Mark sat down on the beach, disappointed at yet another failure. As he looked out at the vast sea he wondered if anything really lay beyond it? Did it really come around and connect with the other shore, or was there another land beyond it with other people like himself? Or did it just go on forever? He squinted and tried to look as far as he could, but all he could see was the horizon. He sat well into the night watching the light grow dimmer and dimmer until it was pitch black. How long he had sat there, motionless, staring into the dark, listening to the rolling waves that lapped against the shore, he could not tell. But he felt some comfort in this spot, and he didn't want to move.
Mark was startled when there was a sudden thud. Someone had fallen into the sand right next to him. A man, but one he had never seen before, and one who was like he had never seen before, for his head shone with a bright light, and he spoke with two voices. The competing desires of terror and curiosity resolved themselves, in Mark, into a kind of paralysis. So he sat motionless, hoping not to be noticed. "I told you the landing's a bitch." He said. "Yeah, but I thought if I had my feet just right I could avoid falling over." He replied. "It's no use, the outer surface is moving too fast. Feels kind of like having the rug pulled out from beneath you doesn't it?" The man didn't respond for he had finally noticed Mark. He yelled with a start, "I thought they'd all be asleep." "Doesn't matter. They'll find out soon enough.
"What are you looking at?" he asked, looking at Mark.
Mark stared back in amazement.
"Can they talk?" He asked, seemingly to no one.
"I'm not sure, we have no idea how they will have developed. It's been a long time."
"Alright, well, I better get to work, there's only a few hours till daylight, and the less inquiring minds the better. Preparations will still take about a week."
"Mark could have told the man that he understood every word that he said, but he was too terrified. The man got up, brushed the sand off his legs and looked around as if to orient himself. What he did next disturbed Mark terribly. He crouched down with his hands on his knees, so the light from his head shined right in his eyes. He squinted to cut the glare. Now he could only see the man's mouth as he spoke, "Your in for a big surprise." Then he walked away. Mark wanted to follow him, but his legs were like jelly. Who was this man.
