Thirty-first of Summer, 516 AV
”I swear it was right here!”
”Yeah, well now it’s not. I just wasted a my morning going on this goose hunt, and these aren’t the kind of gooses I like to waste time hunting!” Theo said.
”But you don’t understand, I---”
”Understand what? That I woke up early to visit this empty hole in the ground? Do you know how drunk I was last night?”
”But---”
”Just go. I might kill you if you stick around.”
The kelvic boy scampered off, his tail literally between his legs. What was his name again? Theo thought as he took a second look at the skeleton. It was big and bulky, most likely an akalak. Judging by how his arms were thrown about, it was safe to assume that something was formerly in his hands. But that was then --- now there was nothing to show for it. Someone probably heard the kid talking about it in the bar last night and came right here. Stupid kid.
The walk back was long and Syna was shining hard today. Dehydrated as he was, Theo only wish he knew the outskirts of Riverfall well enough to know a stream nearby. But he’d have to wait for the Bluevein. It’d be nothing but humidity and walking for a mile. At least I’m still a little drunk, that’s good.
It didn’t take Theo long to get back to the Kabrin. He had taken the time out to carve a mark in a tree that pointed towards the road. The kelvic had also left some tracks that were easy enough to follow, Are those hooves? Is he a cow? Eventually the tracks scampered off the dirt that Theo knew led back to the Kabrin, but there were thorn bushes on the opposite side of the path that would take him back to the road. Following the length of the shrubbery, Theo found himself back on the path to Riverfall. I just wonder if that kelvics waiting in the woods to jump out at me, or he’s sobbing himself to sleep. He’s stupid enough to do both.
Theo got the last booze worked off as his mind drifted off into nothing. He was smiling, happy to be out in the early morning sun and be a part of nature now, joyful to suffer. This is easy. This is easy. Theo thought, laughing at himself, wondering if he had gone delirious.
When the rippling waters of the Bluevein entered Theo’s ears, however, his mind found attention. Whatever spiritual gain came from deprivation was put to the wayside for sweet water. Theo ran towards the river with no thought outside of his own nourishment. His desire moved his mind and body to a sprint. It was only in hindsight that he saw the woman's blur as he stormed past.
Theo ran up, having to peddle his legs to stop from falling into the river. His head floated above the river as his hands splashed water into his mouth. He drank gulp after gulp, devouring the blue tide, splashing his face to cool down. When Theo was finally done he walked over to a leafy bush and pulled one piece of the shrub off, wiping his face clean.
Up on the road the lady was still there, staring off into the distance. What’s she staring at? She looked towards the vineyards, at the crossroads between the ferry, the Kabrin, and Riverfall. Does she see something? Curious, Theo walked up and tried to see for himself, but couldn’t see anything through the hedges.
As he got closer, Theo could see that she stood in front of the sign, offering directions to the different attractions outside the city. ”What’s caught your eye there in the vineyard?” Theo said, still trying to see through the hedges. ”Your lucky you aren’t a kelvic, or you’d have been here all day trying to figure out what that sign said.” Theo laughed, recalling the boy from earlier.
I do parties, weddings, and firestorms.
