Two sun-reels from The Churn
they reach a sheltered place.
Clearing in the forest,
flanked by a high ridge.
A spring of water
bubbles from the rock.
Odymn climbs to the ridge.
Settles to tease
tangles from her hair.
The Slain and the Argenop,
far below, gather wood
for a fire.
From the ridge
a clear view of The Fault.
Prell-nan a silhouette
against sky.
The two moons,
Cardoth grill'an
and Cardoth roe,
lift above horizon.
Shimmer of blue,
like the doe-eyes
of a Dock-winder.
Chill wind from The Fault.
Gooseflesh on Odymn's arms.
Later, Wen-le-gone draws
a grid in the dirt.
Shakes a tangle
of slear-snake bones
from his tunic.
Shows them how to play
tath-toll. U-shaped vertebrae
build tunnels and stairs.
Like Chinese Checkers
on Earth. Tournaments
with her dad
on weekends.
Tap of marbles
on a metal board.
Odymn traces the curves
in a playing piece
with her finger.
Remembers the onslaught
of the slear-snake.
The rage in its middle eye,
the slather in its teeth.
The Slain laughs.
Places a bone on the game board.
Moment of terror transformed
to a trivial game.
Odymn scans the grammid wood.
Listens for the stealthy slide
of slear-snake segments
over desiccated leaves.
The Slain and Wen-le-gone
play tath-toll
late into the night.
YOU ARE READING
Meniscus: One Point Five - Forty Missing Days
Science FictionAfter the Slain is shot, Odymn and an Argenop elder work together to try and return him to good health. As they journey towards the Themble, survival is a challenge. Odymn must add to her foraging skills and survive an attack by the vicious kotildi...
