In a small, dark alley surrounding by endless fields of tall, soulless, decaying buildings.
Tall, massive smoke stack looming in the distance.
Surrounding us is a massive wall of towering mountain.
The air glow a light shade of orange, with dust engulfing ever corner of the decaying city. Can't we …. just go outside? When can I escape this nightmarish place?
The area smell funky with the scent of mud and toxic fumes spilling from endless clusters of factories.
Why can't I stop working to feed this "family".
When can I just ... retire just like anyone else in my house.
It feel like a never ending cycle.
The streets is dimly lit with some vender setting up their makeshift stall on a narrow street filled with potholes and trash and some lights shining through the window.
The sky is still completely dark just like it is midnight.
The air is hot and humid, the feeling is….suffocating.
I feel completely exhausted from the yesterday work, I barely slept and it feel like my body can give out at any moment.
I see a light in the distance moving toward me following by a familiar sound of engine.
A car filled with miner just like me pull over.
His boss apporch him, his boss is an old man—grey hair, decaying teeth he look like a 60-70 years old guy. He stand tall and he's tan and have a neat buzz cut.
"Get in" His boss yell
I step in a packed car, the space is so tiny I feel like I'm fighting for air.
I'm a tall young male, around 16-17 year old. I'm around 5'9 to 6'0 in height with long dark hair and pale skin.
The sun don't even rise yet. Can't you... just let me dream? Just….let me rest. I silently complain.
The old, worn down car drive through identical sea of tall, decaying concrete buildings stretching as far as the eye can see.
The drive is filled with engine exhaust and smoke.
The driver drove for hours until we reach the edge of the city, where gigantic mountains stand infront of us.
"Get to work" the boss shouted
I get down from the car, the air still fill with thick black smoke. The mine is ahead, it's a large dark tunnel leading deep inside the mountain, it almost feel endless.
There's a small shop right infront and a small parking lot. Right beside that is a small shed.
We get to eat our breakfast. It taste stale with just a egg and a plain slice of bread.
I walk through the dirt path to grab my stuff.
The shed is filled with pickaxe, dynamite, and cart just like always.
I grab my pickaxe from that shed, heading to the mine.
When I enter the mine, its air is filled with even darker black smoke. It's almost suffocating as i struggle to breathe. My lungs feel heavy.
I walk for hours accords endless, dark tunnels with only a small, dimly lit oil lantern guiding my way. The floor is filled with small pebbles and trash. I count the cold, lifeless body lying on the ground as I walk.
1..2..3..4..5..6..7..
The tunnel is in dead silent.
Boom
All of a sudden, sound of dynamite echo throughout across the mine, disturbing the silent, its deafening.
I swing my pickaxe into a hard rock.
The coal dust filled the air.
My stomach is growling.
Why can't I born in higher class, even the middle class just like my boss would be great.
I mine coal for hours.
The heat is exhausting and the smoke is killing me from the inside.
When will it end?
I wanna live a life in the 21 century just like in the books.
Beautiful city, endless nature, the sea, the mountains.
I wish I was born there instead…..
It is...beautiful
I begin to hallucinating as I loss my consciousness.
"FASTER" his boss shouts loudly.
My consciousness slip back, knowing what will be the consequences.
What are you dreaming, are you high or something? You need to work faster or you will get replaced IMMEDIATELY. he shout
I can barely afford food right now.
If I get fired, it I'll probably be the end.... of me.
"At this point, you're basically a women, work like a man, Pathetic mutant." said his boss, humiliating me infront of the crowd.
The bell rings, the sound echo throughout the mine.
I wish I'm in school instead of this…. But does it even… exist.
At lunch, he sit with his only human friend. Her eyes are glistening. I imagine going on a date with her on a lavender field outside this city. How nice would that freedom feel. I can't wait to get out of this place.
She's so sweet, do I even….. have a chance?
She have sweet brown eye and long black hair with pale skin. She look….. perfect.
Noodle again?
So bland, where's meat?
I have not eat any "decent" meal in a while.
I left the dining area with her, walking to our favorite spot.
We go to a slightly elevated rock in the cave, a ray of light shining from a small crack onto the two of us.
"I love you, Iris, will you be my girlfriend?" . He say as he kneel down on the rock to purpose. Please please please he think. His hearth is racing. "Yes Raiden my dear " she said. In his hand is a small chunk of coal. "I promise to buy a diamond ring for you one day darling. But for now, this is all I have." She is the only one who remembers my name, not even my own mother. Is this…what love feel like.
"Back to work" the sound of his screams echo throughout the cave.
The loud order disturbing the peace.
Why….. can't I rest?
I grab my pickaxe and say goodbye to her "I'll be back darling" Then I rush back to the mine.
I mine for hours until dusk.
The smell of coal and sweat cling to me and my arm hurts like it have been smashed with a sledgehammer.
At night, the same car pick us back into the city.
We quietly ride back into the city, we drove past a fancy downtown district, filled with towering glass office buildings, wide clean tree lined streets, and towering luxury apartments. For me, I can't even dream of living there.
I step out off the car into a cold lonely street, it is completely empty. It's devoid of any life. The light breeze feel weird, it feel kind…nostalgic. It remind me of my sweet carefree childhood.
I open the front door of my house. The house is dead silent, just like the street.
The room is like the rest of the city—cold and soulless. The room is packed like the rest of the city with tens of us sleeping. The room is small with one small window on the top of the room, there's a small table and a broken kitchen with a mat we all sleep on. The floor is made of cold tiles, the wall is made of unpainted, gray concrete.
I step in the house.
I take off my shoe.
I walk around my house holding a dim lamp.
I walk to the bathroom. I open the door, the room is grey with broken toilet and rusty shower.
I will have to work th same job tomorrow.
My boss will be there.
I will get back to the mine.
The cycle will repeat forever, or is it?
Will it end?
I think as I sit on the toilet.
When will something…. change?
When will I have money?
Then I heard a lound bang.
A sound of gunshot coming from the bedroom.
I open the bathroom door.
Is this the end?
The shadowy figure walk toward me holding what seem to be a handgun.
It walk toward me slowly.
Then she come into view. In her hand, she hold a small handgun. She's his mother, or at least a biological one.
Them before I can do anything.
Bang
She shot me in the leg.
My vision is blur. I feel a sharp, stinging pain in my lower leg.
It's warm
The pool of blood begins to spread. The smell of blood filled the air.
W..h..y?
Do…you..do…this?
She whispered "You are like a dog, an obedient one. But you are worthless so we decided to sell your organs,"
Before I can react. She point a gun at my head. Her hand is covered in my blood.
It's red. It's warm. It smells strong.
The gun barrel is place against my scalp. It's cold.
I'm about to accept my end.
Is….it…the..end.?
I hear a light sound of the trigger being pull.
Bang