Written in the Scars (38 page)

Swiping the water cup off the table, I take a long drink. The water is lukewarm, but it feels good sliding down my throat. I down it all.

Setting it back on the table, I continue my plea. “Jiggs, if you hear me, I’m not about to host Thanksgiving at my house from now on. So figure out your shit and come back here. You’ve got a wife to take care of and a baby to raise. And don’t tell Ty, but a niece or nephew too.”

I blink back a tear and sniffle. “Cord . . .” my voice breaks as I think of my sweet friend. “You never, ever fail me. Somehow, you always figure out what I need or what I need to hear and you deliver. Every. Time. Right now, I need you to deliver your sweet self, along with my handsome husband and ridiculous brother. Do you hear me?” I ask, my bottom lip trembling. “That’s an order.”

I fall into a chair at the table and listen to my cries resonate through the room.

“Ladies,” Vernon says, rushing into the room without knocking, Lindsay on his heels.

I stand immediately, springing to my feet, my heart stalling in my chest. “What?”

“One of the men is on the way up.”

I suck in a breath, my eyes floating to Lindsay. Exhaling, it comes out in shaky, tear-filled breaths. “Which one?” I ask.

“I don’t know. I just got word that one is in the slot.” He looks between us. “We have a television out here if you want to watch. I can clear the room out.”

“Yes,” I say, nodding emphatically. “Please.”

He goes before us and we can hear his voice booming through the other room, followed by shoes hitting the floor. I grab Lindsay’s hand and we race across the hall into Room E11.

It’s empty. A large flat screen television is lit up on the far wall, one of the national television stations on live. It’s muted, but we get the idea. The words scrolling along the bottom make it clear what’s happening: Miner #1 is coming to the top.

“I wonder who it is,” Lindsay says to no one in particular. Her voice is a mere rasp. “God, I feel guilty because I’m praying it’s Jiggs. But I know how much you need it to be Ty and . . . Cord . . .”

“There’s a good chance it
is
Jiggs or Cord,” I say. I fight back the poison in my stomach. “I can’t imagine Ty coming up before them.”

My spirits sink, just a bit, at the realization. I feel guilty about that too, but I can’t help it. He’s my husband.

TY

The make-shift elevator lands, sitting on top of the water. A part of me, a huge part of me, wants to slide inside, pull the rope, and get the fuck out of here.

But I can’t.

I’d never forgive myself if they didn’t make it out and I did. And how could I look at my wife and know I killed her brother?

“Jiggs, get in there,” I say, grabbing his shoulder and pressing him towards the box.

Water roars into the chamber like an open sieve. It inches up quickly, now chest-high.

“I can’t leave you guys down here,” he cries, tears streaming down his face.

“Yeah, you can,” I say. “You have a kid coming and I need someone to watch my wife and no one will do that like you. Now get your ass in there.”

“Promise me you’ll be up,” he says, climbing inside. “Promise me.”

“We promise,” Cord says. “Now hurry the fuck up.”

Jiggs reaches over head and yanks the cord. The machines groan as he is lifted up and out of sight.

“One down,” I mutter to myself. Turning to Cord, I blow out a breath. “You’re next.”

We wait for the box to lower, but it doesn’t come. I peer up and can see the glow of the lights at the ground level, but no movement from the box.

“We’re having a problem with the gears!” someone shouts down the air shaft. “We’re trying.”

“This water is chest high!” I shout. “Hurry the hell up!”

I look at Cord.

He looks at me.

ELIN

“Come on, come on, come on,” I repeat as we watch the man being escorted onto a stretcher. “Who is it?” I shout.

We can’t see close enough to tell, just a figure of a man that could be any of the three. My heart is in my throat, Lindsay’s hand nearly breaking mine, as we watch with bated breath.

My hand is on my stomach and I whisper, “Daddy promised to come home, little one. He’ll come home. Hang in there.”

“It was Jiggs,” Vernon says from behind us.

We whirl around as Lindsay screams, her hand going to her mouth. “Oh my God!” She looks at me and pulls me into a hug.

I’m stunned, frozen in space. I hear her talking and watch her ask me something, to which I nod. She leaves the room with Vernon and I’m standing alone, watching a television screen where nothing is happening.

I flick the buttons on the side until the sound comes on.

“They’re still working on the gears, Gerald. The problem stems from the lowering harness. We’re being told it’s urgent they retrieve the other two miners as quickly as possible because water is filling the cavern below. Everyone listening, pray for these men.”

Gasping, I back up until I’m against the wall. My legs sway beneath me as the television blurs from the tears.

TY

The cart begins to lower in our direction and I heave a sigh of relief. Then reality strikes.

The water is at my throat, sloshing around against my mouth. It’s cold and thick and bitter.

I angle my chin towards the ceiling and look at Cord. “Your turn, buddy.”

He shakes his head.

“Cord, get the fuck in there!”

“Only one of us is gonna make it, Ty.”

“Don’t say that,” I shout. “Get the hell in that cart and get up there before neither of us makes it!”

I grab his arm, the shoulder that got banged up, and he winces. Easing up, he takes advantage and I find myself spinning in the water.

My head jerks to his, my eyes wide. His teeth clenched, a look of pure determination on his face.

“No, Cord,” I say, my voice cracking as I realize what he’s doing. I fight back with everything I have left in me, but he overpowers me.

“Get in there, Ty.”

“No!” I shout as his hands find my shoulders and he shoves me into the cage. We continue to struggle, the water inching up. The walls of the shaft begin to crumble, water splashing in our faces.

He reaches inside and pulls the cord. Immediately, the cart starts to move upwards. “What are you doing?” I scream, tears pouring from my eyes. “Cord! Damn you!”

“Take care of Yogi for me,” he shouts over the sound of the dirt giving away.

I see his eyes in the sea of darkness as I ascend. I collapse into a heap on the floor of the makeshift elevator, trying desperately to hear his voice.

“Thanks for everything you’ve ever done for me, Ty,” he shouts as he slips out of sight. “I love you, man!”

“Cord!” I shout, slumping against the back wall, sobbing.

ELIN

“Mrs. Whitt,” Vernon’s voice says beside me. “One more is on the way.”

I’m afraid to look, but there’s no way I won’t. Taking a few tentative steps toward the television, I hold my breath.

The man makes it out of the cart, on his hands and knees, before a blanket is thrown over him and he’s helped to his feet.

“Who is it?” I ask, wheeling around. My heart threatens to explode in my chest. “Who was it!?”

Vernon pokes his head out of the door and pulls back inside. “It was Ty.”

I fall to my knees, weeping into my hands.