The Quarry: Some Things Should Stay Buried

By David Warren

Matt Frazer, a middle-aged, single parent is struggling to provide for his disabled son. His job at the Riversbend Quarry pays the basic bills, but the medical expenses are quickly piling up. Life has been increasingly difficult ever since the tragedy that cost his wife her life and his son to lose the use of his legs. One fateful day as they are blasting a previously undisturbed section of rock wall, Matt is shocked to discover that they had accidentally unearthed an entrance of some kind, leading deep into the mountainous wall. A fellow employee ventures into the darkness and returns a few minutes later carrying an object that is too farfetched to be true, but is real nonetheless.

Immediately phone calls are made, an injunction is filed and work is suspended. To look after the quarry’s best interests, Matt is reluctantly thrown in with a makeshift team of archeologists, paleontologists and biologists as they venture far into the tunnel and into depths unknown. What they find as they traverse deeper and deeper into the newly discovered cavern is beyond anything they could have possibly imagined in their wildest dreams.

However, as the discoveries start to become more and more bizarre, the team soon begins to understand that this cavern holds a dark secret, one that has remained buried for over four hundred years. As Matt and his colleagues frantically race back to the surface, they all too late realize that...some things should stay buried.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brighton Publishing LLC
• Release date: Jul 21, 2017
• ISBN: 9781621834434

David Warren

Sir David Warren was British ambassador to Japan from 2008 to 2012, having served twice before in the British Embassy in Tokyo during his career as British diplomat. He is now honorary professor at Sheffield University, a member of the Board of the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures at the University of East Anglia, and was Chair of the Council of the University of Kent until July 2020. From 2013 to 2019, he was Chairman of the Japan Society, the leading independent body in the United Kingdom dedicated to UK-Japanese cultural, educational and business contacts.

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The Quarry

David Warren

Brighton Publishing LLC

435 N. Harris Drive

Mesa, AZ 85203

www.BrightonPublishing.com

Copyright © 2017

ISBN13: 978-1-62183-443-4

eBook

SMASHWORDS EDITION

Cover design: Tom Rodriguez and James Cornette

All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. The characters in this book are fictitious and the creation of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Other Books by David Warren

Jest

"It waits no longer…"

***

Replica

"Your Greatest Fear Lives"

***

Frostbite

Dedication

To Bill Keating, who made my time at the Train Wreck a little more bearable.

Chapter One

Matt Frazer sat alone is his old beat-up, pickup truck. He solemnly looked down at the latest medical bill. The big, bold words PAST DUE seemingly screeched up at him like a vulture about to devour its prey.

Sighing, he flipped the sun visor down and stared at the picture that was clipped to the other side of it. The image was of a young boy in a wheelchair. The boy had dirty-blond hair, just like himself. Unlike Matt, however, the youngster in the picture was smiling. He then flipped the visor back up, tossed the unpaid bill into the passenger’s seat, and got out of the truck.

***

Horace Whalen clenched the cigar tightly between his teeth. He leaned back in his swivel chair and grunted at the comic he was reading in the morning’s paper. Just then, his office door opened and in came one of his employees.

Flinging the paper aside, he barked, Can’t you knock?

Huh? Oh, sorry.

Well, what is it Frazer?

Matt looked at the heavyset man with the bushy mustache for a moment before answering. I just wanted to say that if you need someone to pull a double, or do anything extra, I am available for any overtime that may come along.

That’s very commendable of you, Frazer, but you know we have to follow the list or the union will throw a fit, Horace replied.

Yeah, Matt said. I know. Just thought I’d mention it just in case something came up.

All right then—thank you. Please shut the door on your way out.

Matt nodded, turned, and left. He followed a narrow hallway until he reached an old wooden door. He walked outside into the sunlight and made his way over to a large stone balcony. Next to the balcony, a big blue sign read: Welcome to the Riversbend Quarry. The river in question was the Sacramento River, which was only a short mile away.

Peering down from the balcony, he saw the massive open-pit mine that he called his home for eight hours a day. At the bottom of the manufactured crater sat bulldozers, cranes, and various equipment used for excavating. Turning his eyes upward, Matt stared at the massive walls of rock and the various scaffolding that the crew had assembled to maneuver around the walls. Inside those walls waiting to be found were several valuable resources including granite, limestone, and marble.

He turned and made his way down a long dirt road that emptied into the bottom of the quarry. He spotted Adam Helms setting up equipment on an old, rickety, wooden table nearby.

What’s up, Adam?

Hey, Matt, the curly haired young man said without looking up. Just getting some ANFO ready. ANFO stands for ammonium nitrate and fuel oil, a common explosive used in the industry nowadays.

What? We run outta dynamite? Matt asked.

Adam pushed his glasses back up on his nose and turned to him. Dynamite is so yesterday, bro.

I like yesterday.

You old folks just hate change, ya know? Adam chided as he continued his work.

I wouldn’t say I’m over the hill yet, Matt retorted. I’m only forty-nine.

That’s old to me!

College students, Matt said with a smirk. You think you know everything.

Well, there’s one thing we can agree on, Adam said.

Oh yeah? What’s that?

Explosions are fun.

Matt smiled. Yup.

Let’s go blow something up.

Matt followed him along the bottom of the enormous rock wall where they met up with a handful of others.

This new section has been a real bear to break through, Adam said as he kneeled down and started to plant the explosive. After a few minutes, he stood up and said, All set.

Okay, Matt said. Let’s clear the area.

The group of men backed beyond their safety barricade, put on their ear protection, and waited as Adam prepared to set off the explosive.

Did you at least use dynamite as the booster? Matt asked.

Sorry old-timer, but we’re using Tovex, he answered. "It’s 2017. Get with the times!

Millennials, Matt grunted.

In five, four, three, two… one! Adam shouted. A moment later, there was a booming sound as the rock wall blew apart, sending debris and dust in all directions. The crew stood back and waited for the commotion to settle.

After the appropriate amount of time had passed, Matt nodded to a coworker and said, Okay, Charlie, you’re good to check quality.

Charlie nodded and slipped on a half-face respirator. He then approached the blast hole, holding an air monitor out in front of him. He scanned the area slowly, checking for any signs of carbon dioxide or nitrogen that may have been present. After a few minutes of meticulous scanning, Charlie removed his respirator and shouted, All clear! He then turned back to the blast hole and after a moment exclaimed, What in the world!

Frowning, Matt approached the older man. What’s up, Charlie?

I’m not quite sure. Take a look for yourself, he answered.

Matt approached the large hole in the rock face and immediately his eyes widened. What he expected to see was a large hole in the rock wall with plenty more rock wall behind it. But what he saw instead was darkness. Matt stooped into the five-foot tall entrance and waved his hand around. He then leaned in but couldn’t see much at all.

Ah, Matt, I wouldn’t do that, Charlie said. It might not be stable.

Matt nodded in agreement. Definitely, he said and backed out.

Just then, Adam approached them. What’s going on?

In response, Matt merely gestured toward the hole. Adam frowned and kneeled down in front of the opening. What is this? Some kind of tunnel?

Your guess is as good as mine, Matt answered. Guess we ought to let the boss man know.

Best not to toy with it, Charlie repeated when he noticed Adam leaning in. Might not be safe.

Just hold on one minute, Adam retorted and before they could stop him, he disappeared into the entrance.

Hey! Matt said. Get back here!

Hold up! was the response from just inside the rock wall. A moment later, Adam yelped.

Adam! Matt yelled. What are you doing? He squinted into the inky blackness but saw no signs of Adam. He was about to go in himself when suddenly Adam’s face appeared an inch from his own. You okay?

You’re not gonna believe this, Adam replied.

***

Horace lit up a fresh cigar and sat back in his chair. He looked from Adam to Matt and then back down at the object that lay on his desk.

You wanna do what now? Horace said.

We need to notify someone, Adam answered. This could be big.

Because of this? Horace asked sarcastically.

Yes.

Horace looked over at Matt. What do you think, Frazer?

After a moment of thought, Matt answered. I think Adam’s suggestion is the right call. If for no other reason than it may bring the quarry some attention if this does turn out to be anything significant.

Good publicity huh? Horace grinned. I like that. But what if it’s nothing?

Then you really haven’t lost anything other than a few hours of work time, Matt replied. And even then, there are some other things the crew and I can do in the meantime.

Horace looked down at the object on his desk once more. He then directed his attention to Adam. Contact whomever you want. We’ll temporarily halt the excavation.

Yes, sir, Adam said and turned to leave.

And I mean temporarily, Horace repeated. If we don’t get a quick response, I’m gonna proceed as normal with that wall. Understood?

I’m on it.

I’m going to head back down and cordon off the area, Matt said.

Good idea, his boss replied. Don’t want anyone messing around that hole for now.

With that, Matt turned and left the office, leaving Horace alone with the object that Adam had recovered from the void.

Chapter Two

Professor Richard Blake scrutinized the ancient piece of pottery through the lens of his state-of-the-art scanning electron microscope. He was in the middle of attempting to identify the mineralogical composition of the particular piece when his young understudy, Bryan Meadows, knocked on his door.

Professor?

Yes, Mr. Meadows? the professor replied without losing concentration in the slightest. What is it?

You have a call, Professor.

Take a message, young man, he answered. I’m preoccupied at the moment.

Well…

Yes?

You might wanna take this one, he said.

Finally, Professor Blake turned from his microscope to look back at his energetic understudy. Really?

Bryan nodded.

All right.

***

Richard picked up the awaiting telephone receiver. This is Professor Blake.

Professor? repeated a voice on the other line. Great! My name is Adam Helms and I’m an engineer for the Riversbend Quarry near Sacramento Valley.

A quarry? Blake repeated, instantly starting to regret taking the call. He ran his hand through his thinning hair. If you have questions about minerals or biology, might I suggest...

No, it’s not that, the anxious man on the line interrupted. We, a… we found something.

The professor raised his eyebrows. Yes?

See, we were blasting a section of rock wall when we uncovered an entrance of some kind.

Entrance? Now the professor was interested.

Yeah, I guess. Instead of more rock wall, there was a tunnel of sorts, Adam continued. I scooted through maybe a dozen feet or so and then I stumbled upon something.

Under a mountainous layer of rock? Blake asked skeptically. What could you have possibly discovered there?

A pickax, sir, was the reply. An extremely old pickax.

Professor