A Quarry

Emerging from the tunnel, you are at first blinded by the sun glaring off the white stones. It takes a few minutes before you can work up the courage to step into the light, which would turn your real body to dust in less than 10 seconds. You make sure your true self is completely shielded before taking a deep breath and stepping out of the cave. When your eyes adjust you are overcome with awe. Sunlight streamed down through the mouth of the quarry, filtering through the immense oaks that ringed the hole. Spending your entire life in a cave, as a worm with colorblindness no less, will give you a very limited view of the world. This was...Wow. You had no words.

You're still standing there blinking back tears when the boy and his quest-giver return from the tutorial. The boy looks about ready to throttle his instructor till he sees you and shyly waves. You wave back, smiling. Back it up Morph, don't get attached to anyone just yet. You've barely seen the light of day. Clearing your throat, you turn away from the boy. Keeping your distance till he leaves, you consider your options. The world was just so huge! In the cave there was only two directions, three if you were lucky. Out here? The possibilities were endless. It made your head swim.

"Oy! Trainee! You gonna clear out those caves for me?!" you cringe reflexively at the voice of the Forman, shouting across from the cave entrance the boy had just cleared. "Those worms won't kill themselves!" He chortles, leaning against the entrance to the cave. You turn slowly, **** in your eyes. Once was definitely not enough. That man was going to die...Again.