(GE Copy)

Chapter 12: The Back of the Fridge (Part 1)

“I cannot remember where He came from, though one day, fallen into mine lap amidst a haze and gripped me whole in my bondage. He would never harm nor hurt me, nor betray nor slay me and yet he vanished one day...”

Sun poured in through the cracks in the blinds onto Sophie’s kitchen table. Aaron had finally scrounged up what he could for his next self study. Within the metal chamber, the echoing rattles and clanks made a satisfying rhythmatic pulsation. It was like watching two tops spin in a shallow bowl, but without loosing their momentum. “Thanks Sophie,” Aaron gratified, intrinsically fixated on the container. “It’s great to work with these things. I know I’m not the guy your dad wishes I could be, but just having these as is, is more incredible than fidgeting with circuitry boards.” Watching the two pieces interact. Their pivots and contractions were like a dance between two sloppy partners, trying to comprehend how they took their turns to the other. “When I was a kid, I’d roll balls around in the bathtub to watch them roll around the edges... Or down the drain. This is like a big boys’ version of that.”

“I’m all for studying interaction” Sophie assured on her way to the living room section. “But you’re at the point of just being entertained by them.” Then falling into the couch.

“I’m learning...” Aaron defended, far too distracted by his eyes to take offence. “From the density, to the resistance. Each force within them, colliding at different points like a consistent ripple of magnetic energy that is chaotic yet somehow still solidly absolute. Makes a guy want more...”

“There is something to be said about the iron being hot...”

“I wonder sometimes, if I’m just slow to make that iron hot...” His unwavering eyes glued onto their strangely unorthodox interactions. “The world always wants to rush me, like I’m supposed to know what I’m supposed to do already, before I’m even set up to do anything about it... How do you feel about a second round?” Noting the lack of connection between his words and her response. “You know, crawl the hillside, scoop out another handful of gems?”

“Pass.” Sinking herself lower into the couch out of sight. “My idea of an adventure is going somewhere new, and that’s a lot of walking just to find new ground. You know where it is...”

“I know what’s between me and getting there...” Finally looking elsewhere. “Can, I borrow that flashy remote your dad gave you?”

“Is Zack still being a bitch?...”

“I’m gonna take that as a no.” Aaron complained, walking over to her. “I’ll go check on him before noon...” Resting himself over top the couch’s spine, confronting her for an answer.

“Well, if you need something to defend yourself with, I can see what I have laying around.” While safeguarding her handheld stunning device. “Since the encounter of the abnormal verity, I’ve been instructed to keep this flashy universal remote with me at all times...”

“Come on, the copyright isn’t that strong on that sentence. And what about yesterday?” Leaning down towards her. “You forgot it on top of the kitty litter container and your feline harem almost got to see what setting eight did by making the garage into one room again.”

“I don’t go around harassing you when your shirt’s on backwards.” Pointing at him.

Checking his shirt’s orientation, “Right,” Aaron stood to the false alarm. “Well drop me what you got,” Picking up his metallic gemstone container. “I’ll find somewhere these two things aren’t gonna cause a nuclear meltdown... Or a perpetual energy machine without me. I’d like to be credited for the latter one if it does.”

“Feel free to drop me some samples when you find them.” Sophie begged, Peeking up from the back of the couch. “I might make it worth your while.”

Just down the road from the power transformer, Aaron made a left into the hideaway street of Tomlin. In it’s mixture of low and high end homes, there was one just on the bottom of the hill that stuck out as particularly vintage with it’s wood siding and trim but only along the side facing the street. It’s overgrowth of evergreens made it dark, with a patchy green lawn, that wasn’t worth the watering it got. It was mostly in need of sod at this point.

Aaron gave the door a firm knocking. He had bad memories of the door knocker, and the sound it made. Loud, but muffled to the inside and utterly light weight. Hard on the hands to use, frankly it was awkward no matter what way you whacked it. Waiting outside, Aaron passed the time wishing they’d install a doorbell, and contemplating how much of a fool he looked like standing there. The door opened, thankfully retreating him from the appearance of a persistent solicitor. “Aaron, I just washed the carpets,” The mother answered, her hair half fixed with a look of annoyance. “Can you leave your shoes outside?”

Always prim, and proper. The dim lit interior of wood panel walls and grey carpet wasted the effort of the woman’s compulsive cleanliness. The ancient wood dresser by the wall still reeked of age, and oil with the marbled jar of recycled thrift store candles oozing out onto it’s surface. Paintings were hung that could scarcely be made out in the day light hours, and seldom any better when the candles were lit. On the side he could see a worn cable peeking out from the carpet that was abused many times, and never mentioned in case it sparked another vase to be thrown. Aaron could remember that night, it was the only night she ever let it slip. She appeared tepid on the outside to anyone she could fool, but everyone could always tell something went on under the prestige of her complexion, where there was a plethora to hide. Aaron nudged the cord of the old house under the rug as he knocked on Zachery’s door, hiding the loose thread from the Turkish carpet before it was seen while he waited.

Zack popped open the door, surprised as his mother often lacked to mention when company arrived, thinking it was her to bother him again. “Huh, that was you. Mom doesn’t usually knock, so...”

“How’s it going?”

“Researching squirrels.”

“Cool. How do you feel about going rock hunting?”

“I’d rather go dung farming in a Carolina Reaper field and get paid by the pound.” The silence between them held awkwardly until Zack realized that the crude delivery bounced right off the salesmen at his door. “Dude, you need a rest from this shit, I... Need a rest from this shit. You know how many freaky ass freaking everything’s have been crawling up our rectums lately? And not just in the infinite bullshit realm either! Do I have to list them off?”

“You really don’t have to...”

“Squirrels, armadas, you’ve taken a few trolls, battle-hungry seven dudes, mother thuckling aliens, IN broad daylight!...”

“You’re still sore about the probing thing, aren’t you?” Smirking smugly.

“Are you even listening?” Gripping Aaron by the shoulder. “That shit is real, it’s oozing out of the freaking framework like a horror movie, and the only reason I’m still alive is because I’m a virgin!”

“You’re also a lot more wh...”

“There is nothing you can say to get me to chase whatever dragon you’ve got hiding under your nose.”

Pulling the crystal up from his bag, Aaron held it in front of him. “There are more of them...” Catching Zack’s immediate attention.

“More... Of them?”

“More than I can carry of them, ‘more of them’...” Stooping Zack’s face to the contortions of dried up baboon. “Sophie took what few she could carry in her dinky ass plastic bag before it ripped open, and there’s more. They’re fresh, grew out of old mining cuts off of the mineral they were harvesting, so it’s loaded, and all dug out for us.”

“What’s the catch?”

“No catch,” Leaning on the door casing. “It’s trail blazed from here to there. The freaks there are terrified of these things and won’t come near us. It’s the...” Gripping the bridge of his nose. “Fuck if I’m butchering this, the ‘Caltons’ that it emits or something. It’s a freaking jackpot!”

“Freaks?... Big, stony eyed, teeth like a paid lawyer, claws lurking in the shadows kinda freaks?”

Tiring of Zack’s constant questioning, “Fist sized made of rock, ‘kick them with your shoe’ freaks.” Looking behind Zachery at the well lit contrast of his computer monitor. “Oh... She’s cute...”

“Please ignore that you saw that...” Trying to block the view

“What’ve been up to bud?”

“Researching squirrels, in secret!” Continuing to move in synchronicity with Aaron's curious wobbles.

“I can see that...”

“Someone else has to have noticed this shit, I mean, Sophie knew about it... That’s not a strong lead, but someone else has to have discovered it... When I was on, I just happened to stumble onto something weird and found out there is an entire subculture devoted to them.”

“Like tinfoil hat subculture?”

“No... More...” Looking back into his room. “...More like never had a girlfriend, and also your in your thirties kind of subculture... Look, it’s for research.”

“Again... I can see that...”

“I’m about to look up the squirrel related mortality rates in Norwalk Wisconsin and Lafayette Park, Washington between 1969 and 1971 in like two seconds from now; I know what you’re thinking, ‘is it the Washington state or the city?’ I haven’t figured that one out yet... You just caught me at a very... Very, awkward moment that I’d like to close out of tab before someone thinks I’m one of...” Looking back with his thumb drawn towards it. “One of them.” Before hastily jumping to his computer and switching browser tabs.

“You got like fourteen more years before you gotta worry about that. Come on, get your boots on.”

Making quick jotting of his notes before removing his browsing history, Zack gathered his things and made for the door. Standing by it, his mother crowed out. “If my kid acts up, you have permission to beat him...”

Zack waving her off, muttered under his breath to Aaron. “You know, it’s so much cuter when your mom says it.”

“Only coz it’s not you that’s getting threatened.”

Down past the old corner store, slash automotive, slash garden store, then corner store slash fried chicken place, to whatever it is now, Zachery got to wondering. And yes that’s actually a real place in Summerland. “You know... I’ve been thinking. Scary thought right?... But, ‘bout this, why exactly is Sophie making like a hoser on this one if it’s so great?”

“Said she gets bored really easily, already got her paycheck. Probably melded with the couch by now.”

“Happens when you take off, eh?” Playing his first doubt card.

From Aaron’s place, he caught his Father having an after work cup of liquid bread. The smell of fresh cut grass would be nice without all the homeless bugs protesting in front of their breathing space. He waved the boys off, as Aaron made up the hill with a bag of supplies. A handy thing to have this time around. Something about the youthful adventure filled old Paul up with pride, as his boy was off to explore the world and learn an earnest hobby. After all, a trip in the woods doesn’t end up with a call from the local authorities. Not usually anyway, what could go wrong?

It was sad to say, but there was becoming a deer trail between them and the portal, where many feet made a visible cut to guide them onto terror. Sure enough overhead came the overhang of glaring eyes, and a barrage of objects. They even developed supply routes for the errand boys to collect up ammunition against them. There was even an abandoned birds nest, repurposed into an out stretched treetop battlement. It was just a matter of time until the check stops were introduced, with armed guards and an active customs lawyer.

You’d think at this point that behind the scenes, that I had a recent bad experience with lawyers recently or something. In truth, I’ve been rather lucky. Knock on wood and all that, like the acorns pelting off Zachery’s head... But I don’t feel like editing that remark out, so here is a twenty second waste of your day instead, free of charge. You’re welcome.

“Squackyu! Squackyu!” Aaron cried, trying to remember Sophie’s exclamations... More like ‘Fuck you!’ of course, said in squirrel tongue; but from their furious furry faces, you could tell what it meant.

Running until salvation beyond the last stretch, they made it to safe ground “I feel great!” Zachery stood tall. Scraped and bruised. “It’s like hopping into cold water, once you get it over with, pleasant swim for the next fifteen twenty minutes until the pain kicks in...”

Panting, Aaron remarked. “If I have to say ‘hi’ to them one more time,” Catching his breath. “I’m gonna call the exterminator branch of that ‘two guys’ franchise...” Singing their theme song “250-494-Someone’s ’bout to loose their shit... F**k!”

Past the creek and to the right, through the swamp and around the lake, they came onto the pass. Aaron retrieved a blocky wrist strap that had a thick dangling wire. Sophie was efficient, but not very clean with her solder work. Oh well, any weapon would be appreciated in the time of need. When it activated the wire sparked. He was hoping for more of a science-y, convert photons into pure debilitating pain, or discharge an energy that fooled blood into clotting. You know, something to take the edge out of combat. That ‘top shelf’ alien hardware stuff, not this shit.

“So, what’s with the armaments?” Zack questioned, as two harpies dive bombed him from above. Aaron took to whacking them with the electrified taser whip until they fucked off laughing. “You told me they were fist sized, and highly kick-able. All I got was wrinkly old saggy bird tit in my face.”

Well, not everything we miss out on is a bad thing.

Reaching the open adit, Zachery looked up, grimly commenting. “I’d hate to be sitting there during spring runoff.” Peeking wearily through the hole in the wood cover. “Worst place to sit is under one of these things when it’s wet or raining... Even a gravel roof can be safer.” Until moving past it for the safety of the mountain weighing overhead. “Got an oxygen meter?”

“Sophie scouted it down quite a ways before hers went off,” Passing the flashlight onto Zachery, “I’m gonna assume it covers other noxious gasses too.”

“Man they got quite the muster point in this thing. They have a diagrams around here?” Zack questioned, looking around the stone carved service post. “Mineral surveys?... Elevation reports?”

“None in English. The office has them in space tongue or something. We couldn’t make out anything.”

“Pictures?”

“What kind of book do you think this is? National Geographic?” (Please don’t sue)

“I don’t know, you tell me quite the story; my heels are already aching and I’m running blind... So, don’t split up looking for clues now. What the hell’s that noise, anyway?” Hearing a clicking. Aaron rushed into his sack, trying to grab a repellent. He never thought they’d be this close to the entrance.

From above, the rock fell. “Shit? Gravel roof might not be so safe after all” Zack recalled, looking down. “That roof ain’t too stable.”

“It’s the freaks.”

“The kickable things?” Witnessing the living stone squirm around. Zack smirked, giving it a boot. “Smarts!” He cursed, at it’s hard body against his foot. A hard body that had not rolled aside but clung to the surface as though permanently welded. In fact it’s disappearance began to worry him. Feeling the swishing movement of blood pump up his leg, then to the rest of him as the creature squirmed around in Zack’s body. “AH, EEE, OOO EEE OHH AAAH! EaaaGH... Is that it?...” Watching the worm retract in satisfaction before Aaron could finally reach Zack with the crystalline bug spray “I better not piss blood after that...” It waddled with a pleased saunter. The rest of the worms left Zack alone, aiming towards Aaron. Still not getting close to him with the gemstone in his hand, but Zachery was no longer a concern of theirs.

“I’m not letting them have their way with me...” Aaron asserted.

“Feels nice... Not while they’re doing it to you, but... Refreshing. Like a trip to the dentist.” Looking at his lower regions. “That’s not a description I want to use for that part of my body... Like a... Full bladder cleaning. That’s not any better.”

“Alright Immunity ‘X’ lets find the pay dirt and clean out of here...”

Cross hall, and beaten stairwell, they popped off what few crystals were left along the way this round. They hugged the wall, making it across the short end of the pond down below, to cross dry and unscathed. They came through an open hall and could see the first real sheen of hope. “You had me going for a while.” Zack chummed, gandering at all the gleaming glints of giant geoangongalas. “All those shortcomings, and minuscule prizes felt like my leg was being twisted for being a pack mule...” Barely tripping on the deathtrap waste pile of scrap wood and metal. “So... What do you suppose made the miners leave? If these worms are mostly harmless, something, somewhere must have drove them out of here...”

“Zack,” Aaron gripped his face, in his palm “Please... If I EVER hear something that makes that much sense again, I think I’m going to shit myself, and then cut off my pickie.” Creasing his eyes. “If you think of something like that, please... Leave me in the dark about it.”

Finally, laid out before him, Zachery could meet with whatever records were left in the overview of the office. Under the stack heap of parchment, laid more untouched documents. Still of the same undecipherable chicken scratch, but with less dust and surface ware. “You’re right, shit’s alien as fuck.” In his attempt to logistify the outlines.

“Don’t think we really need a diagram, or a map to tell us where to go looking” Aaron admired from the window. The seams shining with an infantile layer of crystal growth “But, there you are; As requested, that’s the paperwork.”

“Their equipment back here is freaking crap man.” Gandering between the frail wooden handles and the stern iron that had degraded with a soft blue blistered coat upon the iron “What even are these?” The light fur filings fluttering down from the eroded steel in clumps.

Aaron withdrew a short grub hoe from his backpack, an intermediate size for gardening that barely fit in the rucksack for the ride here. Then a hammer and of all things, an actual rock chisel. It’s amazing the tools people collect over the decades, or find bulk in garage sales. Thankfully, Aaron dropped Zack his share of the workload, and led the way out with a free labourer.

They came upon the seam previous, the one with the large cluster. They shattered frequently with Aaron’s inexperience wielding these heavy tools. --Spoiler: The wrong tools for this application... Then onto another seam that he noticed along the intended walkway. The scraps they got were still pretty, with even a few undamaged points. Some with multiple points. Zack took an instant aptitude to removing them without a break but Aaron believed there had to be a butter-zone for a clean removal with less useless dirt and rock attached, taking up space to drag home with them.

Aaron lamented, as another piece snapped with much left clinging to the rocky matrix. Zack turned to him, “Doesn’t matter I suppose. It’s all usable. Right?” Comforting his bud.

“Yeah...” Taking the piece into his hands, to assess the undesirable fracture to it’s base. “Was it your uncle Eddie, or Steve that told you about this prospecting stuff?”

“Eddie was the sharp chinned guy who was into larger chicks and banking. I don’t like Steve. Granddad on my Father’s side worked the coal mines at the age of ten, setting charges. It’s a different era for sure; just whoever you could hire, or get a penny to feed your family right? He had a friend who became a teacher in Westbank, and they’d instill with me what they could... You know, in between reminiscing and getting distracted. You won’t see too many people looking up to the older generation for knowledge anymore. Although, I wasn’t thrilled by it, I’m glad I had that in my upbringing, something basic and down to earth. Boring as heck, but... Part of me enjoys getting to put that knowledge to actual work... If, you know, finally... And reluctantly.” Pulling out another perfectly preserved crystal “Damn what a payout too though, right?”

“I will admit, it’s a lot better than the shit they teach in Social Studies? When am I going to use my knowledge of John A’s favourite cut of beef in any practical sense?” Reaching out, Aaron requested the specimen, and poured over it, analyzing how it was extracted.

“Kinda wish I paid more attention to Grandpa. I mean, Mr Hardt is still around but... Age... Severely. Sure like to make that a chapter of my life. Where there aren’t a bunch of creatures preying on the helpless and the highschoolers. Depends on what we find, I guess... Might take up being an adventurer after all, if we just had a bad couple of run ins. This is a whole lot more enjoyable than the usual crap.”

“It’s what keeps me going... You sure didn’t want to come along.” Aaron heckled, hacking away at the stone again.

“It was the same with you once upon a time; though, that’s a while back. Something you said kinda caught me for a while, about being passionate. Sure is easy to talk yourself out of it. No one wants all that bad shit to happen... Guess I’m still fighting it inside too. I want this, to be here... But the scars make it hard to get back into it. Kinda feels like everyone’s done that lately... And me...” Zack paused, inspecting the facets in the gemstone until the words would come to him drearily. “I feel like I’m closing that gate forever, at least, until I finally dip my fingers back in and remember what was so cool about it all. I like this a lot. I don’t know Aaron, what would it be like if all this was just a memory to tell people about and never get the opportunity to be back here again.”

“It’s kinda like getting to enjoy that moment is what made that memory what it was, right?”

“Not much life just thinking and talking about the past if it wasn’t worth anything to begin with...” Zack said awkwardly. “I’m not the best with being open, when it flows it comes out like a faucet and I just feel embarrassed to have said half that shit... But, you’re my bro as much as I know. Every word spouts out, making me feel shit that embarrasses me, feeling so much better that I did. I feel...”

“Alive...” Aaron answered ahead of time. “I feel alive anyway.” He defended his interruption, and in the silent response he continued. “But, it’s like weights stacked ten feet tall just to open my mouth... I don’t know why, I wish the weights weren’t there. Like, saying what’s on our minds isn’t very mature, or something.”

“That’s just all the emos.” Zack chuckled. “But yeah, I hear it. Worst part is I listened to them too. People like those attention horse loner wannabes; a loner ain’t a loner coz it’s fashionable, he hates social interaction not craves it. Best I’ve come to understand at least. Always gotta set the trend to make up for their mundane lives, bares nothing on what they glorify it to be. Social rules, stipulations from narcissism, etiquette made by children. We’re freaking twelve years old in the courtyard making up larping games during recess, then four, five years later here we are like it’s law and bloody order with no one else giving a shit but us... And some never growing up.”

“Yeah...” Feeling guilty for his past.

“My favourite part about all of this is the seclusion... The solitude. Who’s gonna shame us here, really?...”

“I wish it were that simple for me.” Aaron admit. “No matter what I do, it feels like someone’s watching me. Can’t take a shit without worrying there is a bug judging how I wipe.” Giving his poor weak hands a rest from the exertion and vibrations.

Zachery took a break, and shook his head. “That’s kinda been irking me for a while... Actually” Zack admit. “What happened to that? I really don't know what I awoke in you that night. Kinda scares me. You’re making leaps and bounds, outgrowing me, almost carelessly confident. Like... I had no idea going up Giant’s Head if our folks would know and beat us senseless, if we'd actually gain anything, or just be mimicking the kids on TV. I just saw something I thought would be cool, and went for it, tired of being tied down... But now...”

“That’s it, though, isn't it?” Aaron replied, eyes dancing over his prizes. “That’s why we did it.”

“But for you, it went further.”

“I got out of my comforts, they held me back.” Putting the stones in his pocket. “One thing leads to another and now I'm free to think again. Kinda... Like it used to be back in the day. I’m not that scared obedient little rabbit I became over nothing.”

“That’s the thing though. It's getting scarier. The more I see, the more I realize just how deep it gets... Then I see you, with such balls.”

“Sure, we’ll go with that.” Picking up his tools again.

“You scared me Aaron... You really scared me. I don’t know what came over you, watching this squeemy little dweeb worrywart with his own arbitrary social standards turn into a headstrong thrill seeker, but after a while I kinda appreciate it. You have the courage I wish I had.”

Taking a swing for his next pocket filler, “Is that what you see?” Cracking the rock around it. “That’s just the outside... Most of it, that you don’t get to see, are the battles I face inside. What you think you see, is when I finally make it around. I have the motivation and a million excuses not to do something...” Putting a little extra clout into his pick. “It’s to the point that I’m not even sure if it’s an excuse just to want to see the world but... It’s that aliveness that I feel that makes it worth while. The guilt of screwing up makes that choice ten times harder to make. What usually make things even worse is when I take a stand.” Smacking the wall hard enough to rattle his hands and drop the tool on the ground. “...And there’s no one to blame but me.” His voice trembling in the pain and frustration. Aaron Rubbed the feeling back into his hands.

“I know that feeling very intimately...” Zack Sympathized. “Too intimately. Feels like every day it ties me down to the bed, helplessly in fear. I think everyone’s afraid of something, probably. People learn a whole lot in their lives, but it’s another thing doing what you know. Like knowing there is a reward that makes all the work in between easy... And actually getting around to doing it are separate wagons. It’s hard to Shower some times, working for a check, step away from a drama... Go for a walk, even things you normally love doing; hanging out with people you care about... Yeah...” Thinking about it. “You’re like a bad luck magnet for shit happening.”

“And you’re the one saying all this shit at the wrong time.” Aaron smirked.

“HA! Yup,” Zack chummed. “But that last remark about what drove the miners away... Tell me, did anything happen then? I’m not that unlucky...” Resting his tool against the wall “Anyway, I gotta piss.”

“Take one for me while you’re at it. I gotta grab this thing before I forget about it.” Returning to the gem in the weakened casing. Aaron hoped that it would make loose of the holdings without damaging the internals of the glimmering paycheck. It kinda worked but the wiggle room would not budge any more, even after fidgeting with it, until regardless it snapped off in his hands anyway. Once again, with the stem fused to the wall and a fractured transparent pecker rolling in his hands. Still usable, but Aaron felt dismayed about his comparatively vast ineptitude and half sized earnings. If not for the abundance of test subjects, he was considering to taking a course from Zachery who’s skills outranked his own by miles now. Even if it did come with the extra weight in ugly rock to drag home.

In the corner of his eye he saw something. It couldn’t be Zack, unless he had wandered around the bend. Probably should have set some standard for buddy system rules but after the last remark it felt awkward. Aaron increasingly felt that he’d be regressing on that manliness if he stipulated how him and his friend should behave like a rule pusher.

It waddled; a short shadow in the dark pitch. Aaron moved his lantern towards it to gauge his company. And there he saw it, without a care that he was there. It looked up at Aaron, shrugged it off then went back to it’s work. Walking by with a massive fucking dump truck. “Holy shit...” Aaron wiped his eyes, as it’s caboose flopped like the train had faulty wheels. “Sophie was right... An actual butt gremlin. No wonder people worship these things. They probably pray to never see it again, it’s fucking hideous.”

“Aaron?” Zack called out from the dark. “We should make some standard rules for being down here alone. Being as it’s a freaking cave, and I can’t find where you went off too... I’m alone aren’t I?... Damn it, something probably ate him, which mean’s it’s after me next... Should never have said I’ll be right back... Gonna be really embarrassing if you’re just out there listening to my rambles Aaron!”

“I’m fine.” Reassuring Zack of his discomforts. “Just... In shock is all.”

“Shock of what?” Following the voice to the light source. In the dark he could hear the distinct flapping flatulence of a gaseous fart. “Aaron?...” Approaching him quickly.

“I’d rather not see that thing again...” Watching yet another, more skinny butt gremlin walk by. “Oh, good... They’re just unique.” Relieved as the ass of this gremlin was practically sucked inside and washboard flat. Still, unpleasantly clothed, but less traumatizing.

“At least they’re punt-able if they start getting aggressive...” Watching the skinny schmuck piece the foreign tongue together as an insult, he returned with a universal sign for ‘up yours’ and walked on with his day. “Right, keep my tongue under wraps... So, these guys... You don’t suppose they made that office, do you?”

“Abandoned, and three times larger than them.” Aaron shook his head. “Probably couldn’t even reach the door handle. Sophie said it was space dude language. Maybe they just moved on and these guys took over...”

“HOLD ON! I got an idea.” Zack mentioned, grabbing the light and making way. He came back rather abruptly. “We have one light, right? Then, come on, keep up. I’m not leaving you in the dark.” In the top of the office, he retrieved a paper, one that he left as it’s information looked distinctly useful. Within the chambers, was three gremlin workers. Stopping to bother them, they gathered around to Zachery’s display. One of them studied it rather fondly, rubbing the fine limp degraded paper like an aged American one dollar bill. He nodded, picking it out of Zachery’s hands, folding it carefully three times until a manageable corner of the map could be seen. Then proceeded to pleasantly wipe his ass with it. “Nope, wudn’t them.”

Aaron tight lipped wanting to say ‘if not them, then who cleared out of the mine...’ but didn’t really want to jinx and incur it’s wrath.

Zack forfeit. “I think we should keep the rest of the documents somewhere safe and out of reach in case they’re still of any use to us.”

“That or keep the door closed...” Aaron remarked as the workers moved back; they hacked away at the stone for who knows what. Really, it was just regular boring ass stone.

Between the two rock faces of this branch of the cave they could find a path out. It was large, and around it’s corner was a gathering of glowing encampments that spawned a large distance. Something someone could get lost in. On their other side, they saw a tall cavernous passage onto a stairwell. The stairs looked to take them lower but from here it was hard to tell just how far down if not infinitely. Aaron was certain how to get in and out from here to the surface, so he was getting cocky. Pulling out his chalk he marked the entrance with an arrow just higher than the gremlins could reach should someone feel the need to foil him. Fascinated, Zack took comfort in being able to find their way back home and followed the first time tour guide.