The Dark Spirits Beneath by Kason Laufenberg (lightweight ebook reader txt) 📕

least, it really didn't matter anyway. It was already too late, and it wasn't like she was going to back out now. Not after she made such a show of everything back there with James and Ruiz. Of course, both of them had already resumed their work elsewhere, anyway. Not to mention the other students, who hadn't even so much as glanced in their direction during the entire exchange, and all of which were also paying Layla little mind. Faithfully following the site plan. Well, let them! Layla thought. She knew she was right.

God... I hope I'm right.

She exhaled again, deeply, shook her head to snap herself out of it, and before she could change her mind, started to cautiously dig. As she scraped back each layer of soil, the warm energy buried beneath grew just a little stronger. It... was hard for Layla to explain, and felt slightly different, every time. Regardless, there was something about it that was still so familiar. Like it did, back when Layla was so very young. Too young. No child should have to do those things. No child should have to see those things.

Layla didn't like to talk about it. She was ultimately glad she was able to eventually escape all that darkness. To getaway, and start all over again. Here, in her new life, where she was free of her past, and all on her own. Where she had decided to study and pursue archaeology at UNM, in the middle of the desert. As far away from those damn woods, and the warm, wretched stench of death and sorrow as possible.

The music had become a distant, unheard drone in the background, as Layla, clearly wrapped in the obsession she had borne, had all but stopped listening. Her test pit had reached quite a depth by this point, and as impatience set in, she found she was setting aside her trowel, choosing to instead shovel out more and more of the dirt by hand. Grasping at the clay and gravel for confirmation of her own sanity. Yet, still, nothing.

Dammit, James is never going to let me hear the end of this!

The blazing afternoon sun beginning to flirt with the mountains an butes on the horizon, Layla felt as if she was nearly about to call the whole ambitious endeavor a bust. Admit she was wrong. Admit she wasted her advisor's precious time and grant money, not to mention her own credibility. She sighed and shifted aside the remainder of loose dirt when suddenly, her fingers gently grazed something. Something that definitely wasn't just more dirt. Layla's pulse quickened, and her heartfelt as if it was poised to beat right out of her chest.

This is it!

Against all odds, she continued to strive to recompose herself, not wanting to gain anymore unwanted premature attention than she already has. Not until she was sure, at least. Pushing the trowel on the ground aside, Layla removed her pack and reached in to retrieve a brush from inside the main compartment. As she hesitantly, but excitedly moved away some of the lighter dirt, she could definitely make out... something. But something expected, this time. Something that even now, was beginning to emerge and take shape.

Instantly recognizable, Layla brushed dirt away, to reveal the familiar round curvature and around the eye cavities of a yellowed human skull. This was eventually accompanied by the remainder of an exposed, prone, fully intact skeleton. It had the appearance of being interred. A burial of sorts. In its hand was clenched an obsidian dagger, its hafted wooden handle inscribed with the likeness of what looked like a fierce snake. Layla shuddered a bit, as the dark irony of her earlier encounter with the rattlesnake was not lost on her. But as shocking as all that discovery was, that wasn't all that Layla saw. That was not what had her so excited at this moment. Like a kid at Christmas!

Layla brushed away more dirt from the vicinity of her newly exhumed, well-armed bony friend, and as she did, something else immediately began to peek through the stratigraphy of the dig. Something bright blue, and set in brilliantly shining, though somewhat tarnished silver. And just as she began to fully expose the pristine shine of the piece of jewelry, Layla uncovered signs of another alongside the first. And then, another! And direct adjacent to all of the stunning jewelry and valuable trinkets, she could now start to track the presence pottery as well. Maybe the most fully intact, exquisitely painted Hopi Pueblo-style pottery she'd ever seen! The tell-tale geometric patterns were unmistakable, in their time-worn shades of black and rusty sienna, but these were... different. The zigzagging snake imagery was certainly a unique touch, and she couldn't say exactly why, but something about the vivid artwork just made her feel uneasy. She never did like snakes. She always could relate to Indiana Jones on at least that common ground. Still, snakes or not, even Layla had to admit that the artwork was stunning, and in remarkably good shape, considering its age.

This... this is incredible!

Layla's excitement could hardly be contained, as she made every effort to conceal her smile and giddy enthusiasm. "Uh... James! Get over here! Give me a hand!" Layla's words were forced out as a harsh whisper, as she called out, cautiously, in the direction of the adjacent pit, still not wanting to draw too much attention.

There was a loud clink from the pit, as Layla's colleague could be heard putting down his own trowel, and sighing audibly, with that same considerable degree of annoyance as before. "What's wrong, Miss Instinct? Having trouble finding anything on your own?" the immediate, mockingly condescending response made Layla wonder if he still hadn't even bothered to look in her direction.

"James, could you just... get over here! Quit being an ass! I think I've found something, okay! I need back-up." Steadily getting more and more anxious, Layla started to think to herself that if only he could