MiNRS by Kevin Sylvester

Author:Kevin Sylvester
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Chapter Seventeen

Ground

Fatima’s head rested on my shoulder as we flew back to the camp. She had used up all her energy grabbing the warning signals, and she needed medical help, and fast. I left food and water from the raid with the other grinders.

Grinders.

The word shot through my brain like an electric shock. A grinder was a person. No, not a person, a child. I thought—I’d always been led to believe—that a grinder was just another piece of mining equipment. A machine. But a grinder wasn’t a machine.

A grinder was a kid.

I shook my head. I needed to focus on getting Fatima to Mandeep. I flicked on my radio, hoping I was right that the Landers weren’t listening.

“Miner Three calling.”

Elena answered. “Miner Two here, go ahead.”

“Elena. I need Mandeep to get ready. I’ve got an emergency.”

“Christopher, are you okay?” Her voice cracked.

“I’m fine. But I’ve got a patient. A grinder.”

“A grinder? Isn’t that a machine? How did you fit one in the digger?”

Elena didn’t know. I felt a tinge of relief.

“A grinder isn’t a machine. It’s a sick girl, and she’s in my digger right now.”

Elena didn’t say anything. I could hear her stumbling for words.

“I can explain later. Just tell Mandeep to get ready. Food, water.”

“Um, okay. Roger.”

Elena called out to Mandeep before turning back to the microphone.

“Doctor says to make sure she doesn’t fall asleep. Keep her talking, active.”

“Got it.”

“Roger, and out,” she said.

Fatima lifted her head and opened her eyes. Good. I had lots of questions.

“I thought a grinder was a machine.”

Fatima gave a small laugh. “That’s what they want you to believe.”

“But why use kids?”

“Machines are expensive. Expensive to build and expensive to ship into space. Children had been used in mines for centuries, so they went back to what worked.” She coughed and then put her head back on my shoulder.

“What does a grinder do?”

She lifted her head again. “The jobs that are too risky for an expensive machine or a fully paid miner.”

“Like what?”

“We can crawl into small crevices and holes encrusted with delicate gems, gold, platinum. Dig, dig, dig. And pray there is no cave-in.” Her head lolled again and fell back onto my shoulder.

I felt horrible making her concentrate, but we still had ten minutes to go, even at top speed.

“Are all the grinders children?” I asked, dreading the answer.

Fatima nodded. “Small hands and small bodies. Also small price tags. My parents barely got a month’s rent when they sold me to Melming.”

I gripped the steering wheel so hard, my knuckles hurt. “That’s horrible.”

“Yes. But in some ways it is better than growing up with a family like mine. I escaped them. You can’t even imagine, can you?”

“My father was a miner,” I said, bristling.

“Look at your smooth hands, your clear skin. You’ve never done a hard day’s work in your life, rich kid. That’s why your shoulders are so soft, like a pillow. I need to sleep.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“And if I survive a few years, then I get my freedom and even a little money.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.