The Prophecy of Water | ✔️ 🎖 [2018 Wattys Shortlister]

CHAPTER 17-The Geyser

Fear is the enemy. They fear my vision.

Poor fools. If I succeed, there will be no fear.

LoG, 190

"The bitch ... must have ... hid a stone knife ... in the sleeve ..." the blond assailant croaked hoarsely.

Nalina didn't even look back to see what she had done. She was too focused on her transformation.

Braid howled in anger and rushed to aid his fellow attacker. His right leg flew towards Nalina's face, but she bent her torso backwards with incredible speed. His foot ended up slamming into her chest, which instantly broke all of his toes. Braid bellowed in panic and hobbled away on one leg, escaping a bizarre scene. He disappeared behind a nearby Namas.

A brown-haired man, two-and-a-half metres tall, with an impenetrable skin, lay in a torn pea-green dress. He was wailing inconsolably. After a while, the giant willed himself to calm down. He jumped to his feet and looked around.

He was barefoot and half-naked. The decomposed viridescent dress was the only thing that covered his pubic parts. Close to him, lay the forgotten green satin shoes. He shook his head as if trying to concentrate.

Where am I?

His eyes fell on a fat man with a ridiculous braid crouching behind the house. "Running away, are we?" he roared in anger.

The man reached Braid in two easy steps and head-butted him, smashing his skull with ease.

The flabbergasted headless body continued to walk for a few moments. It was touching the place where mere seconds ago, there was a head. Then, compliant with its unfortunate fate, it acceptingly slumped to the ground. It became the pulp of flesh and water.

Nalina tried to take deep breaths. She moved awkwardly. Step by step, she approached The Mushroom, instinctively choosing the empty streets. It was as if she had to share a Namas with a noisy and rude namasmate. A namasmate who didn't know how to act in society.

Sometimes he would be in charge, and sometimes she would.

I ... What did I do? Tears rolled down her face. I wanted to become a Curator! To cure, to save people's lives. Not to take them away ... But it was in self-defence ...

Guts and brain! Ha! Water pouring out everywhere! And sweet, sweet revenge against those who have wronged us! a second voice sounded in her head.

Calm down; she addressed her tenant. And watch where we're going, will you?

As she somehow manoeuvred the increased volume of her body, getting used to her new appearance, Nalina tried to make everything look like a joke. A series of meaningless associations was the only thing that could save her mind from a complete collapse.

I killed two people. I took two lives today. How will I live with myself? Okay, on a side note: I now have a male member between my legs.

I wonder how it looks.

When I get to know myself better, I may pluck up the courage and take a peek. Are this gender change and sudden strength temporary or permanent?

I only remember Braid touched my mole and then ... Then everything went fuzzy; she flinched recalling the pain.

Nalina banished that memory with new riddles that distracted her from the current state.

If I was ever good at something, that was running away from reality, Nalina laughed with bitterness. How do I look? Do I look myself at all? Am I pretty? Pardon, handsome.