Potsherds

“Ready to get muddy?” Dr. June Porter asked with cheer. She didn’t wait for an answer before opening the SUV door and hopping out. It took a few extra moments to extract her backpack from where it was caught in the backseat.

“I’ve my appropriate game face on, one hopes.” Peter gave her a lopsided smile and pushed up his glasses. “I feel like a lad again, only now I’m old enough to know laundry’s work.”

She laughed and slung her bag over one shoulder, shutting the door to his shiny vehicle. “You’ll be fine. Plenty to do on an archeological dig. I’ve heard this is a good place to volunteer.”

He shrugged and gestured for her to lead the way. “As long as someone tells me what to do and lets me put another layer of sunscreen on before I’m an Irish tomato.”

They wove their way toward a rickety gazebo that held the most centralized bustle, dodging humans and trenches with ease. “Shannon?”

A woman in her mid-thirties looked up from under a floppy hat, dirt smudged across her nose and one cheek. “June. Welcome. This must be Peter.”

“Ready to work,” he said, and gave a cheeky half-salute.

“I’ll have to interrogate you to see what your skills are, but hauling dirt is always a job we can use a hand with.” Shannon gave his biceps an appreciative glance and dropped a wink in June’s direction.

“What’ve you got?” June asked. “Your call wasn’t specific.”

“Well.” Shannon leaned over a mud-crusted leather notebook that was perched precariously atop a stack of tablets, eyes wide and face dancing with excitement. “We’ve begun to find…some pottery!”

“Potsherds, such a unique find.” June rolled her eyes. “Why are you really here?”

“And why are you calling in mages?” Peter added.

Shannon nodded and shoved her mangled hat back to reveal ash-brown hair tucked into a bun. “Pretty and intelligent, that one.” The joviality slid off her face, replaced by concern and a hint of fear. “Follow me, and I’ll show you the curse.”

***

A quick snippet tonight that merges with an idea from a while back. This week’s prompt was “We’ve begun to find some pottery,” from Cedar Sanderson. My prompt went to nother Mike, to ponder what happens to the de-orbiting ISS. Find this, and more, over at More Odds Than Ends! New prompts coming tomorrow, with spares if you haven’t sent one in to play.