Vozz Stabtoe's Arc

Chapter 8 of 8

Vozz returned to the mine entrance at first light, her pack heavy with new charges and her notebook filled with corrected calculations. She'd spent three nights reviewing what went wrong—the fuse length on the fourth charge had been cut too short, and she'd positioned it at the wrong angle against the rockface. This time she measured each placement against the diagrams she'd drawn, checking twice before setting anything down. The charges went in clean, spaced properly to push the rubble outward. She lit the fuses in sequence and backed away to the safe line. The blasts fired perfectly, each one following the last in a rhythm that shook the ground but held the tunnel steady. When the dust cleared, the entrance stood open and safe. Vozz wiped her hands on her pants and looked at the clear path she'd created. The work was done right this time, and everyone would see it. Rain started falling as she walked back to camp, thick drops that would soak her supplies if she didn't move fast. She spotted a trunk someone had left near the equipment shed—sturdy wood with brass latches and a thick rubber seal around the lid. Vozz grabbed it and loaded her remaining charges inside, checking that the seal held tight against the water. The trunk kept everything dry and ready for the next job. She carried it to her hut and set it by her workbench, next to the broken statue and the wind chimes made from twisted metal. Her charges were protected now. Her calculations were solid. The mine entrance stood open because she'd learned from her mistakes and done the work right. The Hunters would see what she could do, and they'd remember it. She needed a place to practice timing without risking another accident near the camp. Behind her hut, she found an old iron door half-buried in the hillside, covered in moss and dirt. Vozz cleared the entrance and pulled the door open. Inside was a stone chamber, deep enough to muffle sound and far enough from anything flammable. She carried her waterproof trunk down into the vault and set up a small workspace. Here she could light fuses, watch how they burned, and test her timing without anyone watching or worrying. The underground room gave her what she needed—a safe place to get better. The next morning, she built a rail from scrap wood and mounted painted blocks that could slide along it. She set the rail up outside the vault entrance and marked distances with stones. Each block became a target she could move closer or farther away. Vozz placed small charges at different points and watched how the force pushed the blocks down the rail. She measured everything, wrote it all down, and tested again. The work felt good. Each test taught her more about power and distance. When she finally packed up for the day, her notebook was full of new measurements. She had the tools now—the protected storage, the safe testing space, and a way to practice her aim. The Hunters would see her next job done perfectly, and they'd know she'd earned it through careful work.