Three-sixteen’s POV

The end of the shift came like a bullet to the face. Three-sixteen barely registered anything that happened after the shift started. He hoped that the miners managed fine on their own; he was sure that they had. If they hadn’t, he’d have heard from the magistrates.

Three-sixteen figured it was probably best he kept his distance anyway. The miners probably wouldn’t trust him after what Luck made him do. He certainly wouldn’t trust himself if he were in their position. At least that should make things easy with Five-ninety-one; she would think twice about getting close to him now.

When the signal light changed colors Three-sixteen shuffled to his locker. He was exhausted. It felt like he was carrying a full minecart on his shoulders.

His body screamed at him to sleep, to rest, to just lie down somewhere and shut everything out, but he knew that wouldn’t work. Every time he closed his eyes he saw that crazed smile and heard the horrid howls. He hadn’t forgotten the warmth of blood on his hand even though he’d cleaned it seven times.

Three-sixteen had never known that a human being could scream like that. He wished he hadn’t learned.

As he stepped out of the locker room Three-sixteen found himself face to face with Five-ninety-one. Seeing her soft smile, he couldn’t help but smile back. He felt happy, at ease, like everything would be fine.

And then he pictured her face twisted in pain as a lytefeeder worked its way into her flesh.

Three-sixteen stepped back, bumping into someone behind him.

He wanted to apologize, but he didn't dare speak.

He looked up at Five-ninety-one and found her expression had changed from joy to confusion. “Are you…”

She didn’t need to finish the question. His expression told her everything.

Three-sixteen nodded and brushed past her, heading for the exit. He needed to get away from her, from everyone.

He could hear her footfalls as she rushed to catch up. He should have tried harder to lose her in the crowd. Five-ninety-one grabbed Three-sixteen’s sleeve. She slid her hand down his arm and laced her fingers through his. “I know you didn’t want to.”

Three-sixteen didn’t know what to say.

“Look at me,” Five-ninety-one pleaded.

He heard the desperation in her voice, but he couldn’t. After what he’d done, what right did he have?

He was the reason she would never feel safe here. He was the reason she had to live in fear.

Three-sixteen ripped his hand free from her grasp and pushed forward, squeezing through the crowd of miners. He glanced back only once and he saw a glimpse of her auburn hair and worried eyes.

He hoped she wouldn’t keep following him, but he couldn’t stop her.

The path to his hiding place was a short one, but Three-sixteen managed to stumble more than a few times in the dark tunnels. As he reached the narrow spot where the walls closed in, Three-sixteen heard a flesh scrape on stone then a sharp squeak.

He looked back and found Five-ninety-one sitting awkwardly with her hand gripped around her heel.

She was hurt, or at least she looked hurt.

Three-sixteen was beside her before he even realized he’d moved. He crouched down next to her and asked,

“Are you okay?”

Five-ninety-one smiled at him and said, “I…I think so.”

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She tried to stand, but her ankle couldn’t hold her weight. She crumbled with a pained cry.

Three-sixteen caught her, holding her up as best he could. He didn't think he could carry her through the narrow passage, but he could support her.

She hobbled forward, and said, “Thank you.”

He nodded.

When they reached the cave Three-sixteen helped her to the wall and the two sat down.

Under the light of the glowing plant Three-sixteen could see clearly how swollen Five-ninety-one’s ankle had become. She must have sprained it badly.

She looked over at him with a weak smile and said, “I’ll be fine. It will heal.”

“Yea, but not before the next cycle. When your shift starts—”

Five-ninety-one cut him off, saying, “It’s fine. I’ll be fine. I promise.”

She smiled again and placed her hand on his.

He looked down at her hand, then up into her eyes.

There was so much he wanted to say, but he didn't know how. He wanted to ask why she followed him, but he already knew the answer.

He also wanted to tell her he was sorry, that he never wanted to hurt her. That he was glad she was here with him. But he couldn’t. Instead, he said, “I’m afraid.”

Five-ninety-one giggled. “Of what, the magistrates? If they come after you, they’ll have to take me first.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of. I’ve seen it so many times. They aren’t human; they have no heart!” His voice came out a little more forcefully than he intended.

Five-ninety-one was stunned. Her eyes narrowed and she frowned as he spoke.

Three-sixteen took a shallow breath before he continued, “I don’t want to… I can’t be responsible for you. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you because of me. I can't—I won’t risk your life just so I can feel better about mine. I'm sorry. I hope you understand.”

“I do.” Five-ninety-one whispered. Her eyes were still downcast and her voice was barely audible.

Three-sixteen wasn’t sure what to say. He wasn’t sure what he should do, but he couldn’t leave her like this.

Something like a spark of hope exploded in her eyes and Five-ninety-one said, “You still have it, don't you?”

“Have what?” Three-sixteen asked as he tried to recall what she might be referring to.

Rather than answer, Five-ninety-one dug in his pocket and pulled out the crystal she’d given during the cycle before this one. “We can escape together.”

Three-sixteen’s eyes went wide with horror. “Absolutely not! They’ll kill you, they’ll—”

“How would that be worse than what they already do to us?” Five-ninety-one demanded as tears filled her eyes.

Three-sixteen didn't know what to say. He knew that the magistrates wouldn't hesitate to kill her.

He also knew that she was right, but the crystals… they were a problem too.

He shook his head. “Even if we escape the magistrates, this mine, and somehow find a peaceful place to live, the crystal will kill us. We probably wouldn’t even make it far.”

“That’s just what they want you to think. If every miner ate crystals, they’d be powerless to stop us. Then they’d have no crystals and they’d have to dig their own damned mines. It's not about us dying; it's about them needing us. It's about them being afraid we'll fight back.”

Three-sixteen considered her words. There was logic in her statement, but he knew she was wrong. He’d kept track. “Every miner I’ve known that ate a crystal has died. Not one of them survived.”

“But how did they die? Was it the crystal, or did the magistrates do it?” Five-ninety-one retorted.

Three-sixteen frowned as he tried to remember. He shook his head. He knew what he had seen. He saw miners die horrible deaths because they ate crystals. He knew there was nothing he could have done to save them. “It doesn’t matter the specifics. Even if it was the magistrates, that only proves my point. They will know, and they will kill us; they’ll kill you.”

He looked into Five-ninety-one's eyes and saw fear. She said, "I can't live like this anymore, and I refuse to let them get me. If they catch me, so be it, but at least I won't be here anymore. At least I can say I tried and didn’t give up until the very end.”

She raised the crystal to her lips.

Three-sixteen tried to stop her, but he was too slow. He watched her swallow it, and then he panicked. He reached for her, but stopped short.

She’d pulled out another crystal, this time from her own pocket. His eyes traced over it. His fingers itched to take it. He felt a longing that felt so right he struggled to tell himself it was wrong. Three-sixteen needed the crystal.

As he grabbed the stone, he noticed yellow dust around Five-ninety-one’s mouth. In his mind her face overlapped with the crazy man’s face.

“Please,” she began, begging with her whole face, “take the crystal.”

Three-sixteen shook his head.

She wasn't that man, but three-sixteen knew he couldn’t take the crystal.

“If I do, then I won’t be able to help you. I have to make sure you get out and when you do, I’ll be right behind you.”

Five-ninety-one nodded and smiled. Her face relaxed and she leaned closer to him, resting her head against his chest. She whispered, her voice thick with emotion, “Thank you.”

Three-sixteen felt the weight of his words, but he couldn’t let her die. He was already running through several scenarios in his mind as he tried to think of a way she could escape.

His mind drifted to the sifters and their tunnels. He supposed a miner could use them to get to the surface, but he also knew it would be extremely dangerous. Sifters were highly territorial creatures, and wouldn’t tolerate a miner sharing their tunnel. There was also no guarantee that any of the tunnels would go to the surface.

She couldn’t stow away in a processing cart, that would be like hand-delivering herself to the magistrates. He needed to think harder, perhaps he needed rest also.

Three-sixteen looked down at Five-ninety-one. She had fallen asleep.

He barely noticed as his own eyes felt heavy and he drifted to sleep.