Down Deep

Chapter Forty Two - Grant

He had been pissed when he woke tied up on the back of a cart. It took them a few hours, but his family convinced him not to go back for Zdana and his unborn child. Olson promised to keep an eye out for Zdana. Since then, he had been digging almost nonstop to work off his fear and frustration.

'We need to be wide'n the tunnel more!' Vallidro yelled over the noise of the picks hitting rock. 'They be need'n more room for people to be pass'n by the carts.' Joni, Grant, and Verinis all moved closer to the left side of the wall and started to widen the tunnel. Grant paused only to touch the stone to try to find Zdana. Without Olson and Zava however, he could not see as clear or as far.

Verinis struck the wall hard, and she paused as the stone cracked. Grant frowned as spider web cracks appeared.

'Get back!' Jasper roared and grabbed Grant by the back of the shirt yanking him back. Before he knew what was happening, there was an explosion of sound like breaking glass followed by a loud rush of air. Screams and panic filled the front of the tunnel. Grant was able to pull himself up to see what had happened. Where they had been digging was gone replaced by a gaping black hole.

Vallidro was pulling Joni up from where he was hanging off a cliff edge. Verinis was unmoving beside the cliff covered in blood. Grant tried to get to his feet, but Jasper would not let him.

'Be still boy.' The big man said frowning. 'Your head is bleed'n.'

'Is V okay?' Grant asked looking back to the still woman.

'She be dead. It was a small vacuum.' Jasper sighed. 'Rock be cut'n you three up like glass. You be lucky to be alive.' He looked to Vallidro who was helping Joni. 'He be okay?'

'He will be.' Vallidro said looking up to Grant. 'You be okay boy?'

'I will live.' Grant sighed touching his forehead. It was starting to sting. When he looked to his fingers, he saw they were covered with blood. Panta and Reese rushed to the group. Reese went to him as Panta went to Joni.

'It is deep.' Reese said worried. 'You're lucky. If it was just a little lower, it would have taken your left eye.' Grant nodded frowning. Kenya came out of nowhere and hugged him tight.

'You be alright nephew?' she asked worried looking him over. 'Word be running down the whole line.'

'Zdana was right.' He sighed shaking looking to the blackness ahead. 'We cannot dig without knowing what is ahead. We will lose too many people.'

'Aye pup I know.' She sighed 'It be why we keep urging everyone to be go'n slower until Zdana can be get'n to the surface.'

'They will listen now.' Grant said flooded with sadness at the loss of life. 'After this, I do not think anyone will want to continue on blind.' She nodded her agreement.

'Is everyone alright?' Stine asked worried as he squeezed past cart to the head of the line. 'By the Mother.' He said shocked seeing the gap.

'We lost V.' Jasper said joining the man.

'You be done?' Kenya asked Reese once Grant's head was bandaged. The doctor nodded. 'Come pup.' Kenya said helping Grant stand. Taking his arm, she led him toward their spot in line. He was silent as they worked their way back.

'By the Mother!' Harron called when seeing them. 'Sit pup.' He moved him to the small camp they had set on the back of one of the hover carts. Zava and Kenya went to work cleaning the blood off of his face. Grant's eyes went to Olson who was standing at the rock wall with his eyes closed.

'No luck?' Grant asked him.

'Not much.' Zava sighed 'He was able to track her into the elevator about thirty minutes ago, before he lost her again.'