Page 55 of Ruthless Prince
“Welcome, newcomers!” A deep voice boomed out from the stone structure as several members stepped forward and stood side by side. The council, presumably. “Please stepforward.”
We did as he said, moving toward the open end of the stone horseshoe in a huddledmass.
The man who’d spoken held his hands up in a convivial gesture. “We are all thrilled to see you here this evening. The initiation of new members is one of the Order’s most important annual events, and we would like to offer our congratulations to you for succeeding in the pledge ceremony and making it to tonight’s proceedings. However…” He tilted his masked head to the side. “Your trials aren’t over. Tonight, you will face your hardest testyet.”
Another council member spoke up. “The final trial will test you for what we consider to be the most important traits in potential members,” she said. “We want you to be strong, resourceful and resilient. We also want you to be willing to do whatever it takes to complete the missions given toyou.”
That soundedominous.
The council stepped aside to reveal several rectangular outlines draped in black velvet next to fifteen gaping holes in the ground. They whipped the velvet away, and I gulped as I realized what I was lookingat.
Coffins.
Another council member spoke up. “The essence of the final trial is simple. Death and rebirth. If you can pass the test by demonstrating the characteristics we are looking for, we will know you deserve to pass from your old life into a new one withus.”
“You will be buried alive, four feet deep,” the first council member said, gesturing toward the coffins. “When your time starts, you will have two hours to make itout.”
“What if we don’t?” Simone asked in a timid tone. “Will you leave us todie?”
The man chuckled. “No. If you fail to escape within the specified timeframe, you will be helped out. Then you will be instructed to leave the island. You will not obtain membership in the Order, and you will not speak of your experience to anyone. Is thatunderstood?”
“Yes,” I murmured in unison with theothers.
“Please find your restingplace.”
I took a few steps forward and swallowed thickly as I eyed my coffin. Engraved on the top were the words ‘Here lies Willow Evelyn Rhoades. October 20th, 1997 – October 19th,2018’.
The council members lifted the lids. Before I got in, I scanned the crowd of members surrounding us, seeking out my father. He’d shown me the mask he usually wore at society ceremonies, so I knew what it looked like down to the smallestdetail.
My eyes came to rest on him a few seconds later, and he dipped his head in a small nod. That was all it took for me to know everything was fine. This wasn’t some awful trick where we’d be buried alive without the ability toescape.
I stepped into my coffin and lay down. It was cramped, but the bottom was lined with thick velvet, so it wasn’t terriblyuncomfortable.
“Your coffins contain the items you will need to make it out,” a council member called out. “We cannot tell you how to use them; only that they are there. There are also small bells inside each coffin, attached to strings which lead out here. After we bury you, we will begin the countdown, and you will hear your bell jingling to signify that the trial hasbegun.”
The lid finally shut over me, sealing me in darkness. I gulped and started feeling around me as the coffin was slowly lowered into its hole. On my right side, there was a large piece of thick fabric, and on my left was a smallflashlight.
When I felt the coffin hit the bottom of the hole, I took a deep breath, trying and failing to steel my nerves. From above, I could hear the heavy thumping sound of earth being piled all over mygrave.
Even though I knew the Order wouldn’t let me die down here, I couldn’t escape the sense of impending doom sweeping through me. It grew stronger with each thump from above, and my hands shook like mad as my breaths came in short, sharpbursts.
A few minutes later, the bell started to jangle wildly near my head. I immediately switched the flashlight on and peeredaround.
The lid was made of wood. It was thick, but if I hit it in the same spot for a long time, it would eventually splinter and break open. Unfortunately, all the dirt on top would spill in as soon as that happened. If I wasn’t careful, it would smotherme.
I took the piece of fabric and wrapped it around my face to protect my nose and mouth from the dirt. Then I curled my legs as much as I could and began to kick out as close to the center of the lid as possible. If I lay completely straight and made a hole at the far end, I’d never get out, because I wouldn’t be able to maneuver myself around in such a small space to escape through there, especially with all the piles of dirt. If I made a hole in the center, however, I should be able to sit up slightly and squeeze myself throughthere.
After what felt like an hour of kicking, my coffin echoed with a telltale splintering sound. “Yes!” I said to myself, kicking even harder as a fresh burst of adrenaline flooded myveins.
Dirt began to rush in through the wide crack, and I used my hands to push it all toward the end of the coffin. I packed in as much as I could without completely burying my feet and calves, and then I lifted my head and torso toward the crack. With one hand holding the fabric tightly over my mouth and nose so I didn’t breathe in any of the dirt that was still rushing in, I closed my eyes and pushed my head through. As I went, I stretched my free arm above me. I was thrilled when it breached the dirt, fingertips sliding into the cool airabove.
The remaining earth was looser now, seeing as most of it had spilled into the coffin, so it wasn’t all that difficult for me to keep pushing upward. Once my head broke the surface, I opened my eyes and let out agasp.
Three Order members grabbed me and hoisted me tosafety.
“Congratulations, Willow,” one of them said. “Are you all right? Did you swallow or inhale anydirt?”
“No. I’mfine.”
