He measured the props, sawing a handspan off one, the thickness of a finger off the other. ‘Now we come to the dangerous part. If you’re a believer, say your prayers now.’
Tiaan was not but she uttered a sincere prayer anyhow.
‘This is what we’re going to do,’ the old miner said. ‘We’ll each hold our props at an angle to the vertical, like this.’ He demonstrated. ‘Then, we lift the timber plate on top, like a lintel over a doorway. Finally we move under the cracked area, just in front of the vein, and bring our props upright, forcing the plate hard against the roof. Hard enough to hold it, but not hard enough to bring it down on us, of course.’ He grinned.
‘Of course!’
She bent down to lift the prop, which was a span and a half long and half as big round as her waist. It proved to be incredibly heavy. Heaving and gasping, Tiaan managed to get one end as high as her shoulder. The prop was not made from the light local pine but from a dense, wavy-grained hardwood with a rank odour, like wet socks.
‘Lean it against the wall,’ said Joeyn. ‘They’re buggers to lift.’ He rested his own a couple of spans from hers. ‘Have a breather.’
They lifted the beam, which was even heavier, and laid it on top of the props, lying flat. ‘Ready?’ said Joeyn. ‘It’s going to be bloody hard work.’
Moving the prop away from the wall was the easy part. Keeping the plate on it was murder. The split edge cut into her shoulder; splinters needled her fingers. But that was nothing compared to the sheer agony of lifting prop and beam and walking with them. One step and she was exhausted; two, bone weary; three, and every muscle in her body was shrieking.
‘Rest it!’ said Joeyn, who seemed to be bearing his load easily enough. No doubt he was used to it. ‘I’d have brought a couple of pit labourers in, but they’ve got families, and this level is forbidden …’
‘I think I can manage,’ she said stoutly. ‘It’s just, well, I’m used to working with my fingers, not carrying heavy loads.’
‘We’ll take it one step at a time. As soon as it starts to hurt, ground your pole.’
She gave a weak smile. It hurt before she’d even got it off the floor. After two steps her prop began to shake. Tiaan grounded it hastily.
Another step. Now they were going under the cracked area. The pole wobbled; she let it down, expecting the beam to fall on her head. Joeyn’s hand flew up, steadying it.
Parts of the roof rock, segments bounded by fractures, looked ready to fall. She closed her eyes and instantly saw that final image from last night’s dream – the handsome young man on the balcony, begging for help as volcanoes erupted fire and ash all around.
Tiaan snapped her eyes open. The scene vanished. ‘Are you all right?’ Joeyn asked.
‘Yes,’ she said dazedly. She lifted her prop. They moved another two steps, rested, then one more.
‘Just a half step to your left now, Tiaan.’
Finally they were ready. ‘This is the difficult part,’ he said. ‘We slowly raise our poles to the vertical, pushing the plate up against the roof. When it’s in position I’ll wedge the props so they’re tight and we’ll be done. Carefully now. You go first; I’ll match it.’
Tiaan began to push her prop up. Slowly, ever so slowly. The tip wobbled. She steadied it with her shoulder.
‘Easy does it,’ said Joeyn. ‘Take all the time you need.’
Up again, and again. ‘Just one more lift.’
Up they went. Half the prop was above her shoulder now, and harder to steady. The tip wobbled. She threw her weight against it but the base skidded on a pebble and the pole tilted. The plate began to slide off.
‘Up hard!’ Joeyn cried, but it was too late.
Tiaan dropped the prop and crouched with her arms over her head. The plate struck the floor with a tremendous clatter. Her prop hit the wall. Joeyn remained where he was, still holding his pole, staring up at the roof.
Grit rained down on Tiaan’s back. A chip of granite bounced off the plate. She stood up, gasping. ‘I’m sorry, Joeyn.’
‘No – my fault. It wasn’t such a good idea after all.’
‘Let’s try again. One last effort.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘I think so.’
The second time was harder than the first, if that was possible. Tiaan’s back was throbbing, low down, and her arms had lost the best of their strength. But she knew how to balance the plate now, and the tiny movements needed to keep it there. This time they got it almost to the roof with no fatal wobbles.
‘The last bit is always the hardest to control,’ he said.
‘I’m ready.’ She had to succeed this time. Tiaan could not make another attempt. She eased the pole until it was nearly upright. It wobbled and she could barely hold it.
Joeyn thrust his prop up hard, jamming the plate against the roof. That steadied it enough for Tiaan to raise her end the last distance. They’d done it!
‘Keep it steady.’ He nudged a wedge under the prop with the toe of his boot and tapped it in. After wedging the other side, he shook the pole. It did not budge. He did the same with hers. ‘You can let go, Tiaan.’
Now that the strain was off, Tiaan could not stand up. She crawled across to the far wall, laid her burning cheek on the cold floor and watched while Joeyn tightened the wedges, one by one, with his hammer.
He sat beside her. Tiaan began picking splinters out of her palms. ‘That’ll hold against a minor fall,’ he said.
‘But not a major one?’
Joeyn eyed the erection. ‘No, but it’ll only take a few minutes to get the crystal.’ He offered her his flask of turnip brandy.
This time she took a sip. The liquor tasted revolting, but it warmed her all the way down. Tiaan felt better, though she was not tempted to take a second.
Joeyn was back at the vein, staring up. ‘Come here. Pick the one you want.’
He linked his hands, making a step. She put her foot in it and was boosted up to shoulder height.
‘Oh, Joe, they’re the most perfect ones I’ve ever seen. They feel strong, too – even better than the crystal you got the other day.’ She exclaimed over one, then another. It was impossible to decide. Had she brought her pliance she might have tested them, to see which was most suited to her. Tiaan felt a pang of withdrawal. ‘But which are the good ones, Joeyn? No point me picking one out if it’s just ordinary crystal.’
‘I think they’re all good. I had a bit of a look at them when I brought the timbers in.’
‘You mean …?’
‘Yes. This vein is worth as much as the rest of the mine put together.’
Unimaginable wealth. If she owned one of these crystals, she could buy out her indenture ten times over. Tiaan edged a bit higher, searching for a crystal just a bit more perfect than the others. ‘Joe, look!’
‘What is it?’
‘The hollow goes in for ages, and it’s all lined with crystals. There must be hundreds of them.’ She gazed in wonderment. ‘Maybe thousands.’
‘I hate to disturb you,’ said he. ‘I know you’re only a slip of a woman, after all, but I can’t hold you up forever.’
‘Sorry.’ She had quite forgotten. ‘Do you need a rest?’
‘Not if you’ve found what you’re looking for.’
She selected a perfect hexagonal prism terminated by a pyramid. It was a delicate ruby-pink colour, almost transparent. ‘I’ve got one.’
‘Put your feet on my shoulders and I’ll pass up the hammer and chisel.’
Taking the tools, with a single, well-placed tap she knocked the quartz crystal off at the base. It fell back into the cavity. She reached in to recover the crystal. ‘Aah!’
‘What’s the matter?’
‘It felt like a hundred hot needles touching my skin at once. It’s all right; it’s gone now. Hello?’ She stood up on tiptoe. ‘What’s that?’
‘What?’
‘Way up at the end, a crystal seems to be glowing by itself.’