The Enthusiastic Amateur: Chapter Three

Part Two.

       But no, not quite.

     Claremont was nothing like him. What sort of showman goes to all the trouble of making an inescapable death-trap and then doesn’t stick around to take his bow? A bloody stupid one was only one of the possible answers. A careless one was another. Whatever sort of man Quentin Claremont was, he wasn’t even in Quaint’s league.

     And that sudden recognition was the only fuel that the conjuror needed. Although the tank was far taller than him, its width was just over half his height. Quaint trod water to the side of the tank, careful not to put any strain on the chain attached to his back as if he was a hunk of beef in an abattoir. One excessive tug might be all it took to snap the wooden post. Pressing his shoulders up against the glass and his feet against the opposite side, he slowly moved one foot up at a time. The straitjacket’s weight was phenomenal, as if he had a ball and chain attached to each ankle. It sent icy daggers up his calf muscles. As he rose higher, his body began to level out at the top of the tank, soaking yet more of the material that drank water more thirstily than a sponge. Quaint immediately felt an intense pressure on his chest. Taking a shallow breath, he looked up at the chain. Now that he was buoyant (more or less) there was a small amount of slack to it. But was it enough? He was rarely the praying type, but he found himself muttering skyward nonetheless. Not exactly a prayer, more of a casual request for a favour.

     With his shoulders pressing against one side of the glass tank, and his feet pushing against the other, there was just enough slack for him to move his hands safely without increasing the tension and shattering the wooden post supporting the chain. He was banking a lot of hope on that chain – he needed it to escape the final layer of the trap. But first things first, he told himself, let’s just concentrate on one miracle at a time, shall we?

 Will Cornelius manage to survive?

Find out right here on Monday 12th 2012 !!!

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