What?! I trembled in shock.
"There's limited oxygen down there. You have to act quickly," Sam said.
"I've thought it through. You're buried but still alive, even able to make a sound, which means the space you're trapped in must be big enough and stable enough, probably supported by the bus itself. And if I can hear your voice, then you're not buried too deep. I've already cleared away the top layer of solid rock, so with some effort, you should be able to climb out on your own."
Climb out? The space around me was sealed tightly with dirt. There was no way out. And the ground was directly above me. To get out, I'd have to break through the metal shell of the bus… That's just wishful thinking.
No way I could do that with just brute strength.
He continued, "The hardest part will be getting out of the bus, but I've thought about that too. The only possible escape is through the windows. If you're near the passenger seats, it might be easier. They can be opened directly. But if you're at the front or rear, you'll need to break the windshield. You'll probably get hurt doing it, but given the urgency, it's the most reliable method. Breaking out from the inside won't disturb the outer layer of soil, so the bus can remain stable, and others might still be saved too."
I reached out with my hand and felt along the cold metal... ...!!...I touched a window below me!
"If you decide to go through with this, timing is everything. You need to let me know when you're going to break the window so I can help from up here. Of course, if you're injured and can't move, or you're too scared to take the risk… I'd understand."
"What happened to you is really unfortunate. I'm sorry I can't do more. But until the rescue team arrives, I'll stay right here with you."
Unfortunate? Compared to those buried deep below, I was already lucky... ...I was still alive, wasn't I? Even if I had barely survived, I was still breathing. And yet, I couldn't act.
Was it because of my injuries that I couldn't move? No… I think it was fear.
Because of fear, I didn't chase that girl in the rain—I missed my chance to find Vivi. Because I was afraid of being attacked, I gave up searching for clues and rushed away from the town. Because I saw through Larry's true nature, I was too terrified to stay, so I quit.
Trapped here, buried alive, fear kept me silent…
If only I had been able to let the old lady hear me, to let her know she wasn't alone in the dark, maybe she could've held on a bit longer.
Because of fear, I was even afraid to survive...
Is fear wrong? Of course not. Fear protects us. It keeps us away from danger. But if all we do is wallow in fear, weeping in self-pity… what a pitiful existence that would be. I could almost see Sam's face twisted with frustration, like he hated that I wasn't stronger... ...He still gave me the right to choose fear.
I reached out and tapped on the window. Fine dirt crumbled down in a soft, whispering cascade.
Do I really want to stay in this darkness?
"There's something I haven't had the chance to tell you yet…" Sam's voice drifted in like a breeze. "You have to hang in there. Once you get out, I'll tell you in person."
"Officer Chow…" I forced my throat open, speaking through the pain.
..."How... do I get... ... out?"
**********
First, wrap your face with your clothing: this is to prevent dirt from clogging your mouth and nose once the window breaks. Then curl your body as much as possible, and strike the corner of the window with your elbow or knee, because the center is the strongest part of the glass. Once you notice any looseness, switch to pushing upward. If you manage to lift one edge of the window, the pressure from the soil above will cause the whole thing to collapse downward. That's the moment—you have to seize the opportunity to crawl out!
"I'll be watching for the shift. As soon as I see it cave in, I'll reach in and grab you," Sam explained, his tone calm and steady. I listened with my heart pounding in doubt.
The biggest problem right now was space.
The width here was just enough for me to lie flat, but not enough to sit up. If I wanted to crawl out the moment the window gave way, I'd have to first adjust myself into a crouch. In ideal conditions, maybe I could manage to sit up from lying flat, but in my current state… once buried under all that dirt, the pressure could be unimaginable.
I was running out of time. I had to decide quickly. If I wanted to live, I had to save myself.
I studied the space around my feet. It was pitch-black, stretching outward into the unknown. The old lady seemed to be lying just at the other end. If that's the case… maybe I could use the width of the space to create a "vertical room"?
Sam's urging voice came from above.
No more hesitation! Just do it!
I began wriggling toward the other side like an earthworm. Once I got into roughly the right position, I started kicking downward with the backs of my heels. After just a few kicks, the whole space filled with swirling dust.
The air was so dry it was nearly impossible to breathe... ...thankfully, I had already wrapped my head in clothing, or I might've coughed myself to death right there.
I was nearly exhausted by the time I managed to dig out a small pit beneath the window. It wasn't very deep, but it was enough to fold myself into a crouch. Then, following Sam's instructions, I began to break the window. The process went unexpectedly fast
After only three or four strikes, the glass window began to give way.
Okay, now push— but before I could even call out to Sam, the window suddenly shattered into several pieces!
In that instant, the soil above poured in like a flood, burying half my body in seconds... ...
Dirt kept pouring down from above, and the shock left me disoriented! I thrashed wildly, using my arms and legs in every direction.
YOU FKING LIAR SAM!!! THIS WILL KILL ME!
The true terror of being buried alive only fully hits once you've decided you want to survive.
The suffocation from the soil is unlike drowning. In water, the air is completely cut off—you know you have to hold your breath. But soil is different. The loose, crumbling dirt doesn't completely block air. It teases you. It lets you feel like there's still air. Not enough to breathe, but just enough to tempt you. And once you give in and start inhaling, countless fine dust particles rush into your airways. A piece of clothing over your mouth is useless.
Panicked, I gasped a few times, and pain exploded in my lungs. They felt heavy, so heavy it was like they were about to drop into my stomach.
Then, all of a sudden, someone grabbed me.
In less than three seconds, I was pulled out of the clod hell.
I collapsed on the ground, gasping, sucking in as much air as I possibly could. Everything was ragged. My body, my vision, and my consciousness.
**********
The town's hospital had probably never been this busy before.
I sat in stunned silence on a chair, hooked up to an IV drip, watching doctors, nurses, police officers, and patients' families rushing back and forth.
A nurse cast a strange look at me, recognizing me as a patient who had just been discharged from the hospital. Her expression was incredulous, as if to say bitch why are you here again?
Unbelievable. After everything—crashing, being buried alive, crawling my way out of a pile of dirt—I somehow only ended up with a few scrapes. I'd been convinced my left hand was either broken or at least badly sprained, but it turned out to be fine. I could already move it freely.
But my face looked like a car crash. With bruises and wounds that had recovered from the attack, new damages hung around my forehead and eye sockets like trophies.
When Sam somehow found time in the chaos to bring me a cup of glucose water, I felt shy and didn't want to show my scarface.
Just then, a familiar figure appeared in my field of vision.
"Officer, have you seen these two people?! They're my ex-wife and daughter…"
"Excuse me, have you seen these two?"
"Sorry to bother you…"
Larry was holding a photo, asking every medical worker and officer who passed by, but no one gave him a clear answer. He was soaked in sweat, his whole body shaking with panic.
Everyone was so busy. Who had time to help him look for someone? That was what I thought, at least. But then someone did step forward to help.
"Give me the photo. I'll keep an eye out," said Sam. Of course he did.
Larry licked his cracked lips and began explaining, his words all jumbled.
Earlier this morning, his ex-wife called, saying she had taken their daughter and left town and they were going to seek another treatment elsewhere. Not long after, news of a landslide came from the mountains—many people had been buried in the collapse. He couldn't reach his ex by phone and didn't know what else to do. He didn't know if they were on the bus... his ex-wife always lied, who knew if she actually left or had long gone... But he still rushed to the hospital…
Sam gently reassured him, telling him to stay calm. Rescue efforts were still ongoing, and injured survivors were being brought in constantly. If he saw his wife and daughter, he promised to let him know immediately. But until then, he asked him not to interrupt the doctors' work.
Larry nodded blankly and went to sit down. He looked so frail, like a shadow of himself.
**********
I didn't get injured badly, so I decided to leave the room for others.
I found Sam outside the hospital, leaning against a pillar, a cigarette in his hand and exhaustion carved all over his face.
"Can I see that photo?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, of course!" He quickly stubbed out the cigarette when he saw me.
In the photo, a woman and a young girl smiled with their cheeks pressed together. The background was a bustling airport. They looked like they were about to go on a trip. I let out a deep breath.
Notthe mother and daughter I'd seen on the bus.
"Why the sigh?" he asked.
Nothing. Just tired.
"You did great today," Sam said, smiling like always.
A breeze passed by, and the rain brushed softly across my face. I looked up and for the first time in days, I saw the moon.
Calm as an ocean, soft as morning mist.
"Sam, could you drive me home?"