1st of Fall, 512AV He'd seen nothing for days. Boxes. Dark. Rat. Boxes. An endless cycle his eyes had slowly adjusted too, he didn't know what day, what time or even what season it was anymore. It was as if he had been locked in sleep. The constant swaying of the boat lulling him, the noises from above making his eyes carefully stalk the faceless footsteps. He was glad he was used to going hungry, glad his stomach no longer growled at the smell of food that once a day permeated the air. He would be even happier when the voyage ended. Thud. The swaying didn't stop but he heard the cries. Distant, the steady and solid thumps of the boat hitting something. Since they were not sinking it only meant one thing. Summing whatever energy he had left the boy jumped to his feet only to fall on his face, his legs screaming protest. But he didn't stop, he couldn't be caught, not now. His arms moved with purpose, digging his elbows into the wood and dragging his stiff body across the floor. Light filtered beneath door, a cry of frustration bubbled in his throat and he managed to pull himself to his knees. Finally, finally he reached the barrel, the only things not nailed down. His ears pricking at the sound of keys he wasted not time lifting the lid, the stench of fish filling his nostrils. Clank. Clank. Clank. He wasted to more time, but it seemed as if he was doing everything painstakingly slow. Each lift of his leg into the fish smelling water, curling his body into the barrel and futilely trying to line the cork hole up to his mouth. Instead it felt like bells before he could breath air, the barrel floating through the air. The dank water filing his nostrils with each sway until it fell against the docks, water, fish and him spilling out among the curses and onto the docks. His legs worked this time and he fled, shoving himself between the people, through their legs and into the crowd of people. "Welcome to Zeltiva." he whispered before collapsing on his rear and simply watching the people pass by. |