An Overprotective Mother

Dark as a Dungeon

Tania rolled over in her bed, trying to figure out where the mournful sound making her head pound was coming from. As she sat up she realized the ground was shaking and understanding filled her with sudden panic. She pushed her dark hair out of her face, looking at the window in her room, her eyes stinging with tears, and her blood turning cold.

"Daddy." She scrambled from her bed, her feet running but her belly staying in place.

"Momma! Momma!" She wailed the words, the darkness outside telling her that her father was at work, that it wasn't morning yet. "Momma, help me!"

There was only one reason that siren was blaring, why there were male voices shouting in the darkness, and the sound of female screaming outside.

Something had happened at the mine.

Her mother flew in, her pink quilted robe askew, her skin pale, eyes wide, and her hair in disarray.

"Get your coat on girl, and some shoes, I have your sisters up. Come on, move!" Her mother got behind her and pushed, shoving her out of the door, her shoes barely on, her robe only on one arm.

Tania went through the open door, seeing her sisters on the porch, staring in terror in the direction of the mine where lights lit up the night.

Tania could feel the panic growing as she took her sisters' hands and they joined the flow of men, women, and children, heading for the beacon of light in the distance.

The sirens blared the call for help, the call of despair, and emergency crewmen ran past Tania, miners that were off-duty not far behind.

Tania stumbled along with the others, her brain frozen in time, on the grin her father gave her as he left for work that evening. Then it was rushing, creating scenarios, preparing her mind for what might come, filling her heart with grief and choking her throat with a sob.

She could hear her mother muttering beside of her, and she glanced over at the woman that was always so hateful. Fear was etched in the lines of her face and Tania felt even colder as she realized her mother was praying. The woman that feared nothing, that stood up to the mine overseers with defiance, and made her daughter feel small with a mere sniff of her nose, was terrified.

Tania turned away from the disturbing sight, and focused on the light ahead, while she started her own prayer, a prayer that her father was alright. It occurred to her that her prayer was selfish and she extended it to all of the men down in the dark mine. With mounting dread the approached the mine face, and saw a foreman there, looking out at the gathering men, women, and children with his own brand of dread.

Tania knew this could turn ugly in a minute, emotions making people react just as quickly to a spark as the methane that could fill the mines below their feet. She pulled her young sisters close as they approached the platform, and Tania began to hear his words.

"Folks, we need prayers and help. We have to wait for the smoke to clear but so far, we know there was an explosion. We aren't sure of much more than that at this time. " The man paused, obviously searching for words, gulping down what must have been a massive knot as he looked out at the faces of hundreds of terrified people. "There are 138 men down in that mine right now, I think..."

His words trailed off as he choked up but he soon got his voice back. "I think it's time we hit our knees folks."

The women and children did just that, dropping instantly down, hands clasped before them, into mud puddles left by an afternoon storm. The men headed into the mine, helmets and lights on as they tried to help the safety crews.

Tania perched on her knees, her own hands clasped in front of her, but she didn't close her eyes as the others did. She was too busy staring at that hole, waiting, praying, needing her father to walk out and tell her he was alright. In her belly, her babies kicked her in protest, but she didn't stop, didn't unclasp her hands to soothe them, she just prayed and stared, hoping she'd see her father emerge from the Hell in front of her.