Tales of PulchraGea, Vol. 1

17: Shadows the World Casts (Final/2555)

We stood at the border of PulchraGea, between the Forest of Illusion and the cliffs overlooking the River Rage. It was a strip of land with sparse copses and stands of small trees. We were only lightly supplied with food, and only had our regular weapons. I didn't even have my normal pistol, only the quantanium battle daggers Robin had given me.

I wasn't sure why we were there, only that I had a vague feeling that was pulling me in that direction. We moved southward along the edge of the trees, occasionally scrounging for food. Eventually, the river Rage curved around to the edge of the forest. Trees grew right up to the banks and we were forced to move into the tree line. Our rations were getting low, but now we had the opportunity to supplement with local flora and fauna. Luckily, Crystal knew what was safe to eat. We followed the river on around for nearly a hundred miles until we hit a lucky break.

"Look!" Crystal shouted as we came out of a particularly thick patch of foliage. She rushed forward to the river bank, where sat the frame of a bridge.

"This is the 'air-colored bridge' my ancestors crossed during their exodus from the southern forests," she said.

"It's a what?" Doug said.

"Step on it," Crystal giggled. "It doesn't look solid, but it is."

Doug took a tentative step forward and tested it with his toe. As it reached the bottom of the frame where the floor would have been, it began to ripple like a pond. However, rather than radiating outward from the disturbance, some kind of energy coalesced toward it to form a solid surface.

"Woah!" Kelly cried out. "Solid holograms are still new! They just discovered them like a decade ago, and they're still not completely solid!"

I stepped onto the bridge. Blue light formed under my feet and held my entire weight. Crystal laughed and danced across it, taking pictures with her holo-phone. She stopped at the far side and the glee left her face. Katy walked up behind her and placed her hand on Crystals waist.

"What's wrong?' I asked.

"This marks the southernmost border of PulchraGea," Crystal said.

"We'll be the first people to leave PulchraGea in thousands of years," Katy agreed with trembling lip.

I looked into the sky and nodded.

"Sun's getting low," I said. "We'll make camp and continue on tomorrow."

I was awakened early the next morning by someone digging in my backpack. It was turned on its side but otherwise unharmed. I could hear noise coming from it, though. It sounded like something had found the emergency protein bars I had stashed at the bottom and was chewing on them.

"Om nom nom," a squeaky voice said. "This thing good."

A semitranslucent pink mass peeked over the edge of the backpack. Its beady black eyes stared straight at me.

"You'm has more?" it asked.

You know the face you make when someone insults you in a way that's more confusing than offensive? I made that face.

"What? No! Get out of my backpack," I yelled.

I jumped up and tried to shoo it out of my tent. It flowed around me like water and continued trying to rummage. I tried to grab it, but it began to cry like a toddler.

"No!" it wailed. "You leaf me alone or I'm poke you inna eye!

The creature flailed at me with a suddenly appearing gooey appendage. The place it struck me began to feel like I'd been exposed to a minor sunburn. I blurted some choice four-letter words, which roused the whole camp.