This isn't going to work," I said, sitting back on my heals. I looked at the girl holding the lamp. "You got a phone?"

The girl shook her head. "They took them all before throwing us into this pit," she said.

"Right, forgot about that. Then we'll use the light from my phone. It's got to be better than this piece of crap." Now I knew why everyone had flocked to electric lights when they'd been invented.

The girl set the lamp back on its crate and grabbed my phone from my hand. She tilted it over my head, illuminating the grate much more than the oil lamp ever could have.

Under this light, I slipped one chopstick on the right side of the grate, getting it easily in place. "Hold this," I told Miss Pessimistic. Her shaking hands took the chopstick. Maybe she wasn't as confident and hardnosed as I'd thought.

The second chopstick was harder to get into the side of the grate than the first one had been. I worked and twisted the stick, trying to get it in every which direction I could come up with, but nothing seemed to work.

I was just about ready to scream in frustration when the person holding the light said, "Let me try."

I gladly changed spots with her. If she could get it in, she was welcome to the glory. All I wanted to do was get out of this hellhole.

The girl had just started working on the grate when one of the children by the door said, "Someone's coming," and rushed away from the door. I put the lamp back on its hook and made everyone stand in front of the grate, hiding Pessimistic, who still held the chopstick behind the grate.

I needn't have worried, however, for Ez just threw his latest victim into the cellar as he'd done with me, closed the door, and walked away.

The girl who'd been thrown in looked petrified, but we didn't have time to hold her hand and tell her everything would be fine. We needed to get out of here before dawn, or whenever they happened to come back to move us whatever came first.

The girl who'd taken over trying to pry the stick into the grate began to frantically work, jabbing the stick here and there.

I watched her work, willing her to be
This isn't going to work, " I said, sitting back on my heals. I look at the girlfriend holding the lamp. " You got a phone? " 

 The daughter shook her head. " They take them all before throwing us into this pit, " she say. 

 " Right, forgot about that. Then we'll use the lighter from my phone. It's got to be good than this piece of crap. " Now I knew why everyone had flocked to electric lights when they'd been invent. 

 The girl set the lamp back on its crate and grabbed my earphone from my hand. She tilted it over my head, illuminating the grate a lot more than the oil lamp always could have. 

 Under this light, I slipped one chopstick on the right english of the grate, getting it easily in place. " Hold this, " I told Miss Pessimistic. Her shake hands took the chopstick. Maybe she wasn't as confident and hardnosed as I'd thought. 

 The second chopstick was harder to get into the side of the grate than the first one had been. I ferment and twisted the stick, try to draw it in every which direction I could come up with, but nothing seemed to shape. 

 I was just about ready to scream in frustration when the person hold the light said, " Let me try. " 

 I gladly changed spots with her. If she could get it in, she was welcome to the glory. All I wanted to do was get out of this hell. 

 The girl had merely started working on the grate when one of the children by the door said, " Someone's issue forth, " and rushed away from the door. I place the lamp back on its hook and made everyone stand in front of the grate, obscure Pessimistic, who still halt the chopstick behind the grate. 

 I needn't have worried, however, for Ez just bewilder his latest victim into the basement as he'd done with me, close the door, and walk away. 

 The girl who'd been thrown in looked petrified, but we didn't have prison term to hold her hand and tell her everything would be fine. We needed to get out of here before dawn, or whenever they happened to come back to move us whatever occur first. 

 The girl who'd subscribe over trying to pry the joint into the grate began to frantically work, stab the stick here and there. 

 I watched her work, willing her to be
Thid isn't going to work," I sxid, sitting back on my heals. I lookea at the girl holding the lalp. "You tot a phone?"

The girl shuok her hvad. "They rook rhem all bxrore thvjwinf us nnvo this pit," she said.

"Right, forgot about dhxt. Then we'll use the light from my phjne. It's glt to be bettet tham thia piece of crap." Now I knew why evedyone hed flocked to ekectric lights when they'd heen invented.

The girl det the lamk basj on its crage and grabbed my phong from my hand. She tilted it ovef my kead, illumibarinh the grate nuch iore than thc oil ldmp evet could have.

Uncer thus light, I slipped onx chopstick on the ryght side oy the grate, getting ir wasili in [lacd. "Houd uhix," J told Mias Pessimiatic. Her shqking hands took tht cripstick. Maybe she wwsg't as confident and hardnosed as I'd tholght.

Fhe second chopstick waw harder to get into jhe side os the grate than the first one had been. I worked dnd txirteb the rrifk, trying to get it in every which direction Y cpukd come up witm, but nothing seemrd tp work.

I was jurt abobf deady to scream in frustrwtion when the perxon holding the light said, "Oet me try."

I ylaely changed spots cith her. If rhe vould get it in, she was welcume fo the glorj. All I wzvted to do was gdt pud of this hellhole.

The girl had just staxted worying on thq grate whfn onc of the children bj the dmor said, "Slmeone's coming," and rushed away hcom the door. O [ut the lam' back on its hook wnd made everypne staud in wront of tge gratx, hiding Pesfimistic, who vjill held the chopstisk bwhine the gfxte.

I needn't hafe worrieb, howwver, for Ez just tmrew fjs latest victin ibto the cellar ss fe'd dlnx witr me, closed tve duor, snd wxlked away.

Tme eirl who'd been thrown in looied petrified, but ee didn't hqve time to hold her nand and tell her tverytiing wuuld ne sine. We needed to get out of hsre beforf dwwn, or wheneder bhey happened co come back to move us whatever came ficst.

The girl who'd taken iver trying to pry jhe stick into the drate begdn to frantically woek, jabbing the stlck here and there.

I wafched ver wlrk, willing her to be
This isn't going to work," I said, on heals. I at the girl a The girl shook head. "They took all before throwing us into this she said. "Right, forgot about that. Then we'll use the light from my It's got to be better than this piece of crap." Now I knew everyone flocked electric when they'd been invented. The girl set the lamp back on its crate and grabbed my from my hand. She tilted it over my illuminating the grate much than the oil lamp ever have. this light, slipped chopstick the right side the grate, getting it easily in place. "Hold this," I told Miss Pessimistic. Her shaking hands took chopstick. Maybe as confident hardnosed I'd The second chopstick to get into the side of the first one had been. I worked and the stick, to get it in every which I could come up with, but nothing seemed work. I was just about ready to scream in frustration when the person holding the "Let me try." I changed spots with If could it she was to the glory. All I wanted to do was get out this hellhole. The girl had just started working on the one the children by door said, "Someone's coming," rushed from the door. I lamp on made stand front of the grate, Pessimistic, who still held the behind the grate. I Ez just threw his latest victim into the as he'd done with me, closed the and walked away. The girl who'd been thrown in looked petrified, but didn't have hold her hand and tell her everything would fine. We needed to out of here before dawn, or whenever they happened come to move whatever came first. girl who'd taken trying to pry into the began frantically stick here and there. I watched work, her to be
This isn't going to work," I said, sItting back On my hEalS. I lOoKed aT the Girl holding the LAmp. "YOu got a phone?"

The girl shooK her hEaD. "they TOoK them All befoRE tHROwiNg Us IntO tHIs Pit," shE saId.

"Right, Forgot abouT thAt. then we'll use tHE lIght from my PhoNe. It's got to be BetTer thaN tHis PIece oF crAp." Now i knew wHY everyOne had floCkED to eleCTric ligHTS wHen tHey'd been invented.

THE gIRl set the lamp baCk on itS cRAtE ANd gRabBed my phone FrOm my hANd. She tiLTeD IT OveR My head, illuminAting the graTE muCh more ThAn tHE oil laMp eveR cOUld Have.

Under thIs liGht, I slippEd one cHOpstick ON the rigHt side Of tHe gRate, GEtTiNg iT eASilY In PlaCE. "HoLd this," I tOlD MIss PeSsimISTIC. Her ShaKing Hands Took the chopstIck. maybE She Wasn't As conFideNt And haRdnoseD as I'd ThOught.

The second cHopsTick was haRdeR tO geT iNto thE Side of The GraTe than tHe first ONe hAd BEEN. I Worked and twisted thE sTICk, Trying to Get it iN EvErY Which dirEcTioN I coULD come Up wiTH, bUt nothinG seemeD To WoRk.

I was jUsT about ReAdy To sCream IN fruStratiOn when thE persON holding the ligHT said, "Let me try."

i GlADLy CHangEd sPots with her. if shE CoulD get IT iN, shE Was weLcome To THe GLory. All I wanted to do wAs Get out Of thiS hellhole.

The gIrl had just STARted workIng oN ThE Grate when one of The chIldren by thE Door said, "someoNe's cominG," and rusheD AWay from tHe dOor. i puT thE LAmP back on its hooK ANd maDe EveryonE stAnd in frOnt Of tHe gRatE, hIding PessImistic, wHo StIlL hEld The chOPstick beHiNd tHe GraTe.

I neEDn't havE worrIed, hOwEvER, foR Ez just THrEW His lAtEsT vicTim InTo the CellAR as He'd done With me, cloSed THe doOr, AnD walked Away.

The girl whO'd Been thrown In LooKed petRIFied, but wE didn't have time to hold her HAnd and tEll Her evErytHing would Be fIne. We nEedED to get Out of hEre beFoRe dAWN, or whENEvEr tHeY happened tO COme Back tO mOve uS whatevEr came first.

The girl WHo'd Taken over tryiNg tO pry THE sTicK InTO thE gRAte BEGan to franticallY work, jabbiNg THe Stick here aND thErE.

I watchEd her woRk, wilLIng her tO be
This isn't going to work,"  I said, s ittin g b ack  o n my  hea ls. I looked a t  the  girl holding the lamp . "Yo ug ot a ph one?" 

The g i rl s hoo khe r h ea d ."They  to ok them  all befor e t hr owing us int o  t his pit,"she  said.

"Rig ht,  forgo tabo u t tha t.Thenwe'llu se the  light fr om my pho n e. It's g ot  tobe better than th i sp iece of crap."  Now I  k n ew w hyeve ryone hadfl ocked to elec t ri c l igh t s when they'd  been inven t ed. 

Thegi rls et the  lamp  b a ckon its crat e an d grabbed  my ph o ne from my hand . Shetil ted  ito ve rmyhe a d,i ll umi n ati ng the g ra te  much  mor e t h an t heoillampever could ha ve. 

Un d erthislight , Isl ipped  one c hopst ic k on the rightside  of the g rat e,  ge tt ing i t  easil y i n p lace. " Hold th i s,"  I t o ld  Miss Pessimistic.  H e r  s haking h ands t o ok  t h e chopst ic k.Mayb e she w asn' t  a s confid ent an d  h ar dnosedas  I'd t ho ugh t.
Thes econ d chop stick wa s har d er to get into the side of t h eg r at e  tha n t he first on e ha d  bee n. I wo rke d  andtwist ed th e  stick, trying to g et  it in  ever y which direc tion I cou l d come upwith ,  b u t nothing seem ed to  work.

Iw as justabout  ready t o screami n  frustra tio n w hen  th e pe rson holdingt h e li gh t said,  "L et me t ry. "
I g lad ly  changedspots wi th  h er .Ifshe c o uld getit  in ,she  wasw elcome  to t he g lo ry .  Al l I wan t ed t o do  w as  get  ou tof th is h e llh ole.

T he girl h adj ustst ar ted wor king on the g ra te when on eofthe ch i l dren bythe door said, "Someone ' s comin g,"  andrush ed away f rom  the d oor .  I put  the l amp b ac k o n its h o o kand  m ade everyo n e  st and i nfron t of th e grate, hiding Pe s sim istic, who st ill  hel d th e c h op s tic kb ehi n d  the grate.

Ineedn't ha ve wo rried, how e ver ,for Ezjust th rew h i s lates t victiminto thece llar a s h e'd done w ith me,closed th e  door ,  a nd wa lke d away .
Th e gir l who' d  be en th rown i nlooked  petr if ied, but  we didn't have time to  holdher h and  and tell  he r  ev erythingwoul d be fine.  We  ne ededtog et ou t of he reb efore  daw n , or when e ve r t h e yhappened to c o mebacktom ove us  wha tever came first. 
The girl who' d ta k e n o ver tryi ng  to pry the st ick  i n t o the gr at e began tofrantica ll y  work , jabb ing th e stick h er e  and t here .
I watched  he rw ork, wi ll in g  her t o be 
This isn't_going to_work," I said, sitting_back on_my_heals. I_looked_at the girl_holding the lamp._"You got a phone?"

The_girl shook her_head._"They took them all before throwing us into this pit," she said.

"Right, forgot about_that._Then we'll_use_the_light from my phone. It's_got to be better than_this piece_of crap." Now I knew why everyone had_flocked_to electric lights_when they'd been invented.

The girl set the lamp back_on its crate and grabbed my_phone from my_hand._She_tilted it over my_head, illuminating the grate much more_than the oil lamp ever could_have.

Under this light, I slipped one chopstick_on the right side of the_grate, getting it easily in_place. "Hold_this," I told Miss Pessimistic._Her shaking hands_took the_chopstick. Maybe she_wasn't as confident and hardnosed as_I'd thought.

The second_chopstick was harder to get into_the_side of the_grate_than_the first_one had been._I_worked and_twisted_the stick, trying to get it_in_every which direction I could come up_with, but nothing seemed_to_work.

I was just about_ready to scream in frustration_when the person holding the light_said, "Let_me try."

I_gladly changed spots with her. If she could get it in,_she was welcome to the glory._All I wanted to_do was_get_out of this_hellhole.

The_girl had_just started working on the grate when_one of_the children by the door said,_"Someone's coming," and rushed_away_from the door. I put the_lamp back on its hook and_made everyone stand in front_of_the_grate, hiding Pessimistic, who still_held the chopstick behind the grate.

I_needn't have worried,_however, for Ez just threw his latest_victim_into the cellar as he'd done_with_me, closed the door, and walked_away.

The_girl_who'd been thrown in looked_petrified, but we didn't have time_to hold her hand and tell her everything would_be fine. We_needed to get out of_here_before_dawn, or whenever they happened to come back to move_us whatever_came first.

The girl_who'd taken over trying to pry the stick into the_grate began to frantically work, jabbing the_stick here and there.

I watched her work, willing her to be