[ WP ] First people on Mars discover buried ruins of ancient Martian civilization .

The wind whipped against his suit. It was colder than he imagined, and he was n't quite used to the silence inside it. His head pounded, reverberating the nauseating echo of his own pulse. He did n't sign up for this. Four years, and a better life for his new born was all he was looking for. That was before the sickness. Before he watched them wither away over a skype screen. He could n't remember the last thing his wife said to him. Only her eyes when she said it. Something about come home soon, or maybe that's the way he wanted to remember, over time, Only her eyes remained. A decade has a way of passing faster than intended. 
 
 He pushed at the pebbles around his feet with the square end of his boot. Watched the construction crew continue to excavate. Commander said it would be `` just like home soon.'' He tried his best to believe it. To imagine a life, away from everything he's known. The last few years had been hard. Clearing bodies. Burning the ones that piled in the streets, sometimes they had thrown on men, not quite dead. Could n't afford the bullets. He always spared one on the kids though. It's the least he could do for them. The last he could do. 
 
 Even up here the smell clung to his nose hairs. He did n't think it would ever leave. He pushed away more red dust as the foreman yelled something about breaking for lunch. 
 He did n't eat. Rarely did anymore, besides what they were serving was n't food. Not really. 
 He watched the earth come up over the pit. Sat with his feet swinging staring off at the distance. Trying to remember her eyes. He thought he caught a glimpse of her in the rubble. He knew he was wrong. He checked anyway. Same as he did every time. 
 
 The temperature dropped again in the pit. His fingers twitched around his new gun, he slid his finger off the trigger, he was alone, but not taking any chances. 
 
 He followed her eyes to the bottom. Trying to remember which lump of rock she had hid behind, just before his peripheral could focus good. He checked one then the other. Systematic and persistant. 
 
 When he moved behind the seventh he sat down. Figured he'd catch his breath and a moment alone. The flash of movement to his right was comforting. Maybe his ghost for finally chasing him back. 
 
 `` Last one Nora. Last one today.'' He spoke aloud as he rounded the final mound. He stopped, hard. Wiggled his left hand back towards the trigger. There was a hole, not big enough to draw attention, but deep enough to carry the light inside with it's secrets. He squinted and tried to make sense of shadows that danced just like the Sears tower on windy afternoons. 
 
 He blinked back and told himself to look again, gathered enough courage to tip his helmet back and peer deeper in. 
 
 The city was blinding. 
 
 And somewhere, down amongst the ruins, he saw her move again. 

