When Rumors Ring True

Rumors. That's what I'm risking this all on. With everything the world has lost, with everything I have lost, it's worth taking this risk.

The city. Located around the only source of fresh water, a spring that erupts in the middle of a dry plain. The water travels down several canals created for the surrounding towns, but they only go out so far. The farmers live closest to the waters. Their workers live on the land and that's where my mother and I lived. However, I would always sneak out from the farm lands to the outlying towns. I made friends with a few of the locals. Chariya and her mother took wool from the farmer closer to the city and made clothes. Jarkano and his parents have a little restaurant. Riland lived the furthest from the river, so I saw him less often than the others. His parents were blacksmiths. A lot of what they made farmers used to help cultivate the lands. Some people who dared to travel out and away from the waters used them for weaponry. However, the further traveled from the city, from the outlying waterways, the further from survival.

Stories say centuries ago an asteroid hit. One of the survivors found the spring, sent out messages, and brought everyone together. He's the same one in power today and the reason we live in despair. His long lifespan while generations pass lead to rumors of a creature from the asteroid possessing him to control us, and further rumors of how to kill it came about.

From the help of my friends, I prepared for the journey they begged me not to go on. Yet, I had to change the way the world has become. Chariya had made me several lightweight pieces of clothing to keep the sun from burning my skin and a large satchel to carry the other items I needed. Jarkano gave me several large quantities of dried foods. Some of the herbs will help with keeping my saliva flowing to fight dehydration, others help fight hunger since the land is dry and empty, and another one helps to cool my tempurature. Riland created some tools that I designed to assist on my trip. He created three steel bottles to carry water, Chariya made wraps for each of them so when they hit they didn't make noise. He also made a shovel that folded up for convenience to better fit in the satchel. He made a shield and sword that Chariya also made a belt and strap for, as well as a few other items I thought I may need. I can refill the bottles of water when the rains come, which I know isn't often, but then stories say the low lying areas, if you dig, you will find fresh water beneath the surface within four to six feet. As long as it's low lying areas. I don't know how well that rumor holds up, but I will be finding out.

I said bye to Chariya first since she was the closest to home. She cried a tear, fearing the worse of my ventures. I then said farewell to Jarkano, he had few words of good bye, but many words of instructions that he had already given me hundreds of times. Describing the foods he'd given me and the plants they originally came from. No one really knows what lies in the far distance, but if I saw any of those plants, I'd know what I'd be looking for. Lastly, I stopped by Riland. He gave me the items I requested. While I didn't see him as often, I did spend the most time with him when I did see him. Aside from making weaponry, we sparred and he gave me the practice I needed to defend myself. On the night of my leaving he walked me to the edge of the town leading into the vast emptiness.

"I hope you know what you're doing Fayra."

"Not a clue, but I have to try."

"There's no guarantee that this will even work."

"I know it's just rumors, but if they are at all true, I can change the way we're living."

"I just..."

"Riland don't. I appreciate everything you've done for me, and I know you've only done it because of the way you feel. Just promise you won't keep waiting for me. Who knows when I'll be back."

"If you'll be back." His face saddened. "There's very little chance you'll survive out there."

"I know, but I'll go crazy if I stay here knowing that I could do something to change things. You feel that way too or else you wouldn't have helped me. You're hoping I have a chance just as much as I do."

I gave him a hug that he returned tenfold. I kissed his cheek before turning and walking away from the outermost part of town.

Early the next morning I found myself with no visibility of the town or plant life. I just kept walking. I used the hills of sand to identify I was still heading in the right direction, especially with the midday sun showing additional confusion of which way was which. Two more days rolled by like this, until I knew I had to stop and assess my location.

Stories were told of creatures that were brought to trap us inside the city and surrounding area. Things that would scare us in to never leaving, or if we did try to leave, things that would never let us make it out far enough to reach the oceans of old tales. The same oceans that were said to hold the oysters I'm in search of. It was said that these large creatures danced in the sand as if it were water. They stirred it up making it softer than the rest of the land in a large circle surrounding our city like a moat. That's how you knew you were about to see them. The sand would change and your feet would slip through it more easily and a little deeper than normal. So now, I don't know if it's the heat playing tricks on me, but the sand wasn't always up above my ankles. I took a few steps back and the sand went down to just above the top of my feet.

I smiled. I know what you're thinking, what person smiles when they're about to see giant creatures that may potentially eat them. Well, when tales become truth, it gives me hope, just maybe the one I need to be true, is as well. I climbed up a sand dune parallel to the softer sand. Checking every few yards that I was still traveling along side it. When I reached the top I looked across the heat stricken land for any signs of movement. Nothing.

I started in slow keeping to the highest part of the sand with eyes alert at my surroundings. I had gone in about half a mile and my smile left me. Maybe the rumors were wrong. There's nothing here. The sand was halfway up my calves when I noticed some of it stirring in the distance. A camouflaged wing slipped above the granules of sand. It raised it's back above the land to feel the sun, then continued beneath with it's snake-like rhythm darting towards me. How can something that large move so fast under the dirt? It has to be seventy, eighty feet long, roughly twenty, twenty-five feet wide. How much further did I even have to go? The stories didn't say how wide the moat was. I grabbed my shield releasing the mechanism I designed. Riland built it to my specifications perfectly. Each link snapped into place and once fully extended ran half the length of my body. The sand slinky was coming up on me fast. As I tried to pick up my pace, the sand beneath me started to slide pulling me to the opposite side of the hill. I couldn't see the creature coming, because another one started to move under me.

As it started to twist and turn and kick up the dust I threw my shield down and jumped on it. The sand slid down to the side of the monster and I rode it just like a wave. The other monster that I couldn't see from the other side crashed through the hill jumping over me. Sand was thrown against me. It landed below and turned to come back towards me. Every time they pushed at me I leaned with the sand and kept riding between the two sand slinky's until I reached a point where they had to turn around. When they gave up, I slowed and got off the shield realizing the sand was again just above the tops of my feet.

I finally see the ocean. It exists. More beautiful than the stories could've ever described. There's also something else that I was never told of. A village. I spoke to some of the locals and they've heard of the city and of what happened. A couple of them came from the city and had war stories of getting out. I listened. I explained my journey and what I was in search of.

That was six years ago.

I've worked with some local craftsmen to come up with a way for me to dive deeper than anyone else has. Flippers to better maneuver and swim faster, lenses to wear over my eyes for better visibility, and a container to help me have more breathes beneath the water so I can search and stay under for longer periods of time. I would go out every day. The first couple of months I found nothing. But as I swam out farther and deeper I began to spot them. I would collect bags full at a time, come back up to the boat and open them up searching for the rarest blue pearl. I would be going in and out of the water so long each day that the people on the boats that took me out would have two or three groups and they would relieve the others about halfway through the day.

Before I jumped back in they let me know when I come back up it'll be the second group waiting for me. I nodded to confirm I understood then fell back into the waters. I got to the bottom and began reaching for the oysters I saw. The sun that trickled through the waves and hit the sea floor bounced off the rocks and the shells and reflected back a rainbow of shimmer. It was my favorite part. Something I had never seen before I came out to do this. I went to reach for an oyster sitting on top of some rocks and I didn't notice the point sticking out from it. It stuck between my fingers and drew blood. I pulled back from the pain.

One minute. That's about how long it takes for them to get here once blood is drawn. I dropped the oyster though. What if that's the one?

I tried reaching for it in the hole it fell down into, but I couldn't reach it. I reached through two holes at the bottom and found it, but couldn't pull it out. With one hand holding the oyster, the other one holding the knife.

Thirty seconds left.

I got it open.

I pushed off the ocean floor.

Five, four, three, two...

"Pull me in! Pull me in!"

I fell on the deck.

"Fayra?"

"Riland? What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you. Things have gotten worse back home. Plus, you said not to wait for you, so... I wasn't waiting. I can't believe I found you."

"I can't believe I found this." I opened up the heart shaped locket hanging around my neck. Riland had secretly slipped it into my bag the night I left. "Let's save our home."