Buried

This is the story of Paul Conroy
Paul is an american citizen, who once was deployed as a truck driven in Irak in order to provide for his family. In October 2006, Paul Conroy wakes up all tied up and buried in a wooden coffin. He then uses his zippo lighter to shed light. Although he did not have a clue how this happened, his mind starts to reconstitute the events leading to his unfortunate situation. His last memory consists of an ambush by terrorist who mercilessly killed all his brothers in arms.

After succeeding to untie himself using a nail sticking out of the coffin, a rington makes its self heard. It was a Blackberry left by his kidnappers. Conroy is in despair, he struggles in vain to remember his emergency number who has been stolen by his abductors. He then decides to call 911 and is being introduced to a ohioan woman who has little care for Paul’s demise. She suggests that he should talk to the sherif.. but time is running, he decides to hang up the cellphone to call his wife who unfortunately doesn’t respond. He sends her a message imploring her to get help. He then calls the FBI, and explains the situation. They then ask a bunch of ridicules questions… before being cut. Paul enters in a sudden burst of rage. He finally calls the CRT whose voicemail is activated.

Somebody is calling, Paul picks up the phone, it’s Jagbir, one of his abductors, who demands a 1 million dollar ransom before 21:00 or they will let him die in the coffin. He succeed to contact a member of his family who hangs up on Paul due to his screaming. Conroy calls the security department where he is once again put hold. They inform him that due to american foreign policy, they will not negotiate with terrorists and will therefore not pay the ransom. However, they will try their best to save him. They then connect him with Dan Brenner, head of the hostage situation work group who assures Conroy they they will bring him home in one piece.

Jagbir calls Paul again asking him to gather the ransom. A little later, explosions occurs, shaking the earth around Conroy’s coffin which damages it and fills itself up with sand. It does not have soon any more a light, it thus take one fluorescent light. Conroy continues his phone call with Brenner, being sceptical torwards his promesses. To what Brenner retorts that a similar situation occurred 3 weeks ago to a 26 year old man named Mark white and they succeeded to bring him back to his family. He then advices Conroy to stay calm in order to save aira and to call only in case of emergency in order not to waist the battery. He also asks him not to contact the media risking to make the situation worse. Paul takes the other fluorescent light.

Paul decides to call his mother who has alzheimer disease. She doesn’t remember him… He asks her to tel him I love you which confuses her… Paul hangs up. Jabir calls him again and tells him he will slaughter a colleague with whom Conroy had an affair if he does not do film himself for the media immediately. Conroy obeys and films himself eaten up by fear. Despite Conroy doing what has been requested, they send him the execution of his colleagues, which he watches in shear horror.

Conroy is loosing hope. He forges a testament in video format giving his son all of his clothes and his wife his personal savings. Jabir ultimately calls Conroy requesting him to cut his finger if he wants his family to be safe. He then chops off his finger and sends the video. He then tries to reaches his wife unsuccessfully and urges her not to go home because the kidnapers know her adresse on voicemail.

A few minutes later, Brenner call Conroy, telling him they found the sight where he’s buried. Now it does not have any more a flashlight and tubes fluorescent, he juste have the Zippo to light his grave. His wife Linda finally calls. She asks him to promise he will come home, sulking."I love you so mutch Paul!" she say. He pledgehe will and hangs up. The sand is starting to fill up the coffin, Conroy is aware that if Brenner doesn’t hurry up he will die quickly and in tremendous pain with only his zippo light turning off.

Brenner calls Conroy and tells him they started digging him out. Oddly enough, Conroy doesn’t hear the sound of shovels hitting upon the coffin. When Brenner opens it he discovers in horror the dead body of Mark White. Conroy bursts into tears.

Paul Conroy chokes slowly while the sand begins to submerge him entirely. The last thing he hears is Brenner loudly apologising on the phone
"I’m Sorry Paul".