Z is for Zircon
Whenever you see a commercial that states that diamonds are forever, always remember that most ads lie. Diamonds are not actually stable at the earth's surface and are constantly shedding carbon atoms all over the place. Zircons, on the other tire, zircons are the oldest datable thing on the planet. And these tiny gems are like little time capsules holding little clues about the past. As an archeologist, I treasure the information that zircons can give me, especially when they give me clues about what the world was once like.
Today I am digging through the ruins that once clung to the side of a mountain. We don't know exactly why this outpost existed or why they chose to build a runway for aircraft clinging to a cliffside. As my brush slowly scraps away layer upon layer of ash exposing what was once one of the hangars that the residents of this outpost must have called home. It is a task that most of the members of my expedition or somewhat skittish about as they are convinced that there are ghosts who haunt the site. I will admit, that if there are ghosts, they are probably not dangerous ones. All of the evidence we have found so far indicates that all the vehicles that lived here were able to flee before the volcano erupted and destroyed everything in its wake. And to me, that means any ghosts that remain would be the ghosts who chose to make this remarkable place their home.
While we have found no evidence the eruption killed any of the outpost's residents, the materials left behind indicated that they must have left in a hurry. There was still a fully stocked kitchen with the remains of food that had carbonized in the pyroclastic flow and cans that had exploded in the extreme heat of the volcano's breath. There was paper, so much paper that had been baked together, but in time the lab might be able to decipher what was written on those pages and gain a glimpse into what it must have been like to live here.
From the fragments they have collected so far, it was clear that each of the hangars was unique, and we suspect that each resident or family made their hangar their own. The hangar that I am currently assigned to work on was apparently once bright blue in color and there is evidence that flowers were once grown around its edge. The reason for this is beyond anyone's understanding. The color and flowers might have held a cultural or religious significance. It might have indicated that the person or persons that lived within were priests or plant specialists or some other social role that we haven't thought of…or the hangar could simply have been blue and covered with flowers simply because someone liked that combination.
I continue to scrap, scrap away, hoping to unlock more clues and slowly gain a better understanding of what it must have been like to live here. It must have been beautiful and peaceful. A little community high in the mountains surrounded by forest…somehow eking out a living back during the days when archaic foods like fossil fuels were still consumed.
I stayed and worked until the light began to fade and the first stars sparked in the heavens. I then roll back to my tent with the others. I eat a good meal and call it a night. Once alone in my own tent, I closed my eyes and try to dream of the ghosts that must call this outpost home. In my mind try to imagine what would cause a person to choose to call such an isolated location, so close to an active volcano their home. I think and I smile…because I suspect that the vehicles who lived here in the past, must have been kind of like me. They must have been explorers and that makes me so excited to learn about them and to hopefully someday find a way to tell their story.
End Note: And that is a wrap...I know this last chapter was very different than all 77 that went before, but I wanted something that expressed how small impressions can create big things. We are all here celebrating a fandom based on a tiny cannon. Everything else we created ourselves. We have woven ourselves a world, and whether you are a reader, a writer, an artist, or a theorize, this action of group creation is something worth celebrating.
This story was more of an act of group creation than most. Thank you so much for those who took the time to provide prompts, without you this behemoth would not be possible. Thank you to everyone who took the time to give feedback, it really did help keep me motivated. Thank you to everyone who read this story, for you are the reason that Q is for Quarantine exists.
As this project has come to an end, I will be taking a break from collaborative works for a bit to finish up some of my long-form stories and work on this year's Advent Calendar...but I will give you a heads up, that there is another collaborative piece of planes fiction in the works and I hope that you all will be willing to work with me on that when it finally shows up in the feed.
Now it is time for me to sign off, but before the cover closes on this story, I have one last question to ask...If you had to pick one, which was your favorite story and why?
