Cold Grey

2.

Outside. A drizzle of rain. Just another miserable day in the Dark Wood. That’s why I love this place.

I plod on over the muddy terrain. Glad of me leather boots. Harvey made them. He makes everythin'. Her Majesty missed out on his talents. He didn’t stand a chance really. Can’t remember anythin’ from one day to the next. Only us and his inventions, but ask him what day it is, or what he did yesterday, he comes up blank. That’s why we call him Harvey, short for Harvest. The season he be born. Only way he remembers his birthday. We scratch a mark on a wall of the sleepin’ room each full season, to keep track of his age. Nearly filled up a whole wall, have to start on the second wall next year, he’s fifty full seasons next harvest. Ten more than me. He’s the oldest of all of us. Ginger bein' the youngest.

“Mornin’, Savath,” mumbles Gareth as he shuffles past in the opposite direction, black-hooded cloak draped over his small, hunched frame. I nod, not one for mornin’ greetin’s. He lives further along the road from our dwellin' and is the local shopkeeper in the village, sells produce and the like. He can get most things if ye give him enough notice. Scams the castle guards with tricks, to get those special items. Got me, me pick. Sharpest blade yer’d ever see. Perfect for cuttin’ through the grimy, solid rock walls of the mine.

Can’t wait to get there today, hope that little gremlin doesn’t beat me. He’s always watchin’, tryin’ to muscle in on me territory. Smells me a mile away and creeps up when I’m busy. Spyin’. Wantin’ the easy pick.

I outsmart him though. Found this amazin’ powdery stuff that sparkles just right. Dead ringer for diamond dust. Has him fooled. One time he spent most of the day tryin’ to break through the rock, expectin’ to find a solid gem, I'd taken out the day before. Ah well, least he keeps me wits sharp, some lose it workin’ with a pick all day. Me, I just spend me time schemin’, workin’ out how to get the better of the greedy gremlin.

Speak of the devil.

“Mornin’ Savath. Where ye be today?” the devil approaches and asks.

I’m sure he's only with us Away Folk on account of how foul and loathsome he is. That purplish skin, hooked nose and those beady black eyes, buggin’ out, of his evil nobbly head. I swear most days I can see the underground demons reflected in those slimy pools.

“Wouldn’t ye like to know, Grisel.” I have to be polite and use his name.

He leans on his pick and gnaws at his sharp, grotty fingernails. Like he expects me to stay and chat.

“Now, ye know I’m just askin’ outta interest, Savath. Got me own site. Found some real nice un’s yesterday evenin’.”

“Good fer ye. Expect ye’ll be hard at it then, and won’t be botherin’ me.” I go to take me leave, but he stands in me way, rubbin’ his chin, like he’s a thinker, cept he aint foolin' no one but himself.

“Tis just bein’ friendly. Hear yer the best, so come to learn from the master, that’s all.”

I aint one for the flowery praise, so I duck under his arm in one full stride, which be simple, seein' as he's a full length taller than meself. “Well the master, don’t like to be disturbed. So ye stick to yer site and leave me be to mine. ‘Cause if ye learn too much, I might lose me title, and I don’t think ye can handle the adoration,” I say as I march away with a twitch of a smirk, hopin’ me mockin’ tone isn’t lost on his tiny little demon brain, but knowin' it most likely is.

The mine. Dark, dirty, dingy. I sniff the air and specks of dust fly up me nose. I sniff again, longer this time and it fills me lungs. Diamond and rock dust. Nothin’ purer. It’s a steep drop to where I’m workin’ this mornin'. Takes me a good while to locate me prime plot, but I find it. I lightly scrape the wall to see me glimpse of pink, me heart’s racin’ in me chest. Didn’t want no one else spyin and stealin' it, so I covered it over with green moss and mud. Must’ve worked ‘cause there she is, shinin’ in the candle light, pink as a freshly skinned carcass. I rub at it a bit more and a sparkly glow lights up me face. Whoa, ‘tis a rare and beautiful one to be sure.