Home: Book Three, the Darwin's World Series by Knapp Jack L

Author:Knapp, Jack L [Knapp, Jack L]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Jack L Knapp
Published: 2015-02-07T16:00:00+00:00

Laz had problems too. Thirty feet of tunnel had collapsed, trapping three men.

“Why is it taking so long to get that dug out?”

“Laz, as soon as we clear part of the collapse, more of the roof falls in. I’m down to clearing two or three feet, then putting up roof supports and bracing. You know those guys are probably dead, don’t you?”

“I won’t believe that until we find bodies. One of them is Santiago, he’s too good a man to die like this! We’ll keep going until we get them out. And then we’ll keep on digging. Just make sure there are plenty of roof supports.

“I want to take a turn too. I’m going in, take over a shovel from someone.”

“Those men know what they’re doing, Laz; you’d only be in the way. Let us do what we know how to do. Why don’t you take a walk, maybe see what else is happening. Isn’t there a project to build crossbows? Why don’t you go see what you can do there?”

Laz glared at the man, then realized he was right. Shaking his head, Laz went off to see to other projects. Men saw his expression; some who might have approached him walked away instead.

An hour found Laz deep into the effort to build the kind of heavy crossbows he wanted. That’s where Minton, the mine foreman, found him.

“We found the bodies, Laz.”

“All of them dead, Mint?”

“Sorry, Laz, but yeah. Santiago too, he was under one of the support beams when it fell. Looks like it broke his neck. The bodies are by the tunnel head. What do you want us to do?”

“I don’t know. We put our bodies out on platforms, but that was when we were moving every day. We didn’t have to worry about predators deciding they liked human on the menu. Why don’t you ask the men? What do they think is the best way to dispose of bodies? There will almost certainly be more, you know.”

“We all know, Laz. We’ve been burning enemies, that seems like the best solution if we’ve got the time and materials. That’s what the men say.”

“So be it, then. Pick one of the fields that’s not being used, make sure it’s downwind from the fort. Send a crew out to bring in wood, whole trees are best. Build a platform, make it...oh, let’s say five feet high, long enough and wide enough for all three of them. They worked together, let them ride the wind together.”

“I’ll see to it, Laz. Should be ready by late this afternoon.”

“We’ll do it then, let everyone know. Keep guards on the walls, but everyone else who wants to attend, we’ll meet at the pyre just before sundown.”

#

“This is by your choice. We’re establishing a precedent here, so from now on, any man who dies in the fort will be cared for as we care for our three friends and fellow warriors.

“I knew Santiago well and considered him a friend. He was brave, always ready to help, even when it meant danger.

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