“HAL”

It was nearly 6 a.m. and Jacques had just returned to the drill site and he was quietly trying to reenter his personal quarters. He could enter from the back side of the camp without encountering any of the other men in their sleeping quarters. 

Jacques opened the door and then he jumped. Hal was sitting quietly on Jacque’s bed studying some kind of pieces, they looked similar to the ones Jaqcques had found in his sleeping quarters the first night of their dill. Hal looked up at him but his gaze was unwavering and serious. He had just met Hal. He was quiet, always had his head down looking at shoes. Jacques never thought much of it.

“What are you doing in here–or better yet how did you get in here? Jacques stammered out stumbling over some of his words. His voice could be characterized as a whisper yell as he was trying not to wake the other men.

“I was waiting for you, I wanted to know where you went.” Hal said in a somber tone.

“I didn’t go anywhere. Now, how did you get in here?”

“It’s fine, you don’t have to tell me anything. I’m not like them though, I’m just curious about things like you, I swear.”

“How did you get in here?!”

“Oh right, sorry. I memorized your pass code.”

“What?!”

“Your passcode, the digits you enter to open the chamber door.”

“I know what it is. I mean, how? When?”

“A couple days ago maybe. It wasn’t on purpose I swear. Everytime I look at something it gets stored away in this mental crate forever,” Hal said tapping a finger to the side of his head. He still wore a serious look on his face. 

Jacques mumbled something under his breath. “Let’s just get ready to start drilling”

Hal looked pensive, almost as if he was going to say something. He must have changed his mind though because he just looked up from his pieces and nodded at Jacques. Jacques opened the back door of the camp and they started walking towards the drill site.