The whole week went by like this and Michael was glad that Saturday had finally arrived and he could have a break. He looked forward to getting his hard-earned pay the next day.
Things at Cole's cabin were getting worse with the couple's arguments at night worsening.
"They're spiking up the price of the rations again! You have to tell Michael to leave!"
"Just for a few more days, Jessie. Please…"
Michael could not sleep and so decided to shave off the beard that had grown out ever since he had regained consciousness. But he constantly nicking himself with the blade because the arguments were not helping him focus. After he was done, he sat down on the couch with a sigh and jerked up when he heard the soft creak of a door. He thought that maybe Jessie was coming out to kick him out. Instead it was their son, Andy, who was rubbing his eyes and yawning. He made his way to the kitchenette and poured himself a glass of water. He saw the look of guilt on Michael's face.
"Mom doesn't like you. I sometimes think that she doesn't like dad anymore either. But don't worry," he smiled. "She's just grumpy nowadays. She's always arguing with dad about something."
With the little boy slowly walked back to his room and closed the door. I'm leaving tomorrow, he thought. Can't rely on other people when they've got bigger problems than me. I need to fix my problems by myself. Michael decided he would tell Cole after work tomorrow that he was leaving their cabin. He would get his weekly wages tomorrow and he would try to rent out a cabin somewhere in the lower levels of the city. If not, he would find some place in the destroyed city.
Tomorrow came and Michael was busy cutting away at the rocks, standing upon a jutting out rock platform, with a pickaxe. He was rapt in thought about how he was going to get the cabin and the more he thought about it the more paranoid he became about it. What if I don't get a cabin? He looked up to see two more people who had tied their bodies with ropes on supports on the ceilings while standing on wooden platforms. They were all cutting away at the rocks like him too. Michael was already beginning to feel tired. Boy, this is hard work.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of something snapping followed by a scream from above. He looked up to see the guy above him falling down. He had slipped off the platform and the support beam had snapped and bits of the wood fell down.
Michael reacted quickly. He grabbed at the rope as the guy fell away from his platform and braced himself by planting his feet behind one of the rocks at the edge. The rope went taut and the full weight of the fallen guy pushed him forward. He held on with his muscles straining hard to handle the force. He heard the guy shout out in pain she he collided against the platform wall. Michael moved away from the rocks and approached the edge of the platform. Michael could see that the guy was hurt but not hurt as badly as he would have if he had continued to fall down.
Michael lowered him down and the other miners at the bottom examined him. They called him down and praised him for his quick thinking.
"First week on the job and you're already a hero," said Cole patting him on the back. "Told you he was a great guy. He may have lost his memory but boy, he hasn't lost his bravery."
Michael noticed that guy who had fallen was a teenage boy like him. He was a tall, strong guy with straight, dark-brown hair and a moustache. He had a cut on the side of his head which glistened and had scraped his arms and legs badly against the wall when he had braced for impact. He looked up at Michael with a smile.
"Hey, thanks for the save. I could've been seriously injured if you hadn't saved me."
"And not for the first time," cut in Cole. "You could've broken your leg again. Or worse. You've got to be more careful, Chuck."
"Yeah, yeah. Hey, what's your name amnesia boy?" he asked referring to the nickname the miners in his group had given him. "Michael? My name's Chuck."
"You can do all this later, boys," said Cole. "We've got to get back to work. The boss is going to cut our weekly wages if we slack off."
They all got back to work. It was late in the afternoon when their shift had ended. Michael made his way wearily towards the exit when he was stopped by Chuck. He had been pondering whether or not he should tell Cole that he was leaving today. His mind was tired and the thought of roaming around the city and looking for a place to stay was looking daunting. Maybe tomorrow? He thought. Maybe a few more days. But then he thought about the problems that Cole was going through with his family. No, don't be selfish. You have to look for your own place.
"Hey, amnesia boy," he called out and Michael stopped as he approached him. "Why do you look so tense?"
"Oh, it's nothing," said Michael.
"C'mon, tell me. You've been like that for the whole day today. What is it? Maybe I could help you with it?"
Should I tell him? Michael thought. Maybe he'll know a cheap place to stay in.
"Yeah, actually. I'm having some trouble with finding a place to stay in," Michael replied.
"Oh, I thought you were staying at Cole's?"
"Yes, but I can't stay there forever. I need to get a place of my own."
Michael could see Chuck considering something before a smile formed on his face. "How about you move in to my cabin? We can split the rent, 50/50. I'm in a bit of a pickle myself with all the financial stuff but if we split the cost then that would work out fine for us. We can be roommates."
Michael considered it. That means I can save up money to repay Elena back faster.
"You won't mind?" asked Michael.
"Not at all. The place is a bit cramped but nothing we can't handle. Come on, get your things from Cole, we'll head to my place."
Michael, followed by Chuck, made his way to the Cole's cabin where he told him that he was moving into Chuck's cabin.
"Michael, you don't have to," he protested which was followed by glares from his wife. "Really we don't have any problem with you. You can stay for another week so you can afford your own place."
"Thanks for the offer, Cole, but I have to refuse," Michael turned to Jessie. "Thanks for looking after me and thanks for the wonderful food Mrs. Jessie." She did not say anything and only scoffed at him as if she expected him to do much more, like kneel down in front of her.
Michael grabbed his stuff and offered him a few hitlers from the money he had received which Cole reluctantly accepted. He headed out where Chuck was waiting for him.
"That's all the stuff you got?" he asked. "Oh right, you don't remember from where you are. Well, let's get going."