'SHIT!'
Ben heard a mumble and a thump, and he wondered if he was dreaming again. He wouldn't mind if the Queen of Blame came back; she was hot. Ben stopped working, and listened.
'Answer me, kid. I can hear you down there.'
It was Eric! His voice sounded hollow and far away coming down the pipe.
'Answer me, goddamnit.'
The light from the pipe was gone; Eric must be so close that he blocked the sun.
Ben held his breath, suddenly more afraid than when they first put him in the box. A few hours ago he had prayed for them to return, but now he was almost out! If they discovered him trying to escape, they would take away the medal, tie his hands, and bury him again--and then he would be trapped forever!
The light returned, and then Eric's voice sounded farther away.
'The little prick won't answer. You think he's okay?' Ben heard Mazi clearly. 'Eet weel not mahter.' Eric tried once more.
'Kid? You want some water?'
Here in the darkness of the box, Ben hid from them. They wouldn't know if he was alive or dead unless they dug him up, but they wouldn't dig him up during the day. They would wait until dark. No one can see you do bad
things in the dark.
'Kid?'
Ben held perfectly still.
'You little shit!'
The light reappeared as Eric moved away. Ben counted to fifty, then grew scared that it wasn't enough. He
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counted to fifty again, then resumed work. He was in a race with them now; he had to get out before they dug him up. The African's words echoed in the darkness: Eet weel not mahter.
Ben felt along the jagged edge of the split until he found a ragged spot near its center, then set to work carving a tiny notch. He worked the Silver Star with small firm moves like a man signing a contract. He didn't need much; just a small tear so that he could get a better grip.
The star cut through the plastic, and the notch grew. He scraped dirt from behind the plastic, then gripped the split again and pulled. A shower of soil fell all at once. Ben sneezed, then brushed dirt from his eyes. The split
had opened into a narrow triangular hole.
'YES!'
Ben pushed the soil that had rained down to the end of the box with his feet, then put the Silver Star into his pocket. He pulled his T-shirt over his face like a mask, then scooped out more soil. Ben worked his hand through the split up to his wrist, and finally to his elbow. He dug as far as he could reach, finally creating a large hollow dome. Ben gripped the plastic on either side of the T-shaped hole and hung with all his weight as if he was doing a chin- up. The hole didn't open.
'You dick! You pussy asshole!' He shouted at the hole. 'You weenie!'
He had the door; all he had to do was open it. OPEN THE DOOR!
Ben scrunched into a ball, pulling his knees to his chest. He propped a knee onto the left side of the T and gripped the right with both hands. He strained so hard that his body arched from the floor.
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The plastic tore like cold taffy slowly pulling apart. Ben's grip slipped and he fell. 'YES! YESYESYES!' Ben wiped his hands as best he could, then took another grip. He pulled so hard that his head buzzed, and the roof abruptly split as if the plastic had simply surrendered. A landslide of dirt poured through, but Ben didn't care--the box was open. Ben pushed the dirt and rocks that had fallen to the end of the box, then peeled open the flap. More dirt piled around him. He worked his arm and then his head up into the hole. The freshly turned soil came easily. He twisted his shoulders through the hole and then he was up to his waist. He clawed dirt down past his sides like a swimmer pulling water, but the more he pulled the more the earth closed around him. Ben grew more frantic with each stroke. He reached higher, clawing for the surface, but the earth pressed in on him from all sides like a cold sea pulling him under. Ben couldn't breathe! He was being crushed! Panic filled him with terror and the absolute certainty that he was going to die---then he broke through the surface of soil and cool night air washed his face. A canvas of stars filled the overhead sky. He was free. The Queen's voice whispered. 'I knew you'd kick its ass. ' Ben got his bearings. It was night, and he was in the backyard of a house in the hills. He didn't know which hills, but lights from the city were spread in the distance. Ben wiggled along the ground until his feet were free. He was in a flower bed at the edge of a patio in the backII7
yard of a really nice house, though the yard was dry and dying. Neighboring houses sat behind walls that were hidden by ivy. Ben was scared that Mike and the others would hear him, but the house was dark and the windows were covered. He ran to the side of the house, and slipped into the shadows as if they were comfortable old coats. A walkway ran along the side of the house to the front. Ben crept along the walk, moving so quietly that he could not hear his own footsteps. When he reached a chain-link gate, he wanted to throw it open and run, but he was scared that the men would catch him. He eased the gate open. The hinges made a low squeal, but then the gate swung free. Ben listened, ready to run if he heard them coming, but the house remained silent. Ben crept through the gate. He was very close to the front of the house. He could see a brightly lit home across the street with cars in its drive. A family would be inside, he thought; a morn and a dad, and grown-ups who would help! All he had to do was sneak across the street and run to the neighbor's door. Ben reached the end of the house and peeked around the corner. The short, sloping driveway was empty. The garage door was down. The windows were dark. Ben's face split into a huge toothy grin because he had escaped! He stepped into the drive just as steel hands clamped over his mouth and jerked him backward. Ben tried to scream, but couldn't. He kicked and fought, but more steel
