Bang!
When the dull sound echoed through the room, both of them looked surprised. That did not sound like a metal crowbar hitting wall tile. When they knocked the side walls with the crowbar, it made a crisp clang, clang. This muffled thud meant the material above was different from the walls.
Erik went down to retrieve the crowbar, then simply turned the ladder sideways. He then discovered the ladder just happened to span the cave entrance, allowing them to step along it to the center. He grabbed the crowbar and thrust it upward, but he was still a little short.
"Charles, come here. I'll lift you up," Erik said.
Charles looked somewhat hesitant. He said, "Isn't this a little too acrobatic? Are you sure this is how it's supposed to be solved?"
Erik spread his legs and stood on two rungs of the ladder. He bounced in place, then said, "No problem. Come here."
Charles decided to trust Erik anyway. He stepped onto the ladder and walked over carefully. It swayed a little along the way, forcing Charles to slow down. When he arrived in front of Erik, he was somewhat at a loss. As he had said, this posture was a little too acrobatic.
The ladder could bear the weight of two people, and Erik was standing fairly steadily, but Erik had to lift Charles up. Never mind lifting him; even how to pick him up was a problem.
But somehow, whether Erik had really practiced acrobatics or not, he turned sideways directly, one foot in front and one behind, leaned forward, and scooped Charles up in one motion. Then he slowly moved his foot back, turned around again, and returned to the most stable position.
Then he raised Charles higher. Charles held the crowbar, and when Erik