Eternal

This was it, it was finally going to happen. Sally pushed her dark hair back under her hat and dove back into the sand. The find of the century and it was going to be hers! As long as the Israeli government allowed her to keep searching. She was so close she could feel it in her bones; her very soul resounded with that same truth- she would find it. It did exist, and it would be hers.

"You need to drink!" Her assistant yelled down the tunnel to her. She was ten feet below ground level, but that meant nothing in the desert- with how sand shifted, she could be fifty feet from the ground Jesus' had walked on, or inches. Regardless, she could not stop. He yelled down to her again. She ignored him. He was so pesky, always trying to make her do things like drink or eat or sleep. Who could think of such things! That was like blasphemy, treason! She strove forward, working with her hands now that she was so deep. She could not risk harming the artifacts.

She felt a drop of water hit her head and quickly looked to the sky to see if the rains were coming early this week; but no, they were the brightest blue she had ever seen. She glared to her left where Matt stood- her annoying assistant had climbed down to her with a gallon of water in tow. "Drink." he demanded. The sun had tanned his skin after their months of being stuck out here and his face was dry and cracked from the sand constantly swirling around them. His blond hair stuck out in all directions, and not from use of gel or other hair products, just because he hadn't showered in over a week. None of them had, any water they had with them had to be saved to drink or for emergencies.

"Don't waste that water, now get back up there and look over my research again." She demanded, turning her attention once more to the ground. More water fell to her neck and some splashed on the sand next to her. She jerked her head and found the gallon poised to be spilt with a look of resignition on Matt's face. "You wouldn't." she threatened.

"I will if you don't drink." he said firmly. She knew he would too. Mumbling curses she stood and grabbed the bottle from his hands and sipped. "Nope." he said as he prepared to dump more corrosive water onto her precious site.

"Fine!" she yelled as she grabbed it and took a deep drink. She immediately regretted it. Matt thought she refused food and drink because she was consumed with her work; he was only part right. She really didn't want to use the bathroom in the desert. While she loved field work, she hated port-o-potties, and holes in the ground were worse. She screwed the lid back on and shoved it into his arms, a self-satisfied look on his face. She punched him and walked over to the ladder. "I always have to do all the work." she yelled. "Now I have to go look at the research." she said, making excuses to have to go to the bathroom. She would not be gone long, she was too close. Her legacy was near.