Chapter 16 (Pleasantries)

  The water was freezing cold, I felt every muscle in my body tighten, I frantically started trying to swim upwards, but my backpack made me heavier than I was expecting. The flow of the river wasn't weak either, I felt it pushing me along making it even harder for me to gain my bearings. I then slammed into a rock and involuntarily let out a scream, water quickly filled my mouth and then consequently my lungs as I tried to catch my lost breath.

  “Im going to drown” I thought before my head peaked over the surface I choked and wretched for just a moment I could breathe again. I swallowed a desperate gulp of air. My lungs were burning. I wanted to cough as there was still some water in them but I resisted.

  My head plunged back under I felt my back bounce me off of of a rock and then in the next moment I was falling, not sinking but actually falling. I spun through the air confused to see a cascade of water behind me and as I continue my rotation I could see I was plummeting towards a large body of water. I held my breath again and tried to pull as much as I could from my core to brace myself again.

  SPLOOSH!

  My bag was still weighing me down but while augmenting myself I could swim just a bit better, not to mention now there was no current pulling me along apart from the flow of the waterfall that pushed me out. This is the only way I was able to make it to the rocky shore of the lake I found myself on the edge of. I coughed and wretched up the rest of the water in my lungs as I crawled to shore. My hands were numb from the freezing cold river of snow melt, and I couldn't stop shaking.

  My body was sore, but not too badly. Looking up, I could see the waterfall I dropped from, towering over the opposite side of the lake like a jagged wound.

  “Jeez, that’s a long way down,” I muttered, the words feeling small compared to the imposing roar of the waterfall. I dusted myself off and sat up. My bag and other belongings, still tied tightly to me, were still heavy with water weight pulling me backward. I groaned and rolled onto my side, a more comfortable position to untie the pack from my waist. I lamented that all my new gear was already soaked and that I'd spend the next day or so trying to dry it all out.

  The first thing I did was take off my clothes and used what I could to dry off before I suffered from frostbite. After that I started a fire using my Arc cell and huddled up to it trying to warm up as much as possible.

  After some of the shock from the cold went away I started to remove everything from my bag, taking inventory as I went.

  With everything laid out on the shore, I sighed. If I’d known I was going to be down here, I would’ve packed more. I had just three sets of clothing, two green batteries, my cell, and a small cooking set with rations for a week. There were a few other things, like my sewing kit and some pleasantries I figured would make life more comfortable, but that was mostly it. I turned to look at the forest behind me. The ever-present life echoed from within—the chirps of birds and the gentle sway of the trees. Turning back to the lake, I could see the occasional fish leap from the water, snatching an insect mid-flight.

  I picked up my shoes and hung them up to dry, along with all my other stuff. the orange flames of my fire a warm, dancing comfort against the cool air. If I was going to be here for a while, I needed to take my time and not rush anything. For the first time since I'd come to this world, I was finally and truly alone.

  I let out a small, bitter chuckle at the thought. Not because it was funny, but because of how utterly ridiculous I felt.

  “AHHHHHHHHHH!” I screamed, the sound tearing from my throat. “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” I screamed and screamed, my voice cracking and raw.

  I grabbed some rocks from the bank, drawing energy from my core and putting my all into the throw as I fired them into the lake, one after the next. The rocks splashed with violent ripples, sending large swells of water into the air that rained back down. I dropped to my knees, sweeping the remaining rocks around on the ground. Then, I began to pulverize them with my hands, grinding them into sand. Dust billowed, as sand and silt stuck to my hands from my tears that soaked into the dry matter.

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  My rage and distress eventually exhausted me. Had I even had the chance to lament the life I'd lost? I cried alone on the bank of the lake, my sobs quiet as the evidence of my violence began to fade. My screams no longer echoed through the forest, and the lake's waters returned to their tranquil, rippling state.

  I sat with my knees tucked up to my chest trying to hold in as much warmth as I could. My feet nearly resting on the burning coals of my fire. I thought about the life I could have had, working in a lab and making cutting-edge technologies alongside Doctor Shin. “That crazy fart is the one who landed me here in the first place,” I whispered, a half-hearted accusation.

  “I miss my mom… I miss my parents from this life, too.” I couldn't even compare them. Each of them cared for me as their own, and each of them was there for me when I needed them. And now, I had no one.

  “Maybe…” The hopeful thought bloomed in my chest. Maybe they are still alive. The warmth of the idea fought against the coldness I was feeling, a tiny light pushing back the darkness that started to surround me.

  What a life I’ve lived… I’ve been sold and beaten and killed more times than I can count. What reason do I have to carry on? With supposed titans roaming this valley, there’s no way I’m supposed to make it out alive. The whole premise is absurd.

  “A barely seven-year-old girl, dropped in a valley filled with dangerous beasts and extraordinary abilities, fights for her life in a test to turn her into the ultimate weapon,” I scoffed to no one. “She sits now, wallowing in her own self-pity. Will she get up and stop moping around, or will she give up and let some terrifying creature eat her alive? Find out in the next episode of KALIAH THE LAME!” I threw my arms up dramatically before falling onto my back. I looked up at the sunset, watching as the valley fell into darkness.

  “Jesus, my life really is some sort of web novel at this point, isn’t it?” I pause and try to look past the world around me and try to see if I can see through the theoretical fourth wall, and then I sigh with obviously no success.

  “Well whoever ends up reading my story should really follow and leave a good rating…” I laughed at myself before rolling over and getting to my feet.

  “Hey, does Jesus even exist in this world?" I wondered, possibly sacreligiously.”

  “Alright, let’s stop being so dramatic. I'm a big girl… let's get my stuff together.” I slapped my face, the sting a small shock to reset myself. Sand stuck to my cheek, my hands still a bit muddy from my earlier meltdown. Wash up and then make some dinner.

  I cleaned up and restoked my campfire, thankful that despite all my not-so-quiet screaming, nothing seemed to have taken notice and come to maul me to death. After setting up a simple shelter with some well-placed sticks and a sheet, I rolled out my bedroll and got ready for sleep. unfortunately that too was wet so I opted to spend a bit of time fashioning one the best I could with some resources I found laying around.

  “Tomorrow, the journey begins…” I promised myself before turning over and finally falling asleep.

  _____

  AN: Don't let Kaliah down, please rate and follow if you are enjoying this series.

  My excitement from last night did not carry over, it was punctuated by my all too familiar recurring nightmares. I woke with tears streaming down my face, and I felt trapped in the pervasive cold darkness of the early morning. I laid there practically frozen until the sun started to break through the enormous valley walls.

  The light helped me to snap out of my fear, and assess my situation. My gear was still drying, and I’d need to eat something before heading out for real.

  “Guess I can’t let my equipment dampen my mood,” I quietly chuckled at my pun, walking around to look for some fibrous plants. I found some long, white vines called Featherlace growing up the side of a tree. They were light and perfect for fishing string. Crawling up the same tree, I found a small beetle that tried to skitter away as I reached for it. I was too quick for the little guy.

  “I hereby appoint you, Sir Beetles-a-lot, Captain of this expeditionary mission into the Pleasant Valley Lake. Go and seek out just what sort of creatures live in its depths!” I said to the creature, which continued to squirm despite its fate being sealed as bait.

  “Aye, Captain! I’ll make you and all of House Deligan proud by bringing back the biggest fish you’ve ever seen!” I said, emulating the insect. Absent mindedly wondering if house Deligan even still existed before pushing the though away.

  I gave the beetle an official Osmiran salute, something my dad had taught Tobias and I when we were smaller. I’d seen him do it to his servicemen what seemed like a hundred times before.

  “Alright, sailor! It’s time to go,” I said to Sir Beetles-a-lot and cast him into the lake as far as the Featherlace would allow. He surprisingly went a good ten feet before plopping onto the surface.

  Unfortunately, he didn’t sink; he just floated.

  “Ha… he really is a sailor,” I watched as he continued his vicious attempts at staying alive. After about three minutes, Sir Beetles-a-lot actually managed to flip himself over and started swimming along the surface of the lake.

  “Captain’s log, day one. After what seems like an eternity, and a rough start, I have finally managed to get my ship under control. My crew is inexperienced, but it’s no worries. We will conquer these vast seas and bring glory to Osmira. Long live the King!” I chuckled at my playfulness. I couldn’t tell if this playfulness was coming from my adult mind or my childish mind. Maybe it’s true that we’re all kids at heart. I did, however, dread having to go back through puberty again. I shuddered at the thought.

  My mind wanders off on tangents easily, so maybe that's evidence of my childish mind being in control. Or maybe it was just my way of coping with all the crap I've been through. Seeing my brave sailor dip under the surface was enough to pull my attention back to the task at hand.

  “Mayday, Mayday! We are under attack by a great leviathan. The creature is so huge I’ve never seen anything like it.” I started to spool in my makeshift fishing line as my catch thrashed around. I saw it jump up and then flop back down into the lake in a frenzy. I fought with the fish for a good minute or so before I was able to just pull it up and out of the lake. The small needle I fashioned into a hook held up better than I expected, and I was able to pull it onto the bank.

  The fish was about two feet long and weighed about a pound. I celebrated my catch, then took a moment to offer a salute in solidarity for the loss of Captain Sir Beetles-a-lot. I took some time using a regular knife to prepare the fish before moving it to some flat stones I’d found and used as a pan to cook it. When it was done, I enjoyed my simple breakfast.

  When I finished, I checked my equipment and found that it was all dry. I packed up and was finally able to begin my journey.