The View From Mercury

This Rock can Talk

Heya. Please let me know if you find typos... I haven't edited yet. Thanks for reading!

-Mercury-
Libby pulled her suncoat tighter around herself in an effort to keep the fierce wind from tearing at the package in her arms. Libby's mother had sent her to the public market to fetch supplies for the dinner that night.
She had agreed to go, but was anxious to get back to her room and study the granite more thoroughly. She had not had a chance to even look at it since yesterday, since she had to babysit the twins and help her dad sort the rocks he had brought home. But now, her father was working, her mother was home cooking dinner, and the twins were at the house of their best friend. It was the perfect opportunity, if only she could make it work. Stepping into the chute that led up to their vacuum sealed front door, she pushed the silver button, engraved with the word 'Enter.'
Instantly she was sucked straight up into the first entry chamber. Sealing the door behind her, she pushed a second button, this one green. A second door opened and she stepped through, into the dustrooom. Removing her helmet and suncoat she carried the sack to the table, and proceeded to dump the contents into the amethyst countertop. Her mother was already boiling the water and was in the process of slicing the togon meat into bite sized chunks. "Lib, could you hand me that gargon seasoning?" Libby's mother, Ganymede, asked.
Libolio nodded enthusiastically, passing the small packet to her mom. Gargon was one of her favorite seasonings, especially when eaten on togon. However, no matter how much she enjoyed eating togon seasoned with gargon she was still itching to get back to her room and check on the granite. Ganymede noticed her shifting from one foot to the other, "What is it honey? You look very eager to get somewhere."
Libby nodded. "Dad brought home some really neat rocks yesterday, and I want to study them."
It wasn't entirely a lie. She really did want to study a rock, and it was one her father had brought to her, just not yesterday. Her mother nodded understandingly. "Run along then," she said. "I can get dinner ready on my own."
Hardly had the words left her mouth, than Libolio was down the hallway, in her room, and pulling the door shut behind her. Lifting the bedskirt she reached underneath and grasped the handle of the chest. Sliding it carefully out, she unlatched the lid and swung it open. Not even pausing to so much as glance at the glittering rocks, she pulled away the lining and clutched the tiny box in her fingers. Poking the lid open with her fingertip she peered inside. Still there. As soon as she touched the shard began buzzing again. She held it to her ear and gasped. Were those voices? She pressed her ear closer, and the voices became clearer.

-Earth-
Mark was still staring at the strange rock when Lucas, the foreman, stopped by. A short balding man in his late forties, he wasn't a very impressive sight. But what he lacked in looks he made up for in voice. Booming and deep, it could carry long distances without losing any of its power. At this moment, the voice was asking Mark what he had found so far. "Anything useful?" It asked.
Mark nodded, "Yes. All these hieroglyphs relate to the problem, and-"
Lucas interrupted him. "Great! Wonderful job Nathan. Keep up the good work!"
He walked off, heading toward the large tree where Claire had set up her equipment. Mark chuckled quietly to himself. Lucas might be loud and slightly intimidating, but his memory wasn't so good. As soon as he had ended his talk with Claire she ran right over to Mark. "Mark! The readings are getting higher and higher, and-"
He placed a finger over her lips. "Shhh. Calm down, Claire. How long?"
She inhaled slowly, filling her lungs with humid air. As soon as she released her breath words came tumbling out again. "About three days, not long. Of course, the readings might be wrong, or I could have set it up wrong...but Mark, I've never seen them increase this rapidly! It's like...like..."
She was breathing heavily again, and beads of sweat stood out on her forehead.
"Claire," said Mark warningly, "you're doing it again."
Leading her the shade by the cave wall he had been working on he said, "Claire, don't worry I'll be done in a couple of days, and then we can get out of here. Ok?"
She stared at him, eyes wide. "But Mark, that isn't all. If you had let me finish earlier you would already know! The readings are higher, much higher, and there was just a landslide, one that blocks our entire way back down!"
She began to shake, sobbing silently.
"So?" Asked Mark. "They'll just fly some helicopters out here, and pick us up. It'll only take a couple more days."
"So," answered Claire, "the rift is due to hit in two days! If all you had to do was that-" she gestured at the engravings on the cave wall "-and we could leave, that would be fine. However, now we have to wait for the helicopters to come, which will take at least five days, maybe more."
Mark let out a breath, slowly. He was beginning to see her side of things. If the rift hit in two days, and the helicopter would arrive in five days...well, just do the math. Just then he heard the buzzing again. Glancing down, he saw that the tiny rock was quivering and humming again.
"C'mon Claire, let's get you back to your trailer, okay?"
He gently guided her in the direction of the trailers, small campers with interior designing that suited each person's job and needs. Claire's was the one with the large American flag whipping about in the brisk breeze. When she reached it safely, and had opened her door, walked inside, and shut it behind her, Mark strode back to the cavern. Peering down at the shard of granite he saw that it was still shaking. Bending down to get a better look he noticed a slight sound emanating from within. Placing his ear directly on top of it he listened intently. There it was again! A slow, soft, whooshing sound, just barely audible over the buzzing. Could it be? Breathing? Hushed and distant, it floated to him, seeming to come from somewhere nearby. He was sure of it now. It must be breathing, he thought. What else could it be? "Hello?"
He called hesitantly. "Is anyone there?"
When nothing answered, Mark began to feel slightly idiotic, laying stretched out on the rocky ground, ear pressed to a rock, talking to a rock. And now it didn't answer. He was just about to get to his feet when a voice stopped him.
"Libolio?" It called, "Your father is home. He brought back some rocks for you that you might want to take a look at before dinner."
Mark gasped. Not only did there seem to be breathing inside the rock, there was also a whole family!  "Coming!" replied a younger voice. It was a girl's voice, higher than her mother's but still quite extraordinary, considering it was coming from a rock. Then there came a rushed whisper. "I don't know if you can hear me, or understand me, but if you can, I'll be back in one hour. I promise."
Then a lid slammed, and the buzzing stopped. Mark lay still for several minutes after that, wondering how and why something like this had happened. His last thought before he stood up and got on with his work was, this rock can talk.