The Other Side of Shrae: Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

“Okay... that was kind of gross…” Talli muttered, rinsing her hands in the seawater next to Briar and Becka.

“Well, we’ve got a lot of food now, right?” Briar said, now washing off the usable meat.

Becka nodded, getting up and shaking the water off of her hands.

“Is it possible to salt meat with saltwater?” Talli asked, cluelessly.

“I dunno, probably too weak.” Ashelea said, walking up to them, “Oh, by the way, look what work the others have done on the camp.” She added, motioning behind her.

“Camp?” Talli said, raising an eyebrow and turning around to look at it, “I’d say it’s more of a— Oh, wow.” Dylan, Ashelea, Ben and Robert had been working hard, and they now had a rather substantial barrier between their fire pit, the small cluster of shelters – of which there were more of – and the outside world. They had gathered more driftwood and anything else they could find in the forest, and built a better, taller wall around their… well, it really was a camp now.

“So, how do you like it?” Robert asked cheerfully, joining them.

“It’s great.” Talli said, wiping her wet hands dry on her shirt and admiring their work.

“Yeah” Becka agreed. “Nice work.”

“And what have you guys done here?” Ashelea asked, peering over Talli’s shoulder to watch Briar finish washing the rest of the meat.

“Oh, we’ve only been working hard to make sure everyone can eat like rich people tonight and dine on only the finest Wolfcoon steak.” Becka teased.

That night they had soup, boiling some of the tougher meat in sections of bamboo or whatever else they could use as a pot or a bowl. Yawning, Talli leaned back, warm from the fire and full from their meal. She took a few more pieces of wood and poked them into the blaze before her, watching them catch on fire and crumble and shift. She closed her eyes, smiled, and went over to one of the unoccupied lean-tos, feeling content. Would they ever get back home? How? Would they starve? Be torn limb from limb by these lobster things, or these Wolfcoon things? Would they die of heat or of cold or drown trying to get back to their homeland? But she didn’t dwell on thoughts of death or battle, or of being stuck here forever and ever. Right now was what mattered. And right now she was safe, warm, full… and tired. She closed her eyes, letting her thoughts wander and then disappear altogether as she fell asleep.

Right now was what mattered. And right now she was safe.