The security at the gate checked off green lit. Alice only showed them a letter from her phone and, just like that, they let them through. For the security guards to accept without really having an ID on them made no sense. And a letter, on her phone, made it more nerve-wrecking and interesting at the same time. Forget the process, all that mattered was the fact that they were in, and the real deal had to do with the start of the report.....if they can pull it off and attract the world's attention to them.
"So Alice...." Luna asked. "What are you gonna say in front of the camera?"
"Ghhhhrrr!" She wanted to panic. Really though? When being asked a question like that, she could hardly think of anything. Forget about the question, she DOESN'T even know what she's going to say!?
"WHY WOULD YOU ASK ME THAT QUESTION?!" She panicked and spoke loudly to Luna. She was cooked.
"Well, I just...."
"Don't talk! I know what to say!" She undermined her response at the same time, trying to keep her cool. But again, she really was cooked.
....
None said a word - both of them knew it. So they stayed quiet.
The van went through an underpass tunnel. Darkness for seconds, the light was near. Past the exit, the girls looked out of the windshield and saw the massive pit stretching below. What was once a naturally occurring landscape was transformed by man - the ground, torn open, left a big wound that cannot recover. Like pests, machines moved in every direction, sweeping the surface of the pit.
From the looks of it, the pit was active, as a huge bulldozer pushed dirt and rock, its blade scraping the earth loudly, as much of pure mechanical power. Nearby, a giant excavator reared on the other side, scooping rocks with its huge bucket, and swung it toward a truck waiting below. The trucks carried the heavy load of debris. Tires rumbling down the dirt road - splashing on the ground water.
While the heavy-duty machines carried out tasks of a larger quantity, the workers in bright vests took on other roles. They moved in quick succession, moving between the machines. Some by the drilling rig, signalling the operator high above, while others climbed up tall metal scaffolding near a processing plant.
Fast, noisy, but strangely organised, there was a rhythm to the chaos. Machines worked endlessly without stop, each one doing its job in a different way and form, and the workers acted accordingly.
The girls watched in silence, taking it all in. It was a sight they couldn't believe, well, not if they saw it for the first time anyway.
"Wow," Luna gawked, her eyes wide. "I've only seen this on TV....never in real life."
Alice didn't respond right away. It was quite the sight to take in. Her face practically glowed in the harsh light of the place, not that she had any interest in becoming a miner or anything related-but the sheer destruction around her left her speechless. Her hair fluttered in the wind from above, and she exhaled slowly.
"Yeah..." she murmured.
The van descended into the pit, its tyres rattling over the uneven, poorly maintained road. Every bump and jolt made the ride feel unstable. The hillside was made of loose minerals-one wrong tilt could've sent the van sliding off. But it leaned to the right, where the ground was wider and more secure. Not left. Never left.
After the descent, the van slowed down, weaving past trucks and workers scattered along the path. Eventually, it came to a stop in front of a garage-like building. How did they know where to go? Before they entered, a security guard had told them to park near a building-didn't say exactly which one, but the sign made it obvious. In bold, uneven letters, it read: Big Mouth.
"I think this is the place," Alice said.
They climbed out of the van-the doors clicking open, boots hitting the ground with dull thuds. And the doors swung shut. Tch!
The first thing they did was unload their equipment from the back of the van: cameras, lights, recorders, and a key piece of a larger setup.
But as they got to work, a man in a bright vest walked up to the two girls.
"Hello there," the man said, his tone neither exaggerated nor warm, but earnest and stern. Yet, despite his calm voice, the girls jumped in fright."....Sorry for scaring ya," he added with a smile.
"No, it's fine. Were. Fine," Alice reassured, their hearts pumping until calmed.
The man in the vest then spoke, as if confirming he'd heard they were alright and not disturbed.
"So, I take it you're the news crew?"
"Yes, we are!" Luna replied on behalf of Alice. "And you are?" She added to the mysterious man.
The man didn't have the look of someone important. He shrugged and replied, "Who, me? I'm just a worker."
"I just happened to see a van roll up to the garage, so it caught my attention," he added.
"...We were also told to keep an eye out for a news crew. That's how I know."
"But don't worry about me, you get to work," he said.
"Oh, and I think one of our supervisors will come around to get you guys on the bearings here.....So just wait around when you're ready."
'Alrightttttt?' They looked at each confused. And so what better thing could they do was return to their work.
~~~~~~
After a while, a man in a bright vest, one a different colour from the others-came walking alongside some security guards. If you think he was just a normal person, you'd be wrong. What he wore differentiated him among the rest of the mine workers, including hard hats, safety glasses, and steel-toed boots.
As he walked into the garage, the first worker from earlier stood at attention, though he looked exhausted, barely keeping his eyes open. The supervisor's sudden appearance, however, made it clear he had to stay alert.
"Sir!" The worker greeted him, his tone respectful. It is as if he had the vibe of a soldier.
"Easy there, I'm here to check on our guests," the supervisor replied, and the worker relaxed.
Turning to the girls, the supervisor made his introduction, as if they hadn't already had one.
"Good evening, fellow guests," he said. "I'm the supervisor of this mining site."
"I take it you're the news crew from America, yes?"
"Yes," Luna answered.
"Good." The supervisor flipped through papers on his board and spoke again, "Since your ID was only activated today, your program is scheduled for tomorrow."
"May I ask why?" Alice asked.
"Certain circumstances have led to change, but nothing serious." He nodded.
"...As for your accommodations, two rooms have been reserved for the night. George here will take up there," flipping through the last pages of the board, he confirmed, "That is all." Then he turned around and walked off with the security guards.
Again. It was strange and confusing, just like everything else.
"That's it?! We just got here?!" Alice exclaimed, frustrated. She hadn't expected the supervisor to say just a few words and then leave like nothing happened. Seriously, could they have at least given more details about what's going on? They don't even know where they are.
However, Luna didn't have the frustration in her like; instead, she was calm. She said, "I suppose… we'll have to make do," a quiet yes behind her words, accepting their current predicament.
~~~~~~
George took the girls to the rooms. They followed him and came to a halt.
"We're here," he said.
Looking at the place the girls were gonna stay at for the night didn't quite say friendly. Rather than a house made for human living, it was replaced with metal. Cargo containers to be exact.
"Seriously! This is the place we're gonna stay at?!" Alice said, infuriated.
"Yes, that is it.....," George said. "Why is something wrong."
Instead of Alice, who replied it was Luna, "No," she held Alice back as if she wanted to punch something. "Everything is fine."
With a slight pause on the worker's face-his brows lowered lightly-he was back to normal.
"Follow me."
The rooms were made from old cargo containers—steel boxes repurposed and adjusted just enough to be livable. Inside, there were basic beds, small tables, overhead lights, and a wall-mounted AC unit to keep the heat out. It wasn't anything like the homes they'd known before, but it didn't bother the girls. The place was clean, simple, and it felt safe.
'Here are your keys," George said, handing each of them one before heading off without another word.
Well, that was a bummer. Alice thought.
Alice collapsed onto the bed and soon drifted off to sleep. She was exhausted—worn out from the long drive. Scream and argue, that was for a later time. She had had enough for one day.