<!DOCTYPE html>
<style>
    #abspos { position:absolute; line-height:9px; width:15px; background:hotpink; }
    #inline-block { display:inline-block; width:15px; height:10px; background:hotpink; }
</style>
<p>There should be a hotpink square below.</p>
<div style="columns:3; column-gap:0; column-fill:auto; height:50px; line-height:20px; margin-top:100px; width:21em; orphans:1; widows:1;">
    <div style="position:relative;">
        <br>
        <br>
        &nbsp;&nbsp;<span id="abspos"><br></span><div id="inline-block"></div>
    </div>
</div>