouse floor. Carolyn was propelled a bit but found herself having to scrunch, inch by inch onto the top of him backwards. Eventually they met again: butt to butt, the back of Carolyn’s head resting on the back of Jack’s.
“There. I think this will be easier. Good idea.”
“I never realized you had such a fat head,” said Jack, whose nose hurt from the weight on top of his skull pressing onto the cement floor.
But Carolyn was already positioning for the lighter. They both started to turn their heads sideways. Unfortunately they moved in different directions.
“Ow! Jesus! To the right! To the right!” yelled Carolyn.
“Like I’m supposed to read your mind?”
“Just move your head to the right.”
Jack’s ear pressed flat to the floor and Carolyn’s face pressed to Jacks cheek.
“Dancing cheek to cheek...” sang Jack.
They both moved their arms and hands out to the right as far as possible.
“Who has the best view?” asked Carolyn.
“I think I do,” answered Jack. “That means you’re going to have to follow my instructions very closely unless we both want to end up fried detective.
“Got it.” Carolyn was all business now.
“Maneuver down about two inches.”
“Okay.”
“Now grab a hold of my fingers. That should help guide you.”
“Got them.” She had managed to grab three of the fingers on his left hand.
“Okay, here comes the tricky part.” Jack sounded tense.
“Wait!”
“Good God woman! You scared the bejeezus out of me. Now is not the time for surprises.”
“I just want us to be in sync for contingencies.”
Jack sighed.
Carolyn continued. “If something goes wrong, I’ll use my coat sleeve first to pound the area with my elbow and then we roll until its out. Agreed?”
“Agreed.” He had to admit, she had a point. “Are you ready now?”
“Okay. Go.”
“Feel my fingers? You’re going to need to turn the lighter backwards and the rope is about five inches above them. Feel for the rope first with your other hand if you can.
“I feel it.”
“Then, anytime. Now you get to make up for that spatial reasoning test you failed in high school.”
“Ha ha,” said Carolyn, but it was a rote response. She was carefully feeling around and turning the lighter.
“Anytime now...” I’m going to be deaf in my right ear by the time—”
“Will you be quiet! I’m trying to concentrate.”
Jack shut up. After about thirty seconds Carolyn said, “Okay, I think I’m in the right place. Does it feel right to you.”
“Yeah, from what I can see.”
“You’re still gonna get a few burnt hairs from this probably,” warned Carolyn. “Be careful not to jerk and make it worse.” She flicked the lighter at the first rope strand around Jack’s wrists. She did a good job of focusing it on the rope. Jack could feel the heat, but no burn. He waited.
After a minute he said, “What’s taking so long?”
“I dunno. It’s a thick rope.”
Jack kept his eye on what he could see. “Yeah.” He
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