He hacked up blood. Not good. Wiping his mouth only got him another lungful of cutting dust. He was black, head to toe, covered in coal dust. Clear lines streamed down his cheeks where tears had flowed from the coughing fit. Not good at all. The alarm blared. They were ready for another blast. He spat one last time and picked up his tools. Time to go again. Time to work. Not time to worry. Just work.
Paddy Dobson
4th January 2023