"Wow, look at that thing"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKcKcziSgL
"Ew, where did that come from?"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnR6z3iP0L
"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.852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3IfgVsrIjT
"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-"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8RLhwrN75
Something gritty slapped over my mouth, silencing me.852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lWFXGe58g
"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!" 852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7M2jxoGsvz
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"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhYBjDrL5q
"Wh-where am I?" I managed.852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQOweHjok0u
"What? Did you get hit on the head, too?" he laughed "Oh...you're serious...well- you're in Arkia right now" 852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqDoL2Xpk1
"What? What's that, like the name of the town or something?"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRb5aHX49BB
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?"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1md7WDB8sk
"I have absolutely no idea where I am or what's going on" I replied.852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcP4XQbmAjs
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?"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxlowUxjTU
"Me, apparently" I replied "Where I'm from, things like you don't exist-"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBZILwbpIX
His face suddenly grew dark, and he looked about ready to attack me.852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZsxHm4qcN
"You best be careful what you call a 'thing' 'round here, then" he warned "Lotta the 852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7sHqBtQPg
residents won't take too kindly t' that"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1g82EwZnaq
"Oh, right, sorry...I uh...wasn't thinking..."852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnyfzNTY9fb
"Hey, s'fine mate, s'long as y' didn't know" he said, reaching over to slap me on the back.852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30q35KAhGu
"Uh, yeah, sure..." 852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcNPgJPspKn
"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.852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP08Dw9GkqI
"Grit" he responded "Yours?"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNEd3YLWcU
"Jack"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSUDCL4Acv8
"Nice to meet you"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzcO8XIq22
"...likewise..."852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkT8q5axRHQ
"So, where do y' come from? Must be pretty far if y' never heard o' Arkia"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8LAJiQAoQ
"The...uh...Minnow...Islands"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbeHmAVMlMQ
"Sounds like an interesting place"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtscflZzOze
"Yeah, sure is"
'Considering I just made it up...'
I glanced back to the three still following us.852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWI1AVkC4cr
"Who are they?" I asked.852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBTYglzav9
"Children" he responded simply.852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUykIBOD9wT
"Who's children?" I asked, rolling my eyes.852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiEtRfwlf5n
"They're orphans, they're everyone's children"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0TRE8KHNL
"Oh..." I looked back to the three, still following us "Sorry..."852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4hsdg7gtcH
"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?"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD8SvINXOCE
I shook my head, clearing it for the moment.852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡys72s1gZ7A
"No, just thinking a bit"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3aC033OBOj
"'Bout what?"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0wTquUqABJ
"Home"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ijTRYI0ZL
"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"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbRCkyM8Ek
"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"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZsYVyMghlz
"D-dragons?"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbegfvZm88V
"Yeah, dragons, y'know, they got scales? Breathe fire?"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2P5yOY6Xk
"I know what a dragon is" 852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5VTUCkuiRO
"Then why'd you ask?"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38keoZHU8F
"I d- nevermind..."852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HXLlLs9jy
"Might want t' ask someone else 'bout some o' the other people, don't really know much beyond what I saw in that respect"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAahSNjhyMq
"Oh, well, thanks anyway" 852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcByV7bYmK1
"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.852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71ECsi8Rlu
"Thought y' could use somethin' in your stomach before y' go on your way"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDawz2QWLPH
"I- could just use some water, thank you"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulNcNwCsDp
"No mate, it's unhealthy to cross the desert on an empty stomach"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVZsxfF44o
"How much desert do I have to cross?" 852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JkDCNFP5j
"Not much, couple miles at the most"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Etgw9q2aQ
"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?"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpfzgFZJyM
"Um, just anything you have" 852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgIYTUYu5K1
"Let's see...got rocks, you like rocks? Plenty a' obsidian and graphite"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9YB7hqiKU
"You guys eat rocks?"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5eTOLtbJf
"Mostly, among other things" he said "Why? You not have a taste for 'em?"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQE4Y7zJ0Wo
"Uh, no, my kind can't eat rocks..."852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVC5JE92YZS
"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. 852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbQq6CniXf
"Hey, no problem" he said, his hand meeting mine.852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0z93ZFK3LC
We shook, and I shivered a bit at the feel of his grainy hand against mine.852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBHMtr9S8s
"Well, I'm saying it anyway" I said.852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEFihMRvAB
He waved dismissively.852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8PIVQchTY
"No problem, anyway" he said "Don't forget t' drop by sometime"852Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUqvLD0eFv
"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.
ns18.220.224.115da2
