Quicksand Fans

A few years ago, I ran a series of polls covering various miscellaneous elements of the quicksand experience to tease out fun scenarios and what QS fans enjoyed. Out of a prolonged stagnation in creativity, I spontaneously decided to come up with another one.

This one is the "botched rescue".

The premise is that one character is trapped in quicksand and needs to be rescued. The rescuer makes the attempt, but at some point also becomes stuck and in unable to escape. This may happen very early in the rescue (such as the rescuer taking the wrong approach to the trapped victim and becoming stuck before getting close), the middle of the rescue (e.g. the rescuer reaching the victim, but realising that they cannot get out) or the end (e.g. they nearly get out, but fall back in).

Some specific examples:

- A swimmer must crawl over beach quicksand to reach another stranded swimmer, but halfway across the sand suddenly pulls her arms and legs down, and they are both trapped.

- A jungle girl pulling a traveler free, but the vine snaps just as she is about to pull herself out.

- A hiker attempts to rescue another hiker by throwing a rope, but is pulled in herself.

What is your preferred outcome?

Previous polls:

First Contact: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8360
"It's Quicksand!": viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8396
Getting There: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8435
Captured!: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8468
The Ideal Victim: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8497
In You Go!: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8523
Help Me!: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8562
It's Gotta Come Off: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8607
Ignorance Is Bliss: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8676
Standoff: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8709
Prolonged Exposure: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8819
Keep Calm: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=9109
Nondescript: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=9385

The victim does not need or want to be rescued; the rescuer gets stuck and panics, and the victim then performs the rescue.

Interesting question, I haven't thought about this before from a favorite perspective. It was also nice to see all the old survey questions, I forgot about those!

I like this because my personal fantasies often involve 'spectators' (for lack of a better word). Sometimes it's a group - and there's a standout that has a reaction that transcends reason, who then attempts a 'join' or a rescue.

In a one on one scenario, it's possible to infinitely vary the fear-to-arousal scale for each of them, independently.

Btw - my response was that the rescuer almost reaches the victim and then becomes stuck.

The rescuer begins to escape with the victim, but both become stranded during the escape.

Great example would be the MPV scene "Rescue Addicts" with Summer and Saraliz.

Mynock wrote:

The rescuer begins to escape with the victim, but both become stranded during the escape.

Great example would be the MPV scene "Rescue Addicts" with Summer and Saraliz.

Yeah. I always like that setup a lot.

I've long had another scenario in mind. The victim is a lure for the rescuer. Had a vision for that one for a long time. Maybe some day.

A Siren type scene with the 'victim' turning the tables on a would-be rescuer would be fun.

Mynock wrote:A Siren type scene with the 'victim' turning the tables on a would-be rescuer would be fun.

My recent story, ‘Playing with Plutia’, actually has a scenario that’s kinda in this vein...

Another option would possibly just be a rescue attempt is made but fails.

Hi,

It's not in the poll, but my fave where the victim either can't reach the rope/vine/branch that has been extended to them, and continues to sink, or they are being pulled out, and said rope/vine/branch breaks, and they sink back down.