Westray Mine explosion Short Story - The Spark
I walk down stairs after getting into my work clothes. I work at the Westray mine and I'm really dreading going to work today. The health inspector dropped by the other day but completely ignored our complaints about how unsafe it is down there. I really do not want to go to work today, there's just this gut feeling that nothing good is going to happen, but I have no choice. Money is getting low at home and I do not want my daughter and wife to starve, so I must go mining.
"Is it that time already? Come, come eat with us before you go. You should eat, you've been sleeping all day." My wife immediately starts consoling me.
"Alright honey, what's for dinner? Did you pack me food or do I have to?" I ask while taking a seat at the kitchen table looking across to see my ten year old daughter, Jenny. "Hey Jen, how was your day?"
"I was good. I watched Full house and played with my dolls. Please don't go to work, I have a bad feeling about it, daddy."
"It's a mine, Westray mine, you always have a bad feeling about that one."
"Please don't go!"
"You like your dolls, don't you?" I ask, she nods. "Then I'm going to work. End of discussion."
"Okay, sorry." She pouts.
"To answer your question, we are having beans and steak for dinner, and you don't have to worry. I packed a few sandwiches for work, maybe add a few things. You said you are going to be down there for a while, maybe pack for an extra day, just in case you get caught up in work." My wife rants out.
"Okay, sure, after super." I say as my wife begins to place food on Jenny's plate, after giving her food she plates mine, then finally hers.
"Daddy, can we get a puppy?" Jenny asks, "mom told me to ask you."
I glance over at my wife and raise an eyebrow. She looks away sheepishly, "no." I answer flatly.
"Why not?" Jenny cries.
"Because you're spoiled to death, don't need to add onto the list. I have to eat, stop talking to me." I mumble, angry that I have to look like the bad guy in these situations. By the look on Jenny's face I should have said yes, but I stand by my answer. She's spoiled to death and doesn't do anything for her toys, she shouldn't get a dog too. That wouldn't teach her anything.
After I finish eating, I get up from the table, wiping my face with a napkin. "I must go, I am going to walk to work today."
"Okay, bye sweety, have a great day," my wife smiles, handing me my lunch, after throwing in a few more sandwiches and bags of mixed fruit. I grab the lunch bag and kiss her head then turned around and out the door I went. Walking to work has always been a way to get out of my head. It's like speaking, I don't really have to think about it, so I can have time to think to myself.
Once at work I hopped onto the scoop. The scoop is how we travel down into the mine and around it. We started entering the mine on the scoop and I started to feel anxious, this always happens when we go into the mine, but today it's like my gut is telling me something I don't know. Something just doesn't feel right.
Lenny looks around and then directly at another guy I work with, I forget his name, and asks the dreaded question. "How's the gas?"
"5%." He replies
My eyes widen in shock, we're going to die. Aren't we?
"I'm getting out, I can't!" Lenny exclaims.
"Well then who's driving?" Someone from the back inquires.
"I will," Miles Guilis gets up. "Working in this mine sucks, if you can get out, get out, that's why I'll drive for Lenny. We're all going to die eventually and my wife needs the money so that's the only reason why i haven't quit this hell hole yet."
