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What does it mean to make a promise?... I thought it was to commit oneself to do that which they said they would do. I had always known that if I was to make a promise I must be sure that I will always do whatever it takes to keep it.
My story begins within my late teenage years. I'd say I was 18 at the time it all began. Before that though I was just like any other guy, and people saw me as an honest person. Just because they saw me as an honest person doesn't mean I was honest. It only means that nobody ever caught me lying, besides some cheap little lies that were more of jokes than anything else, deep down though I was always a kind person. I never made lies to harm people, but just to make life a bit easier for myself. If someone really needed the truth, however then of course I would tell the truth. When I was 16, through some very persuasive discussions, I had joined a famous archaeologist known as Philmore Encideous on his many adventures in search of very rare, ancient fossils. He never told me what they were called, but it didn't matter to me. I loved adventures, and I always admired Philmore. He had been known for the discovery of many ancient artifacts such as the very first fossilized T-Rex footprint, and when we had been given a word as to a probable location of a priceless antique hidden deep underground the first thing he asked was, "How deep should I dig?" and the second being, "Where the hell are my boots?!" These were the words of a true hero…
On the ride there I asked, "Any idea what the fossil that we're looking for is this time?"
"Yes," he responded "but names can often lead to assumptions, and mistakes. It's best if you just take things as they come to you."
To that I said, "Fair enough, can you at least tell me where we are headed?"
With a bit of shock and a smile he said "Why of course boy! How silly of me to not mention it sooner! We're headed to Gemini Mountain"
"Gemini Mountain!!!" with fear in my throat I asked, "Isn't that the live volcano at Crypts’ Canyon where you said yourself that only a madman would go?!"
He nodded, "Yes that was once what I thought of it. However recently there have been studies showing that most of the volcano is made of a certain combination of Dolomite, and Granite. They go on to say that such a combination would leave large air pocket within the outside of the volcano, almost like a cave within it. This made the ideal shelter for a certain type of dinosaur which needed warm shelter during the winter."
I added, "So perhaps there is an egg or two left there?
"Exactly my boy!" He exclaimed happily. "Of course we just need to find the right spot, and dig away!"
For a moment I stopped just thinking about what good can come from it, and thought of the risk involved. "What if we dig too far and trigger the volcano?"
A moment of silence... Eventually Philmore said, "We'll just have to be careful, I guess." His excited tone of voice was now replaced with a voice of seriousness, with hidden fear. Looking at him, he was a pretty tall man, and had a pretty well-built body for a man his age. His face had a gray moustache accompanied by his five-o-clock shadow that he could shave, but it would be weird if he did. His hair was slightly darker than his facial hair. His eyes were a mixture of brown and green that showed a great deal of experience. He was pale, and wore a standard two layered t-shirt and jeans with work boots. He always believed that his experience would make up for his lack of safety precautions, but sometimes that was not quite the case. You could tell by the scar on his face that he was not perfect.
I was no better however. I would always get caught up in the moment. When the mere thought of adventure came up my red eyes would burn with excitement. My black hair naturally was spiked because I would always rush into things. And once I find some kind of rare artifact I just can't give it up. That's why I would wear an actual ancient suit of armor, and maybe because I couldn't get my head out of it for the past week... We both had a bit of worry in our eyes, but we knew that to turn back would be to turn back on what might be the greatest excavation ever.
Finally we had arrived. The volcano, up close and personal, with the rest of the canyon in peripheral vision. We pulled up to what appeared to be a small opening in the side of the volcano, and the opening appeared to have been made unnaturally. This was the perfect spot to start the search. I was ready to run in like a child at the entrance of a toy store, but Philmore stopped me, and told me something. These words would be burned into my memory forever.
He said, "You must be prepared to think before you act, act before you think, and do both all at once. You get me boy?"
I had no idea the significance of those words at that time, but I just shrugged, and said, "Yeah, I get what you're saying. Thank you!"
He added, "Also, remember that if we do find anything, then make sure it is your #1 priority, and never let it be harmed. Promise me this!"
I looked at him with a blank expression and said, "I promise to keep it safe if you promise to stop being so melodramatic." We shook hands and it was a deal.
Then finally we climbed into the cave with our shovels, and began prospecting the area for a good spot to dig. I couldn't find anything, but Philmore after only a short minute said, "Right here!" as he pointed to a random spot in the hole.
I had to ask, "Why there?" With that he quickly responded, "There’s a bit of dried up grass poking out from the ground here. It could have been an ancient nest." I gasped, and said, "Man! Today's really our lucky day!" I then jumped to the spot, and began to shovel away, but then slowed down after a moment remembering that I need to be careful. On top of that after a few shovelfuls I couldn't go anymore.
"Geez this stuff is heavy" I claimed. Philmore said, "Its dolomite! You remember how heavy that stuff is. I'll take over from here. Stay by the entrance, and watch guard for any wildlife." He put his shovel to the ground, and made one small scoop after the other. This would go on for about a half hour until finally there is a small white thing poking out slightly from the ground. The excitement of which was enormous! There was what we had come to get. It's within our reach, and nothing can go wrong, or so I thought. What happened next would haunt me forever…
Philmore reached down, and pulled the fossil from the ground. It was a full-fledged egg! It was beautiful! It was a stainless white with white and red feathers poking out of it. Seeing that egg stopped time in my mind. Eventually I snapped out of it. A moment later the spot where the egg was started to crack, and suddenly the cracks brought the inner wall of the cave tumbling in. Philmore rushed up to the wall, and pressed himself against it. That caused the wall to stop collapsing for the moment, but also left him trapped within it. His body fit into the wall like a Tetris piece, and one small movement would bring it all down.
He said as loudly as he could without moving his jaw too much, "Take… the egg… and run!"
I looked at him. He had a horrified look on his face, but with an undertone of determination. To me this was the look of a true hero, but he was in unbelievable pain, each rock crushing him by each passing second.
I was nearly blinded with tears at this point as I said, "But... What about you?"
He told me once again, "You must… be prepared… to think before you act… act before you think… and do both all at once… You get me boy?"
With that, and a few tears in my eyes I quickly grabbed the egg and pat Philmore lightly his shoulder as if to tell him how grateful I was for what he had done. Right there I saw something I would’ve never expected. As I pat him gently he smiled! Smiled with a tear in his eye! Is that what it’s like to save a life? Is this what it’s like to make the ultimate sacrifice? Maybe he always knew that his adventures would lead him to his grave, and maybe that was just the way he wanted to leave this earth. He wanted to leave this world a hero, and he was a hero. Not just for me either, but he was also the hero that saved the hope that is brought from the fossil.
Right after those two seconds, which felt like forever, I ran out of the cave, and made a safe distance. I was afraid to turn back, but I heard the rocks tumble down, and bones crack... He had saved my life along with the fossil, and sacrificed his own... It wasn’t like in the movies either. No slow motion, no dramatic scream, no giant explosions, just rocks falling, and the crack of his bones… Now I needed to make sure that his death was not in vain... I would have to guard the fossil with my life. That was the promise I made to him.
This was the end of Philmore’s adventures, but it was only the beginning of mine. My adventures however, would lead me to places which go beyond most people’s wildest dreams, and my life would never be the same.