Ok, so OzQueene and I thought it would be fun to pick a prompt word and each write a one-shot to see what we came up with. The inspiration for this story came about from a discussion in the forum with Jimjamrn ;)
This is my take on the prompt! Don't forget to read OzQueene's version of 'Stuck' in 100-Situations!
Prompt: Stuck
"I am not so sure of this plan of yours, Wheeler," said Ma-Ti, with a dubious expression and a sceptical tone to his voice.
"No sweat, little buddy. It'll be a cinch! Besides, what other option do we have besides this?" replied Wheeler with an over-confident grin and a wave towards the vent in the wall.
Ma-Ti turned his attention to the small opening, looking at it miserably. But it was such a small vent. Where was Suchi when you needed him?
He looked back to Wheeler, who simply raised an eyebrow and grinned. As he looked to the other Planeteers he realised Wheeler was right; there really was no other way to get out of the storeroom, unless Sludge suddenly had a change of heart. Ma-Ti was not about to hold his breath on that happening anytime soon. For all he knew Sludge had already high-tailed it out of there and left them for dead.
With a sigh Ma-Ti reluctantly agreed, "I guess I will give it a go."
"Alright, Ma-Ti!" said Wheeler, with a fist pump. "It'll be fine, what could possibly go wrong? I mean, you've squeezed into small spaces heaps of times," he said, slinging an arm around the Heart Planeteer's shoulders. Ma-Ti returned a shaky smile.
"Wheeler and I will boost you up, Ma-Ti," instructed Kwame. "You crawl through and see if you can find a way out."
"O-Ok," stammered Ma-Ti, as he glanced back towards the vent.
"You can do it, Ma-Ti," said Linka, offering him an encouraging smile, though her expression betrayed her uncertainty.
"Go, Ma-Ti!" cheered Gi.
Kwame and Wheeler moved to the wall and stooped to hoist Ma-Ti up to the vent.
"Alley-oop!"
Ma-Ti pulled the cover off the vent, dropping wads of dust onto the two men supporting him below. Kwame closed his eyes and turned his head away, snorting the particles from his nose. Wheeler coughed and shook his head, causing Ma-Ti to waver precariously for a moment. The African gave the American a stern look. Wheeler raised his eyebrows innocently in response.
"Just a little higher," instructed Ma-Ti. His human supports obliged and he peered into the dark, vacant space in front of him. "Uh, I am not so sure I am going to fit, you guys," his voice echoed from within the vent shaft.
"Sure you will," said Wheeler.
"You are our only hope, Ma-Ti. There is no way any of us can fit through there," urged Linka.
"Yeah, not with those fine curves you won't," grinned Wheeler, waggling his eyebrows in the blonde's direction.
"Bozhe moy," muttered Linka, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
Kwame spoke up with gentle authority, ignoring the banter between the Wind and Fire Planeteers, "You have to try, Ma-Ti."
Frowning into the darkness he released another sigh and began hauling himself up into the cavity. He wriggled a little further into the vent shaft, feeling a stale breeze against his face and the gentle pressure of Kwame and Wheeler's support against his feet.
As he absently considered the idiocy of going along with this plan he began to register the sudden confining pressure on his shoulders. He tried peering ahead, blinking and squinting into the blackness to see if the duct was narrowing. He could see nothing. He slowly wriggled a little further and noted with a hint of alarm that the restrictive space was indeed narrowing around his torso.
The waiting Planeteers heard Ma-Ti's muffled voice from within the wall, "Uh, Planeteers? I do not think this plan is going to work. It feels as if the vent becomes narrower further along."
Gi and Linka looked at each other, worry marring their faces. Kwame's brow creased into a frown as he began considering their other options. There wasn't that many to consider, however.
Ever the optimist, Wheeler dismissed the possibility of his plan failing so soon after it was instigated. "It'll be fine, dude. Just keep going. We'll give you a shove to help you along. I'm sure the vent will widen again."
Kwame looked at the red-head with obvious doubt written on his face and raised his eyebrows questioningly. In a hushed whisper he asked, "Wheeler, do you really think this is such a good idea? What if Ma-Ti becomes stuck?"
"Kwame, my man, relax. Trust me; I've seen this done hundreds of times. Just give me a hand, would ya?"
With a resigned sigh Kwame took hold of one of Ma-Ti's exposed feet.
"Ok, little bud, on the count of three. One. Two," Wheeler looked at Kwame with a grin. "Three!" The two men pushed against the young Planeteer's feet and felt him slide forward a foot or so.
Wheeler looked at Kwame triumphantly. "See? What I tell ya?"
They heard Ma-Ti's feet clanging against the metallic surface as he attempted to push forward into the vent. The noise paused.
"Um, guys? I think we may have a small problem," came Ma-Ti's muffled voice.
Linka's eyes narrowed as she looked towards Wheeler. "What is the problem, Ma-Ti?" The Russian thought she could guess what the "small problem" might be.
"It appears that I might be, uh...Stuck."
"Chort vozmi. I knew this was a bad idea, Wheeler."
"Hey, I didn't exactly hear you coming up with an alternative," replied Wheeler, hotly.
"And just what, exactly, does your plan say to do now, Yankee?
Ma-Ti could clearly hear the two Planeteers arguing despite his lodgement within the vent, and he rolled his eyes with a sigh. He vainly tried to squirm free again, grunting with the effort. He was well and truly jammed in there. I knew this was a bad idea. Why do I always let him talk me into these things?
"Uh, hello-o? I am still stuck in here," interrupted Ma-Ti, with a hint of irritation. He kicked his legs to remind them of his current predicament.
Wheeler rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish grin.
Gi flicked an angry look to Linka and Wheeler before stepping forward and calling up to the young Kyapo. "Hang on, Ma-Ti! We'll figure out a way to get you out."
"I am not exactly going anywhere," muttered Ma-Ti.
"I could always try to blow him out," suggested Linka. Wheeler snickered. The blonde threw him a look and he quickly wiped the smirk from his face.
"No, you might jam him in tighter. We can't use our rings; we could hurt him," reasoned Gi. She tapped a finger against her lips as she considered. "Maybe we should try to just to pull him out, first."
Wheeler shrugged. "Worth a shot."
Kwame and Wheeler each grasped one of Ma-Ti's ankles.
"Ready, my man?" asked Wheeler, addressing the African. Kwame nodded.
"Alright, my friend. We are going to try and pull you free," Kwame called to Ma-Ti. "Now, pull!"
The two men used their weight and heaved. Ma-Ti grimaced as his legs felt like they were being pulled from their sockets.
"Wheeler, Kwame, stop! You are going to rip his legs off!" cried Linka. Ma-Ti silently thanked the Russian. "Ma-Ti; what if you tried wriggling as Kwame and Wheeler pull? It might help to release you, like working a cork free from a bottle."
"Ok, Linka," Ma-Ti agreed, if a little reluctantly. It was starting to get rather uncomfortable wedged in the cramped space and the slight breeze hitting his face made his eyes feel dry and gritty. This whole scenario was looking more futile the longer it lasted.
The Fire and Earth Planeteers took hold of Ma-Ti's legs once again and braced themself with a foot against the wall.
"Ok, Ma-Ti, get ready to wiggle like there's no tomorrow!" said Wheeler.
"I am not so sure there will be a tomorrow," Ma-Ti mumbled glumly to himself.
As he felt the uncomfortable tug on his legs he began to shift his shoulders and hips, grunting with the effort. Slowly, ever so slowly he felt himself move a fraction backwards. His spirits lifted and he squirmed with more enthusiasm, the prospect of freedom looking far more probable than the futile struggles from earlier.
Gi clasped her hands beneath her chin, bouncing up and down on the spot as the sole of Ma-Ti's shoes became more visible. "It's working! Come on, guys, you can do it!"
Kwame and Wheeler grunted and grimaced with the exertion, pulling back with their weight and using the wall beneath their braced feet as extra leverage.
"Not far now, Ma-Ti! Just a little bit further!" encouraged Linka.
With a final wriggle Ma-Ti felt the suffocating press suddenly release and he was hauled free from the vent shaft. Wheeler and Kwame, who were still tugging on the Heart Planeteer's legs, staggered and fell backwards, landing with an 'ooph'. Ma-Ti landed unceremoniously on top of them.
The three Planeteers untangled themselves and were helped to their feet, Ma-Ti wiping the coat of dust from his clothes and blinking in the light.
Wheeler flashed the young boy a sheepish grin and rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, so maybe my calculations were a little off..."
Ma-Ti glared at the American and crossed his arms. "I told you I was too big, Wheeler."
"Hey, we got you out, didn't we? And I'm sure you would've fit. Eventually."
"I'm glad you're ok, Ma-Ti," said Gi.
"Da, me too. But what are we going to do now?" asked Linka. She turned to the American. "Anymore bright ideas, Wheeler?" she chided. He gave her a hurt look.
The Planeteers fell silent, either deep in contemplation or casting their eyes about the room.
Suddenly, Wheeler spoke up, "What if Ma-Ti tried-"
"No, Wheeler!" answered everyone at once.
Silence hung in the storeroom once more.
"But maybe if he-" The red-head's voice trailed off as Ma-Ti sent him a silencing glare. "Ok, ok! Geez..."
For the first time Ma-Ti wished he was just perhaps a little smaller. At least then he would not have become stuck in the vent shaft and the Planeteers wouldn't be still stuck in the storeroom. Maybe.