Self-Review – A Tumble in a Tomb

A Review of A Tumble in a Tomb

After a tumble in a tomb, is there any way to get out of a dark Egyptian pyramid?

I wrote this story during the first quarter of 2021. The prompt word was key.

Background

I love ancient Egypt and its pyramids, and the possibility of someone being trapped for all eternity is, of course, not fiction at all.

Plot

Without too much of a plot to speak of, the narrator starts off in pitch dark. But how did they get in such utter blackness? I never really say whether it’s an earthquake or a terror attack or something else entirely.

Or it could be that someone else in their class or digging party tripped some sort of old alarm or failsafe booby trap.

If the details sound sketchy, though, it’s because they absolutely are.

Characters

The characters are just the unnamed narrator. They mention their professor, but that’s it.

Memorable Quotes

It’s dark as all get out in here, like I was trapped in a big stick of licorice and not an Egyptian tomb. Fourth dynasty. I think. Not that it matters right now.

I can’t even estimate how much oxygen I have left. Lighting a match, if I even could, would just eat up some of my air. I guess a few extra seconds of life are worth knowing. But I don’t want to risk it.

Digging should be second nature to me. And I have pulled on any bit of stone where my fingers can get purchase. This isn’t even a main chamber. My professor sent me over here to work. I think he thought I would be out of the way. Well, he was right about that.

I would scream, but there’s no one to hear me. I mean, I heard the cave-in. I doubt my professor is still alive, for I haven’t heard him shouting. And I haven’t heard rescuers. No dogs, no drills, and no shovels.

I have to be careful not to get turned around, but it’s so damned easy to do just that. I’m trying to stay facing where I came in—but that means I can’t check behind me.

Rating for a Tumble in a Tomb

The story has a K rating. Although it’s highly likely that the narrator is quite simply not going to live to see another day, they are surprisingly unbothered by it all.

At the same time, though, they are well aware that panicking is not going to help them out in any manner.

Takeaways for A Tumble in a Tomb

This one ends rather abruptly, so I suppose I could have fleshed it out a bit more. But I was starting to get into a bit of a bind.

After all, my choices for an endgame were for the main character to survive, or not. There really isn’t anything in between.

And looking at it now, a good four years later, I am not so sure I know which way I would prefer to take this short tale. Any ideas, trusty readers?

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Want More of my Short Stories and Novellas?

If this story resonates with you, then I hope you will check out some of my other blog posts about my shorter works.

Short Stories

Finally, for a complete list of my shorter works, please be sure to check out the Hub Page—Short Stories.