The Peculiar Task

The stone was foreboding, and obviously heavy.

For some reason there was a guard in front of the dusty tomb. He stood there casually, not expecting anyone but perhaps the dead man's crazy friends. The man inside did not really deserve to die because he had done nothing wrong, except for maybe angering some of the council members and a few local magistrates. Falling asleep on the job would not bode well for the guard, but his head bobbed regardless.

Suddenly, the ground shook, knocking the guard from his feet. He hit his head on the massive stone and fell unconscious. The bright sunlight beat down on him, and after a time it woke him from his painful dizziness. He jerked up in realization and regarded his assignment, knowing that he had failed. The stone had somehow been moved, and when he ducked into the opening he found nothing but an empty cave.