"Wow, look at that thing"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhrwKyImOq
"Ew, where did that come from?"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0fb4PKinkO
"Can it even talk?"
I was roused from my sleep at the sound of three separate voices, all chiming in at the same time. I took a deep breath, before opening my eyes- the lids felt heavy against my eyes as I blinked. I heard three pairs of footsteps scramble against the floor, and was greeted with the sight of...nothing.
"Huh?" I said dumbly, wondering just where I was.950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWo1J5yavr0
"Hey, you alright there? You just kinda...appeared" a male voice said, sounding significantly older than the other three I'd just heard.
I sat up, my limbs burning as I did, like I'd just run three marathons without stopping.
"HOLY SH-"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WIdVyO2Je
Something gritty slapped over my mouth, silencing me.950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt30cERBdNn
"None o' that, pal, there be children present" the male voice said.
'Holy- a real- no, this can't be real...this isn't real...'
"Hey, buddy, snap out of it!" 950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡht5qZhaQmH
I did, and I still couldn't believe what I was seeing- standing over me was a pile of sand, not too crazy, right? Wrong, this particular pile of sand had human features- well, at least a pair of eyes and a mouth, other than that, it was a little difficult to make anything out.
"'Bout time you woke up" the 'sand-man' said, taking its hand off my mouth "Thought you were a goner there for a while"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjwmpiAS4d
"Wh-where am I?" I managed.950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBQgj5AEG7
"What? Did you get hit on the head, too?" he laughed "Oh...you're serious...well- you're in Arkia right now" 950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHjullKWxmJ
"What? What's that, like the name of the town or something?"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbW4ZQ8Amw
The sand-man stared at me like I just grew three heads...
...whew, still only got the one...
"Did you really hit your head...or you just pullin' my leg?"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIj9dMSPh49
"I have absolutely no idea where I am or what's going on" I replied.950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfBDlDLmLxM
The sand-man 'hmmph'd', and sat back.
"Arkia's the name o' the land" he said "What idiot don't know the name o' their own land?"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZIPEyenAx
"Me, apparently" I replied "Where I'm from, things like you don't exist-"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkALN9xV2Uv
His face suddenly grew dark, and he looked about ready to attack me.950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxXpsPv4aP
"You best be careful what you call a 'thing' 'round here, then" he warned "Lotta the 950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMHktROEbvX
residents won't take too kindly t' that"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHLGPVdgjM
"Oh, right, sorry...I uh...wasn't thinking..."950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡodRuxZkgrE
"Hey, s'fine mate, s'long as y' didn't know" he said, reaching over to slap me on the back.950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbJsmXKN3Vq
"Uh, yeah, sure..." 950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyenz0ssTtX
"Alrighty then, let's get y' straightened out" he said, standing up "C'mon, I'll show you around"
I stood as well, and followed the sand-man out the door, the three shorter ones following.
"So...uh...what's your name?" I asked the sand-man.950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu88nqrVzQO
"Grit" he responded "Yours?"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBzs8mZwYr
"Jack"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw295u5klY2
"Nice to meet you"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVAQTwNJbR
"...likewise..."950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡerlXjNXVC7
"So, where do y' come from? Must be pretty far if y' never heard o' Arkia"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1G5GozODLS
"The...uh...Minnow...Islands"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡufgR4GgePH
"Sounds like an interesting place"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaF5WSZ918N
"Yeah, sure is"
'Considering I just made it up...'
I glanced back to the three still following us.950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5nYSjECLc
"Who are they?" I asked.950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeO58hEUxNU
"Children" he responded simply.950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAT2AwogOT5
"Who's children?" I asked, rolling my eyes.950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTI3f1Ymud
"They're orphans, they're everyone's children"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgY94OD8m2V
"Oh..." I looked back to the three, still following us "Sorry..."950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mMtLQAqlH
"S'alright" the boy responded.
'Shake it off...freak out later...freak out later...'
I repeated the mantra in my head until our group came upon a large, rectangular hole in the wall.
'Must be a door' I deduced.
The sun suddenly made itself known as we exited the house, the rays beating down relentlessly as we walked out into the open. I noticed that there were about a dozen more sand-people walking about, perfectly fine- as if the sun's heat didn't bother them.
'Makes a bit of sense...' I thought 'they're made of sand...I guess I'd be more surprised if they aren't affected like I am'
You know what else? This...this place...it's crazy- I mean, this is like something out of a sci-fi movie. Being the nerd that I am, this is practically a dream come true- well, if I can find a way back home, that is...
A shiver ran down my spine, despite the blazing heat.
'I will find a way home...'
"Hey, Jack" Grit called "The heat gettin' t' ya?"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqaCrNvxX3a
I shook my head, clearing it for the moment.950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6OSLDf7VD
"No, just thinking a bit"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFh6yDke0AU
"'Bout what?"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ152rxbJmT9
"Home"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡib5haczQjH
"I get y', anytime I'm away from this place, makes me a bit homesick myself"
I nodded absently.
"So- uh- what other kind of...uh...people live here? In this land, I mean"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqS1hkspL0p
"Don't really know all of 'em" he responded "Know there's a few types o' dragons enjoy the heat, see one of 'em huntin' out there every once in a while"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeR7DoggAC4
"D-dragons?"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1KJU8jBLxA
"Yeah, dragons, y'know, they got scales? Breathe fire?"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI12TyOTige
"I know what a dragon is" 950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGYgRN8AQWA
"Then why'd you ask?"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gpnaPbO7I
"I d- nevermind..."950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69wTZXIpsj
"Might want t' ask someone else 'bout some o' the other people, don't really know much beyond what I saw in that respect"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgsAcdenvww
"Oh, well, thanks anyway" 950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28HmLsSi2l
"No problem at all"
Before I knew it, we had crossed the street, and were now entering another home.
"What are we doing here?" I asked.950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFwV0J8ErP
"Thought y' could use somethin' in your stomach before y' go on your way"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsefjbryZkF
"I- could just use some water, thank you"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0fHyZnQNh
"No mate, it's unhealthy to cross the desert on an empty stomach"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttuiZBpqx0
"How much desert do I have to cross?" 950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBs2HrUAET
"Not much, couple miles at the most"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4Dk6wpXg9
"Then...yeah...guess I will..."
Another slap on the back, and he laughed.
"Now you're gettin' it!"
'Get what?'
"Come on in" he said "What'll y' have?"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPo9x5Dkj4
"Um, just anything you have" 950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33kPPjqZIc
"Let's see...got rocks, you like rocks? Plenty a' obsidian and graphite"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSyIHqofev
"You guys eat rocks?"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydyR0G5r7M
"Mostly, among other things" he said "Why? You not have a taste for 'em?"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QO1Ga5dOv
"Uh, no, my kind can't eat rocks..."950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQOyLTwHJdd
"Huh...never woulda guessed..."
'What's that supposed to mean?'
"Well...can I just take the water? Then I can be on my way"
"I got a bit, not much water here in the desert- we really don't got much use for it, anyway"
Grit passed me two small clay pots, I set one down and popped off the lid, finding the water almost to the brim. I put the lid back on, and picked up the two bottles.
"Thank you, really" I said, reaching out to shake Grit's hand. 950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFqq1s8sUT
"Hey, no problem" he said, his hand meeting mine.950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCav7s0Zcu
We shook, and I shivered a bit at the feel of his grainy hand against mine.950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHTLGiPgzb
"Well, I'm saying it anyway" I said.950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9f4y36FnUU
He waved dismissively.950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6CnLJ3n1E
"No problem, anyway" he said "Don't forget t' drop by sometime"950Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXOV6kvONy
"I, uh...will if I can..."
He grinned, and I left the house, walking once more into the heat as I waved back to the sand-people inside.
I sighed to myself as I passed the city limit, and stared out at the expansive desert.
'Better start walking...' I moaned inwardly.
ns216.73.216.176da2
