Chapter 2:

𝗗on't Make Me Blind

Mine Of Heart

I crawl again, searching for a safe place to rest temporarily.

. . .

Finally, I reach a small cave, far enough from my landing place.

My hands are all scraped, I’m grateful these clothes are thick enough. But, my left leg will probably be permanently useless now.

How will I treat my wounds? I’m not a doctor, and I don’t have any medical supplies. I can only 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦.

But staying still is useless. What should I do? It won’t be long before the darkness devours me.

I can’t even cry anymore.

My body hurts, my strength is gone, and I can’t even stand up.

Only a miracle could save me. But I know there’s nothing like that. Or maybe there is? I’ve survived death repeatedly; maybe there’s still a miracle, the last miracle.
Maybe the miracle is in this cave, maybe this is a shortcut to the mushroom forest, maybe there’s a place full of light at the end of the cave.

I start crawling again, without stopping. Please, just one more miracle. 𝗚𝗼𝗱, please, I beg you.

. . . . . . . . .

I’ve been crawling for a long time — far

enough. There’s nothing, no miracle.

My carbide lamp is growing dim, it’ll die soon, and I’ll die after it.

Am I giving up easily? No! There must be! I’m sure, I believe, miracle is still there! I have to hurry!

I crawl faster, my body scrapes against the rough stone floor, my skin can’t take it anymore, everything is raw and 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 —leaving a trail of 𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 along the path — my clothes felt like they were getting thinner.

But I can’t delay any longer!

I must be quick! Before the light goes out!

. . . . . . . . .

𝗗𝗮𝗿𝗸... The light is out. Everything is dark — is this what a blind person 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘴?

It’s okay, I still have my pickaxe. I can use it to guide my way — there’s still hope.

I swung my pickaxe to the right, to the left, and forward — tracking the paths — slowly but surely.

𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴! ... 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴!

My pickaxe hit the walls on the right and left. I crawled again, I can do it, I'll find the miracle.

. . .

𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴! ... 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗸!

This time, my pickaxe only hits the walls on the right and in front. That means I have to crawl to the left.

. . .

𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴! ... 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗸!

Now my pickaxe doesn’t hit the wall on the right.

. . .

I can sense the miracle is getting close!I'll never stop!

𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴! ... 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗸!

I will crawl, and keep crawling!

𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴! ... 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴!

To the point where my skin 𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘥! I'll search it! I'll find it! I'll find the 𝗠𝗜𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗟𝗘!

𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴! ... 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴! ... 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗸!

Did every side collide?

I was sweating cold sweat, every side collided. Maybe I missed the corner area, I had to stay calm.

I tried again while gulping down my saliva. It almost gave me a heart attack. It was really nerve-wracking.

𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴! ... 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴!

Right corner. It turns out I missed the path at the right corner. I breathe a sigh of relief and dab the sweat off my forehead.

"Phew."

Thank goodness, there's still a path. This is really toying with my heart so much that I couldn't breathe for a brief moment.

. . .

𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴! ... 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴! ... 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗸!

It happened again. I was 𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘥 enough. I'll try the other side.

𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴! ... 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴! ... 𝗧𝗔𝗖𝗞!

My heartbeat stopped for a brief moment.Maybe, maybe I missed it again.

A chill ran down my spine, my heart racing. I didn't want the very thing I'd been cursing all along —a dead end — to happen. I have to be more careful!

𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴! ... 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴! ... 𝗧𝗛𝗨𝗗!

"This is unreal! No way! This can't be a dead end!" I shouted in panic.

I swung my pickaxe wildly in all directions.

𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴! 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴! 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗸! 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗸! 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴! 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗸! 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴!

Useless, my pickaxe kept colliding with every side of the wall. Maybe the path is above me!

𝗧𝗛𝗨𝗗! 𝗧𝗛𝗨𝗗! 𝗧𝗛𝗨𝗗! 𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗚! 𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗚! 𝗧𝗛𝗨𝗗!

Maybe below me!

𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗚! 𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗚! 𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗚!

Nothing. No way out, a dead end, it's a dead end.

"𝗕𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗗!!!"

𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗚!!!

I hit the ground hard with a pickaxe while tears of anger, despair, and disappointment streamed down.