Zeke got up and poured a stale coffee. "Yep, it's th' spaces between... oh yeah, guess he left." He sat down and mumbled, waiting for the next pilgrim seeking advice from an old fool. He could wait. The mine was strange. Time flowed in odd eddies here beneath the ground, sometimes up hill, sometimes getting caught in the cracks where coal or gold used to sleep. Zeke had an eternity, so waiting came easy.
But the rocks had something else in mind.
They had been grinding together since the planet cooled. Grinding. Eons of abrasion had left them rough and unpleasant. And hungry. They chewed each other, but wanted meatier fare.
Zeke drank his coffee. "Wellp, guess I oughta get ther mail. C'mon, Lassie." He and the imaginary dog began the climb.
The rocks bit down.
Zeke heard the imaginary dog yelp and he turned to see it's leg caught in the rock. He backed down to help Lassie and the rocks had him. Perfect bait - get the dog, and then you get Zeke. Rock started to crawl and envelope Zeke's limbs, and squeezed, it bit down and chewed. The old man screamed. Blood stained the rock and was absorbed. The rocks swallowed his face, and he was silent. The mine closed. And the rocks had something new to eat.
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