As the last light of the sun sets, the others and I had begun to make our way to the entrance of the mine. Everyone in the town knows that the entrance is blocked off and no one can enter it unless you have identification to let you in. Luckily a few hours ago we received the I.D cards for this.
"Did you all bring your flash light and gas mask?" Sophie asked once we all there.
"Yep." The rest of us responded one after the other. The one thing they told us was the mine was not enough to go in without a gas mask and other protective gear
"Do you all have the rest of the protective gear?" I questioned once we put on the gas masks.
" Of course we do. Why would we forget that." Oliver spoke up. I took a second look around at the others to make sure. Sure enough we all did bring it. Other than the gas mask, the protective gear was a special police uniform that was made for this and any toxic stuff that is still in the mine won't harm us.
We all snap out of our train of thought when Ezra opened up the wired door to the mine. As we file into the mine one by one, we take the flashlights and turn it on. What I saw was nothing I expected to a mine to look like, well what I think a mine is supposed to look like.
I don't know if what the black stuff is, whether it's coal soot covering roots or dead vines, but it is covering the walls of the mine. It looks unusual and I don't think it belongs here. Sophie and I exchange a look of worry and concern.
" What is this?" The worried voice of Ace echoed throughout the areas. "What kind of sci-fi fantasy stuff is this?"
As the mine corridor ended, we all entered this room with an old, but somehow intact elevator in the middle. We all stepped back once the elevator started. To be honest the elevator should not be work, if that wasn't obvious enough.
Once we all stepped into the elevator, Liam turned the key and the elevator started to go down. We all started looking at each other wondering what we will see once arrive to the lower level.
"What are some theories about what we have seen so far." I spoke up after a good few awkward seconds. We should at least come up we an idea what these vines were doing in these mines, in which is not a good condition for them to be growing.
"These could have been mutated plants that managed to spread." Sophie said.
"They could be normal plants that just adapted to the conditions of this place." Oliver added. So far so good.
"Someone could've taken care of this place before we came along" Ezra pitched in, as we looked around the walls and underneath the elevator using our flashlights. We notice that this place is unusually kept neat and tidy. Something a mine should not be, but a crumbling void and dangerous to anyone who enters, including us. But whoever had been taken care of this place must have been the most careful person to do so.
As we were sharing our own theories of what happened since the mine closed, the elevator shook as it came to a stop. Now we were at the level we were supposed to be at. When we began to look around, I notice that this place is a big cave that has the entrances to multiple mine starts. At the farthest wall from the elevator was something that looks like an old map.
As we came closer to that wall, it was indeed a map of the map. I decided to inspect it and I notice that only some of the mine has been used and documented on the map. The map was hand drawn of what seems to be multiple people.
" So, this what the mines looked like. Now for the big question. Why did they need at least 9 mine shafts?" Liam spoke up.
"Maybe to get more minerals that they could sell and or trade with their neighboring towns." That is what Sophie responded with.
"Apparently there is a natural lake just in the mine shaft left of the elevator." Mentioned Oliver looking at the map. "Let's check it out. It probably the coolest thing here."
We all agreed, and headed there right away. As we got closer the sound of water got a bit louder. It sounded calming. The sound was echoing of the walls.
As we entered the shaft, the water deflected some natural light that was coming through a gated off hole. I could see the moon's reflection on the water. There are some bridges over the lake to get to where the mining happened.
Three of the others and I sat on the edge of the lake. The sound of birds flying could be heard but only a few, and it was being defend by the sound of the crickets. We looked at each other. To all of our surprise, Oliver began to take of his gas mask.
" Are You insane? We are in a mine, you idiot. There could be toxic chemicals here. You get sick." Sophie yelled at him.
"Sorry. I just wanted to be sure." Oliver responded meekly and slowly.
" You know what. We should just head back to the main area." Sophie said after she took a deep breath. She started to make her way back and we all followed.
For a few minutes we sat here all quiet waiting for someone to speak. Until one of us did.
"I have an idea." Ace broke the silence. We all looked at him, confused. "Why don't we start an organization. We could call it A.M.P.S. Also known as the Abandoned Mine Police Squad."
"Sure." We agreed then. We would start an organization and we will not tell anyone about it. It will be our secret. We will only tell if necessary. With that we begin to make our way to the elevator.