10-20-2021, 10:24 PM
Sawbone knows where he must go with a sudden shiver down his spine. He blinks wide, orange eyes and hums the tune he sang to the witches. The upbeat rhythm is in no way soothing, but it does hype him up enough to get moving. He bounces energetically from foot to foot, shaking his hands rapidly at his hips.
“I am not afraid to keep on living,” Saw sings as he takes one step into the brilliantly illuminated cave. “I am not afraid to walk this world alone,” another humming addition as he studies the bright blue and red fungi. “Honey, if you stay, I’ll be forgiven,” his voice though a shaking whisper, he begins to feel confident in his path.
“Nothing you can say can stop me going ho—”
Just as Saw’s raw, teenage voice cracks on a powerful note, the walls around him begin to writhe. The purple stalactites above fall into the cave floor, piercing the ground until they fall into each other and begin to form shapes. Saw takes several stumbling steps back, mouth opening and closing like that of a beached fish.
What stands before him are panting, screeching, insect-like monsters the size of his original horse form. They thrash their heads around, eyeless and noseless, their features mostly glittering stone and wide mouths set with wicked sharp teeth. Their limbs—four too long, bent, spindly legs attached to slender, shapeless bodies—stab so hard into the stone floor that they score it over and over again.
For the moments Sawbone doesn’t move, the creatures don’t notice him. They just swivel their heads back and forth, quieting as they attempt to pinpoint their prey. Saw takes a single step back, kicking a pebble in the process. Every single monster snaps their head in his direction, staring him down despite their lack of eyes.
As one, they charge.
Too frightened to even make a startled noise, Saw turns around and sprints toward the cave entrance—but there isn’t one anymore. Where the world once opened up, now two tunnels exist. One to the left and up, one to the right and down.
The creatures are gaining on him much faster than he can run. Saw knows he doesn’t even have a spare second to think. It barely registers that the amethyst bugs used sound and only sound to find him, so without stopping, he picks up a rock in the path and tosses it up the left path while he barrels down the right.
To the boy’s surprise and delight, it works.
For the most part.
In Sawbone’s relief, he gets sloppy. The slope takes a sudden dive and he stumbles, loudly huffing and grunting as he rolls down the dirt and stone hill. It is just enough sound for the very last bug to pause then skitter curiously down the cave Saw is now bleeding in. With his last ounce of sense, the boy manages to crawl out of the path and into the shade of the wide, glowing mushrooms. He hazards a glance down the path, just wide enough to see the creature approaching as well as what lies in wait. The cave flattens out further ahead, revealing a slight incline illuminated by a bright moon.
Once he steadies his breathing, Saw creeps alongside the creature, careful to make sure his hands and knees are softened by smaller fungi. The bug carves a slow journey, continuously moving its head from side to side. Saw barely breathes or blinks. He has a wild, hopeless hunch that the monster won’t leave the cave; and the entrance is just seconds ahead.
When they reach the mouth together, Saw lurches forward, whipping his body around to a frightened crouch to see if the bug will follow. A Pangean moon blazes above him. The monster pauses at the mouth of the cave, seemingly peering right where Saw landed. Then with a screech, it launches forward just as the boy is grinning in triumph. He flattens himself to the dust, expecting a painful death.
Eyes squeezed tightly shut, Saw presses himself further into the earth.
Seconds pass.
Too many seconds.
Slowly, painfully, the boy looks up and behind him, eyes just barely catching the silhouette of the creature barreling after a deer.
“SUGAR WE’RE GOING DOWN SWINGING!” he screams after the bug.
Then he stands up, mouth set in a frown. The light of the moon completely dies in sudden darkness and fog. Resoluteness settles in his chest.
Where is the fucker that set this party up?
“I am not afraid to keep on living,” Saw sings as he takes one step into the brilliantly illuminated cave. “I am not afraid to walk this world alone,” another humming addition as he studies the bright blue and red fungi. “Honey, if you stay, I’ll be forgiven,” his voice though a shaking whisper, he begins to feel confident in his path.
“Nothing you can say can stop me going ho—”
Just as Saw’s raw, teenage voice cracks on a powerful note, the walls around him begin to writhe. The purple stalactites above fall into the cave floor, piercing the ground until they fall into each other and begin to form shapes. Saw takes several stumbling steps back, mouth opening and closing like that of a beached fish.
What stands before him are panting, screeching, insect-like monsters the size of his original horse form. They thrash their heads around, eyeless and noseless, their features mostly glittering stone and wide mouths set with wicked sharp teeth. Their limbs—four too long, bent, spindly legs attached to slender, shapeless bodies—stab so hard into the stone floor that they score it over and over again.
For the moments Sawbone doesn’t move, the creatures don’t notice him. They just swivel their heads back and forth, quieting as they attempt to pinpoint their prey. Saw takes a single step back, kicking a pebble in the process. Every single monster snaps their head in his direction, staring him down despite their lack of eyes.
As one, they charge.
Too frightened to even make a startled noise, Saw turns around and sprints toward the cave entrance—but there isn’t one anymore. Where the world once opened up, now two tunnels exist. One to the left and up, one to the right and down.
The creatures are gaining on him much faster than he can run. Saw knows he doesn’t even have a spare second to think. It barely registers that the amethyst bugs used sound and only sound to find him, so without stopping, he picks up a rock in the path and tosses it up the left path while he barrels down the right.
To the boy’s surprise and delight, it works.
For the most part.
In Sawbone’s relief, he gets sloppy. The slope takes a sudden dive and he stumbles, loudly huffing and grunting as he rolls down the dirt and stone hill. It is just enough sound for the very last bug to pause then skitter curiously down the cave Saw is now bleeding in. With his last ounce of sense, the boy manages to crawl out of the path and into the shade of the wide, glowing mushrooms. He hazards a glance down the path, just wide enough to see the creature approaching as well as what lies in wait. The cave flattens out further ahead, revealing a slight incline illuminated by a bright moon.
Once he steadies his breathing, Saw creeps alongside the creature, careful to make sure his hands and knees are softened by smaller fungi. The bug carves a slow journey, continuously moving its head from side to side. Saw barely breathes or blinks. He has a wild, hopeless hunch that the monster won’t leave the cave; and the entrance is just seconds ahead.
When they reach the mouth together, Saw lurches forward, whipping his body around to a frightened crouch to see if the bug will follow. A Pangean moon blazes above him. The monster pauses at the mouth of the cave, seemingly peering right where Saw landed. Then with a screech, it launches forward just as the boy is grinning in triumph. He flattens himself to the dust, expecting a painful death.
Eyes squeezed tightly shut, Saw presses himself further into the earth.
Seconds pass.
Too many seconds.
Slowly, painfully, the boy looks up and behind him, eyes just barely catching the silhouette of the creature barreling after a deer.
“SUGAR WE’RE GOING DOWN SWINGING!” he screams after the bug.
Then he stands up, mouth set in a frown. The light of the moon completely dies in sudden darkness and fog. Resoluteness settles in his chest.
Where is the fucker that set this party up?