"It Was Supposed to be a Typical Shift in the Mines. We Unearthed Something We Can't Even Begin to Explain." by stackofbones | CLANCYPASTA

[00:00:02] [SPEAKER_00]: It's a widely accepted fact that the mining industry contains some of the more perilous jobs in the career pool.

[00:00:10] [SPEAKER_00]: It pays ludicrously well, of course, but has a notably higher mortality chance to salary ratio when compared to other blue-collar work.

[00:00:21] [SPEAKER_00]: It's certainly understandable, however.

[00:00:23] [SPEAKER_00]: From poor air quality to cave-ins, all the way to hidden gas pockets and equipment failure,

[00:00:30] [SPEAKER_00]: there's plenty of things in this line of work that are less than accommodating to human life.

[00:00:38] [SPEAKER_00]: At the absolute very least, however, these risks are expected.

[00:00:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Those that work in the field not only anticipate these risks, but gladly accept them as such.

[00:00:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Allow me to paint a picture.

[00:00:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Something went wrong, and four individuals from a 12-man crew have now perished.

[00:00:59] [SPEAKER_00]: The rest are stranded, with no foreseeable way to the surface.

[00:01:04] [SPEAKER_00]: And yet none of the previously mentioned risks are to blame.

[00:01:09] [SPEAKER_00]: In fact, the mine itself, or anything naturally forming for that matter, isn't to blame either.

[00:01:18] [SPEAKER_00]: So with all of those potential hazards ruled out, for what reason could this have occurred?

[00:01:24] [SPEAKER_00]: Whatever you guessed is likely far from reality, likely not even remotely close.

[00:01:30] [SPEAKER_00]: The situation makes absolutely no sense, and the explanation will make even less.

[00:01:38] [SPEAKER_00]: For that reason, I'll attempt to break everything down as simply as possible from

[00:01:43] [SPEAKER_00]: the beginning. But bear with me, as certain parts might be rather long-winded.

[00:01:49] [SPEAKER_00]: To start, I'm Finnegan.

[00:01:52] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm an equipment operator for a coal mining operation run by Riker Energy Resources,

[00:01:57] [SPEAKER_00]: a rather newly founded company headquartered in Wyoming.

[00:02:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Overall, the job was a phenomenal opportunity.

[00:02:05] [SPEAKER_00]: Little to no experience was needed due to the company being notably

[00:02:09] [SPEAKER_00]: unestablished in the industry, with the compensation structure only falling slightly

[00:02:14] [SPEAKER_00]: the national average. For someone fresh out of high school with no plans for college,

[00:02:20] [SPEAKER_00]: it was an opportunity too perfect to pass up.

[00:02:24] [SPEAKER_00]: After two years with the company, I'd gotten into the rhythm of doing my job,

[00:02:29] [SPEAKER_00]: and did it particularly well.

[00:02:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Factoring in the generally unchanging crew of 11 other individuals I worked with,

[00:02:37] [SPEAKER_00]: we overall functioned like a well-oiled machine.

[00:02:41] [SPEAKER_00]: We pride ourselves on that ability to work efficiently, yet we were rather dependent

[00:02:47] [SPEAKER_00]: on our routine. However, at the beginning of our shift approximately 12 hours ago,

[00:02:55] [SPEAKER_00]: that routine was broken. And as if the forces of the universe took notice of this,

[00:03:01] [SPEAKER_00]: something went sideways in very short order.

[00:03:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Thought we were on waste removal for the week, I questioned.

[00:03:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Flipping through the thoroughly stained schedule taped to the window of the managerial office.

[00:03:17] [SPEAKER_00]: Y'all lucked out this time. Survey team discovered a sizable load deeper down,

[00:03:22] [SPEAKER_00]: got no extra crews to work on it so y'all are up for now.

[00:03:26] [SPEAKER_00]: Our foreman stated, reviewing the paper himself before retrieving

[00:03:30] [SPEAKER_00]: and unfolding an additional piece of paper from his pocket.

[00:03:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Looks like all of y'all are set to be on shift.

[00:03:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Might just wait by the truck for everyone else to show up.

[00:03:41] [SPEAKER_00]: He added, gesturing to the vehicle.

[00:03:44] [SPEAKER_00]: I simply nodded and walked over to the truck, leaning on it as I sipped the mug

[00:03:48] [SPEAKER_00]: of bitter coffee I'd hurriedly brewed before arriving.

[00:03:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Rather promptly, the other 11 members of our worker pool arrived

[00:03:57] [SPEAKER_00]: and we quickly filed into the back of the vehicle.

[00:04:00] [SPEAKER_00]: It was little more than an industrial tour bus,

[00:04:03] [SPEAKER_00]: and the crew compartment was notably cramped with 12 individuals packed inside.

[00:04:09] [SPEAKER_00]: I was seated in the very back row,

[00:04:12] [SPEAKER_00]: and a large bearded individual by the name of Angus filled the seat beside me.

[00:04:18] [SPEAKER_00]: New plant? Certainly beats shoveling rock for another 12 hours, eh?

[00:04:23] [SPEAKER_00]: He commented with a slight chuckle.

[00:04:25] [SPEAKER_00]: His accent was thickly Scottish, as were most of his mannerisms.

[00:04:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Still gonna be shoveling rock, bud.

[00:04:32] [SPEAKER_00]: At the very least we get to use the fun tools as well.

[00:04:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Margo responded from the middle row.

[00:04:39] [SPEAKER_00]: She was likewise an equipment operator, so we often worked interchangeably on the same tasks.

[00:04:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Likewise, being the second oldest member of the crew at 55 years old,

[00:04:50] [SPEAKER_00]: she was well respected by everyone else.

[00:04:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Before anyone else was able to join in,

[00:04:55] [SPEAKER_00]: the personnel carrier jolted to life as it began shakily moving down into the depths

[00:05:01] [SPEAKER_00]: of the mines.

[00:05:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Despite being rather large, all equipment was electrically operated to reduce the risk

[00:05:08] [SPEAKER_00]: of fumes accumulating, and as a result it began picking up speed impressively quickly.

[00:05:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Despite our assignment being roughly 500 feet below the surface through various

[00:05:20] [SPEAKER_00]: crowded and winding shafts, we were expected to arrive in around 10 minutes.

[00:05:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Around five minutes into the ride, Angus tapped me on the shoulder and motioned to my coffee mug,

[00:05:33] [SPEAKER_00]: which had since become rather cold.

[00:05:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Gonna finish that, Finn? He politely questioned.

[00:05:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Have at it, not the most pleasant brew, I responded, handing him the half full mug.

[00:05:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks, lad, he replied, finishing the remaining beverage alarmingly quickly.

[00:05:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Shortly thereafter, the vehicle jolted to a halt as we arrived at the assignment site.

[00:05:58] [SPEAKER_00]: It was a dead end cavern with quickly assembled support beams and lighting systems giving it

[00:06:04] [SPEAKER_00]: the definitive appearance of a work in progress.

[00:06:07] [SPEAKER_00]: We exited the vehicle and quickly began divvying up the work as

[00:06:11] [SPEAKER_00]: we always did at the start of a larger task.

[00:06:15] [SPEAKER_00]: A gruff older individual that we simply referred to as Davey took the lead as per usual.

[00:06:22] [SPEAKER_00]: He was the oldest individual on the crew, at an astonishing 60 years of age.

[00:06:29] [SPEAKER_00]: He had plenty of experience in the industry to back his leadership.

[00:06:35] [SPEAKER_00]: After the majority of the crew had been assigned their respective tasks,

[00:06:39] [SPEAKER_00]: he pointed in my direction and provided me with my job for the shift as well.

[00:06:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Finn? Margo? Grab the drills and hit those markers, depth should be marked below.

[00:06:50] [SPEAKER_00]: He ordered gesturing to various chalk markings on the nearby cavern wall.

[00:06:56] [SPEAKER_00]: Mark, get with Angus and start prepping some charges.

[00:07:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Alright, let's have a good day. Break, he added, before clapping his hands.

[00:07:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Everyone broke out and began working as instructed, with Margo and I making our

[00:07:11] [SPEAKER_00]: way across the cavern towards a line of parked utility trucks with various types

[00:07:15] [SPEAKER_00]: of equipment stacked in the back. We grabbed the large hand-helm drills we were to be using

[00:07:21] [SPEAKER_00]: during the shift and lugged them over to the specified wall, powering them up

[00:07:25] [SPEAKER_00]: and beginning our task as instructed.

[00:07:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Within around an hour many of the markings had been drilled down to their identified depths

[00:07:33] [SPEAKER_00]: with the remaining being completed 20 minutes thereafter.

[00:07:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Angus began filling the completed holes with charges, with all the remaining crew

[00:07:42] [SPEAKER_00]: filing into their respective vehicles as we began exiting the potential blast radius.

[00:07:48] [SPEAKER_00]: Angus arrived last and revealed a detonator from his pocket connected to the charges

[00:07:54] [SPEAKER_00]: with a sizable length of wire.

[00:07:57] [SPEAKER_00]: Shall I do the honors, boss? Angus questioned, removing the protective cover from over the

[00:08:03] [SPEAKER_00]: switch. Davey consulted his radio and after receiving the all clear responded with a simple

[00:08:09] [SPEAKER_00]: thumbs up.

[00:08:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Angus flipped the switch as a thundering explosion echoed through the cavern,

[00:08:17] [SPEAKER_00]: with a shockwave shortly making its way up with a level of force that shook the vehicles

[00:08:22] [SPEAKER_00]: parked beside us. After a few moments we loaded back into the trucks and once more

[00:08:29] [SPEAKER_00]: returned to the site, which now had a sizable hole blown into the cavern wall,

[00:08:33] [SPEAKER_00]: revealing a notably large amount of coal winding throughout the inside of the stone.

[00:08:40] [SPEAKER_00]: We began surveying the area and once more began our assigned duties. Margo and I

[00:08:46] [SPEAKER_00]: retrieved our drills and made our way over to the wall to continue the extraction process.

[00:08:51] [SPEAKER_00]: However, before we could make much progress, Margo stopped and placed her drill on the ground.

[00:09:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Something wrong? I questioned, doing the same. She appeared fixated on a particular section of the

[00:09:08] [SPEAKER_00]: wall, one that was visibly lighter colored than the rest of the nearby stone.

[00:09:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Not sure if I'm seeing things but I think that's concrete, she responded, picking up a

[00:09:29] [SPEAKER_00]: heavy swing. A larger chunk broke off the wall, revealing visible rebar underneath.

[00:09:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Well I'll be damned. Davey, check this out! She added, calling Davey over as she continued

[00:09:43] [SPEAKER_00]: removing the areas surrounding the rebar. Davey arrived and appeared just as astonished at the

[00:09:49] [SPEAKER_00]: site. He retrieved a piece of paper from his jacket, referencing it as he continued glancing

[00:09:55] [SPEAKER_00]: at the opening. Shouldn't be anything manmade here, the company has just barely started excavating

[00:10:01] [SPEAKER_00]: at this depth, he stated, removing a few additional pieces with his hand. Shouldn't

[00:10:07] [SPEAKER_00]: even be anything aside from the mine for the surrounding ten miles, he added. He radioed back

[00:10:14] [SPEAKER_00]: up to the surface and after a brief conversation, returned looking visibly more confused than he

[00:10:20] [SPEAKER_00]: was previously. Looks like it's a new development to management as well, if it seems sound enough,

[00:10:28] [SPEAKER_00]: a suggestion that we either drill around it or through it, he informed us, once more glancing

[00:10:34] [SPEAKER_00]: at the opening as he referenced his documents. Why not just set a charge in that spot? Should

[00:10:41] [SPEAKER_00]: give us an idea of how deep it goes and we might still stay on schedule too, Mark suggested,

[00:10:46] [SPEAKER_00]: having likewise taken notice of the discovery along with overhearing the conversation.

[00:10:52] [SPEAKER_00]: He was relatively new on the crew, having only been there for a few months, along with being just

[00:10:56] [SPEAKER_00]: four years older than I at 25, but had proven his efficacy enough to warrant a reasonable say

[00:11:04] [SPEAKER_00]: in matters. Davey contemplated it for a moment. Don't see why not, grab Angus and let me know

[00:11:11] [SPEAKER_00]: it's ready, he responded. After drilling a sizable pocket to place the charge in and

[00:11:18] [SPEAKER_00]: hammering around additional layers of rebar, the charge was set and everyone once more drove

[00:11:24] [SPEAKER_00]: to a safe distance. As before, Angus received the green light and detonated it with the

[00:11:31] [SPEAKER_00]: thunderous crack of the material splitting, echoing throughout the cavern. We returned to

[00:11:38] [SPEAKER_00]: sight and with all members of the crew now being aware of the strange anomaly,

[00:11:44] [SPEAKER_00]: everyone crowded around the opening as the dust began to fully settle. To our immense surprise,

[00:11:52] [SPEAKER_00]: the explosion didn't reveal additional layers of concrete or even normal stone on the other side,

[00:11:58] [SPEAKER_00]: but rather an opening into what appeared to be another cavern. Margo, having retrieved a lamp

[00:12:06] [SPEAKER_00]: from one of the trucks, powered it on and shined it in the hole only to reveal something even

[00:12:12] [SPEAKER_00]: stranger. It was a warehouse, a sizable one at that with various wooden crates and shelves

[00:12:20] [SPEAKER_00]: that extended well beyond the reach of the lamp's light. Now just what in the fuck did we

[00:12:27] [SPEAKER_00]: come across here? Angus asked, approaching the opening. Emotion for Margo to hand him the lamp

[00:12:33] [SPEAKER_00]: and, after retrieving it, stepped inside the opening which was barely a foot above ground level.

[00:12:40] [SPEAKER_00]: He shined the light around, revealing a ceiling of at least 20 feet in height

[00:12:45] [SPEAKER_00]: and even more rows of shelves and crates extending through the room.

[00:12:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Soon thereafter, another four of us grabbed a lamp as well and followed, entering the strange

[00:12:56] [SPEAKER_00]: room. Everything was covered in a noticeably thick layer of dust, the type that only

[00:13:02] [SPEAKER_00]: accumulates after years upon years of abandonment. The air was visibly polluted with it and,

[00:13:10] [SPEAKER_00]: after walking roughly a hundred feet deeper, we were forced to turn back due to the relatively

[00:13:16] [SPEAKER_00]: unbreathable nature of the environment. However, before returning, our lamps were able

[00:13:22] [SPEAKER_00]: to vaguely illuminate a door at the other end of the storage room. It was made of solid metal

[00:13:29] [SPEAKER_00]: and had one of those wheel-like mechanisms for opening it, something one might find inside a ship.

[00:13:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Davy, being practically asthmatic after venturing inside, gestured to the nearest workers.

[00:13:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Grab some respirators from the truck, I'd rather figure out what this is before we blow

[00:13:48] [SPEAKER_00]: anything else to pieces, he ordered. The workers nodded and returned carrying a crate of them,

[00:13:54] [SPEAKER_00]: with Davy distributing them out to each of the crew members before pointing to the opening.

[00:14:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Need five people to check it out with me, it's not a sightseeing tour. We're detailing every

[00:14:06] [SPEAKER_00]: last thing we find and then heading back out to continue our work. Regardless, everyone mask up

[00:14:12] [SPEAKER_00]: while the ventilation system does its job, he stated. I, being rather intrigued, immediately

[00:14:20] [SPEAKER_00]: volunteered, as did Angus, Margo, Mark and a rather newer individual by the name of Al.

[00:14:28] [SPEAKER_00]: Once everyone had donned their gear, we once more entered the opening and began venturing to the

[00:14:33] [SPEAKER_00]: other side. The many crates we passed along the way were mostly unmarked, with some having

[00:14:41] [SPEAKER_00]: labels that had become far too faded to perceive the information printed on them.

[00:14:46] [SPEAKER_00]: While looking at the crates, I failed to notice that Mark had paused directly in front of me,

[00:14:54] [SPEAKER_00]: and as a result, I nearly took both of us to the ground by accident.

[00:14:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Shit, my fault man, all good? I asked, regaining my footing.

[00:15:04] [SPEAKER_00]: He briefly scanned the left side of the room through the scaffold shelving before responding.

[00:15:09] [SPEAKER_00]: No worries, I could have sworn I saw some shit moving around, is all. He replied,

[00:15:16] [SPEAKER_00]: seeming marginally uneasy. Angus briefly turned around and joined in as well before continuing

[00:15:23] [SPEAKER_00]: onward. Probably just a rat, lad. Might even be a raccoon. Perhaps even the boogeyman?

[00:15:30] [SPEAKER_00]: He added with a chuckle. No way in hell a raccoon's all the way down here.

[00:15:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Doubt even a rat would bother, Al included. It seems that only leaves the boogeyman then,

[00:15:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Angus responded, releasing a hearty laugh. The conversation was abruptly cut short by a loud

[00:15:50] [SPEAKER_00]: creaking further ahead. Daviet reached the door at the other end and was attempting to open it,

[00:15:57] [SPEAKER_00]: too little a veil. Mind cutting the banter and lending me a hand? He asked, annoyance

[00:16:04] [SPEAKER_00]: clear in his voice. Angus rushed over and, upon likewise grabbing the wheel, managed to

[00:16:11] [SPEAKER_00]: successfully turn it. It released an ear-splitting grinding noise, clearly indicative of the amount

[00:16:18] [SPEAKER_00]: of time that had passed since it was last opened. Eventually it came loose as the door

[00:16:25] [SPEAKER_00]: slowly creaked open. The rest of us rushed over and upon shining our lights through the doorway,

[00:16:33] [SPEAKER_00]: discovered that the discovery was likely far more sizable than we originally anticipated.

[00:16:41] [SPEAKER_00]: A hallway extended to both the left and right of the doorway, with more doors in what appeared

[00:16:48] [SPEAKER_00]: to be a mess hall at the furthest left end. Two other hallways extended from the main as well,

[00:16:55] [SPEAKER_00]: both leading further into the structure. Older fluorescent lights lined the ceiling,

[00:17:01] [SPEAKER_00]: but considering the clear age of the structure, chances of them working were

[00:17:06] [SPEAKER_00]: evidently negligible. Should we, like, split up? Or are we just going to search this place

[00:17:13] [SPEAKER_00]: one room at a time? Mark questioned. Davie considered it for a moment before responding,

[00:17:20] [SPEAKER_00]: I'd rather leave it to the survey crew to fully map this place. Check what you can

[00:17:25] [SPEAKER_00]: and reconvene here in twenty, yeah? He replied. Everyone nodded as we began splitting

[00:17:31] [SPEAKER_00]: up to check the structure. I went towards the mess hall as Angus began attempting to open the

[00:17:37] [SPEAKER_00]: nearest door while everyone else went in their own directions. I reached the mess hall fairly

[00:17:42] [SPEAKER_00]: quickly and discovered four rows of lunchroom style tables with a large box television mounted

[00:17:48] [SPEAKER_00]: on the wall. A counter extended on the furthest wall, leading into what appeared to be a

[00:17:54] [SPEAKER_00]: kitchen. I hopped the counter, knocking over a metal tray which hit the ground with an

[00:17:59] [SPEAKER_00]: echoing crash. Margot, being nearby, called over, everything alright over there, Finn?

[00:18:07] [SPEAKER_00]: Having spooked myself to some degree, I composed myself before responding,

[00:18:13] [SPEAKER_00]: all good, just being clumsy is all, I replied. I made my way throughout the rather sizable

[00:18:21] [SPEAKER_00]: industrial kitchen, coming across various canned goods and cookware. Another door

[00:18:27] [SPEAKER_00]: seemingly let out of the kitchen, but upon attempting to open it, I quickly concluded

[00:18:32] [SPEAKER_00]: that it was locked. The most striking aspect of the kitchen, however, was the seemingly

[00:18:38] [SPEAKER_00]: used appearance of it. Not in the sense that it had been recently used, but rather used at

[00:18:45] [SPEAKER_00]: some point. Multiple pots were found within a large sink basin with the mold growing within,

[00:18:52] [SPEAKER_00]: suggesting that they hadn't been unused when placed inside. Even some of the counters had

[00:18:58] [SPEAKER_00]: visible residue underneath the profoundly thick layer of dust. Eventually, I glanced at my watch

[00:19:06] [SPEAKER_00]: and realized that around fifteen minutes had passed. I once more hopped the counter,

[00:19:11] [SPEAKER_00]: this time being mindful of the remaining trays sitting on its surface. Before I could make

[00:19:17] [SPEAKER_00]: into the hallway, however, I picked up a distinct sound from inside the kitchen,

[00:19:24] [SPEAKER_00]: particularly the sound of something small such as a metal utensil clattering against the ground.

[00:19:31] [SPEAKER_00]: I quickly shined my lamp back over the counter and was met with a rather unnerving sight.

[00:19:38] [SPEAKER_00]: A small pair of eyes was looking back at me, not in some overly unnatural sense,

[00:19:47] [SPEAKER_00]: but rather something comparable to the eyes of an animal at night.

[00:19:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Just two dimly reflective, almost shimmering dots. I froze and kept my light on the eyes.

[00:20:01] [SPEAKER_00]: They were small enough to fit the profile of a medium-sized rodent,

[00:20:05] [SPEAKER_00]: but the more alarming aspect was how they seemed directly behind the counter,

[00:20:12] [SPEAKER_00]: yet still cleared the top of it. The counter, being around three and a half feet off the ground,

[00:20:19] [SPEAKER_00]: made this especially concerning. I slowly backed away, keeping my light on the strange set of

[00:20:27] [SPEAKER_00]: eyes as they remained unmoving and aimed in my direction. Once I was back in the hall,

[00:20:34] [SPEAKER_00]: I quickened my pace and eventually made it back to the door we had entered in,

[00:20:39] [SPEAKER_00]: where Margot and Davey were waiting. Davey was flipping through a dusty folder of papers

[00:20:45] [SPEAKER_00]: he had evidently discovered, while Margot was reviewing a binder she had likewise come across

[00:20:50] [SPEAKER_00]: as well. Glad to see you made it back. Find anything? Margot questioned. Not really.

[00:20:57] [SPEAKER_00]: Found a kitchen in a locked door. Nothing of much substance. I replied, pausing for a moment.

[00:21:06] [SPEAKER_00]: I considered trying to explain the small creature that was evidently in the kitchen with me,

[00:21:11] [SPEAKER_00]: but eventually settled with a more rational explanation. There was also a big ass rat

[00:21:18] [SPEAKER_00]: or something in there. Kind of freaked me out, I added. Davey briefly looked up from

[00:21:25] [SPEAKER_00]: before returning to them once more. Lace must be infested then. Came across a good few of them in

[00:21:32] [SPEAKER_00]: the offices I found. Would be lying if I said they didn't spook me as well, he added.

[00:21:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Margot was seemingly about to add something as well, before Angus and Mark likewise arrived.

[00:21:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Both were empty handed, but Mark was clearly rather shaken up.

[00:21:49] [SPEAKER_00]: Anything interesting? Davey questioned, still flipping through the stack of papers.

[00:21:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Found another storage room with even more boxes. This lad walked right into a rat nest

[00:22:01] [SPEAKER_00]: and nearly shat his britches, he added, lightly elbowing Mark on the shoulder.

[00:22:06] [SPEAKER_00]: He seemed rather annoyed but likewise joined in as well.

[00:22:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Shined my light into a hallway and caught the eyes of about a dozen of the rodents.

[00:22:16] [SPEAKER_00]: Looked like some shit straight out of a horror flick, he added.

[00:22:20] [SPEAKER_00]: As he finished, a loud crash once more echoed through the kitchen at the other end of the hall.

[00:22:28] [SPEAKER_00]: We each shined our lamps in that direction, only to be met by none other than the same

[00:22:34] [SPEAKER_00]: eyes as before peeking around the corner. With the profound amount of dust in the air

[00:22:41] [SPEAKER_00]: throughout the facility, it was still impossible to make out a definitive form to the animal,

[00:22:47] [SPEAKER_00]: but the eyes were clearly a foot above the ground.

[00:22:52] [SPEAKER_00]: We remained silent for a moment as us and the animal stared each other down.

[00:22:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Eventually, the silence was broken by my watch alarm going off,

[00:23:04] [SPEAKER_00]: signifying that the twenty minutes was up.

[00:23:08] [SPEAKER_00]: The animal scurried away, making an audible noise while doing so,

[00:23:13] [SPEAKER_00]: as we all composed ourselves once more.

[00:23:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Zooky little bastards, Angus commented, looking down the other end of the hall.

[00:23:24] [SPEAKER_00]: Say, have you lads seen Al around here? He added.

[00:23:30] [SPEAKER_00]: We looked around, likewise taking notice of his absence.

[00:23:34] [SPEAKER_00]: He had gone down the hallway at the furthest end, and with each of us having a timekeeping

[00:23:39] [SPEAKER_00]: device of some sort, it was more than expected that we would be back at the end of those

[00:23:44] [SPEAKER_00]: twenty minutes. Davy seemed rather frustrated,

[00:23:48] [SPEAKER_00]: and placed the stack of papers in his jacket as he walked over to the entrance of the hall.

[00:23:54] [SPEAKER_00]: He called out multiple times, to no response,

[00:23:57] [SPEAKER_00]: and eventually started returning as his lamp began to visibly dim and flicker.

[00:24:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Once back with the group, he removed and replaced the battery to no avail.

[00:24:08] [SPEAKER_00]: As the lamp proceeded to fully extinguish itself, he shook his head before addressing the group.

[00:24:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Nothing but more rats and more dust,

[00:24:17] [SPEAKER_00]: and I'm sure as hell not about to go down there with this piece of shit.

[00:24:21] [SPEAKER_00]: He added, hitting the defunct lamp.

[00:24:24] [SPEAKER_00]: Eh, I'll go get the lad, Angus commented, as he made his way towards the hall.

[00:24:29] [SPEAKER_00]: He eventually disappeared around the corner as the echoing sound of his footsteps

[00:24:34] [SPEAKER_00]: gradually faded, eventually becoming inaudible.

[00:24:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Davy gestured towards Margo's lamp, which she handed to him.

[00:24:45] [SPEAKER_00]: You three head back, I'll wait for them.

[00:24:48] [SPEAKER_00]: Radio doesn't seem to be working all that well here.

[00:24:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Get a unit at sight and relay your findings to surface until we get back, he added.

[00:24:57] [SPEAKER_00]: We simply nodded in unison and began making our way back through the warehouse.

[00:25:02] [SPEAKER_00]: The atmosphere had noticeably shifted,

[00:25:05] [SPEAKER_00]: and unease was becoming evident in each of our mannerisms.

[00:25:09] [SPEAKER_00]: While I kept my light aimed straight ahead,

[00:25:12] [SPEAKER_00]: Mark was shining his to either side,

[00:25:14] [SPEAKER_00]: clearly still on edge due to his encounter within the facility.

[00:25:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Margo, not having a lamp anymore, stayed close by at the front of the group,

[00:25:24] [SPEAKER_00]: eventually breaking the silence.

[00:25:26] [SPEAKER_00]: Say, do y'all really think those are rats?

[00:25:31] [SPEAKER_00]: She questioned.

[00:25:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Mark caught up with the group before joining in as well.

[00:25:36] [SPEAKER_00]: I'd like to think so.

[00:25:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Why'd you ask?

[00:25:39] [SPEAKER_00]: He responded.

[00:25:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Margo seemed to gather her thoughts for a moment before answering his question.

[00:25:46] [SPEAKER_00]: I found this small office and a couple were in there.

[00:25:51] [SPEAKER_00]: All I could see was their eyes peeking from behind a desk.

[00:25:55] [SPEAKER_00]: She responded.

[00:25:57] [SPEAKER_00]: Same with my encounter.

[00:25:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Pretty damn creepy, Mark interjected.

[00:26:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Margo once more seemed to collect her thoughts before replying,

[00:26:06] [SPEAKER_00]: well it's just...

[00:26:08] [SPEAKER_00]: She paused a moment before continuing.

[00:26:11] [SPEAKER_00]: As I left the office to meet up at the entrance,

[00:26:14] [SPEAKER_00]: I turned around and one of those sets of eyes was almost at the ceiling, she added.

[00:26:22] [SPEAKER_00]: Mark and I turned to face her and noticed that she was visibly shaken up from the recollection.

[00:26:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Once more, she continued.

[00:26:32] [SPEAKER_00]: I like to imagine that it was just my mind playing tricks or something,

[00:26:36] [SPEAKER_00]: but there was nothing at that height that a rodent could have been sitting on for

[00:26:42] [SPEAKER_00]: that to make sense.

[00:26:43] [SPEAKER_00]: It was just a wall, and once I began approaching it with the lamp,

[00:26:47] [SPEAKER_00]: it went right back down to the desk in an instant.

[00:26:51] [SPEAKER_00]: She included.

[00:26:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Mark and I glanced at each other, but otherwise remained silent.

[00:26:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Despite the surreal nature of that description,

[00:27:01] [SPEAKER_00]: it evidently matched what each of us had experienced as well.

[00:27:06] [SPEAKER_00]: We didn't directly mention it,

[00:27:09] [SPEAKER_00]: but something about that structure just wasn't right.

[00:27:13] [SPEAKER_00]: It was a conclusion each of us appeared to silently arrive at

[00:27:17] [SPEAKER_00]: as we quickened our pace and exited from the opening.

[00:27:21] [SPEAKER_00]: The other six members of the crew were eagerly waiting

[00:27:24] [SPEAKER_00]: as our arrival was met by multiple lights shining through the hole.

[00:27:29] [SPEAKER_00]: They looked marginally on edge as well,

[00:27:31] [SPEAKER_00]: but before either party could exchange information,

[00:27:34] [SPEAKER_00]: the sound of thundering footsteps from within the facility grabbed our attention.

[00:27:41] [SPEAKER_00]: We returned the beams of our lamps to the opening,

[00:27:44] [SPEAKER_00]: though were unable to immediately spot anything due to the freshly disturbed dust

[00:27:49] [SPEAKER_00]: further limiting the visibility.

[00:27:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Eventually, the footsteps were evidently originating from within the warehouse

[00:27:57] [SPEAKER_00]: as a shadow became visible.

[00:28:01] [SPEAKER_00]: It was Davey.

[00:28:02] [SPEAKER_00]: In a degree of full sprint that was virtually impossible for someone in that age bracket,

[00:28:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Angus was soon behind,

[00:28:11] [SPEAKER_00]: seeming to be clutching his arm.

[00:28:12] [SPEAKER_00]: The light Davey was holding had clearly stopped working,

[00:28:16] [SPEAKER_00]: and Angus had very clearly abandoned his at some point.

[00:28:20] [SPEAKER_00]: Upon exiting the opening, Davey immediately signaled in the direction of the trucks

[00:28:26] [SPEAKER_00]: and barked orders between raspy breaths.

[00:28:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Load up the fucking trucks! We're leaving! He ordered.

[00:28:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Angus was soon behind,

[00:28:34] [SPEAKER_00]: and it became evident fairly quickly that he'd been significantly injured

[00:28:39] [SPEAKER_00]: with a stream of blood seeping between the fingers clutching his arm and pooling at his feet.

[00:28:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Aside from the blood loss, he was pale as a ghost and speechless,

[00:28:51] [SPEAKER_00]: with his eyes wide with shock.

[00:28:53] [SPEAKER_00]: For someone of his stature, it was beyond abnormal to see him in such a state of abject horror.

[00:28:59] [SPEAKER_00]: In fact, many of us genuinely assumed it was impossible.

[00:29:04] [SPEAKER_00]: Without question, all of us sprinted towards the trucks,

[00:29:07] [SPEAKER_00]: quickly loading them up and starting them as we left the site.

[00:29:12] [SPEAKER_00]: Being a passenger in the vehicle with Davey, I turned to him and immediately noticed his expression

[00:29:19] [SPEAKER_00]: being one of pure and unadulterated fear as well.

[00:29:25] [SPEAKER_00]: What the fuck happened in there?

[00:29:28] [SPEAKER_00]: Where's Al?

[00:29:29] [SPEAKER_00]: I quietly asked, sensing the gravity of the situation,

[00:29:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Davey shook his head and clutched the steering wheel even harder as he turned to me.

[00:29:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Al is fucking dead, Finn.

[00:29:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Those weren't rats, and whatever they are tore him to shreds.

[00:29:49] [SPEAKER_00]: He silently replied before returning his eyes to the path before us.

[00:29:54] [SPEAKER_00]: What was left of him we could barely even identify.

[00:29:58] [SPEAKER_00]: He added, his voice shaking.

[00:30:02] [SPEAKER_00]: The sound of tires on stone once more enveloped the air as both I and the

[00:30:08] [SPEAKER_00]: other crew that had hopped in the passenger cab were unable to formulate a proper response.

[00:30:15] [SPEAKER_00]: Eventually, we reached an intersection with three narrow tunnels,

[00:30:18] [SPEAKER_00]: and Davey quickly turned into the one leading to the surface.

[00:30:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Soon thereafter, however, Davey's radio crackled to life with Margot's voice

[00:30:28] [SPEAKER_00]: emerging from the device.

[00:30:31] [SPEAKER_00]: We're missing a truck.

[00:30:32] [SPEAKER_00]: They were falling behind and didn't make the turn, she commented.

[00:30:36] [SPEAKER_00]: The urgency in her voice indicating that Angus had conveyed the situation to them as well.

[00:30:42] [SPEAKER_00]: We looked in the rearview mirror and noticed that we were in fact one truck short.

[00:30:48] [SPEAKER_00]: Despite four having left the site, there were now only three in the single file line of vehicles.

[00:30:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Davey slammed the steering wheel and released a string of obscenities before turning the

[00:31:00] [SPEAKER_00]: vehicle around.

[00:31:02] [SPEAKER_00]: He rolled down the window and ordered that the remaining trucks stay put as we traversed

[00:31:06] [SPEAKER_00]: the short distance back to the entrance of the tunnel.

[00:31:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Upon arriving, we turned back towards the site only to see a rather unwelcome site.

[00:31:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Half the length of the shaft was now submerged in complete darkness.

[00:31:25] [SPEAKER_00]: The strings of lights illuminating the cavern walls and ceiling to the very end

[00:31:30] [SPEAKER_00]: had evidently failed with the portable work lights along the nearest half of the cavern

[00:31:35] [SPEAKER_00]: being the only source of light.

[00:31:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Even the ones nearest to the site had begun to flicker with a large floodlight stationed

[00:31:42] [SPEAKER_00]: along the wall opposite to us, failing rather shortly upon our arrival.

[00:31:48] [SPEAKER_00]: As within the facility, the remaining lights reflected off various sets of eyes at the edge

[00:31:54] [SPEAKER_00]: of the darkness.

[00:31:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Some at ground level.

[00:31:56] [SPEAKER_00]: Others seemingly twenty feet or more in the air.

[00:32:00] [SPEAKER_00]: There seemed to be dozens of them, and as another set of work lights extinguished themselves,

[00:32:06] [SPEAKER_00]: I could have almost sworn that more sets of eyes appeared.

[00:32:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Aside from the occasional popping of the lights, it was eerily dead silent.

[00:32:16] [SPEAKER_00]: Most notably, the remaining truck wasn't anywhere in sight, having evidently broken

[00:32:22] [SPEAKER_00]: down far beyond what was now the reach of the light.

[00:32:26] [SPEAKER_00]: Furthermore, nobody within that vehicle had been present in that facility, meaning the

[00:32:33] [SPEAKER_00]: full urgency of the situation was likely not understood by any of them.

[00:32:39] [SPEAKER_00]: Davey, likely realizing this, loudly called out to them, his voice cracking while doing so.

[00:32:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Upon receiving no response, he yelled once more, his voice echoing across the cavern walls.

[00:32:54] [SPEAKER_00]: Again, there was no response.

[00:32:58] [SPEAKER_00]: For a moment we sat in silence, awaiting any sign that the occupants of the truck were still there,

[00:33:04] [SPEAKER_00]: only for more silence to follow.

[00:33:07] [SPEAKER_00]: Eventually, more work lights popped, with a line of darkness now becoming precariously close.

[00:33:16] [SPEAKER_00]: Davey once more released a stream of obscenities before grabbing his lamp and rushing to the

[00:33:22] [SPEAKER_00]: edge of the light, shining it across the cavern from left to right.

[00:33:26] [SPEAKER_00]: The various sets of eyes seemed to avoid the light, shifting to remain outside of the direct

[00:33:33] [SPEAKER_00]: beam, filling the air with an unnerving, scuttling noise as they did so.

[00:33:39] [SPEAKER_00]: Eventually, the beam reflected off the white paint of a truck at the furthest wall of the

[00:33:45] [SPEAKER_00]: doors visibly open.

[00:33:48] [SPEAKER_00]: The light likewise reflected off a mound lying directly outside of the door, which to our horror

[00:33:55] [SPEAKER_00]: we quickly identified as one of the reflective stripes on our high visibility work jackets.

[00:34:03] [SPEAKER_00]: The jacket was, evidently still attached to something solid, but the spacing between

[00:34:08] [SPEAKER_00]: the visibility stripes indicated that it was no longer in a single piece.

[00:34:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Nearly on cue, Davey's work lamp began flickering once more.

[00:34:19] [SPEAKER_00]: He quickly took notice and sprinted back to the well-lit area as it extinguished itself.

[00:34:26] [SPEAKER_00]: Without a word, we once more loaded into the vehicle

[00:34:29] [SPEAKER_00]: and began making our way back through the narrow tunnel.

[00:34:34] [SPEAKER_00]: However, just as we were approaching the remaining two trucks, ours began slowing down,

[00:34:40] [SPEAKER_00]: eventually coming to a complete stop.

[00:34:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Davey attempted to restart it to no avail, with a gauge on the dash indicating that

[00:34:48] [SPEAKER_00]: the battery with supposedly enough juice to last all shift had already been completely depleted.

[00:34:56] [SPEAKER_00]: Without any hesitation, we exited the truck and sprinted to reconvene with the rest of

[00:35:01] [SPEAKER_00]: the crew, each of them now outside of their vehicles as well.

[00:35:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Mark being in the last truck of the group, immediately noticed us returning without the three

[00:35:10] [SPEAKER_00]: members of our crew and leaned against the side of the truck with his head in his hands.

[00:35:17] [SPEAKER_00]: Angus was likewise standing nearby, and now had a blood-soaked t-shirt wrapped around his arm.

[00:35:24] [SPEAKER_00]: Margot had the hood of one of the vehicles open,

[00:35:27] [SPEAKER_00]: and eventually slammed it shut in clear defeat.

[00:35:31] [SPEAKER_00]: She made her way over to us as did the rest of the crew, and shared further unfortunate news.

[00:35:38] [SPEAKER_00]: The battery on both trucks is completely drained.

[00:35:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Tried to radio back to the surface, but the units aren't working either.

[00:35:45] [SPEAKER_00]: She commented, the weight of the situation likewise becoming evident to those still somewhat

[00:35:52] [SPEAKER_00]: unaware. Silence filled the air for a brief moment before the faint sound of another bulb

[00:35:59] [SPEAKER_00]: popping drew our attention. We turned to face the entrance of the tunnel, and noticed that

[00:36:06] [SPEAKER_00]: the cavern outside the entrance was now completely black. Similarly, the lights nearest to the

[00:36:13] [SPEAKER_00]: entrance had begun to flicker as were the ones directly above us.

[00:36:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Davy quickly sprung into action and retrieved a folded piece of paper from the glove box

[00:36:24] [SPEAKER_00]: of the nearest vehicle. After unfolding the large sheet on the hood, he scanned it with

[00:36:29] [SPEAKER_00]: his finger before signaling the rest of us over. The paper before us was a map of the

[00:36:35] [SPEAKER_00]: caverns, with Davy pointing to a spot midway through the tunnel ahead of us.

[00:36:41] [SPEAKER_00]: That's the closest rescue chamber. We can't hoof it all the way to the surface, but the

[00:36:45] [SPEAKER_00]: chamber is sturdy and has supplies. We should at least be able to wait it out in there

[00:36:49] [SPEAKER_00]: and call for some help, he stated. Everyone unanimously agreed, and we quickly

[00:36:55] [SPEAKER_00]: retrieved functioning lamps from the back of the nearest truck before beginning to jog as

[00:37:00] [SPEAKER_00]: the tunnel. Angus was in the back of the group, and I fell behind to run alongside him. His

[00:37:07] [SPEAKER_00]: condition was noticeably quite rough, though adrenaline alone would almost certainly keep

[00:37:12] [SPEAKER_00]: him going until we were relatively safe. Though I hesitated initially, I eventually implored as

[00:37:20] [SPEAKER_00]: to what had happened within that facility. What the fuck went down in there? I quietly

[00:37:26] [SPEAKER_00]: asked in between breaths. He was silent for a moment, then eventually answered,

[00:37:32] [SPEAKER_00]: They fucking got Al, lad. Tor him limb from limb. He weakly replied, pausing for a moment.

[00:37:41] [SPEAKER_00]: The room was full of them, and I barely had a chance to back out of the doorway before my

[00:37:47] [SPEAKER_00]: lie died. He added, pausing for another moment as he grabbed his arm and winced in pain.

[00:37:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Once the room went dark, something lunged at me, ripped a fat chunk out of my arm.

[00:38:02] [SPEAKER_00]: If Davey hadn't rushed over with his lamp, they would have got me as well.

[00:38:07] [SPEAKER_00]: He commented, once more going silent. I likewise went silent, returning my focus

[00:38:15] [SPEAKER_00]: to the pathway ahead. For a while, nothing but the sound of echoing footsteps filled the

[00:38:22] [SPEAKER_00]: air, along with the faint popping of lights in the distance. After another five minutes of running,

[00:38:29] [SPEAKER_00]: I checked behind us and noticed that the darkness had expanded well beyond the entrance of the

[00:38:35] [SPEAKER_00]: tunnel. In fact, it nearly seemed to be keeping pace with us as only around two hundred feet of

[00:38:42] [SPEAKER_00]: the tunnel was sufficiently lit behind us. Davey similarly checked behind us at around the same

[00:38:49] [SPEAKER_00]: time, and took notice of this, picking up his pace as he encouraged the rest of us to do the same.

[00:38:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Almost there! Let's pick up the pace! He loudly stated between breaths. Exhaustion and an audible

[00:39:02] [SPEAKER_00]: sense of fear were becoming evident in his voice as it shook with each word, knowing him quite

[00:39:09] [SPEAKER_00]: well, along with his generally blunt and unexpressive mannerisms. It was an unnerving

[00:39:16] [SPEAKER_00]: thing to notice. The rest of the crew similarly seemed to pick up on this,

[00:39:22] [SPEAKER_00]: as the collective pace increased to a sprint. Eventually, a sign became visible on the ceiling

[00:39:29] [SPEAKER_00]: ahead, with an arrow pointing towards an opening in the right of the tunnel.

[00:39:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Upon reaching it, we were greeted by a welcoming sight. The reinforced steel

[00:39:40] [SPEAKER_00]: chassis of the rescue chamber, with a small light above the door signifying that it was

[00:39:44] [SPEAKER_00]: complete working order. Without a second of hesitation, Davey and Margo reached the heavy door

[00:39:51] [SPEAKER_00]: and collectively opened it. One by one, the remaining crew filed inside, taking a seat on

[00:39:57] [SPEAKER_00]: the long benches on either side of the capsule. I followed, as did Davey and Margo once everyone

[00:40:05] [SPEAKER_00]: was inside. Upon closing and securing the heavy door, Davey likewise collapsed onto the bench,

[00:40:12] [SPEAKER_00]: placing his face in his hands and going silent. For ten minutes, nobody spoke a word.

[00:40:21] [SPEAKER_00]: The chamber was cramped and any noise would noticeably echo within, but nothing aside from

[00:40:27] [SPEAKER_00]: our bated breaths could be heard. Eventually, the unwelcome sound of bulbs shattering became

[00:40:34] [SPEAKER_00]: faintly audible through the door, initially seeming a slight distance away, only to

[00:40:40] [SPEAKER_00]: be fairly close. As the sound began to reach the tunnel directly outside the door,

[00:40:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Margo silently stood up, verifying that the door was properly secured before once more sitting

[00:40:52] [SPEAKER_00]: down. The sound of bulbs shattering passed by the outside of the door and then slowly faded

[00:40:59] [SPEAKER_00]: as it continued through the remaining stretch of the tunnel. The overhead light within the

[00:41:04] [SPEAKER_00]: began to flicker and then subsequently dimmed, though it remained on.

[00:41:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Shortly thereafter, another sound became very faintly audible, the sound of something hard,

[00:41:18] [SPEAKER_00]: such as nails lightly scratching and tapping on the outside of the chamber.

[00:41:24] [SPEAKER_00]: It started out relatively unnoticeable, but quickly escalated in both frequency and volume

[00:41:31] [SPEAKER_00]: until it was all that could be heard. It came from the walls, door, and ceiling,

[00:41:37] [SPEAKER_00]: and echoed throughout the inside of the chamber at a deafening frequency.

[00:41:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Angus covered his ears and began sobbing, while the remaining crew was very visibly

[00:41:47] [SPEAKER_00]: barely keeping it together. To our delight, however, the light remained functional,

[00:41:53] [SPEAKER_00]: despite having dimmed by a large margin. In fact, most of the remaining electronics

[00:41:59] [SPEAKER_00]: within the chamber appeared at least slightly functional, something likely permitted due to

[00:42:04] [SPEAKER_00]: the immensely thick steel construction of its exterior. After around half an hour,

[00:42:10] [SPEAKER_00]: the sound faded and silence once more filled the room. After a moment, Davey quietly stood

[00:42:17] [SPEAKER_00]: up and began tinkering with the radio, with it thankfully still functioning and allowing

[00:42:23] [SPEAKER_00]: connectivity with the surface. Upon explaining the situation, management informed us that a

[00:42:28] [SPEAKER_00]: rescue team would be en route shortly, but was currently delayed due to site-wide equipment

[00:42:34] [SPEAKER_00]: problems. Explanations of the things down here with us fell on deaf ears, as the individual

[00:42:41] [SPEAKER_00]: surface sites simply attributed our accounts to oxygen deprivation, induced hallucinations,

[00:42:47] [SPEAKER_00]: and suggested that we activate the chamber air supply. No amount of convincing from the rest

[00:42:53] [SPEAKER_00]: of the crew could change their mind, and we eventually had to simply concede and hope for

[00:43:00] [SPEAKER_00]: the best, both for our safety and that of the individuals being sent to rescue us.

[00:43:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Conclusively, that brings us to the present as I write this.

[00:43:16] [SPEAKER_00]: Multiple tablets were discovered in a supply locker connected to the company extranet,

[00:43:22] [SPEAKER_00]: with a thankfully significant amount of power still contained and each crew member took turns

[00:43:28] [SPEAKER_00]: contacting loved ones along with informing the families of those who perished of their fate.

[00:43:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Once I had done the same, I took it upon myself to construct this account

[00:43:41] [SPEAKER_00]: in order to spread awareness of the events that transpire today.

[00:43:46] [SPEAKER_00]: We've been in this rescue chamber for well over five hours at this point,

[00:43:51] [SPEAKER_00]: and there hasn't been any additional word from the rescue team or the surface.

[00:43:57] [SPEAKER_00]: We're trying to conserve as much battery as possible, so I'll go ahead and end this here.

[00:44:05] [SPEAKER_00]: I'll attempt to upload this in various areas online to get maximum coverage,

[00:44:10] [SPEAKER_00]: but the extranet is painfully slow, so it could take a while for anything to post.

[00:44:17] [SPEAKER_00]: If there's any major updates or we somehow make it out,

[00:44:21] [SPEAKER_00]: I'll provide additional updates as necessary.

[00:44:25] [SPEAKER_00]: If you happen to have come across this, thanks for reading and wish us luck.

[00:44:33] [SPEAKER_00]: We're clearly going to need it.