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“Boss, I lost focus one time and the damn son of a bitch just 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, pinnin’ 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 takin’ 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 of me. The men around me are bitchin’ 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 startin’ back to work. Standin’ 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 even ask about that shit. We get back to work, pinnin’ the roof. I hate roof boltin’. 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 start to shift. He’s calm, but too calm. His face is palin’, sweat beads rollin’ down his forehead.
“Ya alright?” I ask him, worried that he may have taken somethin’ durin’ lunch.
“Yeah Boss, I’m good. Just ate somethin’ that ain’t sittin’ right with me. Probably just picked up the stomach bug from my damn kids.” He tells me wipin’ his sweat laced brow. Stomach bug’s been floatin’ around for a while, Heidi Jo had it just last week, so I think nothin’ 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, wipin’ away the sweat that is now rollin’ 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 rotatin’ 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 hearin’ a word I’m sayin’ over the sound of the machine.
The pain is intense and excruciatin’, as the pinner twists into my flesh, snappin’ my arm in two. I try not to focus on the pain, but it’s just too much. I can hear the other men screamin’ as they make their way too me. Eric is fumblin’ with the controls on the pinner, tryin’ 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 31
Carly Jo
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 start to 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, and 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 Heidi 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 blood shot. She steps towards 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 to get 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. Slamming the passenger door shut, 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 towards 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 grey haired lady asks, never once looking away from the computer screen.
“I’m his girlfriend, and the owner of Simon Energy. He’s my employee. Where is he?” She looks up at the mention of Simon Energy, and nods before asking me to follow her. Bill is stomping through the entrance just as I’m walking away with the receptionist, but I ask her to stop and wait for him. Together, we walk down the bright white halls, and pass through a key coded door into the emergency department. Machines beep, echoing off the walls, beep beep, beep beep. The lights are blinding, and the distinct smell of bleach and disinfectant turns my stomach, as a foggy haze takes over my mind. I can hear cries of agony and pain from the rooms we pass by.
I feel like I am walking through a dream, aware of my surroundings, but everything is slow paced. There is a nurse and doctor rushing down the hallway ahead of us into a room that has a light blinking over the entrance. My heart slowly crawls to my throat, as my stomach knots and turns. Goosebumps cover my skin, and I can’t control the tremors that are wracking my body. My feet are heavy, but my mind, steady on auto pilot, slowly drags my heavy feet through the halls.
