April 20, 2006 was a mild, sunny day, and Don Chambers brought 22 month old William and 4 years old Sara out to play in their sandbox. It was Sheryl Chamber's turn to do the books at the family furniture store while Don stayed with the children at their farm house. Just as Sheryl returned, the phone rang and Don went inside to answer it. Sheryl carried in the groceries and Sara followed her into the house.
As Don watched William through the storm door, the toddler released himself our of the sandbox and headed towards the quarter mile long farm lane that leads to the main highway. "He went that way" Don said to Sheryl. But when she stepped outside, William was no where in sight.
She went around the house calling out for William. Don joined the search " make sure he's not running down the driveway", Don told Sheryl. "I'll check behind the barn".
As Sheryl ran across the front lawn, she thought she heard Williams voice, but she was puzzled: it seemed to be coming from. Underground. Then Sheryl spotted an opening in the ground, about a foot in diameter, near her feet. From its depths came a panic cry "mommy, MOMMY!".
"OH MY GOD, HE'S IN A HOLE!!!" Don, near the barn, ran around when he heard Sheryl scream. He immediately realized what had happened.
Earlier that year pits had been dug to test the soil of the farm surrounding the Chambers rented house Sheryl and Don had kept their children William and Sara inside while backhoes scooped out large trenches and a well drilling ring sank deep vertical shafts. The Chambers believed that the studies had been completed by mid-april and the trenches and bore holes had all been filled in.
Don ran into the house for a flashlight. As he shone its bright beam into the hole, his heart froze. About 12 feet down was the top of a tousled head. His mind race: is he hurt? How can I reach him?
Don considered his mind trying to snag the little ones sweatshirt with a rope and hook. But quickly realized that William was jammed into the hole too tightly as if he had been hammered in there.
YOU ARE READING
SWALLOWED BY THE EARTH.
Short StoryThe toddler was jammed into the narrow shift as tightly as if he'd been hammered there. Rescuers knew that attempts to free him might bury him alive....
