Trying Brute Force

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 117542

"Perhaps between us we could tear the chains from the wall," Astra suggested. "Naturally I've tried myself, but I wasn't strong enough on my own. But if we both pull at the same time, maybe we could do it. And you should be able to use both hands and so get twice as much leverage as I could."

Selecting the chain that held Astra's right wrist for their first attempt, Fred grabbed it in both hands and pulled as hard as he could, as she simultaneously pulled with her right arm.

After a minute or so, their efforts did not seem to be having any effect beyond Astra having made her wrist a bit sore where the cuff had been rubbing on it. "It's not working," she said.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Fred said, looking intently at where the shackle was anchored to the wall. "There are now some tiny cracks in the surrounding rock here. I think that if I pry at them with the point of my knife, I might be able to flake away enough bits of rock for the end of the chain to come free. It will probably ruin the knife, but it's a small price to pay."

  1. He succeeded. The same tactics eventually led to the other three chains coming free as well. Astra still had lengths of chain attached to both wrists and both ankles, but she wasn't going to complain about that.
  2. But he had been overoptimistic.

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JH

3/30/2020 5:54:50 PM

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