the beginning

It all started years ago. Deep in the bowels of the coal mine .No one ever did find out what happened …but I know.” Marcus let out a large wet belch and sat back in his chair eyeing the youth across the table from him with narrowed eyes. The youth seemed interested but not enough perhaps to buy another round. Marcus had to throw a bit more fuel on the fire to get what he wanted,
         “No one has ever gone back down of course. well no one has ever came back.  I figure you’re trying to do some digging, eh? Try to figure out what happened all dem years ago? Well we know better then to go poking around in there…that place is cursed” Marcus took a last swig from his mug and slammed it on the table. He looked at the youth waiting for some kind of reaction and was disappointed with the lack there of.
         “ I can tell you what happened my boy but it’ll cost ya. Not much I aint greedy but I ain’t free neither.” He nodded and sat back once again waiting for his reply .
The youth sighed slightly under his breath and pulled out his wallet. He took a crisp 20 from with in its folds and placed it on the table.
         “ I suppose I could spare a 20 for a good story. What’ll it be old man? Beer whiskey?”
The old man rubbed his chin and eyed the 20 on the table with suspicion.
         “for 20 why not do both. I’ll take a whiskey strait and a pint of the good stuff. You got young bones why dontcha head on over the bar and fetch us some drinks.” The youth stood and the old man tipped his chair back slightly dismissing the youth with a nod.
         When the drinks were served and Marcus had finished his whiskey he began the story.
         “‘Bout 40 years back I’d say this here was a booming town. The coal mine was rich with ore and there was work for all. No one complained and even the town drunk was a friendly sort. It lasted for about 4 years I reckon then the incidents began. Things started going a bit wonky. The heat kept on rising but it seemed to be coming from underground. The mines were the first to get hit. The temp rose higher everyday until no one could stand to go down any more. Then all the pipes began to melt. People started leaving after that. No one could explain it. Some one had the bright idea that we had dug too far down and were inches from uncovering lava the rest of us knew it was the devil trying to break outta hell. No one wanted to stick around expect for a few of the hard cores. Me being one of em. We’d put on our protective gear and go as far in as we could. We tried cutting into the rock sideways instead of down but it was no use. After a few weeks it was too damned hot to go any where near the place. Many families were already making plans to leave but one night all the plans had been cut short. ‘bout three in the morning it was if I recall. It started with this strange rumbling sound, the ground began to shake something awful. Suddenly the sky lit up as a tower of fire was shot into the sky from the very mining pit we’d shut down two days before on account of the heat. It’s be pretty if it wernt so damned frightnin. Luckily it was far from town so the damage not as bad as it could a bin. But it scared the piss outa all  them families. They fled that very night. By mornin there was only 10 of us left in the town. We’re lifers you see …no crazy fire’s gonna run us off. But the mine was sealed and no one had the guts to reopen it. We stayed ‘cause we had no place else to go. Little by little the heat started to going but the fear of the place never went away. Some times late at night when the tourists have all gone. There are strange sounds to be heard all around the place. Sounds no human could make. One stupid son bitch tried going back. He sauntered into town all fancy and “scientific’” listened to the story all bright eyed and bushy tailed.  We warned em not to go in there alone but he said he didn’t believe in curses. He left first thing in the morning ...wandered over to the mine. His car is still here to this day…but wa aint seen em leave the place. that was bout three years ago. You can imagine it ain;t made any of feel any easier bout living so close. But we’re lifers, nothin short of wiping us is gonna get us to leave. No surrey bob.” Marcus took another swig of his beer and looked at the youth to gage his reaction. But the kid just sat there looking at him with a look of something bordering on disgust. He stood, thanked Marcus for the story and made his way out of the pub.
         “What a load of crap” he mumbled under his breath as he crossed the street and let himself into the tiny box they had the gall to call a room. It was hardly big enough for the single bed and dresser, off to the left a small closet which held a tiny toilet and a stand up shower . there was no sink perhaps they assumed hand washing was done only during showers.
         “How did I get myself into this mess?” he asked out load.  And threw himself onto the bed. He searched for a remote control only to realize that there was none. The television was so old he was not even surprised when it turned out to be black and white as well as knob operated. He took out his lap top and began his personal journal.

         “Day one.
I have arrived in the tiny town of Micore only a few hours ago and already I am itching to leave. The accommodations are…questionable at best. The locals are unimaginative and dull and the weather is nearly unbearable. How people can live here is beyond me. One local decided that he would honor me with tales of the caves and what a crock. Sounds entirely made up just to scare the tourists. If there were in fact any tourists. As if an explosion from 30 years ago is a curse. Then one crazy comes to town and suddenly the cave is haunted? Really people. I guess when you’ve got nothing better to do…any way enough of my own personal grievances.  Tomorrow I will be heading down to the site. After so many years there has to be some kind of entrance to the place. I’m hoping to find something that will make this trip worth it. While the assignment is purely scientific what I’m hoping for if to find are some minerals…pricey minerals . After all , some of the old mans story is true. There was an extremely unusual heat wave here about 36 years ago. And given the circumstances it is possible. Who know whats been going on down there. What gasses could have been released. I can’t wait to get started.”
         Dorian


Dorian closed his lap top and slipped it into his bag. He stretched out until his feet hit the opposite wall and settled in to sleep.
         His dreams were erratic and dark. He kept finding himself in dark corridors. All around him the heat was unbearable and there was something in the dark with him. Something big, some thing with teeth.
         Dorian woke with a start and tumbled out of the bed. His brow beaded with sweat and his heart pounding. He reached for the alarm clock and found the time to be 6:00 am. Far too early he told himself as he lifted himself onto the bed once more. Sleep eluded him so he decided that the earlier he starts the sooner he could leave.
         After a quick shower and an even quicker meal, Dorian set off into town to get supplies. 
         Due to years of neglect there was simply no way to get to the site by car. He went as far as possible which was about half way. With a sigh he got out of the car, loaded his back pack and started the hike that took nearly three hours.
         He was exhausted by the time he got there, cursing under his breath at every obstacle in his way, He sat on one of the huge boulders marking what was once the enterence to the mine. Dorian pulled out his lunch and the lap top. Built up a tiny fire and set up his tent. It wasn’t to be a long trip, he had brought enough food for 2 days, 3 if he really pushed it.
         When the tea was ready Dorian took out his lap top and made another entry.
         

“Day 2
         Though the journey has been hard I find myself quite peaceful here. The growth in this area is quite remarkable. If I didn’t know any better I would think that I was in a jungle!  There are more plants here then any other part of the desert that I have seen so far. There must be some kind of stream around here. After lunch I plan to do a bit of exploring. I am hoping that I can find some kind of cave-in that can lead me down below.  I say a few areas that seemed promising on the way here and I will have to map them properly. For now I suppose all I can do is hope for the best.

He tucked the computer into the backpack and tossed it into the tent, then set off exploring. After what seemed like hours of cutting through foliage and tripping over hidden boulders Dorian final found what he was looking for. Hidden beneath a large bush was a small hole just big enough for Dorian to fit through. It seemed promising so Dorian marked it on his map and made his way back to camp.
         He built up the fire. Made himself some dinner and watched as the sun set over the ‘jungle’ as he had named it.
         Morning found Dorian stretched out from tip to tip in the tent. The morning sun was warm and Dorian smiled as he felt it on his face and arms. He filled the kettle, ate a quick breakfast, and packed his back pack with supplies for the day. Grabbed his hardhat and headed to the entrance he had found.
         The first half the day went by in quiet exploration. The cave he had found did indeed lead into the under ground structure that was once a mine. After several hours of marking paths that lead to dead ends, Dorian returned to his camp.
         
         Day 3
I found it! I can hardly believe it, but I found it! The entrance I was hoping for was somehow far easier to find then I had assumed. Now comes the good part. So far I have found that the cave leads into a tunnel that goes about 10 feet. Then it opens into a cavern with about 15 different paths leading out of it. So far I have been able to map 3 of them each leading to a dead end. The walls are covered in the most beautiful Fungus I have ever seen! It glows of its own accord. So far I have noted that it seems to change color by the hour. I tried to take samples but found that the Fungus is nearly impossible to detach from the wall. I found a few pebbles that littered the ground and have collected them as samples. It seems that as long as they remain with out light they glow happily wherever they are. For now I have dug out a small pit to build them a shelter. I do not wish to expose the new life form to anything that might harm it. As it has been in the ground for it’s entire existence (as far as I know) I ‘m not sure what sort of effect sunlight may have.  Given enough time I am sure I could make hundreds of other discoveries but I will soon be out of food and water and as curious as I am I do not want to starve to death. I  am starting to think that I could very well spend years exploring those caves. I will have one more day before I will have to go home. I had better make the most of it.”

         The next day passed much the same way as the day before. Dorian was able to map several more of the tunnels before stumbling across the largest cavern he had ever seen. He spent most of the day examining the many wonders to be found before returning to his cam for his final night out here.
         He made it back to his tent with out incident just as the sun set over the horizon. Dorian built up a fire and made the last of his food stuffs into a hearty stew, before pulling out his computer for the next report.
         

“Day 4

What an amazing discovery! In my wandering through the underground tunnels I have found the largest cavern by far. The walls were completely covered by the strange fungus and the room was completely illuminated. Strangely the cavern is perfectly round which would suggest that it is not a natural formation. I believe this is where the explosion originated. In the center of the cavern there is what appears to be the skeleton of an extremely large plant. It is perhaps 10 meters high, It is a  long thin reed with a bulb of some kind at the top. It appears that the base of the plant it still submerged deep in the rock bed. It seems to be the cause of the explosion if the shape of the cavern is any indication . The base is roughly 1 meter in diameter becoming thinner as it gets higher.  The plant has been entirely burnt out. The stem appears to have a bone like quality to it which may explain how it could have survived an explosion of such magnitude. I have never seen anything like it. I tried very hard not to disturb the pile of ash which surrounded this great beast of a plant, but in my excitement I inhaled some dust and sneezing violently I stumbled directly into it. The stem snapped and the whole think just toppled over. I had no choice but to examine the bulb. I must admit that I was terrible curious about it, though not willing to disturb the plant I was then very fortunate that a sneeze was able to do this for me. The bulb itself is about the size a small football. The skin is a dark green leathery scale covered mass; it is an entirely new species. Having detached from the reed I decided that it may be best to take this bulb with me for further study. I did try to get a look at it in the cavern which lead me to my second great discovery.
The Fungus that covers the walls seems to only grow on pure diamond! It seems that the building of the heat and final explosion has fused the surrounding coal into diamond. If I can find a way to get just few pieces of the wall I could live like a king for the rest of my life! I will need to return with better tools. Perhaps a laser cutter of some kind?

Dorian smiled as slipped his computer back into his back pack. He spent the night too excited to sleep. From time to time a light doze would take him only to slam him back into reality when he dreamed that his discovery was being taken from him by greedy officials. By morning he had decided that he would need to reanalyze his plans. How can he report his finding with out exposing the richness of his find? How would he protect something so grand? Dorian was not necessarily greedy but was convinced that there were other treasured to discover. Scientific discoveries like the plant which would out way any thing as vain as diamonds. He knew however, that if he were tell others of this it would be picked clean with no regard for the fungus or any other creatures which may reside with in the caves. He considered this dilemma as he packed up his campsite.
Before beginning the journey back to the horrid little town of Micore, Dorian replanted some bushed to hide the entrance to the cave once more.
         Satisfied with his efforts, Dorian set off back through the jungle until he found his car.
         
         Dorian found his way back to town with a heavy heart. He was torn between the illation of his discovery and the sadness that he could not share it. He resolved to keep the secret for as long as was possible. To do so however he would need to get creative.
He unpacked his supplies back into the tiny closet of a room that he had rented and headed to the pub. There just as before sat Marcus, still drinking and going on about the good old’ days. Dorian smiled slightly and walked over to the bar. He steeled himself for another interaction with the town drunk as he ordered 2 whiskies and headed over to the only occupied table.
         “so your back, been gone a few days thought you’da gone the same way as the other young fella that was disappeared. Find what you were lookin fer?” Dorian sat down at the table with the old man and passed him one of the whiskies.
         “There is nothing out there old man. I searched for days and found nothing. The entrance is blocked and nothing short of dynamite is going to get through it. The smell is rank and the coyotes out there are just plain vicious. All I can say is it was a wasted trip.”
The old man eyes him suspiciously. Not quite believing in the young mans story. Dorian leaned back in his chair and finished off his whiskey, He hailed the bar tender to send over another round and waited for the drinks to be delivered. Marcus finished his drink realizing that another would be provided and smiled toothlessly at his young companion,
         “drinkin a bit more these day huh? Guess those coyotes are very vicious after all.”
Dorian suppressed the urge to smack the old man and leaned forward across the table.
         “alright I’ll level with you…I did see something but it’s going to take more then a few whiskies to relive that story.” He leaned back once more and the old man nodded. Satisfied, that he had taught the young man something. His grin seemed to say “see? I aint crazy!”  but Dorian knew better.
         They spent most of the evening trading bad bar jokes and drinking. Dorian made sure to drink only half of what Marcus was drinking with out the appearance of being any less drunk for it. By the time the bar was closing Dorian leaned close to the old man and whispered.
         “it’s true. The curse I mean. I saw him…well what was left of him. That fellow, that came into town. I saw him strung up right near the entrance to the mine. It was all collapsed and in ruins. There was this weird smell and these awful noises. It took me days to get through the growth out there and when I finally got through all I could do was hold my nose and run like hell, I’d never seen anything like it. What ever it is out there…I’m never going back.” To make his point he slammed his glass on the table and got out of his chair. The old man just stared at him not quite comprehending. Dorian only hoped that it would be enough. By next year this old fool would have twisted and stretched the story to the point of utter disbelief, adding fuel to the fire that would eventually burn out any truth to the matter. This was step one.
         Dorian went back to his room stretched out on the bed only to remember the bulb that was still wrapped in his spare shirt hidden in the backpack. He eased it out of the front pocket and carefully unwrapped the bundle. In the course of the journey the bulb seemed to have split and what he found was that the core of the bulb was filled with emeralds. Each one was slightly different shape perfect in its own way. There were 10 emeralds in total and each one had a shine so keen it almost seemed to have an inner fire. They were the most beautiful things he had ever seen. No doubt they would be valuable. Dorian wondered how this was at all possible. How could emeralds find their way into a bulb suspended in a plant with bones no less? Was this some ones idea of a joke?
Dorian took out his computer and began to type

Day 5

Oh what a day this has become. I woke this morning with a plan. A concrete series of actions, executed to protect the find of a lifetime. Now I find that what I am protecting could very well be a hoax. I have discovered that the bulb that I have taken from the beast plant as I know so affectionately refer to it as, is filled with nothing more then common emeralds! And while they are beautiful and most likely valuable they disprove that this is a new species of plant. Perhaps if the texture or density was even remotely different from that of a regular emerald I would have reason to hope. But all my tests (limited as they are here is ‘town’) have indicated that these are nothing more then stones. Still I suppose that the fungus still has some hope in terms of a new discovery. After all I have never heard of fungus that only seems to grow on diamond. I’m still going to have to find a way to get some of that rock wall. Perhaps I can use the funds to buy the land. Then I can put a fence around it and spent the rest of my days learning all its secrets.

Satisfied with his new plan Dorian put away the lap top and packed his bags. The following day Dorian drove 50 km to the next town that was large enough to have a decent hardware store. There he filled his tank purchased non perishable food items and heavy duty power tools. He also managed to get his hands on several small plastic tanks.
With his supplies reorganized and the back pack reassembled Dorian drove, in a round about way, back to where he had parked his car the first time he had made his hike. He covered it with leaves and branched until he was satisfied that it would not be discovered.
         He found that the hike took less time now that a path had been cut. This concerned him as he didn’t want any one else to have access to his little paradise. While nearing his previous site Dorian came across a small stream with a waterfall which he had not discovered before. Setting down to rest he marked the fall on his map and ate a quick meal.
         By morning Dorian was all too eager to make his way back to his cave.
When he found it again he was relieved that the entrance seemed undisturbed. He started with the first chamber, trying to locate a chunk of Fungus that could easily be detached from the wall. He found just the piece he was looking and with a roar of the engine he was able to break away several chunks. Once collected he made his way back to his campsite to examine his new treasures.
         
Day 6 July 27 2000
I have examined the fungus that covers the pure diamond chunks that I have found in the cave. There are 12 pieces all together. I have decided that I will have to experiment. While I do not want to harm the fungus I am uncertain of how else I can remove it from the mineral. 6 of the pieces I have placed one of the tanks with water. They are set into the second tent that I have set up just for this purpose. 6 of the fungus stones I have put aside for future observation. In the morning we shall how they are affected. For now I suppose all I can do is hope for the best.
         
The following morning Dorian awoke and headed strait for the second tent. He sat down at the little table and hurriedly added ad new journal entry

Day 7
I awoke this morning to strange splashing noises coming from the other tent. For a moment I thought some one had found my hideaway, but given that it was still dark and I saw no flashlights it seemed more likely to be some kind of animal. I approached with caution but what I saw astounded me. The fungus was transformed! It’s no longer a clutch of fuzzy stones sitting at the bottom of a tank. It seems to be more animal then plant. Clumps of Fungal mass have detached from the diamond and are now swimming around the tank of their own accord. It looks as though each clump has developed tiny fins that are being used to take it from one end of the tank to the other. Now that the mutations are free of their anchor removing the diamonds seems to be no hassle at all. I’m placing the rest of the stones into the other tank and hoping for the same result.

Dorian spent the rest of the day cleaning and cataloging the diamonds, judging by the ones he already had he was sure it would be enough to buy the land but he wanted to be sure. There were other ways but he didn’t want a partner to have to share the secret with. A secret after all is half best by one not two.

Day 8
My days seem to be filled with nothing but discoveries! This morning when I went into my ‘creature tent’ I found that my swimming clumps of mass are now fully formed fish! The remaining fungus has brushed away to settle at the bottom of the tank. The creatures have a fish shape with fins and a long tail. How ever they are not scaly, they have the appearance of being made of solid metal. They appear to change color as well. After about an hour of observation I have witnessed the colors change from gold to bronze to deep silver. I have no idea what they might eat but so far I have not found that they have the equipment with which to consume nutrients. I can see no mouth, nor any eyes. Perhaps with time they will develop. As for the second tank so far it seems to be the same result. I have removed the diamonds from that tank as well and now have a full 12 large diamonds that I will be able to sell. The only problem might be a buyer.
As for my new pets, I wonder what I will do with them now that I must go back to the city. Perhaps I should transfer them into the small pond I found in the jungle. If they cannot survive in the wild they have no place on this earth. I know that sounds harsh but what else can I do?

With a hard set to his jaw Dorian collected both tanks and made his way to the waterfall he has had marked on his map from a previous trips out to the jungle. He placed the tanks on the edge of the small pond and sat down himself. Both tanks were alive with activity, He tipped the first tank and watched as the metallic fish swam over the edge and disappeared into the murky waters. He sighed as put the empty tank back on the ground and picked up the next one. He tapped on the glass lightly watching the fuzzy clumps swim aimlessly about the tank. He just didn’t have the heart to release them in such an undeveloped state. He decided to spend one more night to give them what he though was fighting change.
That night he sat down to write his final journal entry for the trip.

Day 8 continued
I am spending one more night. This place is fantastic and I cannot wait to come back to it. I have never felt more peaceful then I do here surrounded by all the mysteries a man can hope to find. One more night and I will have to leave this place. However, knowing that when I return this land will belong to me make the going easier somehow. 
Tonight I stay only for the benefit of my little pets. At this stage they almost look like clumps of multi colored bread with tiny fins, I’m afraid that they may be eaten before they ever have the chance to evolve. So tonight I am sitting by the fire, drinking coffee and watching the little buggers swim around their little world.

The next Dorian completed his business in a quick and efficient manner. By 1 o’clock the back pack was packed and the tents were put away hidden in a gap between two of the boulders that marked the entrance to the mine. His final duty was to set free the creatures from the tank and head back to the car,