The rock

Zack eventually caught up with the ladies and decided to walk along side them so that he wasn’t accused of any staring at asses for the rest of the hike to wherever they were going. “Do you guys know where this place is?” Zack asked after trudging through underbrush and forests for hours.

“You do realize that Sarah is the daughter of the man who found the rock right?” Heather asked.

“Uh, yeah. She has also been practically blacklisted from her family also, no insult intended Sarah.” Sarah simply nodded at him. “How are we sure she knows where this place really is? There has been a lot of digging going on by the Johnson’s in the last couple of years, and their land is huge, this thing could be anywhere!” Zack exclaimed.

“Trust her Zack, I do. Sarah knows what she’s doing.” Heather said smiling at her cousin. Zack grumbled a response under his breath, that response answered none of his questions. Soon enough they crested a hill overlooking a construction area where thankfully no one was working.

“Workers have the day off today?” Zack asked Sarah.

“There’s nothing to dig up anymore remember? They already found the rock.” Sarah said.

“Right, the rock. Why are we doing this for a rock exactly? I could understand if it was actual treasure, but risking our necks to see a rock seems like a slightly underwhelming way to go out.” Zack said.

“This rock was the treasure that those native cave drawings were talking about, it must be of some importance.” Heather said.

“True, but it has already been found by Mr. Johnson, I’m sure he would’ve realized it’s worth by now, or is that what the people he’s bringing in are for?” Zack asked Sarah.

“First of all my dad’s name is John, and the people he’s bringing in are to check the value of the rock so he can sell it. My dad has been obsessed with money his whole life, he never understood the Ravers way of life, giving to charity? Why, when you can keep more to yourself. Supporting the community? What for if you own the town.” Sarah said.

“Jeez! Seems like a nice guy.” Zack muttered.

“My parents tried to keep me away from the Johnson’s as much as possible when I was young, my dad said that John was a bad influence, an example of someone who went down the wrong path. Even my mother, who's sister John is married to would keep me away, even from her own sister at times.” Heather said.

“My father was never accepted in the Ravers family, not even by our extended relatives around the country, so he simply ignored them. He kept us away from the Ravers unless it couldn't be avoided, he didn't allow my mom to visit her own family. Even though the Ravers name holds such power here in Azure Rocks, he despises it and strives to build his company to overtake that of the Ravers'.” Sarah said.

“Yeah, my father refuses to call him. My mom hasn't spoken to my Aunt in forever.” Heather mused.

“Your families are so messed up.” Zack joked.

“Quite possibly the most messed up family in all Azure Rocks.” Sarah said smiling at Heather.

“I’m not sure that’s something to be happy about.” Zack said.

“Shh! We’re repairing the rift between our family’s just the two of us.” Heather said, giving Sarah a big hug. “There, we’re family again.” She laughed.

“If only it were that easy.” Zack said smiling at the two cousins, the only members of their family not at each other’s throats.

“Enough playing around, let’s get to it. The rock is down there, you see where they dug down over there?” Sarah said pointing to a spot where it seemed the construction workers were focusing on.

“I see it, might as well go check it out. You want to come along, or would you like me to go and scout ahead and report back?” Zack joked.

“Hmm, we might as well come with you, wouldn’t want you to trip on something and break an ankle.” Heather smiled at him.

“Like that would happen.” Zack laughed. Sarah smiled at the two of them, she wanted the best for Heather, she was willing to sacrifice her own happiness to make that happen. The three of them slowly and carefully climbed down the steep side of the hill leading down to a fenced area surrounding the construction zone, not seeing a shadowy figure watching them from the shelter of the forest at the top of the hill. Zack helped both girls over the fence careful not to touch anything he shouldn’t in the process, it wouldn’t have been so bad if the girls didn’t tease him mercilessly while he was doing it. Eventually they were all over the fence and stood before the crater that led down to a dark stone at the base. “It doesn’t look that special.” Zack swallowed nervously. He had no idea why he was so nervous, but as he looked at the girls, he realized he wasn’t the only one with the feeling.

“We’re here already, might as well finish it.” Heather said looking at him and then Sarah. They all nodded in agreement and made their way down the stairs to the base of the crater and stood before the stone. It was large, large enough to be considered a boulder almost, and parts of it were still buried in the ground.

“How did such a big rock get so far underground?” Sarah mused.

“Maybe it fell from the sky a long time ago and was covered up?” Zack asked.

“It seems small to be an asteroid or something like that.” Heather said. They all stood around it enamored by the rock, it was hard edged in some places, it seemed as if it had been chipped in some places. Zack couldn’t nail the colour down, it kept shifting in colour in from to another as soon as he recognized the colour. The changing colours seemed to be drawing him in, and by the time he snapped out of his funk, he had stepped closer to the rock unknowingly.

“This thing is dangerous.” He muttered.

“I agree.” Sarah said.

“It’s unnatural.” Heather added. Just then they heard a sound from above them as if someone else had just jumped over the fence as well.

“Shit! Someone else is here, we’ve probably been caught. It’s now or never, on the count of three?” Zack asked. The girls agreed and Zack started the countdown as he heard a pair of footprints rushing towards the crater. “3-2-1-------“They touched the rock and knew no more, the last thing they saw was a flash of blinding light, then everything went dark.

Kurt had been following the three ever since they left the cabin. He had never been allowed to come to the construction site on the orders of his father, but since his recent proclamation to be a free man of his father, his father’s orders were no longer binding. He saw them jump over the fence one by one, and followed after he had seen them disappear into a dig site. He cursed quietly as he accidentally made some noise climbing over the fence, when he intended to be as quiet as possible. He heard the rushed voices of the three coming from a pit not far from where he was. He followed their voices and ran towards the pit, if he was the one to catch them, maybe his father would set him free of his duties to the family and he could leave this pathetic town. Yes, that’s what he would do, instead of leaving on his own and being branded a traitor to the family, he would get his father’s permission and keep the name that had given him so much in his life. He peered over the edge and was prepared to shout down at them telling them how they had been caught when he was caught by surprise by a blinding flash of light, and he knew no more.