Gemotions

The desert sun beat down on the archaeological dig, baking the sand to a scorching heat. Maya squinted, her vision swimming in the intense glare. The air shimmered, and the horizon seemed to dance. She felt heavy-limbed, each movement a Herculean effort. She wiped the sweat from her brow with a dusty hand, the gesture doing little to alleviate the fatigue. Another yawn escaped, wide and uncontrollable.

A fellow archaeologist, Dr. Evans, stumbled towards her, his face a picture of bewildered dismay. "Maya… I think you need to see this."

He led her to another excavation site, nearby. There, in the exposed earth, lay the beginnings of a nearly identical discovery, the same artifacts, the same layout. Maya's legs felt like they had turned to lead. The heat intensified.