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The first lie Norton had learnt was that if you work hard, you can become rich.
At first, that lie was his mantra. Each day he worked in those dark he worked with the strength and determination that few rivalled. Perhaps only his father rivalled how hard he worked, even if that first lie tricked him into thinking his father never became rich because he never worked hard enough.
That lie died in the darkness of those mines. Hours of labour to scrape by enough coins for old bread. Changing who he worked for did nothing. They loved his work ethic but never enough to sacrifice a couple of coins from their dragon horde to keep him.
This was how he learnt his first truth. His father worked hard. His reward for that work was not wealth, but a disease that destroyed his lungs before giving him the payment of death.
That would be Norton's reward as well for all his work.
The second lie emerged from the first. Hard work is not enough to become rich. You need luck.
Norton didn't like this lie.
Years he had worked to find his own wealth. Now he was supposed to wait around on the chance he got lucky?
In response, the lie evolved into him finding his own 'luck'.
He took up helping the old miners in the hospice. Who better knew the world beneath than those whose lives were ending because of it?
He became a very familiar face. After his long hours in the mines he spent hours in the hospice. Eagerly listening to the old miners tales.
Everyone grew to know his name, and he learned all their names, their names of their wives, lovers, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, sons and daughters and their husbands and wives.
People will tell you many things if they think you'll listen, but not all of it would be worth the time. Mines long emptied… Tragedies in mines making them inaccessible…
Then he found Luck finally playing her card.
Funny how the answer you seek can be closer to home then you realise.
His father's old friend who somehow outlived him. Did he do so out of luck? Or perhaps the old man's hands weren't as clean as he would pretend.
If he exploited his father, then it's fine if he did the same back right?
He couldn't have taken him with him anyway. The old man was in the hospice after all. Going down there once more would have been a trip to the reaper for him. So he went to the mines himself. What else could he do?
He got younger more able bodied people to help him. Equal share for them all, even if Norton did most of the work.
Everyone else used him. Why not them as well.
He went ahead, preparing the dynamite. He yelled and warned them not to get too close. To get ready and hide.
God Dam It!
It was their own greed that had got them killed!
They should have listened to him! Those damn fools! It wasn't his fault! The mine was too weak! Maybe if they had stronger will instead of greed-
It's not
It's not
He never meant too…
….
The mine was so dark. But he could feel their cold hands clawing at him. Their voices whisper.
He dug his way to freedom. He, Norton Campbell, would survive! God he would not be claimed by the mines! He would not die here! He refused to die here! Struggling and Fighting! He had done these two all his life! He would not die here! God would not claim him now!
He would not! He would not… he would not…
His one truth amidst the lies.
Norton would survive no matter what.
A final lie.
"Were you a part of the illegal blasting that led to the cave-in last year?" The pen was tapped against the notebook they held.
"It's a common thing in the industry. It doesn't take a genius to know explosives produce much faster results than drills." The coins felt cold in his hands.
The third lie had brought him to this point. To this manor. To be interviewed in exchange for some quick coin.
You see, Norton had come to his own revelations after the cave in. One that he hated, but he had to confront.
You will never find wealth, unless you grow lucky, or they who hold all the wealth let you.
All he was to them was an exploitable tool, and that's all they would ever let him be.
Then came a lie that said one would let him.
It was an easy Job.
All he had to do of course.
Was to kill that woman.
She was rich! She likely never had to deal with the angry claws of poverty as he had!
So let her be the stepping stone so that he could finally break free! It was the chance he was finally searching for all this time! So why is he hesitating?
This had been the chance he had been looking for all this time! Besides, others had died for this goal! What difference was one more?!
Even if... he never meant for them…
A woman kept on talking to that other woman girl. He heard what she said. Warning her to stay away from him.
Tch. Let them speak. It was nothing new. People loved to gossip about him. He had heard it all.
At the end of the day, that money was his and his alone. If he just mustered his strength and wasn't hesitating like a damned coward!
Get a hold of yourself Norton! Or else everything was for nothing!
He had a prime opportunity coming, as soon as that game began.
If she disappeared, would any question why? He'll just make his escape and no one will know.
Come on Campbell! You must do this!
His mind was trapped in that cave. Burrowed deep. He was suffocating. Their rotten hands grabbed at him. Tore at his clothes.
Did they put something in the food?
He was a man. He was a monster.
A woman. A monster.
His head was an explosion. Smoke choked his throat. What the hell was happening?!
Knock on the door of the locker. Enemies or friends
He punched her. She screamed.
It melded into the air like smoke.
He was being punched. His blood was splattered onto that man's clothes. Norton was trying to say something.
His head was a poisoned cocktail.
'Norton' was chasing a little girl. He was a hulking brute of a monster. No-
There was a monster behind Norton. A towering monster wearing the mask of a plague doctor. A nightmare turned real. A necklace with a purple gem inside.
Norton was on the ground. His precious blood decorating the ground like rubies.
Was this the end?
No.
NO
NO
NO
NO
This couldn't be the end! Not now! Not here! This couldn't be- THIS WASN'T THE END!
In the end, In his dying moments as the clock counted down, he was forced to face the truth.
It was all for nothing.
He could never escape. All his efforts. All his failures. Hard work only lets him be exploited by those who never worked a hard day's labour in their lives. Who saw his life and all the lives of his fellow miners as a tool to be used until they died.
Norton choked. On his own tears and his own blood.
In a way. He had become like that hadn't he? So desperate to break free of his own exploitation he used others…
A part of him, as the world started to fade away, felt relief. Perhaps this was atonement.
Still. Norton was a stubborn man.
Dying as some kind of atonement? That would never be enough.
The darkness of those mines wasn't enough to claim him! He, Norton Campbell, Battered and bleeding, Will find a way to survive! No matter what! He will survi
"Any survivors?"
"Just one so far…Hey! There's someone over there!"
The police officer ran over to the crumpled up figure lying beside the burnt remains of a tree. His metal helmet battered and bent beside him. Eyes once filled with undying determination were now hazy and lifeless. His blood had been reclaimed by the earth, or had dried and stained his green clothes.
"Isn't that-"
"The survivor of the mine accident? Looks to be. Wonder what he's doing in a place like this."
"Probably got lured here for the money." The sergeant shrugged. "Well. Clearly he's dead. Get the others to take him back and get a grave ready."
"What about his family-"
"He has none. Nor any friends. Not after that 'accident'." The sergeant patted the officers back. "Come on. We still haven't searched the entire area."
"Yes sir." The officer stares down at the body, before he reaches out and closes the body's eyes. He stands up, and hurries away.