Joshua's Bizarre Adventure

New Hobbies are Hard

I begged my Uncle to take the day off so he could help me in the mines, and somehow he agreed. It did take a lot of tears and blood and sweat and begging though, so maybe that's why.

I got in his silly ahh purple car and buckled up.  I was smiling really big but he always had this resting bitch face so I didn't know if he was really mad or not.

A song came on and he smiled.

I didn't mind how the song sounded but it was kind of weird. It was called Rock Lobster. We both liked lobsters so we kept the song on. 

15 minutes later

We made it to the mines. He put on a dumb hard hat and told me to wear one too. I said I was FINE with my beautiful fedora. He said it makes me look like a douche...

"You're one to talk with that big bowtie on your neck..."

Morris: "At least I have a neck."

He quickly put me back in my place. It was always a battle in this household... about who's fatter.

And the 'winner' was always me.

In both of our minds that made me the biggest loser. Maybe I'd never have a chance with Scara after all...

Pushing those thoughts of self-doubt aside, I put on the hard hat and we entered the mines.

It was dark in here... but Morris didn't seem bothered. Just stoic as usual...

I hated touching him, and I hated when he touched me, but I was scared. So I grabbed his hand for support.

Cold to the touch.

He seemed a little startled at first, but he allowed it. I smiled a little, feeling strangely safer...

My eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness, and I saw pretty stones glittering around me. I equipped my pickaxe and pointed to them.

"Uncle can we go over there?"

Morris: "I know where to find better ones."

"Oh.. okay.."

I kept walking with him. As we walked I saw a sign that said...

! DANGER ! Only miners permitted beyond this area.

"Um.. uncle.."

He quickly flashed what seemed to be a license at me. I didn't know he was a miner...? I thought he only chatted with those on Discord.

"You're a miner..?"

Morris: "I am a bit of a jack of all trades."

"Okay..."

We went to the dangerous area and I saw people working with these helmets that had flashlights on them. It was cool.

I took out my pickaxe and raised it at this shiny purple rock. But some random miner yelled at me.

Miner: "HEY!"

I was shaking. I thought we were gonna get in trouble since Morris was a miner but I wasn't.
Apparently it's a huge no-no to hang out with miners when you aren't one yourself.

Miner: "...Where's your gear and mining outfit?"

"Oh! I left it.. at home."

I wasn't expecting him to ask that... but I was relieved... he gave me proper mining clothes. I began to mine.

It was hard work.

I was just used to fishing, the biggest skill you needed in that was patience. But here you needed real physical strength, which.. was something I lacked in.

So while nobody was looking I popped in a few energy tonic pills. That was enough to get me energised and I delivered harder hits to the rock.

Suddenly I felt the ground shake.

"Huh...?"

I thought it was from my hit, but it wasn't. We heard rocks fall. A lot of them.

I turned and saw Morris was lying on the floor in a daze.

"WHAT THE-!?"

I thought he was dead so I started panicking. A lot of rocks had fallen on him. I cried and was a lot more scared than I thought I'd be if he was ever dead.

I saw miners starting to call the doctor. Doctor Harvey came, picked him up and ran off.

I didn't like him. Because sometimes he didn't give me energy tonic when I wanted it, no.. I NEEDED it.

But at least he came to save my uncle.

I kept trying to mine but I got exhausted quickly. I couldn't do this. I picked up some pebbles and just left, my head hanging as I walked off sadly.