Below, you’ll find Chapter Ten of the Life of a Miner short story. If you’re interested in reading the chapters as they’re released, please subscribed to my newsletter.
Artwork: Roberto Gabriel Garcia
Chapter 10 – Trust is Earned
“How was your weekend, Priloe. Did you have a good time with the Licht boys?” Silver asked at breakfast.
Priloe picked at his meal bar. His guilt was at a level that felt entirely new to him. He’d always relied on himself and the idea of disappointing Big Pete and – even worse – Silver again was almost more than he could take.
“We’re going to start on a new hillock on the topside this morning,” Pete said. “I’m going to show you how to lay out the mining bags.”
This piqued Priloe’s interest. Learning to mine enthralled him. The idea that you could harvest a material from your surroundings and make a living for yourself stuck with him. On Nannandry, he’d only survived by taking from others, but a miner actually produced something valuable.
“I’d like that,” Priloe said, the fog of doubt lifting slightly.
“You seem rather glum today,” Silver said. “Anything you want to talk about?”
“No. I’m just tired from this weekend.”
“Don’t be sad, ‘Riloe,” Milenette climbed up onto his lap and hugged him. The change in her ability to pronounce words correctly surprised him.
“I’m not,” Priloe replied and hugged her back.
“Sometimes a man needs some time to work things out,” Pete said. “And, there’s no better way to do that than with some good old-fashioned manual labor. You mind if Priloe skips today’s lessons?”
Silver smiled down at the kids. “He’s making good progress. I don’t see why not.”
“Then let’s get to it,” Pete said.
Priloe struggled to keep up with the enigmatic Pete Hoffen as he learned how to bore holes into the asteroid with a mining laser and blast them apart with quickly expanding gas bags. The blankets Pete had been talking about were laid across the unbroken rock face and held down by heavy gravity generators. By the end of the afternoon, Pete and Priloe had loosened up an entire section of the small hill.
Unfortunately, as soon as the activity slowed, Priloe’s mind went right back to Demetria. He felt a strong affinity for her, as he’d been orphaned and left behind as well. A part of him still believed his mother would someday return, but he knew this was nothing more than wishful thinking.
“We’ll pick all this up tomorrow and pre-sift it. Good iron content here.”
Pete was almost chatty and his exuberance made it even more painful for Priloe, as the weight of his deception continued to drag him down.
“Strawberry or Raspberry?” Silver asked, picking up on Pete’s good mood and handing out meal bars. It was an old Hoffen joke that Priloe had once found humorous. The idea that meal bars could be distinguished from one another was something only the packaging seemed to take seriously.
“I need to talk to you,” Priloe said, ignoring the proffered food.
“Oh?” Silver asked.
“Sounds serious,” Pete said, sitting in a chair.
“I know I haven’t earned your trust. But, I need to do something,” Priloe said. “I need to borrow an ore-sled.”
“What’s this about?” Silver asked.
“I can’t tell you, I made a promise. But, I need to make something right,” he replied.
“This does sound serious,” Pete said. “Why would you need one of my ore-sleds?”
“I know I don’t deserve this, but I’m asking you to trust me. I’ll take whatever the consequences are and your sled won’t get hurt, but I need to do this.”
“You’re asking for a lot here,” Pete said.
“I know I haven’t earned it. But, if I tell you, I’ll break a promise I made.”
“Nope,” Pete answered. “My job is to make sure you’re kept safe. I can’t allow it.”
“I have to go,” Priloe said. “Someone is in danger.”
“Who?” Silver said.
“I can’t say.”
“I’ll give Annalise a call, maybe she knows what’s going on,” Silver answered, looking at Pete.
“No. Please!” Priloe answered, his eyes starting to water.
“Then take me with you,” Pete said. “Trust is two-way. I’ll trust you by not asking any more questions and you’ll bring me along.”
Priloe sighed. There was no getting around it. “Agreed.”
***
“What have you been doing in the Oberrhein claims?” Pete asked as they approached. “Those Licht boys put you up to this?”
“Remember our deal?” Priloe asked. He knew he was pushing his luck, but he still had some hope of saving Ulran and Merley.
“Claim-jumping is serious business,” Pete said. “And, the Oberrhein folks aren’t known for their kindly ways.”
“We’re not mining. Set down over there by that ship,” Priloe instructed. “You need to stay in the sled.”
“Someone’s here?” Pete asked. “You’re not going by yourself.”
“There’s just one person and she’ll run if she sees you,” Priloe explained. “I’m going to try to talk her into coming back with us.”
“Back? What’s this about, Priloe? And, don’t tell me I can’t ask any questions. We’re way past that,” Pete said.
“She was abandoned here,” Priloe explained. “She thinks her mom is coming back for her. But, she’s not, is she?”
“What’s her name?”
“Demetria Borisova,” Priloe replied.
“Damnit,” Pete swore. “You’re telling me they left a child behind?”
“And, she believes Loose Nuts will sell her as a slave,” Priloe answered.
“You know you’ve broken my rules, right?” Pete asked. “You weren’t given permission to come over here. I specifically forbade you from straying from ours or Licht’s claim.”
“That’s why I didn’t want you to come with me,” Priloe said plainly. “Fact is, you were going to figure it out either way, but I wanted to make sure Demetria was safe first.”
“You knew you’d get in trouble?”
“I’ll be honest, I was concerned about that, but not for the reason you think,” Priloe said. “Before Celina, I’d never had anyone in my life who cared about me other than Milenette. Your punishments are a breeze. Do you have any idea how a gang-boss punishes orphans like me?”
“Then, what’s your big concern?” Big Pete asked, starting to get annoyed.
“That you and Silver would kick me and Milenette out,” Priloe answered.
“So what’s changed?”
“Demetria’s life is worth more than that,” Priloe said. “I was her once and someone stuck their neck out for me. This way, at least I’ll know I did what needed doing.”
“I think your friend is looking for you,” Pete said pointing out of the cockpit. Sure enough, Demetria was staring through the glass of the airlock in their direction.
“Can I go by myself?”
“Go ahead,” Pete agreed. “For the record, what you’re doing here? It’s the right thing. A real man takes responsibility for his actions, no matter the cost.”
Priloe exited the craft and bounded across the asteroid, a great weight lifting from his shoulders.
