Keep Digging

Warm Up To Me

"One more." I urged myself on as I flung the final shovel full of dirt up out of my hole. 
That was it, I was done with my first hole. It was dark, my hands still hurt along with my whole body and I just knew I had a sunburn coming. But I did it. I did it without help and I felt accomplished.
Now I just have to find my way out of this hole and I'll be able to head back to camp.
Maybe I'll still be able to put something on my stomach when I got there.
Those tortillas with honey seemed really appetizing at the moment.   

I chunked my shovel out of my hole and then tried to do the same with myself, but of course I have next to no upper body strength, especially at this time.
My brother always told me I needed to lift weights with him but I was too damn lazy to. 
At least without leverage, I was not going to be able to pull myself out of my hole. 
"God dammit" I swore as I paced around the hole. There can't be anyone for miles!
Will Squid actually remember what I told him? Is he going to actually come check on me soon?
I started panicking and did what anyone in that situation would do "HELP! HELP ME! IS ANYONE UP THERE?!" My breathing was getting sporadic and my hands started shaking. This is like being buried alive but in reverse. I wasn't covered in dirt and I could breathe but I couldn't get out!
"SHIT!" I screamed as I slid down the wall of dirt behind me, bringing my knees up to my chest. 
I rested my sweaty forehead against my knees and began trying to think of any way to get out of the hole that I literally dug myself into. 
'I could try to pole-vault my way out.' was a thought that popped into my head but I immediately shot that idea down when I realized that I probably needed a running start to try and get any momentum. 
I also needed a shovel which my dumb-ass already threw out of the hole. 

My mind raced with plenty of ideas. Plenty of dumb ideas that would never work. 
"Shit!" I exclaimed once again, tears starting to trickle down my dirt covered face. I sat there and cried, only hoping someone would eventually find me. It didn't feel likely. It was dark and cold and probably late. I couldn't even tell what time it was. 
"You done yet?" A thick southern accent cut through the silence of the desert. 
My head jerked up and I had never felt so relieved in my life. 
"Squid!" I was quick to stand up and wipe my tears away before he saw them. I don't want him getting onto me again about crying. Last time he didn't see me so I can imagine how humiliating it'd be if he actually saw me crying.
"You did come back!" The desperation in my voice was almost gross but I didn't care. I wasn't going to die alone in the desert!
"Mom said you was my responsibility so I didn't have much of a choice. I would've gotten my shower tokens taken away." He crouched down and gave me his hand to grab onto "Also, I knew you'd have trouble gettin' out too. All the newbies do." I rolled my eyes at his little smirk he gave me, but regardless I reached my hand up and grabbed onto his, causing my blisters to sting a bit through the gloves he had lent to me earlier. "Hold on." He mumbled as he pulled me up out of that God forsaken hole.
I steadied myself before letting go of his hand "Thank you." He just nodded his head "Sure." 
I went to grab my shovel but he beat me to it "Let's get going." He started heading towards camp, me following behind him "I can carry it." He glanced back at me "You could, but it'd slow you down. You're already fallin' behind." I was going as fast as I could given how tired and sore I was.
I stretched my legs out further to meet his stride "Do you think I'd be able to take a shower tonight?"
When I first saw those showers I was afraid I'd be seen. But now, being covered in dirt, I didn't care. I'm sure almost all the boys here are probably in their tents sleeping. 
"If you want. The showers are open if you have tokens to use it." I remembered the tokens Mr.Sir had given me the day before. "Oh, thanks." I heard him chuckle softly "You say thank you a lot." 
I smiled up at him "I guess I'm just thankful for your help." He shrugged and kept his eyes forward
"It's what I'm supposed to do. Help you, I mean." His voice sounded softer than usual. Almost kind.
"I think you're doing a good job." He flashed me a quick smile. A quick, side smile. But a kind smile, making me blush. Thank God it was dark or else I'm sure he'd want to abandon me in another hole or something for doing something as girly as blushing. That was the first time I saw him smile in the short two days I had been at Camp Green Lake. Hopefully I'd get to see more of that.