DAY 4 – Part 3: RESOLUTIONS.
EVENING - POOL HOUSE
Seth and Summer were still working together to open up a way out.
"Wow, you did have some repressed anger!", Seth exclaimed, impressed by Summer powerful hammering.
"You know, it's been a stressful week."
"And who's fault?"
Summer suddenly stopped: "Oh, come on, don't you think you complained enough? We both made mistakes, I think it's time to put all this behind our back and start over, don't you? "
Seth made a little smirk. "What about my pride?"
"You don't have pride, Cohen."
"Indeed..."
"So there's no reason for you not to forgive me. And Ryan too."
Concerned, Seth looked back at Ryan who was sitting quietly on the chair.
"Hey, by the way, what's up with him? - Summer asked in a lower voice, noticing Seth's expression – Is he ok?"
"We should restart clearing out the way. Here, come to this side now", Seth moved more on the right.
"You didn't answer my question!", Summer insisted.
"I'll explain it to you later – Then, raising up his voice – Ok, guys, I think someone is getting bored here, we should play a game. How about "Guess the person"? I'll start. Male, tall, dark hair and you both know him."
"It's you, Cohen!", Summer replied.
"How did you guess it so fast?", Seth continued.
"Considering your self-centered nature it wasn't so hard", she said smiling.
"Ok, the next one is for Ryan to guess -
"Wait! – Summer interrupted him – I forgot one thing in the kitchen, come with me!"
"Sum, this room is normally less than 15 feet long, now that half is destroyed it's even less!"
"Come on!", she dragged him away.
"Ryan, you wait here, we'll be back in a second!", Seth added.
"And where else can I go?"
Seth and Summer moved to the pool house kitchen.
"So, you wanna explain to me what's going on?", Summer asked him.
"What did you forget in here?"
"Cohen! I'm not stupid, ok? I've been honest with you, now it's your turn. What's up with Ryan?"
"Well...we have a little problem."
"How little?"
"Huge! Some of the broken windows must've hurt him and now he has this deep cut in the back that bleeds a lot. I think it's really bad considering this situation."
"Oh my God!"
"Yeah, I'm literally freaking out, but we've got to come back there, keep him distracted and bring him out of here asap, ok? Come on."
They both came back to the pile of debris and begun working again.
"I see that you didn't get away from the secret escape door, very well, Ryan – Seth joked – So, where were we?"
"At that stupid game", Ryan replied with an aching expression.
"Exactly. Now concentrate. Blond, broad-chested and cocky.
"Has Ryan ever punched him?", Summer asked.
"Many times."
"Volcheck?", Ryan replied.
Seth look at him surprised: "I thought you've only taken them from him!"
"Well, I've also defended myself, you know..."
"Luke?", Summer asked.
"Right! Too easy?"
Summer nodded: "A bit. Now I make one!"
"Guys – Ryan interrupted them – I know why you're doing this, but I'm a little tired now..."
"But we just started! I can't play alone with Summer, she knows me too well and guesses everything. Plus, I won't let you sleep, in every movie I've seen they always say it's a bad idea."
"Seth, you're giving me headache.
"Ok...uhm...no problem, I shut up. We're here if you need something."
"I know, thanks."
Time passed while Seth and Summer continued trying to free the exit. Soaking in sweat, Seth stopped for a moment to look up to the mountain of broken stuff they still had in front of them.
"Well – he said – I think we're at a good point. If in an hour we made all this, in another 4 or 5 hours we'll be out"
Both Summer and Ryan glared at him. Seth continued: "That was ironic, I have no idea how much it's gonna take."
"Well – Ryan begun to speak – if in an hour I've lost a quart of blood, in 5 I will lose more than a gallon...That was ironic too, I don't think there is so much blood in human body..."
"That was so not funny! - Seth exclaimed – You shouldn't make jokes if you can't do it well! Anyway, I think you're right on something: we're not making any progress here. We need to try something else."
"What do you mean?", Summer asked.
"I think that if we cannot move all these debris away, I should try to climb over them, reach the part of the roof that's still intact and then get down on the other side in the garden."
"What? Are you crazy?What if everything collapses once you're up there?", Summer asked worried.
"Summer, I'm a featherweight, I don't think it will make any difference."
"It's not for that, but look around here, it's all in pieces...I think it's dangerous."
"She's right – Ryan stepped in – The weight-bearing columns might be damaged, it's not worth to risk it.
"We don't have a choice, you can't wait long, you said it."
"Seth, mine was just a bad joke. You don't have to do it for me, really."
"Well, sorry, but I've already made up my mind. The Ironist/Spiderman crossover has already worked well in the past, there's no reason to think it won't do it this time too - Seth began climbing up and immediately some tiles and rocks started to fall off – Ok, maybe it's better if you two move away from here."
"Cohen, be careful", Summer said with her heart in her mouth.
Seth kept on going up while other debris fell.
"Don't worry, heights, free climbing and danger are my daily bread."
"But if you get nervous just going out on the terrace!"
"No, that is Ryan who can't even go on a Ferris wheel."
"I think I overcame that fear a few years ago. I love Ferris wheel now", Ryan added forgetting for a moment about his pain and weakness.
"Sure."
Seth kept on climbing until he reached the side of the roof.
"Almost here!", he yelled.
"Good, because I'm getting anxious- Summer said - Plus, now I'm feeling a little dizzy."
Ryan turned to her, surprised: "Me too but I thought it was because of the pain...oh no!"
Before he could finished the sentenced, the ground begun to tremor again. Objects and debris fell down, while Seth managed to grab on the roof and then sit on it."
"Cohen! Are you OK up there?", Summer yelled with fear.
"Yeah. Good timing for another earthquake. You?"
"Yes."
"Ryan? - Seth continued - Besides the little incident of before, of course"
"Yeah. Thank you for reminding me again."
"You're welcome, dude. Now I just have to find a good spot to get down and then I can go get help."
"Seth!", Summer suddenly screamed.
"Just a second, Sum." While saying so, Seth slowly let himself slide from the roof to a table below.
"Seth!", Summer yelled again.
"What?"
Once on the ground, Seth got off the table and walked around the pool house, just to find Summer right in front of him.
"How is this possible?", he asked her, baffled.
"That's why I was calling you! - she replied -The shake opened a gap among the debris."
"Let me understand. You are telling me that I've been breaking and lifting heavy planks for two hours, then I've risked my life climbing on a precarious roof without any protection and now a 30 seconds shake comes and clears the way, making it all for nothing?"
"Cohen, are you dumb or what? We're free, we can get out of here now! Come on, go help Ryan!"
"Right!"
Seth run back inside and came closer to Ryan, still sitting on the chair.
"Ryan, the Christmukkah miracle helped us even from 5 months apart!"
"Wow, I swear I didn't have much hope left", Ryan replied, very weak.
"Need a hand?"
"Yeah."
"Ok, come on."
Saying so, Seth helped him stand up and then they both got out.