Ramon and the other miners were rus.h.i.+ng to the entrance of the tunnel totally in shock when they saw the walls collapsing at the entrance blocking the way inside.f.u.c.k! Holy s.h.i.+t!
They gathered around the blocked entrance with unimaginable horror in their faces.
"Start digging guys!" Ramon barked at the shocked miners.
They all scrambled to retrieve their digging tools.
The General Manager Mr. Fajardo rushed into the site. "Where is Sir John?"
"Trapped somewhere inside with other 23 miners!" said Ramon, his voice trembling.
"Boys, starts digging! The longer your comrades stayed trapped inside the chances of getting out alive is very slim! Give it all you have!" Mr. Fajardo barked his orders around the shocked miners.
Two digger excavator truck was being positioned along the entrance for much faster retrieval of soil. Mr. Fajardo summoned all the two units which consist of 100 coal miners each to proceed to the mining site where the trapped miners were located.
He planned to have the 300 miners worked around the clock in three s.h.i.+fts to make the digging a continuous process. Hope there will be no earthquake coming soon or else the trapped miners will be buried alive in no time.
Ramon took the initiative to organize people with the help of the staff department to prepare foods and water for the rescuers.
The digging started in frenzy and miners were working hard knowing that the lives of their employer and their comrades lies in their hands.
The digging continues through the night, lights were being placed at the entrance. Miners were being given coffee to help them awake and energy drink as well to keep them energized.
When the first group of rescuers was about to rest and eat their dinner, another batch took over their place, the process continues throughout the night.
Ramon tried to contact John and George by calling them on their mobile device but they can not be reached. Stressed out that he can not do anything to help, he took a shovel with him and starts digging side by side with the miners. He was dying to know if they are safe somewhere and where are they located inside the tunnel? Not knowing of their condition is making him worry to death.
His cell phone rings...it"s Catherine calling!
"Cath..."
"Ramon, where is John? I tried to call him but it says cannot be reached."
Ramon was debating if he will tell her about the incident or not. The problem is if he will tell her the truth she might get hysterical and keep calling him for updates every second, he can"t allow that. He needs to concentrate on how to find ways to save his boss, a hysterical woman is not what he needs right now.
"He"s still inside the tunnel along with the miners. There is no signal inside the tunnel. I will inform him that you called after he gets out," he said.
"Okay. Thank you, Ramon. Bye."
Ramon ended the call and resumed digging.
After forty-five minutes he rested for a while and sat down beside Mr. Fajardo.
"Sir, is there any other way we can establish a communication with the trapped miners?" asked Ramon.
"None so far," Mr. Fajardo said with a grim-faced.
Ramon sipped his coffee while staring at the workers digging nonstop at the entrance of the tunnel.
After a few more hours of digging the entrance was finally cleared, but the next hurdle that greeted the miners was that of the roof of the tunnel that leads to the holding station also collapsed. It seemed the whole tunnel collapsed underneath.
The prospect of a successful rescue of the trapped miners underneath come to a terrifying realization, they only got a slim chance of survival!
Ramon and Mr. Fajardo looked at each other with terrified eyes, their faces were drained of color!
"Keep digging boys! No matter how slim the chance we can"t give up!" Mr. Fajardo barked at the miners.
The workers resumed their never-ending digging along with the excavator truck.
Mr. Fajardo and Ramon were restless, their mind was busy thinking of ways and means on how to know if the trapped people underneath the tunnel are still alive.
...
Inside the tunnel...
John and his companions began chewing on the biscuit and sipping a small amount of water from the bottled water.
"Guys let"s conserve the water and the foods, make it last for at least three days," he said.
The miners nodded, willing to do anything just to survive alive for another day. The empty lifeless look in their faces is painful to watch.
John was thankful that the ventilation system was holding on and continue supplying them air. If it was completely destroyed then they already died due to lack of oxygen. If there will be no more earthquake in the next few hours then by tomorrow morning they will start digging towards the location of the holding station.
"Conserve your strength boys. Sleep early and rest well "coz tomorrow morning we have to dig as fast as we can or else we may never get out of this tunnel alive," said John.
"And one more thing, while you are closing your eyes think of your loved ones, remember all the happy moments you spent together with them it will help lessen the fear you feel inside," he added.
"Yes Sir!" they replied in unison. They start lying down on the ground side by side preparing to sleep. The faces of their families and loved ones floated in their mind, it"s the only thing that keeps them strong during these horrific moments of being trapped fifty feet underground.
John opened his cell phone and looked at his photo gallery of Catherine. He will try to live another day for her. A single tear fell from his eye. Her face is the only thing that is beautiful in the middle of this terrifying reality that death was surrounding them and if the hard removable roof made of concrete steel will give away then tons of soil will be crus.h.i.+ng upon them suffocating their airways and they will die within seconds or minutes. Another danger is the ventilation, if the heavy soil will heavily crush upon it, it will cut their air supply right away and again they will die in minutes. They were like a living corpse right now waiting for their death that would come anytime and in many ways and worst if there is another earthquake coming it could potentially trigger their ultimate demise!
John closed his eyes and pray harder for salvation and for a rescue! He can"t sleep knowing that anytime could be their last. The reason why he encourages the miners to sleep with their loved ones in mind if the worst thing will happen and the tons of soil will start flooding around them they will all die with happy memories in their faces.