The sun was setting slowly. At least it felt like it. Kenji was supposed to wait till dark to go in. A flashlight was dangling from his waist, so that he would have some light when going into the mine. Kenji forgot why he was here until he heard chopping sound, that always seemed to assert itself as soon as Kenji became despondent. The booming voice of the director pierced Kenji's ears. 

"Where is your teammate?!"

Kenji turned his head coldly, with low eyes filled with contempt. 

"For the fourth time, I am 15 minutes early, he will be here soon."

They were being asked to do a short documentary of the Abandoned Mine. Kenji and Zetsume were being asked to walk through with the camera crew to keep them safe and narrate the film. Kenji grabbed the crumpled script from his pocket once more and scoffed. Kenji balled the script up and threw it at the director without looking. 

"I'm improvising."

The clapboard sounded again. Kenji spun violently, and located the man holding it. He yelped and scurried off to one of the tents that were set up. Kenji shook his head in disbelief. They were in need of protection alright. 

The stories from his childhood began to flood his memory. The stories of the mine being haunted by people who were sacrificed to the deities in the clouds. The stories of evil moles who were greedy for gemstones, and wanted to keep everything to themselves so they would cause accidents for anyone who tried to enter and take from the mine. 

Kenji and Zetsume were supposed to give an accurate account of the mine's past operation, but would they find that reality and mythology both dwelt in this Mine. For a long time it has been seen as a portal to the unknown, and the unmerciful. Perhaps, this documentary would prove too realistic for viewers to bear.

WC: 322