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“Y’all wanna tell me what the hell’s goin’ on?” I ask, looking from Eric to Duke. Eric doesn’t say a word, just shakes his head and scratches his beard.
“I can’t work with this jackass when he’s all jumpy. He’s gonna get me hurt. Son of a bitch ain’t payin’ a lick of attention to what he’s doin.” Duke’s face is beet red, as he flexes his fists at his sides.
“Duke, I’ll take over for ya. Go see if Dave needs your help movin’ supplies or somethin’.” Duke nods and turnins on his heels in search of Dave, cussing every step of the way. I look to Eric, and his face is void of emotion. He appears calm.
“What was that about, Eric?” I ask him, pulling on my gloves.
“Boss, I lost focus one time and the damn son of a bitch started screamin’ at me. I don’t know what his problem is. It won’t happen again.” I nod and grab the supplies for the next row of roof to be bolted.
“Well, let’s get this shit done. Times wastin’.” We get to work pinning the unsteady roof above us. I operate the pinner for a while, then hand it off to Eric. We pin a few more rows before taking a lunch break. I grab my bucket and head off to join the rest of the crew.
I drop my ass to the cold ground, and Eric sits beside me. The men around me are bitching as usual, but I pay no mind to any of ’em. I just let ’em bitch. After we finish up with lunch, we shoot the shit for a beat before getting back to work. Standing to my feet, I tell Eric to move his ass.
“On my way, boss. Let me take a piss first.”
I nod and head back to the pinner. Eric joins me shortly after, a little longer than I’d say a piss takes, but damn, I ain’t about to ask about that shit. We get back to work pinning the roof. I hate roof bolting. It’s loud, filthy, and dangerous as hell. But someone’s gotta do it, or this shit’s gonna collapse.
Eric’s good on the pinner— pretty quick and accurate. So I let him roof bolt while I help with the supplies. We pin a few more rows when I notice Eric’s demeanor shifts. He’s calm but too calm. His face is paling, sweat beads rolling down his forehead.
“Ya alright?” I ask him, worried that he may have taken something during lunch.
“Yeah, boss, I’m good. Just ate something that ain’t sitting right with me. Probably just picked up the stomach bug from my kids,” he tells me wiping his sweat-laced brow. Stomach bug’s been floating around for a while. Kylee Jo had it just last week, so I think nothing else of it.
Eric drills through the roof with the pinner, and I grab a plate and bolt to secure the roof with after the hole is drilled. I reach him the bit and place the plate over the hole. He positions the drill centered with the plate and begins to drill. He swipes his face with his shoulder, wiping away the sweat that is now rolling from his eyebrows.
Once the bit is close enough to keep the plate in position, I try to pull my hand away. But I can’t, my glove is wedged beneath the plate and the roof. I tug again, and scream for Eric to stop the pinner, but he keeps the pinner rotating at full speed. My arm twists with the rotation of the drill, and I continue to scream for Eric to back off the drill, but he ain’t hearing a word I’m saying over the sound of the machine.
The pain is intense and excruciating as the pinner twists into my flesh, snapping my arm in two. I try not to focus on the pain, but it’s just too much. I can hear the other men screaming as they make their way to me. Eric fumbles with the controls on the pinner, trying to reverse the drill from the earth, but it’s too late. The damage is done. The pain takes over, and everything goes black.
Chapter 30
Carly
The annoying ringing tone vibrating against my ear has finally pulled me from my peaceful sleep. I’ve subconsciously hit stop on the alarm more times than I should have. When the ringing won’t stop, it finally registers that it’s not the alarm buzzing loudly in my ear, but the ringer. Someone is calling my cell phone.
I grab the phone from under the pillow, and harshly rub the sleep from my eyes, trying to focus on the number on the screen. There are a few missed calls from Simon Energy and from Emily. I jump to my feet and dial Emily’s number when I hear a pounding on the front door. I hurry into the living room and swing the door open wide. Bill is standing on the front porch, his hair is disheveled across his head while sleep and worry fill his eyes.
“Girl, you ain’t been answerin’ your phone. There’s been an accident at the mines. Get your ass dressed; we gotta get to the hospital now. Emily’s on her way over to sit with Kylee Jo.”
“Accident? What? Who got hurt?”
“It’s Colton. Get your ass in my truck now so we can get to the hospital.”
Fear freezes over my body, as Bill’s mumbled words mix with the sound of my heart pounding loudly in my ears. He grasps his hands around my shoulders and shakes me.
“Carly, I don’t know what happened, but we can’t figure it out if you don’t come with me now. Don’t make this worse on me. Emily’s already a shakin’ mess that her boy’s hurt, and she can’t be there with him. So scoot,” he barks.
I wipe the tears from my eyes and nod that I understand his words. Emily walks in behind Bill. Her soft porcelain face is flush pink, and her dark brown eyes are red rimmed and bloodshot. She steps toward me and wraps her arms around my shoulders, sobbing softly into my hair.
“They wouldn’t tell us what happened, or how bad his injuries are. Carly, please get to him. I’m so scared for my baby.”
“Damn it, girls, we can’t get to the hospital if you two don’t stop the damn cryin’. What the hell good is that doin’ my boy? Emily, we’ll call ya as soon as we know somethin’. Carly, for the last time, get your ass in the truck.” Bill is screaming now, clearly worried about his only son. I change my clothes quickly, putting on a bra, jeans, and an old UK tee, then slide on my shoes and race out to the truck where an impatient, unnerved Bill is waiting. I slam the passenger door shut, and he drops the truck into reverse and peels out of the driveway, rolling black smoke from the tires. I rest my head against the window and watch the world pass me by as we drive what feels like hours to the hospital.
Pulling up to the front entrance, the truck has barely slowed down, let alone came to a stop before I sling the door open and run inside toward the reception desk.
“Colton Weston. He was brought in a while ago from a mining accident. Where can I find him?” The words rush from my mouth.
“Are you family, Miss?” the gray-haired lady asks, never once looking away from the computer screen.
