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Dump Miner
- Chapter Fifteen
mariA finds out she is pregnant.
The dump miners wait their turn for the monthly confession in a long straight line. One by one, with their heads bowed, they wait outside the confessional. A door opens and as one miner exits, the next in line, mariA, walks up to the trough. The Bishop sits in a velvet chair behind a splatter guard. In front of the Bishop is a panel with three lights colored green, red, and yellow, much like a traffic light. mariA walks up to the trough, lifts her clothing and urinates into the receptacle. The light changes yellow and flashes.
Bishop Lamb:
Are you not feeling well?
mariA:
I am fine, your Holiness.
Bishop Lamb:
Stop by the infirmary and have a scan done.
mariA:
Yes, your Holiness
mariA exits and another miner enters and drops his pants and starts to urinate. The light turns greens and he leaves, the next miner walks in.
mariA shows up at the infirmary. She walks up the desk to Bill who is the technician on duty.
mariA:
I need to have a scan done. The Bishop sent me.
Bill picks up a thick paddle with a handprint on it.
Bill:
Place your hand on the outline.
mariA places her hand on the paddle. Bill looks at a monitor and reads from it.
Bill:
You are actually doing pretty well. Here is why the light was yellow, you are pregnant.
mariA:
That is impossible!
Bill:
Well, let’s do the scan again.
Again, mariA places her hand on the paddle. Bill looks at the screen.
Bill:
This confirms it. Your record states that you have been approved for a child. Is this unexpected?
mariA:
Oh my, yes.
mariA stands motionless and stunned with one hand over her mouth.
mariA:
You are sure?
Bill:
Yes.
mariA starts to cry and laugh at the same time.
Bill:
Are you all right?
mariA:
Yes.
Bill:
So this is good news?
mariA:
Yes. Yes. Oh Yes! It is a miracle!
mariA turns and exits the infirmary. She runs back to leO.
mariA:
It is the miracle you asked for.
leO:
What is that?
mariA:
I am pregnant.
leO stands and stares at mariA
leO:
mariA, are you sure you did not have intercourse with someone else? I would understand if you did.
mariA:
No leO, I have never been with any man. I have been by your side every conscious and unconscious moment.
leO:
Don’t lie to me!
mariA starts to cry.
No leO, it is a miracle.
leO:
Don’t mock my pain mariA!
mariA:
leO think. Why would I do this with? God must have touched me that night. “I am your God” that is what the voice said; “I am your God.” We prayed for a sign, this is a sign.
leO stares at her for a moment. And then drops to his knees.
leO:
Father, thank you, for answering our prayers; thank you for sending us our messiah. Amen.
leO looks up at mariA.
leO:
That must be it. He has answered my prayers it must be the second coming. Yes, the second coming from the depths of the bottom. The meek will inherit the earth.
leO starts to jump around the room. He runs over, grabs mariA, and hugs her.
leO:
mariA, he will deliver us from evil.
Two guards enter.
Guard:
mariA, the Bishop wants to see you. Let’s go.
leO starts to follow but one of the guard stops him.
Guard:
Where do you think you’re going?
leO:
With my wife and child.
mariA smiles at leO as the guard nods his head in frustration, then looking at his partner the guard speaks.
Guard:
It is not worth trying to figure out what he means, just let him come along.
The guards escort the two back to the Bishop’s quarters.
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