The Appalachian Company

Her wounds still fresh from the last skirmish, Isabella wore a weary look on her way back to the mines. To be fair, it was not just her. As she studied the look of the other workers walking down the carved out corridor in the mountain, she could see they were all the same. Exhausted. In pain. Yet still angry. A fight between the workers and the Blue Dogs could end in different feelings for workers. But always the same outcome: they lose.

This time, Isabella wanted the sting of utter defeat. She didn't want to start planning the next fight. Didn't want to feel the thumping of the billy clubs. Didn't want to feel the burn of the tasers. Didn't want to see the hope in her family's eyes. But defeat was not the feeling in the tunnel this morning. It was still anger.

The brawl that broke out just two days ago did not claim enough for defeat to set in amongst the group that kept the entire company going. Three years ago, Isabella can remember her grandmother consoling her family after a long-planned fight broke out. She lost her mom and uncle that day. The workers buried 212 of their own. Food rations were cut in half. And medical rations were not seen for another six months. Defeat was all anyone could feel.

The next day was Isabella's first day in the mines. The losses meant there were holes to fill in the work force. And the Blue Dogs filled those holes. Isabella, at 13, was drafted into the only job that anyone she had known had done. Except for Christian. But as soon as he left to join the Blue Dogs, she knew that she, indeed, had never known him.

The walk to the mines that day was a different kind of fear. This fear. This fear was because she knew what was coming. People had gotten bruises. But that was all. The Blue Dogs were out in force today. They knew what was likely to come as well. Usually, in the mornings, Isabella saw a tired, distracted guard at each checkpoint. Today, however, was different. Today there was someone about every 20 paces with a cluster at the checkpoints.

Things had to get called off. Now was not the time. She began to hurry up to Maddy.