SABIS the SURVIVOR

Chapter 4: Hide and Seek

Chapter 4: Hide and Seek

Staring down at the seemingly interminable path, Sabis found it hard to focus on his destination in the far distance─he could only imagine how long his journey would take. The white circular protrusion that he inched toward stood so high that it touched the sky. Grey clouds ringed this massive mountain as if they were huddling together to discuss a private matter. Sabis wondered if these clouds were SkyGod's minions or perhaps connected to SkyGod in some other way.

"Are you a soft place for SkyGod to sleep when He requires rest? Will you allow me to walk without hindrance in this domain? Surely, you know that I am on an errand of mercy, to save my people, and not for personal gain. So let me walk this path I have entered but soon will exit if you can restrain. Oh SkyGod minions, please refrain. Let it be."

With each step, he felt his inner fire flow out of him. Slowly and inexorably, with each breath, he blew out the heat that his insides generated. Sabis could not resist the urge to pray again, "Mother Earth, yes, Mother Earth, what am I worth, if not for a dearth of breath; Mother Earth, you are my saviour and I am but your humble servant, from my birth until my death."

These prayers reminded Sabis that he was not alone on his march into the unknown. He tried to focus on his path so that he would not stumble onto another ice floe or trip on some hard stone. But all he could do was to reminisce and replay the times that he had enjoyed in his younger times.

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"Daddya, here I am Daddya."

"Okay, Sabis, I see you."

Sabis had liked to play hide and seek with his Father. It was, after all, one of the few times that his parents would allow him to venture out of the more secure zones that the cave dwellers called their home.

"Sabis, now it's my turn to hide. Count to twenty and I will seek a place that you will never find me."

Sabis closed his eyes, placed his head in the nook of his right shoulder and counted to twenty very quickly.

"Ready or not, here I come!"

He proceeded to scan the ground for recent footprints and feel it with the back of his hands for a heat signature from his Father's feet. Slowly at first, he followed the heat path. Then he extrapolated the path, guessing that his Father was hiding behind a large boulder.

"Aha! I caught you," he squealed with delight.

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Tracking had been something that his Father had taught him as soon as he could stand upright. At that time, his Father had taken Sabis' hand, placed it on the earth, and explained:

"The back of your hand has thin skin that will absorb any residual heat from prey that has walked or ran on the ground ahead of you."

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"That is great Sabis. Now you can find your prey before they find you."

"Do you mean that prey can eat me, Daddya?"

"Yes, Sabis. But those prey who can eat a Survivor only live in SkyGod's domain. The prey that we track and kill roam the ancient hunting grounds about a steam cycle trek from here. First, we need to travel underground for almost one steam cycle then pass a river that is sometimes frozen. Eventually, we arrive at an above-ground grotto where the prey play their own version of hide and seek."

"Daddya, has anyone ever visited SkyGod's domain?"

His Father paused then let out a deep breath.