only ember and ashes remained , but still ... he could not breathe , or think ... sam wrenched himself sideways , pulling paul with him ... his arms flailed against the dirt floor , groping , reaching , scattering the ashes , until at last they found something hot ... a chunk of charred wood , smouldering red and orange within the black ... his fingers closed around it , and he smashed it into paul 's mouth , so hard he felt teeth shatter .