Fiction Fridays- The Nomad CH. 2

Continued from CH. 1

The air is crisp and free of scent, the world is still and kind on this day so I continue on my journey with a clear path. When night falls the moon is motionless in the sky and shining like a second sun so I keep going, determined to get as far away from the great monoliths that brought with them so many questions and not enough answers.

In the distance I spot a small deer grazing in the unusually bright moonlight. It has been days since I have eaten, even longer still since I had tasted anything as substantial as flesh, so I prepare for the hunt. On my back I carry several items mostly fashioned from the relics found during my travels and a precious few acquired in trade to others like myself. It is one of these rare items which I traded a weeks worth of dried meat and its accompanying hide that I reach for, a long wooden pool with a serrated blade fastened to the end but perfectly balanced to achieve maximum distance.

I am clearly much too far from the beast to make any kind of impact with the weapon so I slowly creep closer, always mindful of my breathing and ever watchful of where my feet fall to not arouse suspicion. Ahead I see a stone platform directly at the creatures flank and make that my destination, with the added height and clear view the chances of success became much greater for the kill.

The stone formed a perfect cube and provided a gradual path up its side, almost like steps had been carved from its side and as I neared the top I realized this was in fact an artificial platform for at the top was a row of long wooden beams to stand upon. The moment I stepped off the stone and onto the beams a slight creak was heard underfoot alerting the beast of my presence, though it did not move and merely became more alert. Stepping further onto the beams I shifted my weight carefully so as not to make the same mistake. One more step and I would be mere feet from striking distance, my mouth watering with this prospect.

Suddenly there came a loud cracking noise and the beams began to crumble under me, the wood was rotten and brittle revealing a dark abyss instead of a stone heart. As I fell time slowed to but a crawl and I could hear every beat of my heart like a drum. I know not what lay below and as if to express its sorrow for me the deer turned and stared as I disappeared into the darkness.