"Can they really serve us the same thing every meal?" Art whined, dragging his spoon through the gray sludge.

"At least the coffee is decent." Offers Albert, the bearded man from the lift. Everyday they rotate everyone with new faces that aren't so new. Aside from Caesar. However, he doesn't seem to join them for meals. He just disappears once the alarms ring.

"I wonder if things are worse since what happened in California... which could put a strain on things here. Remember about a month ago maybe. One of the vents buckled in on itself."

"Yea but we aren't anywhere near California." Albert, sipped his coffee, hands trembling slightly.

"Zombies could still happen."

"Art... really?"

Art shrugged, peering behind him at Caesar who just materialized out of nowhere.

"How the artichoke biscuits on a Tuesday did Little Caesar get over there?"

Landon frowned. He didn't hear the lift rumble down the cables or the telling thud. Matter of fact. It hadn't moved since they arrived for lunch. Had he been there the whole time.

Unease settled on top of the gruel in his stomach. Something is definitely not right. He just couldn't place it.

Alarm bellowed, once again the collective sigh from the group. Just like clockwork everyone would grumble, shuffle and step into the lift. A little lurch and down they went.

Caesar was a strange thin man, his pitchy voice similar to nails on a chalkboard. Not to mention he was just too damn happy to be down here.

"So how as lunch?" He chirped, glancing around at the solemn faces. Landon locked eyes with him for a moment too long.

"What is wrong with you?"

Caesar raised a brow.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"I mean. No one is that damn happy here."

"Ah well... it's only a short while I'll be here."

He  was right about that. He definitely wasn't there long. Not even a full month later, if his new ticks for days measured correctly.

So very strange.

The man who replaced him was the exact opposite. He had a mouth on him that would put a sailor to shame. He wasn't at all embarrassed about it either.

He definitely didn't care about anyone down there.

"The company doesn't pay you to swing the axe like a toddler. You waste of space."

"We've been at it for hours. It's normal to grow tired. Especially since we haven't had much time off down here."

"I don't give two shits about how long ye think it's been. Yet yer ass moving or I'll make sure the company cuts your pay!"

Art slammed his axe into the wall with some much force the cavern shook. The man's eyes bugged out as the blue light blinded everyone. A piercing whine rattled their bones and then the cavern fell into darkness.

The blue light was gone.

"What the hell?"

Frantic voices were all around, tiny orbs of light bounced towards them with the hurried steps of boots.

"Landon! Art!" Albert called out.

"We're here."

"What the hell was that?"

"It was an earthquake! Wasn't it?" A woman shrill voice shook with fear.

"We'd all be dead."

"That's definitely coming out your pay you worthless sack of bones" the man grumbled.

"What happened to the creepy light?" Art asked, wiping off his overalls. Blood trickled from his ears and nose.

"Art. Man you okay?" Landon grabbed him by the shoulder, looking at his eyes. Both his pupils were blown. That's not from being too dark.

"Did you hit your head?"

"Nah... what was that though?"

"Seems you hit the core." Grumbled the grumpy man.

"Core?" Landon looked at the man and then at the huge crack in the wall where the light used to be.

"Yea... what you've been digging for."

"They never told us what we were digging for." Albert chimed in, moving closer to the crack. His eyes grew wide as he peered into the hole.

"What is it Albert?"

Landon moved to stand beside the bearded man. He blanched at the sight. Pools of blue liquid glowed faintly. All around crystals gleamed and dripped the substance. Is this what they had been looking for?

"Frank—-it's Barns... yea I think we got something." Barns aka grumpy spoke into his arm.

His arm?

"Did you hit your head, Mr.... Uh Barns?" Landon watched him carefully.

"Close enough. But no, I'm right as a telpod with a hooker."

"A what?"

Barns face paled, quickly becoming void of emotion.

"Ah it's nothing... too many fi-sci as they call it."

"You mean sci-fi?"

"Is what I said, you twit." He shoved Landon, moving swiftly towards the loft. The weird thing being, he had no light to guide him.

The alarm bellowed for dinner. However, no one moved. Because if they had truly found what they were looking for. They could go home to their families.

"Get to the chow hall." Ordered Barns. "Your next set of orders will soon arrive."

"Next set?" Art questioned, moving through them to get closer to Barns, his fists clenched at his sides.

"We found what they wanted, right?"

Barns simply shook his head.

"You merely scratched the surface... our scientists will be down to take samples and a doctor to check everyone's vitals.

Landon put a hand on Art's shoulder, who shrugged him off.

"This is bullshit man... I just want to see my mom and show her that I'm not worthless. That I can help her..."

"Something's off... what else could there be?"

Albert shuffled up to them, clutching a letter in his arthritic hands. Barns disappeared much like Caesar had. If Landon was being honest... he missed that guy. Barns was angry and disrespectful for no reason.

"How do they do that? Are they aliens?"

"Ah come on Albert, aliens don't exist. I don't care what the dark web says." Art chided, slamming the lifts door closed.

"Not a whole lot of places to disappear to down here. They just vanish in thin air."

"Maybe we are all just tired. It's been a strange day."