He reached his hand into the shallow hole he had slowly excavated. With an extra soft brush he had been clearing the loose sediment and had revealed what looked like an intricately carved bone handle. Only a small part of the obsidian black blade was visible and the quickening of his heart made it obvious he was about to fulfill the what his years of research and dead ends have lead to.
Though the brush was only lightly making contact with the artifact, it moved as if it was almost floating. Years of being in this earth grave he thought it would be pretty well locked in place. Knowing better than reaching in and grabbing it ,he was overtaken by the moment. Simon could not help himself, it called to him, it wanted to be held and he wanted nothing more than to be the one. Gently wrapping his gloved hand around the handle, his ears instantly rang and the arid desert air was pulled from him.

All was black and quiet.