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The jungle gave way to the lithe figure, running and jumping through the alien thicket, dodging and turning in her way to the familiar site. Even at such speed, probably with more reason, her eyes were watchful, alert. The low plants with the wide leaves and blue spots were harmless and edible, a brush with the tall red sprigs of the reeds in humid areas caused a fever. In the daylight such things were easy to distinguish even in a hurry, but it also meant that she had to be careful with the predators like the one chasing her.
The girl reached the clearing, sighing of relief, but she was far from safe. Leaving the bushes and trees behind meant that the creature wouldn't be able to hide, its camouflage rendered useless, but it would also have freedom to move. The birds stopped their chirping, and just the buzzing of mosquitoes in the nearby pond broke the silence, not even her breath could be heard. The predator, a long lizard-like being covered in kaleidoscopic feathers stumbled out of the vegetation, its six legs moving in unison, its size almost equal to an Earthly horse. Its short tail, able to snap a small tree whipped the earth. The jaw, who could maim her in a bite, clicked in anticipation.
A crackle and flash of light after, the air smelled of ozone and the predator was alive no more, the carcass burnt and its insides boiled. The girl was holding a piece of metal, a weapon beyond her understanding that had seen better days and was a miracle that even worked for that last shot. Silhouetted behind her were the remains of a once proud ship, now turned into an overgrown cave, an impromptu refuge, a memorial for days barely remembered.
Leaving the smoking trinket fall, the girl started to carve the predator turned prey with a knife fashioned out of ship hull. Her whole body was athletic and scarred, a thin figure shaped through irregular nutrition and survival. Dirt and mosquito bites punctuated her naked figure, a poultice made of leaves covered a rainbow worm bite on the left leg, while her modest chest and shapely back were covered by locks of her black hair, sticky with sweat. Her hands worked without rest on the corpse, knowing well what could be eaten, what could be preserved dry, and what to be left far away from her home to disorient other predators.
Soon enough the tasks were done and she returned to the clearing once more, crude tools employed to make a fire that would cook the prize, that would light the incoming night. The girl ate quickly, blowing on the leathery meat so it could cool faster, eager to calm her stomach. The once white remains of a space suit, tore apart long ago covered her back against the cold that was starting to seep in as the darkness settled. Her dirty fingers traced a nameplate that was hanging on one side, the letters spelling Sarah, a name that she hadn't heard in a long time.
With a full belly she lied down on the spot, her eyes looking at the lights above, stars where she once belonged but would never sail again. Sarah was startled, and soon grabbed her knife and got up. One of the stars was shining brighter, one of the stars was getting closer.
The girl reached the clearing, sighing of relief, but she was far from safe. Leaving the bushes and trees behind meant that the creature wouldn't be able to hide, its camouflage rendered useless, but it would also have freedom to move. The birds stopped their chirping, and just the buzzing of mosquitoes in the nearby pond broke the silence, not even her breath could be heard. The predator, a long lizard-like being covered in kaleidoscopic feathers stumbled out of the vegetation, its six legs moving in unison, its size almost equal to an Earthly horse. Its short tail, able to snap a small tree whipped the earth. The jaw, who could maim her in a bite, clicked in anticipation.
A crackle and flash of light after, the air smelled of ozone and the predator was alive no more, the carcass burnt and its insides boiled. The girl was holding a piece of metal, a weapon beyond her understanding that had seen better days and was a miracle that even worked for that last shot. Silhouetted behind her were the remains of a once proud ship, now turned into an overgrown cave, an impromptu refuge, a memorial for days barely remembered.
Leaving the smoking trinket fall, the girl started to carve the predator turned prey with a knife fashioned out of ship hull. Her whole body was athletic and scarred, a thin figure shaped through irregular nutrition and survival. Dirt and mosquito bites punctuated her naked figure, a poultice made of leaves covered a rainbow worm bite on the left leg, while her modest chest and shapely back were covered by locks of her black hair, sticky with sweat. Her hands worked without rest on the corpse, knowing well what could be eaten, what could be preserved dry, and what to be left far away from her home to disorient other predators.
Soon enough the tasks were done and she returned to the clearing once more, crude tools employed to make a fire that would cook the prize, that would light the incoming night. The girl ate quickly, blowing on the leathery meat so it could cool faster, eager to calm her stomach. The once white remains of a space suit, tore apart long ago covered her back against the cold that was starting to seep in as the darkness settled. Her dirty fingers traced a nameplate that was hanging on one side, the letters spelling Sarah, a name that she hadn't heard in a long time.
With a full belly she lied down on the spot, her eyes looking at the lights above, stars where she once belonged but would never sail again. Sarah was startled, and soon grabbed her knife and got up. One of the stars was shining brighter, one of the stars was getting closer.