Race Against Time

Jimmy coughed and wheezed as he felt his lungs burning more and more. He was starved, dehydrated and very close to running out of oxygen completely. He felt a small gust behind him, telling him there was a small puff of air, but he didn’t think about it. He knew it wouldn’t help him anymore. He reached his hands around his prison, possibly his final resting place, and felt something in his pocket. A pen and piece of paper.

“What’s this doing here?” he thought, letting his head fall back as his lungs burned more. He started putting something on the paper, not really thinking about what it was. Just letting it flow through him and onto the paper.

“Well James, it’s almost that…” the voice he had grown accustomed to said, but he was cut off.

“Freeze!” Jimmy heard a voice call.

“James, James Sullivan, can you hear me?” another voice asked. Jimmy couldn’t answer, he didn’t have the strength, so he coughed.

“James, we’ll get you out, we’re working on it, we’ll get you out.” the person said again.

“Let me talk to him,” Jimmy heard. Matt moved to the microphone, and gasped when Jimmy appeared on the screen. He was terrible. He lost weight, his skin was pale, almost grey, with dark circles under his swollen eyes.

“Jim, it’s Matt, Jim. Hang in there man, they’re getting him to tell us where you are. We’ll get you out man, we’re coming for you.” Matt saw the tears flowing from Jimmy’s eyes at his words.

“I-It’s too l-late Matt,” Jimmy was able to whisper. Matt turned the volume up to hear better. “It’s too late. Y-you’ll never f-find me in-in time.”

“We will Jim, we’re on our way…” his voice trailed off as he remembered the trapped door. “Jim, I’m opening the door to give you air.” Matt told his friend.

“It’s not just air Matt,” McCain said, staring at the man on the screen.

“Shut the fuck up, give him some hope,” Matt snapped at the man, pressing a button labeled “door.” He saw with relief the trapped door opened. A sheet of paper flew out the door.

“Matt, it won’t help,” Jimmy coughed.

“Yes it will Jim, you just need to relax, stay with us until they find you.”

“They won’t,” Jimmy whispered as an officer walked up to McCain.

“This just flew by,” he said, holding a tattered piece of paper. Matt took one look at it and sprinted from the house.

“Matt,” Brian called after him.

“That was Jimmy’s paper!” he shouted, looking around closely at the ground. “It couldn’t of flown from too…” his sentence cut off when he tripped over uneven ground. He looked at it, and realized it was a deep hole.

“Jimmy!” he called, hoping to get a reply. When none came, he started digging with his hands. Officers, Brian, Johnny and Zack joined in, and soon, Zack brushed dirt off a piece of wood.

“I got something!” he shouted, brushing more dirt from it. They quickly dug more, and discovered a wooden box, holes appearing in different parts. Matt peeked through one of the bigger holes, and heard the cough before seeing the hand. The hand he knew has his best friends hand.

“He’s in there!” Matt shouted to them. Using a crowbar, the top of the box was lifted, and everyone stared in shock at the man they just released.

“Jim,” Matt whispered, helping his friend up gently. Jimmy coughed more, clinging to Matt as if his life depended on it.

“Do me a favor?” Jimmy was able to whisper after the burning in his lungs died a little.

“What’s that?” Johnny asked, looking confused.

“When I die, don’t fucking bury me,” He muttered, trying to stand up, but he was too weak.

“Okay big guy, accept the help,” Matt said with a laugh as he and Brian helped him to his feet.

“How long was I under there?” Jimmy asked.

“Almost two weeks,” Zack answered. “You surpassed any of our expectations.”

“Good to hear,” Jimmy replied with a smile.

Jimmy was taken to the hospital, where he was put on oxygen and fluids. He ended up passing out on the way there, and that was nearly seven hours ago. He hasn’t woken up once, but it was understandable.

“Same old Jimmy,” Johnny laughed as Matt told them what Jimmy had said after they found him. “Finds humor wherever he is.”

“That’s Jimmy alright,” Brian muttered, sitting back in his chair. “I hope he wakes up soon though.”

“He needs the rest,” Matt said, stretching out his arms and neck.

“By the way, what did the paper say?” Zack asked Matt suddenly, turning away from his trance outside the window.

“I don’t know what it was, just a bunch of words.” Matt replied, pulling the paper from his pocket. He knew Jimmy didn’t want anyone to see it, so he kept it hidden so only he would have it.

“Hey I can’t live in here for another day. Darkness has kept the light concealed, grim as ever. Hold onto faith and it seems I’ve been buried alive.” Zack read over Matt’s shoulder. “He was getting close to going when he wrote this.”

“He was prepared to die,” Matt nodded his agreement.

“Can I risk repeating myself?” Jimmy’s voice asked suddenly, causing Matt and Zack to jump in shock.

“What’s that dude?” Matt asked, grinning at his best friend.

“Don’t fucking bury me when I do die,” Jimmy muttered, staring at the ceiling. “That was the worst thing I’ve ever experienced.”

“No doubt about it,” Matt replied. “It doesn’t really matter what we decide, it’s all up to your family really.”

“Well, no burial.” Jimmy said flatly. Matt and Zack agreed so Jimmy would get some more rest. When they walked out of the room, they couldn’t hold back their laugher any longer.

“What’s so funny?” Brian asked walking up to them.

“It’s not funny, but it is. Jim’s set on not being buried when he dies,” Zack answered him between laughs.

“That’s completely understandable though,” Brian said, a smile forming on his own face.

“Yeah, but it’ll be up to Leana and his parents on whether that happens or not.” Matt said, coughing to clear his throat.

“Yeah we know,” Brian said. “All we can do is hope he either changes his mind, or we can get them to honor his wishes.”

It was three days later that Jimmy was released from the hospital. His first night back in his own apartment scared the hell out him. Whenever he got to sleep, a creak would wake him up.

“Thanks guys,” Jimmy said a few days after he returned home. The guys was there hanging out with him, and he was starting to feel safer.

“For what?” Johnny asked, turning from the TV to look at him.

“Being here, being you.” Jimmy shrugged as he sighed and walk sat back in the couch more. “This whole thing just make me realize how important you all really are to me.”

“We love you too Jimbo,” Brian said, wrapping his arm around Jimmy’s head.

“There was one thing, the words, on the paper, they meant something.”

“And I still have them,” Matt said, pulling the paper from his pocket. “These are really good Jimmy. Did you want to turn them into a song or something?”

“I knew, even if you didn’t reach me on time, you would get them, and you would use them for that soul purpose.” Jimmy nodded, grabbing the words from Matt’s hands.

Hey! I can't live in here for another day
Darkness has kept the light concealed
Grim as ever
Hold on to faith as i dig another grave
Meanwhile the mice endure the wheel
Real as ever

And I'm chained like a slave
Trapped in the dark
Slammed all the locks
Death calls my name
And it seems I've been buried alive