Like canaries in a coal mine [OPEN]

[tidesnpc]

Characters: Anyone in Tulgim
Content: One of the mines in Tulgim has collapsed a second time, trapping some of the rescuers inside!
Setting: Mine 2b
Time: From late morning onwards
Warnings: Possibility of bloody or violent descriptions
Notes: Please note in the thread subject whether your threads take place either pre- or post- the second collapse

Comments

post second collapse

[starcharmsketch]

The one bright spot amongst the rubble and frantically working rescue teams was Naminé's poofy yellow coat and her blonde hair-- though both were already beginning to be dusted with rubble and sand. She herself hadn't gone in to help the first caved-in miners, figuring that difficulties moving around and staying warm would prevent her from being a real help. Now with the second cave in, she had forced herself to come out and help the medical teams and cooks prepare for anyone who would be coming out injured from the mines.

Sekai's pained cries seemed to echo in her mind, warping until they sounded horrifically familiar...she shuddered, shaking her head furiously. No. Sekai and Abe and all the rest of them would be alright. They were not her parents. This wasn't some unknown darkness descending on them-- though the despair she could feel around her felt like that. This was a cave-in, and cave-ins meant that there was rock that was able to be moved. Something physical that could be chipped at until it went away.

With a deep, steadying breath, she continued on, hurrying to help set up the medical aid tent.

[nice_young_man]

Fortunately, she didn't come alone. Quatre had missed the first rescue attempt as well, and as soon as he heard about the second cave-in, he rushed with Naminé to help. While he wasn't as weak as he looked, he still wasn't the strongest volunteer, so he set out to help with other things besides the rock removal.

Which was what brought him to the medical tent. He looked at Naminé and asked, "Are you ready?"

[starcharmsketch]

The blonde girl restlessly smoothed the sheets of a makeshift bed, glancing up when she heard Quatre's voice. She gave him a small, tense smile before nodding. "I think so. The medical tents are all set up...we just have to wait for people to be dug out so they can be taken here."

If they were dug out, some small part of her brain said, but she squashed that thought down immediately.

[nice_young_man]

The knot in Quatre's stomach continued to tighten; as much as he trusted the people who worked at the mines, it was impossible not to be scared for the people trapped inside. However, what he felt couldn't be nearly as bad as what Naminé must feel. Her worry was clear (the crease in her brow, the tense emotions on her face, the nervous energy that practically buzzed from her skin and her voice and her everything...), but despite it all, she still tried so hard to keep a brave face.

Quatre offered her a gentle smile, and said, "Let's go check on the other tents now, okay? They'll need them soon, I'm sure."

[starcharmsketch]

Her hands had moved on to smoothing over the pillowcase, though by this point those nor anything else on the bed obviously didn't need it. They stilled only when he spoke again, circling the pillow until Naminé was squeezing it tightly. She sat motionless for a moment, as if fighting some part of herself that wanted to go shell-shocked from worry and fear. And had it been some other time, she would have. Would have just curled up in a chair and waited until everything passed her by, until everything was right in the world again.

But she had long since known that if she wanted the world-- her world-- to be right, then she herself had to do something to make it so.

So she finally set it aside, getting shakily onto her feet and giving her companion a fleeting look of gratitude for his patience with her. "Mm. I think the one closest to the mines should have more supplies, since anybody coming from there will go to that one right away. Should we get more kits for it?"

[nice_young_man]

Quatre waited patiently for her to finish, although his own mood began to falter. It was terrible, wasn't it? Having to wait for news from others, not being able to act, not being able to help or do anything or....

We can help, he told himself firmly, cutting that train of thought short. They were helping right now, in fact; somebody had to take care of things like this while the others were busy. While this was small work, it was still important.

...he just hoped he could help Naminé see this. Maybe that would help her mood.

"That's a good idea," he said warmly. "Just as long as we don't leave any of the other tents short...though I don't think we have to worry about that too much. Is there anything else you can think of?"