Mary Oliver Alternate Ending

A heavy sigh echoed though the small dank space, followed by a low humorless laugh. Oliver carefully shifted his precarious footing in the soft muck beneath the dark murky water, grimacing as the mud oozed deeper into his boots. He raised his eyes toward the circle of dim light a mere five feet beyond his reach. His eyes lowered to study the wall of algae covered green stones that lined the well shaft…well that had lined most of the shaft. An angry scar of exposed red clay marred a large portion of the wall above where he had attempted to climb out nearly a half hour earlier, the missing stones lost somewhere in the ice cold water below.

He slumped against the chiseled rocks behind him, ignoring the green muck which had begun to weave itself into his blonde locks. The water was beginning to rise steadily thanks to the early spring thunderstorm which raged over head. A tight grin crossed his features as he calculated the rate at which it would take it to reach the top. Perhaps he could just swim out. The grin faded into a pained grimace as he shifted his left shoulder. He was fairly certain it was dislocated, a souvenir of his earlier escape attempt. Oliver shifted his feet carefully once more in an attempt to increase the flow of blood through his rapidly …show more content…
His chest tightened. He had convinced Chloe to go for help shortly before the storm had struck. She had refused at first, attempting to find a way to rescue him that did not involve leaving him, but in the end she had finally complied…the storm had struck shortly after she had left. She was an inexperienced rider on unfamiliar trails…in a raging storm. One scenario after another flashed through his mind as the storm continued to grow in strength and fury. Oliver closed his eyes and forced the thoughts from his mind…it would do no good to panic. She was a resourceful one, his Sidekick; she would be