A good luck charm might be helpful
Riley is holding on with all his might. And he’s not sure how much longer he can do it. As if to prove this thought, his grip slips ever so slightly. He looks down at his dangling feet. Far below them, a cold hard slab of concrete awaits. Riley quickly looks back up at his straining hands. This was not good.
Now his arms are tiring. And quickly. Therefore, he tries to swing himself. Maybe he can get momentum. From there, swing his legs up, and over the edge of the disintegrated floor.
Bad idea. He feels his hands slide even further. In fact, the momentum of the swinging, is pulling him from the edge he is clinging to. He almost lost the grip completely. If that happens, he won’t survive the fall.
With this in mind, he pulls with all his might, and tries to keep his hands closed on the edge simultaneously. However, he feels himself slipping, and tries even harder to maintain his grip. To no avail. Riley grits his teeth, and strains with all his might. He remembers the good luck charm, as his hands slip free from the edge. And he falls.
A Good Luck Charm
Today is Friday. Riley’s long anticipated, special day. He worked two extra shifts the previous week so he could be off today. This is the exhibit’s opening day. And ever since Riley learned the exhibit was opening here, he had big expectations. In fact, he began planning this museum trip, months ago. Just in case it ever happened. Then it did.
It was a chance to experience the exhibit of a lifetime. The contents of an ancient and mysterious tomb. Unearthed in the recent past, the discovery was astounding. Furthermore, it took almost four years for the exhibit to reach Riley’s city. Therefore, to say he was feeling eager is an understatement.
All That’s Helpful
Riley is a cab driver. And he works the graveyard shift. In fact, he prefers the graveyard shift. The night shift helps his schedule, as he works tirelessly to achieve his Bachelor’s in Astronomy. He is almost there. Meanwhile, every night, he ferries people around the city and listens to their stories. Some are sad, and some are happy. However, all are unique.
Sometimes, he can remember the names, and other times there are no names. But there is always a story. Occasionally, there will be something Riley hasn’t heard before. Then they are gone, and the cab is empty again. Riley doubts he has ever encountered the same passenger twice. Indeed, it was a large city after all.
Maybe that’s why the odd little man with the derby hat stood out in Riley’s memory. Furthermore, he probably wouldn’t have remembered the odd gentleman without the good luck charm. In fact, as they arrived at the gentleman’s destination, he plainly said, “A good luck charm might be helpful”. Then he handed Riley the cab fare, and an unusually strange object.
A Good Luck Charm Might Be Helpful
An earthquake. There could be no other explanation why the floor of the museum disintegrated beneath their feet. Especially in the exhibit room. Somehow everyone was able to make it to the stairs. Except Riley. Caught unawares, he fell with the floor. However, he managed to grab the floor’s edge, just before it was too late.
Now it is too late, and he’s falling. He barely has time to register his fear, when the good luck charm clipped to his belt, catches on a piece of rebar from the damaged floor.
Riley is caught solid. He dangles by his belt, and the good luck charm clipped to it. Hanging high above the concrete floor, he sees the contents of the exhibit are scattered among the debris below. Directly below Riley is the sarcophagus, and it’s opened wide. Now all he has to do, is try to remain calm, until help arrives.
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