THE GIGAS

pg 3

Short page! The next will be longer, promise.

The good will of ilsh has smiled upon me.

It did not rain.

Not when I traveled through the sparse forest and not when I arrived at the edge of the land splitting into the sea.

The salty air of the ocean filled the cool night air. The sound of waves crashing into the beach echo and beckon softly.

Moving into the new space, I immediately set upon inspecting different areas for hunting before deciding on a small cove with a rocky beach. My hastiness for myself is not there, only for the cargo on my back and its preservation.

I dug a hole deep into the ground just outside the bounds of the forest. About half my height deep and my full height in length, lined at the bottom with small boulders from the forest ground two rows high. Curing the flesh must be done first, the meat will not make it another night.

Diligently, I scoured the surrounding forest floor for dry tinder finding bone dry leaves and small branches in abundance.

Heaping them closely to the freshly dug hole in a large accumulating pile.

There were no fallen trees that I could find nearby, and even a dead tree was best not to hope for. Forcing me to tear down many a fresh saplings of various sizes.(@minipurse)

With the abundant dry tinder in hand, I thickly strewn it on top of the stone bottom. Snapping the skinny saplings to the approximate length of the hole after coating the rocks with a sufficiently satisfactory layer.

The thicker saplings that were not used were carefully marked in length and width, splitting them as well. The plan for them devised differently. The thicker but still flexible wood was delicately interwoven then tightened with all my strength, forcing them together. Working to meld the separate pieces over and over again.

When it was all done, there was a rectangular interlocked piece in the identical shape as the pit but in a smaller size that had taken form from my hard work.

The mucous surrounding me thinned to a more viscous state as heat radiated from my body. Muscles ached in protest for more rest.

Rest that I do not have time to take. Because time waits for no one.

With much care I lower the piece down to the bottom, on top of the skinny saplings. Leaving about a margin of 5 inches all the way around.

The wood that was left was hardly sufficient so I returned for more, choosing thicker branches.

The blunt ends of the branches left and newly acquired just would not work for the task they must do after much inspection and experimentation. The meat proved much tougher than previously thought.

So as I turn to walk onto the beach a menacing click whistled in the wind.

No...

My condition is precarious and barely healed.

Swiveling in the direction of my supplies. I wait...listening, straining to hear even the lowest chirp.

One then another and yet another, a small cascade of sounds ripple. Calling and responding to each other.

Sards.

A group has found me.

There is no where to run besides into the alien sea.

My body tenses. But my mind slows the panic creeping into my psyche.

It is only a group. I heard no Queen.