From the treetops, Cairo watched as Julian and Talia tumbled out of sight into the trees on the other side of the clearing. The massive camouflaged beast had made quick work of Firus, swallowing him in a single bite. The view of the creature was horrendous. It was partially emerged out of the ground with a face that was wide and flat. It almost took up the whole clearing. It had a series of small appendages systematically shoveling dirt as it pulled itself up out of the ground. Its body was long with giant ribbed sections like an earth worm.
It's massive body contorted to move its head and look around. His yellow eyes roved the trees as he exposed the rows of wet teeth previously hidden. The thing looked up into the tree tops until it spotted Cairo. The hollow glow of the creatures eyes felt like they stared into his trembling heart. The vision of it burning into his retinas. He felt his stomach sink. Both the young man and the beast remained motionless for a quiet and still moment.
Finally, the monster slowly began to recede back into the ground. Dirt began filling up around the edges of its wormlike body, shoveled and moved by its swarm of small appendages wrapped in rings around its form. It wasn't long before his face was covered. But it still took a few minutes for the ground to settle back to a state where it appeared stable. It looked like smooth ground made up of fresh dirt when the movement finally stopped. An untrained eye would never have thought something so chaotic had occurred.
After a few moments of silence, Cairo slipped down the tree trunk slowly. His feet hit the ground, his breath heavy with panic. He backed up, keeping his eyes on the spot from which the monster had emerged.
"I'll admit that was-"
"Gaaaauugghh!!!"
Cairo screamed as he spun around. A frightened Julian screamed in response as he stood behind Talia.
She looked at both of them and nodded.
"Fair enough."
She took a breath.
"I'll admit that was a bit intense, even for me. And you guys lived, which is... more than I can say for others..."
She pointed north.
"I have a safe house just up the way. You'll need secure places to stay on your way and I know some that are scattered around. We better head out before it gets dark."
She started walking in the direction she pointed to. Julian and Cairo looked at each other. Cairo looked to her back as she walked.
"Does this mean you're gonna help us?"
She stopped. She heaved a big sigh without turning around. She threw her head back and looked up as she spoke, "Lets not make this too much of a thing. I'm here. Let's just make the most of it."
Cairo smiled and nudged Julian.
"See, I knew she'd come around," he said quietly.
"Yeah," said Julian looking down at his bleeding arm beneath his fingers, "We'll see."
YOU ARE READING
The Cinders of Dezu
AdventureDezu is a world where average people become legends. But it is haunted by a story that turns legends into ashes. Cairo and Julian just graduated and they've got their whole life ahead of them. But before college and all that adulting they have to do...
