Aurora: Return of the Brokath

Chapter 1: The Cave

Chapter 1: The Cave

The sun was at its highest point. Not that I needed to look, the droplets of sweat on my back were a big enough sign. I struggled to hold the handles of the carrier bag as I glided through the highest window of the factory, relieved to escape the harsh summer rays.

"Here ya' go, a fresh bundle of rocks." I let the bag drop on the table, making it quiver. My feet landing gracefully next to it. I had managed to find a good spot today, which I knew the boss would love.

"That joke is getting old, Aurora." My boss grunted, yet his eyes lit up noticing the type of soils I managed to find. His mustache too big for his facial features.

I chuckled, yelling a response over the factory noise. "It helps pass the time. You can't blame me. It is a pretty boring job, carrying rocks around for you all day."

He gave me a pointed look, moving his mustache side to side. "Well, you must be happy about this being your last day then."

I ruffled my feathers. "By the Queen! How dare you say such a thing. No, I prefer to carry rocks around than sit in a desk and hear some old fat man go about-" I lowered my voice a few decibels. "The Queen's awakening in 3760."

My boss cackled. "I'll be damned, you can learn!"

I glared. "Nice one, boss. Like I'd be interested in something that happened thousands of years ago." I took my gloves off and placed them in one of my pockets. "I'll be heading back now. Need to chart these last ones." My knees buckled, wings extended, and seconds later I propelled myself towards the window.

"Take your break now!", yelled my boss.

Grinning, I propelled once more to gain speed. The factory was just on top of the craters. This was my favorite part of the job, gliding with the scenery.

This town was once filled with hard working people. This exact land was #1 in mining expeditions. Apparently filled with jewels and gems. They called it the Great Miner's Land. Don't know what happened to it, but as a person who's worked here every summer for as long as I can remember, I can assure anyone that there's no gems here; just good for clay, rocks, and soils. Now the boss owns this land and no one seems to give much attention to it. People call this place Miner's Town now. Nothing great about it anymore. But if you ask me, the view from the canyons is its own treasure.

The workers tended to stay closer to the factory. Flying gave me the liberty of expanding the factory's work area, reason my boss hasn't fired me yet. My job is fairly easy: find new mining areas.

This town lacks flyers willing to do heavy work like this one. 

I smiled thinking of the lunch I left in the factory's fridge, but needed to get my work bag first and chart my last find. I slowed my gliding, looking for the red bag in the distance. A few more meters away, I'd probably reach it. Gliding even slower, I looked over the huge craters that formed the canyon.

A light shone on my right eye, blinding me for just a second. "Oh fu- Motherfucker!" I stopped gliding, moving my wings to hover on the spot, and looked at where it came from. I squinted when the light blinded me once more.

"What would that be?" I mumbled as I moved my wings and softly glided towards it.

I landed without making a sound. I squinted at the little platinum blob in the ground. "I'll be damned." I picked it up, moving it around in my hands trying not to burn myself. I rubbed it with my thumb and lifted it up to the sun. It was covered with a bit of mud, but it was unmistakably a gem.

I gasped, looking around to see if anyone was here. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck... I'm rich!" I grasped the yellow gem in my hand, doing little jumps of excitement. "Wait 'till mom sees this!" A grin covered my face.