The Parables

Jacq - Precinct Ten

Jacq - Precinct Ten

Using the pick in my hand to scrape against the surface of the rock, I then polish it with my cloth. I go back to using the pick and continue to repeat the motion of picking and polishing. My palm is sticky from sweat and my throat is irritated by the coal dust. Coughing, I spit onto the ground and continue to pick away at the coal.

In my opinion, if you're a man and you have a mining industry, you're unlucky. There are many different types of mining industries - iron mining, coal mining, copper mining and gemstone mining - but they're all perilous and hazardous. Those are the industries you're most likely to die doing your job in.

"Yo, Jacq, you shank!"

I turn my head to see my best mate, Jona, grinning at me. I roll my eyes at him and carry on working.

"Bugger off, mate." I hammer away at the coal in the wall. "We're here to work, remember?"

"Nah, I don't. The ruddy test to get in here was different for me. They wiped my bloody memory!"

"Sure," I scoff. "And I'm a ruddy pig that can fly."

"If you say so, mate." Jona grins. I shake my head and carry on working.

Jona and I have been working in these coal mines for about a year. Employment starts at fourteen for boys and sixteen for girls. Unlike other Precincts, Precinct Ten believes girls need more of an education than boys. I hold no grudge against that assumption; school sucks, big time. However, it's a picnic compared to working in the mines. I'd jump at the chance to work in another industry, maybe even to go back to school. One day at the coal mines leaves you coated in a thick layer of coal dust, a cough that lasts a lifetime and a stench that makes rats smell like flowers.

Many miners tend to catch Black Lung, a disease that affects the airways if you inhale coal dust. I've had it too many times to keep count, but it only lasts about a week, longer depending on how much coal dust you've breathed in. My cases have always been minor, but I know a few people who've had worse bouts of it.

"Still got Black Lung?" I call to Jona, remembering he caught it a couple of days ago.

"Hell yeah." Jona proves his point by letting out a tremendous cough. "It's a ruddy nuisance. Having to survive on herbal tea and toast burnt from the grill."

"Unlucky, mate." I smirk.

Jona rolls his eyes. "You're lucky. Your bouts last less than a week."

"I'm glad about that. I don't want to turn into a woman by having to drink herbal tea to get rid of it." I imitate a very posh lady. Jona smirks.

"Now you've made me feel ruddy worse," he complains, grumbling.

I snigger. "Good on you mate." I polish the surface of a lump of coal in the wall.

"Cheers," Jona grumbles.

"Anytime."

A sudden siren captures my attention. Startled, I drop my pick and it lands in my coal bucket. Bending down, I retrieve it and grab my bucket's handles.

"What the bloody hell's going on now?" Jona frowns.

I shrug my shoulders. "Dunno. But we better get to our stations before they shoot us as latecomers." Jona rolls his eyes and we make our way through the network of mines, following the other miners.

Whenever the siren goes off, an incident has occurred. Usually, it's just an Incident Drill, but today feels different. If the siren does, however, sound, then every miner has to leave their work and retreat to their station, an area where a group of miners head to during breaks.