“Set your stuff here. We need to look at what happened? You still hurting?”
“Not as bad. Got dropped pretty hard and scrambling around wasn’t helping any. Mostly, think it was being dragged along that tree limb. When that path broke, I mostly slid. Didn’t hurt til I was sitting still.”
“Kay. Don’t think anything was broke. You’re gonna have some doozies of bruises in a bit. Don’t worry. There aren’t any of those foul tasting concoctions for you to drink. Mostly just water or tea.”
That sure brightened my mood. Though the pain was enough to make my eyes water. Not enough to make me want one of those brews that my aunt was always trying to get us to drink whenever we coughed or sneezed.
“How did you get here, uncle? No one’s heard from you for about 3 Moons. Mom’s wondering bout you.”
“Yeah. This wasn’t my idea, any more than it was yours. How’d you get here?”
“Umm, I don’t even know where here is.”
“Thought so. You were walking along a path? The path broke?” He shook his head whilst he gave me the beady eye.
“How did you end up here?”
“You want the long version or the short?”
“Since I’m not going anywhere at the moment, short.”
“I was on my way over to the Southern swamp. It was foggy when I landed near the portage. Quiet, real quiet. I set out across the clearing and when I reached the South landing, the air got warm. I got the canoe into the water. A fish was making this strange noise. I back paddled to the shore. Only I couldn’t get going fast enough. The canoe started disappearing, right in front of my eyes. Next thing, I was sitting in a clear pond with the sun shining all around. I’ve been here ever since.
“I walked back across the portage and found these cliffs where the trail home should have been. That fish was still out in the water. I could hear that noise still. I looked for the canoe. Hmmh. I knew something was wrong. I tried to find a way to the top. Walked along the bottom for about two or three Suns, then went in the other direction. Nothing. Nothing familiar.
“I finally came back here where the canoe should have been. I found this cave and have lived here ever since. I’ve been here for six Moons. In all that time, I haven’t seen anyone like us. I met Petra when I was out looking for something to eat. He’s showed me most of the area around here, told me a little bit about the Peoples here. He knows someone who might be able to help me. Thing is, there’s a war and it’s caused a lot of People to go into hiding.
“A little while ago, there was this strange ripple in the air. We looked outside to see you struggling with one of the enemies kids. There must be a camp nearby for the kids to be playing around. Petra can fly. He carries me for short distances. That’s how I got to the tree to get you. That bridge is something we worked out for getting heavier things us here, wood, water, food.”
Well, friends and neighbors. You’re rightly wondering bout Uncle’s story. I was doing a bit of wondering myself. Not as much as you probably are, seeing’s how I had the same sort of experience getting to where we were. Well, it’s getting late so come back again tomorrow.
Friday, September 27, 2013
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Long ways to go Part VI
Well, I’d best be getting down. Those little ones had moved on, that click clacking fish was nowhere in sight. Least I hadn’t heard it in a while. I took one last look around and reached for the trunk to steady myself.
I bit my lip, trying to stop the pain that shot through my side. My eyes watered a mite. That’s the only explanation I have for the fact I hadn’t seen those bird creatures settle in the tree next to me. I froze when I heard the whisper of wings moving. The two birds were getting ready to take off. I scrunched as close to the trunk as I could.
My foot slipped just a tad, so I hung on with a grip that caused my side to shoot with pain once again. Yeah. My eyes watered once again. How I kept from screaming is something I won’t figure out for quite some time. My heart bout stopped when I felt a hand grab my wrist and pull on it. I looked up to see my uncle, his eyes bout large as saucers.
I frowned a mite, steadying my feet on the trunk. The pain was letting up, enough so I could get a better grip on the trunk. I felt the whoosh of wind as those bird creatures flew off down the river.
“How’d you get here?” My uncle was easing himself down to my level.
“Don’t zactly know. I was walking over ta the bridge and fell. The path, it just opened up and down I went. How, where?”
“Shh. We have ta get away from the bank.”
I managed to follow him to the ground. He looked me up and down, shook his head and commenced to carry me over to the tree those birds had just left. I tried to hang back. I wasn’t going anywhere near that tree. He grunted and pulled me, setting off the pain in my side.
When he pushed me up the trunk, I grabbed the lowest limb and just hung on. A whack on my foot got me moving. Somehow, he managed to get me up higher and let me set for a bit. I looked about me, trying to avoid my uncle’s prodding of my side.
“Hang on for a little bit more, my nephew. There’s the tunnel we need to get to.”
I nodded my head. Course, I couldn’t see for the flashes of reflected light of the river blinded me. I closed my eyes and tried to relax, catch my breath. When I opened my eyes, there it was. Just off the branch we was on. A hole in that cliff. I stared at the amount of space I’d have to get across. I groaned.
“Not to worry, nephew. I got ways to get across.”
“I sure hope so.”
“You ready to move?”
I wasn’t but nodded my head anyways. And braced for the jolt of pain. Uncle grinned and jerked his head to the tunnel. A rope bridge was being pulled over. I took a deep breath and winced.
Yeah, friends and neighbors. A rope bridge that Uncle tied with a complicated looking knot on the limb right under my feet. No, he didn’t carry me across. I walked on my own two feet. Getting across was a mite bit scary. Had to hang on with both hands.
Once across, I leaned against the stone wall and watched as Uncle pulled that bridge back. He carried me again, down a short tunnel and climbed down a ladder stuck to the side of a large cave. It felt like a couple hours passed before my feet touched the floor. I wanted to sit. Uncle pulled me further into that cave. I saw a fire a few feet away. A shadow or two caused me a bit of fright because they looked an awful lot like the bird creatures we just escaped from.
I bit my lip, trying to stop the pain that shot through my side. My eyes watered a mite. That’s the only explanation I have for the fact I hadn’t seen those bird creatures settle in the tree next to me. I froze when I heard the whisper of wings moving. The two birds were getting ready to take off. I scrunched as close to the trunk as I could.
My foot slipped just a tad, so I hung on with a grip that caused my side to shoot with pain once again. Yeah. My eyes watered once again. How I kept from screaming is something I won’t figure out for quite some time. My heart bout stopped when I felt a hand grab my wrist and pull on it. I looked up to see my uncle, his eyes bout large as saucers.
I frowned a mite, steadying my feet on the trunk. The pain was letting up, enough so I could get a better grip on the trunk. I felt the whoosh of wind as those bird creatures flew off down the river.
“How’d you get here?” My uncle was easing himself down to my level.
“Don’t zactly know. I was walking over ta the bridge and fell. The path, it just opened up and down I went. How, where?”
“Shh. We have ta get away from the bank.”
I managed to follow him to the ground. He looked me up and down, shook his head and commenced to carry me over to the tree those birds had just left. I tried to hang back. I wasn’t going anywhere near that tree. He grunted and pulled me, setting off the pain in my side.
When he pushed me up the trunk, I grabbed the lowest limb and just hung on. A whack on my foot got me moving. Somehow, he managed to get me up higher and let me set for a bit. I looked about me, trying to avoid my uncle’s prodding of my side.
“Hang on for a little bit more, my nephew. There’s the tunnel we need to get to.”
I nodded my head. Course, I couldn’t see for the flashes of reflected light of the river blinded me. I closed my eyes and tried to relax, catch my breath. When I opened my eyes, there it was. Just off the branch we was on. A hole in that cliff. I stared at the amount of space I’d have to get across. I groaned.
“Not to worry, nephew. I got ways to get across.”
“I sure hope so.”
“You ready to move?”
I wasn’t but nodded my head anyways. And braced for the jolt of pain. Uncle grinned and jerked his head to the tunnel. A rope bridge was being pulled over. I took a deep breath and winced.
Yeah, friends and neighbors. A rope bridge that Uncle tied with a complicated looking knot on the limb right under my feet. No, he didn’t carry me across. I walked on my own two feet. Getting across was a mite bit scary. Had to hang on with both hands.
Once across, I leaned against the stone wall and watched as Uncle pulled that bridge back. He carried me again, down a short tunnel and climbed down a ladder stuck to the side of a large cave. It felt like a couple hours passed before my feet touched the floor. I wanted to sit. Uncle pulled me further into that cave. I saw a fire a few feet away. A shadow or two caused me a bit of fright because they looked an awful lot like the bird creatures we just escaped from.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Long Ways to Go Part V
The sight of those creatures was enough to make me sit still. Very still. Almost couldn’t breathe. Not out of fear, mind you. No siree. I had to move my eyes very carefully over to the side, where the trees were. Cause the sight brought out the laughter inside. Made it want to explode out of my mouth.
Two youngsters. They was both bigger than me but I could tell they were babies. Barely walking and talking. For one thing, that mask kept sliding down and covering the rest of the long body. The hands at the end of short arms kept pushing it back up? Well, they were blue.
And the other thing, those claws? Well the body attached to them were hopping from one to the other. And for sure, those had some wicked looking points on the end. I surely wasn’t going to catch their attention by laughing. No siree. I slid my eyes back hoping I could find a way out of there.
Bout the time I had to take a breath, that mask fell off the child and landed pretty close to those dangerous looking claws. I kept my eyes glued to the mask. Surely, they’d be too busy to notice if I moved up to the next branch? My heart sank when that fish started clicking and clacking once more.
I kept moving, expecting those claws to be grabbing me. I made it up a couple more branches and looked down. Those two creatures were trying to get that mask on the child’s face. I started to smile. That did it. I laughed. And laughed. And couldn’t even stop when two heads turned to peer up at me.
The next thing was, I saw two more of the bird creatures land next to the child. That sobered me up some, it surely did. Tried to get myself up at least one more branch. That limb didn’t look like it would hold the weight if any of them tried to land. One good thing, least I was high enough to see the land around me. Whereupon, I settled down to ponder a way out of the situation.
That fish was clickclacking again. I could see the sun flashing off the water from the tail strikes further downstream. I looked toward the bank I had fallen down. That top was so high, I most fell trying to see it. Then I spotted the bridge I was heading for this morning. It was no closer and I couldn’t see a way to get there. Now what?
Two youngsters. They was both bigger than me but I could tell they were babies. Barely walking and talking. For one thing, that mask kept sliding down and covering the rest of the long body. The hands at the end of short arms kept pushing it back up? Well, they were blue.
And the other thing, those claws? Well the body attached to them were hopping from one to the other. And for sure, those had some wicked looking points on the end. I surely wasn’t going to catch their attention by laughing. No siree. I slid my eyes back hoping I could find a way out of there.
Bout the time I had to take a breath, that mask fell off the child and landed pretty close to those dangerous looking claws. I kept my eyes glued to the mask. Surely, they’d be too busy to notice if I moved up to the next branch? My heart sank when that fish started clicking and clacking once more.
I kept moving, expecting those claws to be grabbing me. I made it up a couple more branches and looked down. Those two creatures were trying to get that mask on the child’s face. I started to smile. That did it. I laughed. And laughed. And couldn’t even stop when two heads turned to peer up at me.
The next thing was, I saw two more of the bird creatures land next to the child. That sobered me up some, it surely did. Tried to get myself up at least one more branch. That limb didn’t look like it would hold the weight if any of them tried to land. One good thing, least I was high enough to see the land around me. Whereupon, I settled down to ponder a way out of the situation.
That fish was clickclacking again. I could see the sun flashing off the water from the tail strikes further downstream. I looked toward the bank I had fallen down. That top was so high, I most fell trying to see it. Then I spotted the bridge I was heading for this morning. It was no closer and I couldn’t see a way to get there. Now what?
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Intermission on The Storykeeper
When is the best time to tell a story? Why, when everyone is ready, of course. I've taken some time to finish out the stories. The best time of year is coming up. Winter, time to dive under the blankets, have a cup of your favorite beverage, maybe a snack or two.
I will be finishing out "Long Ways to Go." The next installment will start tomorrow. I post links to my posts over to my Facebook Page as well as Goggle+. If you'd like to keep up with the stories, like my page on Facebook. Hit the follow button on Google+.
All the stories will be roughly 7000 words or thereabouts. And the posts themselves will be about 300 to 600 words, hopefully, a length compatible with the mobile capabilities. I haven't used this method of communication, so keep in mind: I'm learning. Miigwetch.
I will be finishing out "Long Ways to Go." The next installment will start tomorrow. I post links to my posts over to my Facebook Page as well as Goggle+. If you'd like to keep up with the stories, like my page on Facebook. Hit the follow button on Google+.
All the stories will be roughly 7000 words or thereabouts. And the posts themselves will be about 300 to 600 words, hopefully, a length compatible with the mobile capabilities. I haven't used this method of communication, so keep in mind: I'm learning. Miigwetch.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Long Ways to Go Part IV
"Wait a minute. Maybe we will keep her. She's not that small."
"There must be some use we can find for her. Terrashe herded her this way."
"Yeah, well, her opinions generally mean trouble for us. Remember last time? We're still looking for a way to get out of the extra chores that one got us."
I was jus' getting my breath back when I was picked up once again. I kicked out at the claw holding me. A bit of advice if ya ever find yourself in this situation. Don't kick out when you're dangling in the air, particularly if you've just landed hard once already. Cause let me tell you, it could happen. Well, getting a bit ahead of myself here.
"Hang on to her and throw."
"You try it. That little thing sure can kick."
The hands that grabbed me were bony. I jerked my head from the awful smell of the breath when I was dangled in front of those staring eyes. No wonder there was nothing in them. Two tinier eyes peeked at me from the nose holes of the mask covered face belonging to that awful breath.
"Well, well, well. It's turning redder by the minute. Let's keep her for a bit. Maybe Terrashe was right."
The branch was a bit wobbly where I was set, so I scrambled toward the trunk. It was a long way to the ground. I was a mite dizzy when I got myself set. All that tripping and falling must have been the reason for the strange sight in front of my eyes.
Two of the weirdest looking creatures I ever beheld.
"There must be some use we can find for her. Terrashe herded her this way."
"Yeah, well, her opinions generally mean trouble for us. Remember last time? We're still looking for a way to get out of the extra chores that one got us."
I was jus' getting my breath back when I was picked up once again. I kicked out at the claw holding me. A bit of advice if ya ever find yourself in this situation. Don't kick out when you're dangling in the air, particularly if you've just landed hard once already. Cause let me tell you, it could happen. Well, getting a bit ahead of myself here.
"Hang on to her and throw."
"You try it. That little thing sure can kick."
The hands that grabbed me were bony. I jerked my head from the awful smell of the breath when I was dangled in front of those staring eyes. No wonder there was nothing in them. Two tinier eyes peeked at me from the nose holes of the mask covered face belonging to that awful breath.
"Well, well, well. It's turning redder by the minute. Let's keep her for a bit. Maybe Terrashe was right."
The branch was a bit wobbly where I was set, so I scrambled toward the trunk. It was a long way to the ground. I was a mite dizzy when I got myself set. All that tripping and falling must have been the reason for the strange sight in front of my eyes.
Two of the weirdest looking creatures I ever beheld.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Long Ways to Go Part III
The song was familiar to me. Grandma had sung that song so many times when I was getting ready ta sleep. Yep. The very same song. I expec' most of us have heard it one time or nother. A bit creepy when it came from eyes that had nothing in them.
There I was, sitting in the water, wondering if I should chance that click-clacking fish who was waiting for my next move. Fine thing, I thinks to myself, eyes or fish, fish or eyes. More squawks when something grabs my arm. Squawks and splashing. Me, tryin' ta get away, that claw tryin' ta pull me up in the tree.
Mind, now, I wasn't scared. I was mad, crazy mad. Something bout this just wasn't right. Not right at all. Eyes where there shouldn't be. Songs that made no sense in the middle of the day. Claws grabbing at me.
"Throw her back. Too small."
Surprised me, that voice did. That claw yanked me up into the tree and I bounced along the branch whilst that creature dragged me over to the trunk. I jus' had time for a deep breathe. Wham, I was flung to the ground.
There I was, sitting in the water, wondering if I should chance that click-clacking fish who was waiting for my next move. Fine thing, I thinks to myself, eyes or fish, fish or eyes. More squawks when something grabs my arm. Squawks and splashing. Me, tryin' ta get away, that claw tryin' ta pull me up in the tree.
Mind, now, I wasn't scared. I was mad, crazy mad. Something bout this just wasn't right. Not right at all. Eyes where there shouldn't be. Songs that made no sense in the middle of the day. Claws grabbing at me.
"Throw her back. Too small."
Surprised me, that voice did. That claw yanked me up into the tree and I bounced along the branch whilst that creature dragged me over to the trunk. I jus' had time for a deep breathe. Wham, I was flung to the ground.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Long ways to go Part II
I stood there for a minute or two, considerin' the possibles. Looked round bout me, looked up to where the path ran along the bank. Caught the great big pair of eyes staring at me over ta the side of that overhanging branch. Never did care for the way some of those trees seem ta move.
I pursed my lips, squinted my eyes and took a step towards them eyes. Next thing I found myself sitting in the water. By now, that fish seemed to have gotten perturbed. It was clicking and clacking in a manner that wasn't in the least bit friendly. Them little fins was moving fast as it circled round me. Hmmph.
I gets to my feet and wade over ta the shore. Ya think I could get out of the water? The river was rising with each step I took. Nows when I starts getting tired. And mad. Crazy mad. I reached up for the branches when that river carried me by that way.
Those eyes were still staring at me. Nothing in them. I squawked a bit when that nutty fish came close enough to splash some water in my eyes. After blinking several times, I managed to kick out towards that fish. It backed off a bit. I turned to see those eyes still staring at me.
Only now, they was peeking through the branches next to me. I considered nothing else at that moment but the thought of getting out of there. I just wanted to get the heck out of there and back to my own business. Mind you, I wasn't scared. No siree. Not me. I was pretty much shaking with how mad I was. At meself mostly. Leastwise, that was at that moment.
Next thing I heard this soft song coming from the direction of those eyes.
I pursed my lips, squinted my eyes and took a step towards them eyes. Next thing I found myself sitting in the water. By now, that fish seemed to have gotten perturbed. It was clicking and clacking in a manner that wasn't in the least bit friendly. Them little fins was moving fast as it circled round me. Hmmph.
I gets to my feet and wade over ta the shore. Ya think I could get out of the water? The river was rising with each step I took. Nows when I starts getting tired. And mad. Crazy mad. I reached up for the branches when that river carried me by that way.
Those eyes were still staring at me. Nothing in them. I squawked a bit when that nutty fish came close enough to splash some water in my eyes. After blinking several times, I managed to kick out towards that fish. It backed off a bit. I turned to see those eyes still staring at me.
Only now, they was peeking through the branches next to me. I considered nothing else at that moment but the thought of getting out of there. I just wanted to get the heck out of there and back to my own business. Mind you, I wasn't scared. No siree. Not me. I was pretty much shaking with how mad I was. At meself mostly. Leastwise, that was at that moment.
Next thing I heard this soft song coming from the direction of those eyes.
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