The Weight of Stone

Stationary, long term recording.
Place of origin: unknown.
State: background noise, technical issues.

“And this one is for you, my lovely niece!”

“What is it? It’s heavy! And clinking...”

“Well, why don’t you open it, hm?”

“Are they... stones?”

[boisterous laughter]

“You sound so disappointed! What’s so bad about stones, little Emili?”

“But there’s stones everywhere!”

“Indeed there are. But these here are special.”

“Special stones?”

“Marbles! Worked on them myself, see? All round and smooth and easy in the hand.”

“So they’re round stones. But still stones!”

“Haish, aren’t you impatient today. Look here. Let me show you... You put one down like this, see? And then you take the others and try to... ah-ha! Almost hit it. Want to give it a try?”

“It looks easy.”

“Well, you’d think so, wouldn’t you? Want to make a bet with your uncle?”

“Mama said you shouldn’t gamble.”

“Right, your mother is absolutely right. Well then, I guess, then I’ll take these here back and search for a better gift for our little girl...”

“Give them here! You gifted them, so they’re mine now!”

“But you didn’t want them, did you?”

“No! I want them! You can’t catch me so you can’t take them back!”

“Hoi! No running! Wait- If your mother sees you-! And off she goes... little whirlwind.”

“Oi Bert! You’re finally out of the tunnels! Was that your niece?”

“Sure was. The girl grows like a water root, almost didn’t recognize her. How’s it been up here? Any news?”

“Merchant’s been scarce. Last shipment of oil and coal was late – but they still take the ore as if it is their bloody right.”

“Shush Hal, not so loud. You know damn well it is their right, and we should be proud to procure the ore they use in the main city. I tell you, our ore is what makes the crawlers and even your lanterns!”

“But it wouldn’t hurt them to show some more appreciation, now would it?”

“We’ve all got our packs to carry, down here. And it’s not like up top was any better, now was it?”

“Right, you’re right. Just being uneasy, is all. But as long as the tunnels don’t run out, they’ll have a need for us.”

“Right. Right, as long as there’s ore....”

“Bertram, you’re back. Emilia came running just a moment ago. Said you gifted her stones and wanted to bet on them? Of all things?”

“Miriam! Your little whirlwind is fast on her legs, isn’t she? And got a loose tongue, that girl.”

“Don’t you entice my kids to any shady deals, you hear me? It’s bad enough I have to tell her father off each time. You brothers - I should have never married a miner!”

“Ach, Miriam, don’t be like that. There’s nothing but miners in this town, anyways!”

“And you have the gall to sound proud about it. Tell me, how’s the tunnels these days? Your brother comes back every day with dust stuck everywhere. I’ll give up washing his clothes soon!”

“The tunnels, huh.”

[low voices fading away]

“I won't lie to you, Miriam, …seen better days… but surely…”

[some entries are unreadable, the text covered with blotches and stains]

“The sixth right tunnel is barren.”

“What about the third?”

“Traces remaining. We sent Bert and his men a day ago, he should be back soon.”

“If there’s no ore to be found there either...”

“Nothing to do about it.”

“We can go deeper.”

“You think I haven’t thought of it? But the men are uneasy, and I get where they’re coming from. The air down there is stale. And thin.”

“But you tested the depths. The lamp kept burning even down there, didn’t it?”

“So far it kept burning. But if we can avoid it-”

“Hush. Someone’s coming.”

[Half a page seems to be ripped out, with uneven edges]

“Oh my god.”

“Are they... are they alright?”

“What happened?”

“Is that Bertram? Someone call the Greys!”

“....the tunnels. Down there, if the supports failed…”

“That’s why we needed that bell down there..!”

“Hey, man. Are you alright? Can you hear me?”

“What? I can’t.... Be quiet you lot! I can’t hear him!”

“Verdammt! Where? Are the rest of you still down there?!”

“We need to assemble a search party right away. They went down the third tunnel, if we hurry, we may still...”

“...two days ago...”

“But we can’t just-!”

“Someone get him some water and call...”

The rest of the conversation is lost. Despite repeated listening, the quality of the recording and overlapping voice lines made a complete transcription impossible.

“What do you mean, you have to raise the prices? Again? Didn’t you sell these to me for half the price just last time?!”

“Sure did. Can’t anymore.”

“That’s all you have to say?!”

“Look here, Halfred, I have to feed myself too. You know how hard it is to get fresh food these days. It’s not like it grows on stones.”

“But-”

“Take it or leave it, Hal.”

“...Fine!”

“Mama?”

“Yes, my darling? What is it?”

“Will uncle Bert be alright?”

“....of course, sweetheart. He’s big and strong, isn’t he? Just like your father. You know how the miners are.”

“Yes! All miners are strong like ox-hen!”

“Oxen, my dear. Did old Bergmann talk to you about the above again? That woman has too much time on her hands…”

“She told me that we’re special! ‘We’re strong and the dark won’t scare us none, no fear, because we miners were always down here!’”

“No fear… Well, I guess my little wildling isn’t scared of anything anymore, huh? You really do take after your father and uncle both.”

“Yes! I’ll be big and strong like uncle Bert one day, just you wait, Mama!”

“Sometimes I wish your father had a bit more fear in him. Or some thoughts left for his family waiting at home for him!”

“But Mama, you were the one who chased him out with your broom last time…”

“And he earned that scolding! Now come along, your uncle is waiting for that medicine you’re carrying.”

“That poor family.”

“It wasn’t enough for Bertram to come back in that state, now even his brother…”

“-heard Miriam cry all night.”

“What about the daughter?”

“They say he went too deep, …not enough air…”

“Hush, they’re carrying the body out.”

“From the stone we make our living, and to the stone will we return.”

Following is one of the only complete records of a tunnel burial, a local tradition observed in the rural mining settlements. Cross referencing with the documentation provided in “A Miner’s Guide to the Depths”.

“This is the last one. I won't be coming back Hal. You’re on your own from now on.”

“I see. I guess it’s goodbye, then.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, no. You have to feed your own too, right?”

“It’s not profitable to come out here any more. They’re rationing even the mushrooms now, and there’s no more trade happening either.”

“Right. So no more haggling over your wares, eh? Haha. Yeah.. alright I guess.”

“....are you sure you want to stay? Why not pack up and come back with me?”

“No, no. I can’t. There’s still the mine, isn’t there? And the kids are still here, too. The Greys, and the Pebbles. Even old hag Bergman is still here, all the good it does us.”

“Hal, about that mine shaft... No, never mind. It’s too late now, isn’t it.”

“They haven’t told us to stop.”

“I see.”

“Right. I don’t want to keep you! Off you go, yes? Say hello and goodbye to your wife as well.”

“Goodbye, Hal.”