The pain came from his arm. He slowly tried to extend it, but the needling sensation caused him to quickly pull it back to his chest. He wasn’t going to be able to use it. He needed help, but where could he get it? Was he safe? Was he even alone? How would he manage to climb back up the rock and would he even want to if that Mantis was still up there?

Will’s bird gave him a few quick pecks on his head.

“Ow, stop it.” He shook his head and the bird fluttered up only to land right back where it was. Will leaned to the side, and—using his good arm—forced himself up to his feet. Once he did, the bird hopped down to his shoulder. That seemed more comfortable. For some reason Will was already used to it being there.

Will looked for the rocky wall, but it was gone. Instead he found himself in an open expanse of tall grass. Above him was the green mist, but beyond that only a cloudless night, speckled with milky pinpricks of stars. Of all the things that had happened so far, to Will, this was the most alarming. He’d gone outside when it was nearly dark, been befriended by a Cakrit-whatever-it-was bird, ran from a giant praying mantis, fallen from a ledge and maybe even broken his arm. Still, being lost with nowhere to go was the worst. He began to spin, looking for anything of use.

Then he saw two shaded figures heading his way. The tall grass bent and broke as they ran, leaving a clear path far behind. They called out in muffled voices and the larger one pointed his direction. What were they saying. Will dropped to his side, and lay still. Maybe they hadn’t seen him. Maybe the grass was tall enough to keep him hidden. He looked for his bird. There it was, down on the ground with him, tucked low and nestled close to his body. He listened for the voices but heard nothing. Just a long hush of wind as it slid its fingers through the long and open plain.

“You think we didn’t see you?” The first voice was irritated and male.

“You just dropped down. Kinda silly like. How could we not have?” The second voice was younger by several years. It sounded like a girl.

“Get up,” the first voice continued.

Feeling all of a sudden rather ridiculous, Will rolled to the side and began the painful process of standing up again. It took something like seven seconds, a tremendous amount of time when all you have to do is stand. By the time he had, his eyes had adjusted to clearly see the two people nearby.

The younger was a girl about his age with short black hair and olive skin. She wore long brown pants and a green shirt with something that looked to be a penguin on it. It wasn’t a penguin, but that’s what it most looked like to Will. Her look of surprise was unmistakeable.

The other person was a boy several years older. He must have been something like fourteen. He too had the same black hair and dark skin tone. He had a blue shirt patched back together in places with a bit of red thread and black cargo pants—the type with the big side pockets. He didn’t look at all pleased to see Will, and his eyes shot back and forth from Will to his bird.

“He’s got a Cakrit,” the girl said.

“I know what he’s got,” the boy cut her off with a tone that meant shut up about it.

“Please,” Will said. “I don’t know what’s going on. I just sort of, hit the ground really hard. I think I need to see a doctor.”

The two of them exchanged a cautious glance before looking back at Will.

“What happened to you?”

Will wondered if he should share anything.

Should Will…

Trust them and tell them everything

Tell them only what he has to

Make something up to fool them

This Poll is Closed