Hmm, family trip at the weekend? Or just looking at tags to reuse and this one caught your eye? :)
Are we there yet The entrance to the mine was along a rickety wooden walkway. Below it was a drop about the height of a man to where rock had been cut away in the early stages of digging, having yielded worthwhile ore. The walkway grumbled and creaked as they walked along in single file; there was a handrail made of rope strung taut on one side but no-one needed it. It led to a rock lip that surrounded a deep hole, into which an elevator had been constructed. A rusty wire cage above their heads kept their hands away from the winch machinery and a smell of fresh oil drifted down from it. The elevator was at the top: a metal floor with mesh sides and room enough for six. Maybe eight if they were not too chubby and squeezed together. The metal floor was wet but not slippery. As they arranged themselves inside, spacing themselves as far apart as the cramped space would allow, the wind started up again and a low moan soughed through the man-made canyon that the mine had created. Julia shivered and pulled her anorak tighter around her and her boyfriend, Marvin, put a hand on her shoulder. Behind them both Gabriel was the only one who noticed that she tensed as though uncomfortable, and that after a few seconds Marvin removed his hand and let it hang by his side as though rejected. Barry, the deputy manager and the only one not going down, closed the lift door and made sure it was bolted, and then activated the controls. There were others on the wall of the lift itself, but Barry clearly didn't want them 'faffing around' in his mine for any longer than necessary. There was a slight jolt that made everyone tense and then the mechanical hum of the motor and a faint squeal as the winch paid the elevator cable out and lowered the car. It was pitch dark after only five seconds, and it took another ten seconds before Steven could get close enough to the controls, chivvying Julia out of the way and closer to Marvin, to turn on the interior lights. Steve ran the mine operations, though Gabriel hadn't been able to work out so far if that made him a manager or not. He didn't have a title that anyone would tell him, which was also slightly confusing. The air got warmer after another minute, and then there came a sulphurous smell that grew stronger and faded again. "Are we there yet?" asked Julia. She sounded uncomfortable and Gabriel watched as Marvin made another attempt to touch her reassuringly and was rebuffed. He had to suppress his irritation -- she could have said she was having difficulties with Marvin before they started on this. "No, that's just Hell you're smelling," said Steve. He sounded like it was supposed to be a joke, but when no-one laughed Gabriel forced one anyway. "This mine's a deep one," said Steve. "When we stop it'll just be to change elevator. We'll not be there yet for about fifteen minutes."
Greg - probably just the usual song of going pretty much anywhere with the boys. But we did go for a family hike that day, so likely inspired by the dragging of feet on the way back to the car.
More world building fun! I like the dynamics of the group and the description of their journey. I wonder what the purpose of their visit is?
2 comments:
Hmm, family trip at the weekend? Or just looking at tags to reuse and this one caught your eye? :)
Are we there yet
The entrance to the mine was along a rickety wooden walkway. Below it was a drop about the height of a man to where rock had been cut away in the early stages of digging, having yielded worthwhile ore. The walkway grumbled and creaked as they walked along in single file; there was a handrail made of rope strung taut on one side but no-one needed it. It led to a rock lip that surrounded a deep hole, into which an elevator had been constructed. A rusty wire cage above their heads kept their hands away from the winch machinery and a smell of fresh oil drifted down from it. The elevator was at the top: a metal floor with mesh sides and room enough for six. Maybe eight if they were not too chubby and squeezed together. The metal floor was wet but not slippery. As they arranged themselves inside, spacing themselves as far apart as the cramped space would allow, the wind started up again and a low moan soughed through the man-made canyon that the mine had created.
Julia shivered and pulled her anorak tighter around her and her boyfriend, Marvin, put a hand on her shoulder. Behind them both Gabriel was the only one who noticed that she tensed as though uncomfortable, and that after a few seconds Marvin removed his hand and let it hang by his side as though rejected.
Barry, the deputy manager and the only one not going down, closed the lift door and made sure it was bolted, and then activated the controls. There were others on the wall of the lift itself, but Barry clearly didn't want them 'faffing around' in his mine for any longer than necessary. There was a slight jolt that made everyone tense and then the mechanical hum of the motor and a faint squeal as the winch paid the elevator cable out and lowered the car.
It was pitch dark after only five seconds, and it took another ten seconds before Steven could get close enough to the controls, chivvying Julia out of the way and closer to Marvin, to turn on the interior lights. Steve ran the mine operations, though Gabriel hadn't been able to work out so far if that made him a manager or not. He didn't have a title that anyone would tell him, which was also slightly confusing.
The air got warmer after another minute, and then there came a sulphurous smell that grew stronger and faded again.
"Are we there yet?" asked Julia. She sounded uncomfortable and Gabriel watched as Marvin made another attempt to touch her reassuringly and was rebuffed. He had to suppress his irritation -- she could have said she was having difficulties with Marvin before they started on this.
"No, that's just Hell you're smelling," said Steve. He sounded like it was supposed to be a joke, but when no-one laughed Gabriel forced one anyway. "This mine's a deep one," said Steve. "When we stop it'll just be to change elevator. We'll not be there yet for about fifteen minutes."
Greg - probably just the usual song of going pretty much anywhere with the boys. But we did go for a family hike that day, so likely inspired by the dragging of feet on the way back to the car.
More world building fun! I like the dynamics of the group and the description of their journey. I wonder what the purpose of their visit is?
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