Rebecca howled in pain and jumped to her feet as the stone burnt her bare arms. It was boiling in here, like a terrible furnace. Already, sweat was trickling down her temples, and her jeans and t-shirt fell altogether too suffocating.

"Incoming!" A voice called, and bitter laughs rung through the mine.

Her eyes adjusted to the dim red glow slowly, and she was able to make out the things around her. People and strange creatures stood at the towering slivery-gray walls, a sick thwack of metal against metal echoing round and round. Piles of stones stood around them, and the scent of human suffering was evident, tainting the ocean air. It was awful in here, terrible.

"Where am I?" She yelled. One of the shadowed forms stepped towards her, face coming into the light. The girl looked horrific - and she couldn't have been more than eighteen. Black eyes were clouded with sadness, but at least she looked like she got enough to eat. Choppy black hair hung around her ears; the ends torn like it had been ripped off.

"The Mines." Her voice was hoarse, and broken.

"What are you mining? And what's your name?" Rebecca's tone was kind, and she moved to take her shoulder.

"Jeanie. We are chopping Vna - Vana-"

"Mining Vanadium?" Her brow furrowed. Jeanie nodded mutely, and picked up her ax again, swaying slightly on her feet.

"Jeanie, why don't you take a break? Let me take over" Rebecca moved to take the ax, but the girl just looked at her, confused.

"Break?"

"Yes, why don't you... stop for a bit?" Her steady voice wavered ever so slightly. Something was amiss here, and it wasn't good.

"Stop?" Jeanie looked only more confused, and she stomped her foot "What is stop? What is break?"

"Nothing!" Rebecca backed away slowly, and swallowed. She was now acutely aware of just how dry her throat was. She was also aware of the dangerous manner in which Jeanie swung the ax.

"Go dig." Jeanie pointed to a pile of tools, and Rebecca made her way to it, hands raised in a placating manner. The girl relaxed visibly as soon as the digging tool was in her hands. She turned, and went back to her work, leaving Rebecca confused.

Nevertheless, Rebecca hoisted the tool over her shoulder, her reasonable fitness allowing her to handle the heavy tool with some sense of ease. She walked towards the edge of the cavern, towards the wall. People laboured all around, metal digging into metal, muscles moving in the same repetitive motions all around. Maybe someone knew something. She sidled over to a boy.

"Can you tell me what's going on here?" Rebecca leaned into his shoulder, and whispered to him.

"Dig." He responded in monotone.

She tried again and again, along the wall, but only received the same response. Suddenly, a cloister bell ran through the cave, and the motion stopped. It wasn't the end of a workday, no - it was something else. Everyone stood stock still, caught like deers in headlights. A few whimpers were audible, but nothing else. Then, a light came from the edge of a tunnel. Rebecca was blinded for a moment, but she quickly adjusted. Two mer-cows came through, and they appeared to be carrying whips. Fear coursing through her, she too, stood still.

They came in their portable water tanks, and the people cowered. They made their way slowly, tanks dragging across the scalding stone. The heat seemed worse than ever as they inspected each pile. As the pair got closer, terror rooted Rebecca to the ground. Caught up in her interrogations, she didn't have a pile. Closing her eyes, she counted. Ten seconds. The scraping of the tanks got louder and louder, until it stopped.

A clammy hand landed on her shoulder, forcing her to her knees. Rebecca cried out in pain, the impact of the hot stone on her knees jarred up her spine.

"Where is your pile, girl?" The voice boomed in her ear, only serving to terrify her further. Remembering the simplistic responses of those around her, she responded

"Don't know"

They laughed in response, and one lifted his arm. The black leather cut into Rebecca's shoulder, and she collapsed to the ground with a scream of agony.