OTHERBORN: THE CREVASSE

EPISODE TWO, PART FIVE

We hunt and we scavenge, we laze in the sun. The days have grown shorter—less and less now to eat.

Endless hours in this cave numbed into impossible months. I can't tell how long it's been, but the light's different now, moved down a bit. It's lower and it now slants inside.

I use the early, brief brightness to cut a small abscessing wound open to drain. I cry out, waking Second, as I try to cauterize the wound with a bone from the fire.

He now sits, rebuilding it, and rocking by the flames with a really strange buzzing sound.

"Are you imitating fire?" I query. "Are you humming?"

No answer. I attempt to mumble like Second and listen to the wind blowing outside, until we see the first snow fall.

* * *

Must be four months or so later. New season's babies are running around.

I've braided some of Second's longest hair under his jowls to match mine and I use them like reins on a horse—except it's Second, and very damn lumpy. And I'm on Second's back and we're running: me pointing and Second scooping up our catches.

We eat rather well. We go out for more. I'm frowning with snow blindness—snow still exists in rather large swaths and patches.

I point, getting mad now...trying to direct Second on where to go next.

I, at last, give up. "We're full anyway."

* * *

Snow whips by outside the cave. Second's rocking away and looking at his own family pictures he's now tried to draw.

"They still look like lumps," I comment. "Strangely suitable. And there's the look of yours again."

I don't argue as much. Too much time going by. He's going to get all growly or something right now.

But then, we freeze—alert!

A peculiar, moaning sound somewhere. It's right outside!

Second starts going nuts, roaring, beating his chest, making odd whines and beeps. He's leaping about, and his whines turn into roars.

I'm getting afraid, and I cower behind rocks beside the entrance, glad to have been on this side of the fire at the time, while Second continues, leaping to the ledge and peering up to the rim of our skinny, tight canyon.

Still there's a prolonged, growing, persistent moaning. And I see it too...another Fur Beast! And judging from Second's behavior, there can only be one explanation:

This Sasquatch is female!

At first, I think he's going to calm down, but NO! He's hurting himself with how loud he is roaring. And I have not a minute to realize this female's in heat, when Second bolts out of the cave, falling in his agony, or whatever this is.

From here, what happens next is all in slow motion.

My luckiest day!

Premonition, or not, my pack in my hand, I throw it at Second as he plummets over the drop from our cave ledge...and I am yanked along with it...and him...all of us: limbs, bag, rope, contents, trying to spill...all bail and bang, but I'm hooked...hooked onto Second...

I'm yanked where he goes, then he's quickly upright. My bag pulls me with it. I'm on Second. I cling to his side, grab hold and shimmy like I'm used to, grasp at mementos that fell along the way down, and we start to climb.

Second is too focused on the quarry right now. I can't direct him, much less appreciate the effort we expend and, me, clinging, and Second— well, okay, Second doing all of the work—scaling the cliffs.

I should try harder. "No! This way! We need forty more feet to the left. Left. No, the real left...the human left! Back, but... Come on!... Just a bit further. Climb, dammit!" Sigh. "I think she went that way." And Second veers left.

"I'll help you find her, buddy!" I cry. "She's gonna be up there. Keep going up. We'll check for her trail. Wait! Go back over there again. There is an easier path..."

But Second doesn't even look where I'm pointing. He completely ignores me—just keeps roaring, instead, beeping, louder, and lurching mid-climb. I almost fall off.

But I don't, and the rim of the plateau grows ever closer, then, so close I can almost catch it myself. The world seems to stop, my vision frozen on the sight of that ledge.

At this point, I realize, I will have nothing. We've left all my things back in the cave. With a moments last fumble to grab a good hold, we are up and over and...

I let go. We flop... I roll off.

I see desert.

~~~/
Desert? Real desert? They're out?

Lucky day, indeed! Now what?

Stay tuned...