“In Wallace, Idaho there was a goddess named Tarina. She was the saving goddess. A water canal under Victory Mine is said to be infected with her soul. For years people have been trying to find the waterway. One person has been a thorn in their side, Greg the owner of Victory Mine. “The mine has brought lots of much needed money to this town,” Greg would argue.
Even though I have heard this story many times, it still is interesting. This year has brought many questions and worries to the town of Wallace. Tarina’s 200th birthday is just a day away. She was born on May 7, 1710. You can feel the frustration in the air. Wallace people like knowing what is going to happen. On the 200th birthday of a goddess, the town’s people believe that she will come back from the dead. Tarina is on everyone’s mind.
I awoke in a sweat, remembering the old tale of Tarina. A slit of light slithered through the curtains, blinding me. I rolled out of bed and stumbled down the stairs. It was time to go to work. I looked in the refrigerator, finding something for breakfast. The homey smell of eggs and toast filled the air.
Alyssa yelled, “Dad is that my breakfast I smell?”
“Yes, it’s almost done,” I said, as I got ready for work.
Alyssa came bounding down the stairs, smiling, just like always. It was a normal day at the house.
The smell of wildflowers and newly cut grass blew past me as I stepped out the door. A horse-drawn street car, aged, paint peeling, and sulfur-smelling was as good as we could afford in these tough times. This was my everyday transportation to Victory Mines. I was unsure if people would be crowded around or scared off by the mines’ tall tales. It was about a half an hour drive to Victory Mine. As we came upon Tarina’s Peak, where the mine lay, the car slowed to a stop. The hush of wild grass blowing in the breeze drowned out all other noises. Workman’s boots interrupted the peacefulness. The wild animals that were usually everywhere, no longer showed their faces. This reminded me that today was a day to be dreaded.
As I climbed the windy trail, bushes, vines, and rocks clogged the path. The smell of sulfur was the main smell as we neared the mine. Up ahead there was a little clearing. A cavity punctured Tarina’s Peak. Hand-operated carts ran into the mine.
I grabbed my work tools and headed to my station. Walking slowly, I paced myself. Today, a new person joined our crew. Most new members were dangerous to be around. They often forgot how to mine correctly. As the new guy came into view, I realized he wasn’t even working. I new he would get fired right away. Lazy people didn’t last long here.
“Hi, I’m Paul,” he said, “I was waiting for you to arrive, so you could teach me some techniques.”
“Hi, I’m George,” I replied back, “but I can’t help you, I have to do my job.”
“Well I guess I’ll just wait here then,” Paul said as he sat down and took out a half-eaten sandwich. Paul obviously had already had a break, and it was only 5:00 A.M. It continued like that the whole day, Paul sitting around and being lazy.
Later in the day Paul asked, “Would you like my sandwich?”
“Yeah, sure,” I answered. I hadn’t eaten since breakfast, and I was starving.
When Greg came around to check our work, Paul sat up hastily and took the place where I was standing.
“Wow, great work,” Greg shouted over the machinery to Paul.
“Thanks,” Paul shouted back.
“But I did that,” I complained.
“Looks to me like you haven’t done anything all day!” Greg retorted.
It was his word against mine. Of course I would be right. I couldn’t believe it! Paul had taken
credit for my day’s work! Now I would have no money to take home to my daughter, Alyssa.
The day wasn’t over yet. I still had time to earn a little bit of money.
“I wonder if anyone has seen Tarina,” Paul wondered aloud.
Great now he’s superstitious and lazy, I thought to myself.
Just then Tarina’s Peak rumbled and shook. All the clanking stopped. Had Tarina just showed her face? Was this it?
“Probably just some people trying to get to her ‘sacred water’,” Greg yelled over the mountain’s noises.
“Paul, you might want to get out of here, the mine could crash any second now,” I said as I turned around, but he wasn’t there. A cloud a smoke was left behind from where he once stood. My knees shook as I went further into the cave, searching for Paul. I had no real reason to come and find him. He had done nothing for me.
I could taste the rocky powder from the machines blowing at my face. All other noise ceased to exist. Just when I reached the darkest part of the mine, the walls shivered and the ground shook with great fury. Out of the darkness something snapped, and then I heard a horrible scream, then I realized that it must have been me. A beam had fallen onto my chest, pinning me to the ground. It felt like a stampede of elephants had just trampled over me with no recognition that I was under them. Another beam landed on my legs. A loud crack echoed through my ears. I heard voices now. They were screaming my name. George! George where are you? George!
Then, everything went black. No voices. There was a loud ringing in my ears from the thunderous noise going to total silence.
More voices, this time muffled.
“I think he’s coming around,” someone whispered.
There was the pitter-patter of feet on linoleum floor. Where was I? How did it become so quiet? These questions I couldn’t get an answer to. No sound came from my lips. The smell of alcohol burned my nose. Everything added up, the linoleum floor, whispered voices, and the burning alcohol.
My sight came back, blurred, but I still could see. A group of people blocked almost all traces of light. Just then the doctor walked in, his lips were moving but no sound was coming out. Why was he staring at me? Thank you's and answered prayers erupted into giggles as the people watched a variety of emotions cross over my face.
I asked the doctor what was wrong with me as soon as I could hear again. He said I had been paralyzed from the waist down and couldn’t use my left hand. Four ribs were broken too.
I wasn’t really sure how I had survived. Out of the 152 people that worked there, only 9 people survived. Seven of them were already outside when the mine started to collapse. Who was that one person who was in the mine with me? Had that person saved me? More questions. I asked around, hopeful, looking for answers, but no one knew.
“Is Paul alive?” I asked.
“I think so,” a mineworker replied.
“People say they saw him running away after the crash,” another worker added.
“Who saved me?” I questioned.
“It might have been Paul,” someone pronounced.
As soon as I was as well as I would get, I decided that I would visit Victory Mine. If Paul were still there, I would tell him how thankful I was that he saved me.
I went to the mine May 7, 1911. I chose this date because many people would be visiting, and it would bring back many old memories.
It was different this time, going up Tarina’s Peak. The wind blew past me, whistling as it went. Alyssa grunted behind me.
“I don’t know how you climbed this everyday!” she moaned.
“You get used to it,” I replied as I looked around me.
Wild animals painted a vivid scene in my head. There were animals ranging from beavers and skunks to rabbits and raccoons. Variations of birds made a colorful rainbow in the sky. The old
Victory mine had become a habitat for animals of all kinds.
Devastation crossed over me when I saw the mine. People told me that flames had lit up the mountain, bringing it to life, but I never in all my dreams would have imagined this. Thousands of beams lay crossing over each other, blocking the entrance from the tiniest creatures. Rocks were thrown everywhere. How could Victory Mine crash in such short notice? Was Tarina sending a message to us? No one really knew the answer, but news reporters were all over at the loss of the mine.
My job had been lost along with my legs and arm, but Alyssa could go on living her life like a normal child. Community members gave tremendous aid to my daughter and me. I could no longer fend for myself and definitely not another person. Thanks to the loving town of Wallace, I now had my life partially back.
