From Embers

0 - Fan The Embers

The cold air that filled Jai-Jai's lungs was the first of many new things she experienced that day. Creaky wood boards greeted her feet as she walked onto the platform, a distinct contrast from the metal flooring that she was used to. The gray tones of her hometown replaced by the green hues of rolling grass hills. Even the air tasted different; the heat of steam exchanged for a fresh, crisp breeze.

The sun was setting, the trees casting long shadows all around. Jai-Jai brushed away a few stray strands of dark brown hair, pulling her hood lower as she weaved through the crowd. Although in unfamiliar territory, the only bus stop wasn't hard to find. Piles of bricks from the Old World jutted out from below ground, the shrubbery growing between the rubble's cracks. The train behind her whistled as it rolled into action, her only chance of turning back leaving with it.

Standing still, Jai-Jai dropped her bag to the dirt. The sign atop the pole beside her read, Bus Sop, the T badly faded. Rolling her shoulders, she observed her surroundings, noticing a troll child nearby, staring. It scuttled towards her, scratching near its front tusks, looking puzzled.

"Are you a human?" The troll peered up, trying to get a better look. Its throaty voice filled with excitement, "I've never met a human close up before. Are your teeth not sharp like a vampire's? Can I see them?" The troll tried to stand taller, but his clumpy feet prevented him from doing so. "I don't think your ancestors lived underground; your skin looks too nice. I saw a mud human once, from far away."

Jai-Jai felt her hands start to get clammy. She shoved her hands into her pocket, hunching her shoulders over, not making eye contact with the troll.

Another troll, who appeared to be his mother, came up from behind the child. His mother tutted at him for bothering a stranger, grabbing his shoulder to turn him away from Jai-Jai. The child pushed her away, huffing before continuing his interrogation. Eyes meeting with the troll mother, the creature gave her an apologetic look, snout wrinkling. Jai-Jai gave her a meek smile.

Going against her better judgment, she allowed the boy to continue to talk. Having met very few children herself, Jai-Jai wanted to observe him too. His dull, green skin, textured with wart-like bumps did little to hide the permanent grimace his jaw shape gave him. Large ears hung from either side of his face while black eyes stared at her in wonder.

The troll stuck a finger up his nostril, which his mother swatted away. "Or at least I think it was one? Anyway, it wasn't how I thought they'd look. It turns out they aren't covered in dirt living underground. Isn't that so interesting? My friends didn't believe me when I said the mud human didn't look like a mud ball. I wished they looked like that though; it would be so funny."  The child chattered on taking no notice that Jai-Jai wasn't responding.

The mother again told her child off for bothering the woman, but Jai-Jai motioned for her to stop. Jai-Jai could help herself, finding him rather unusual, she knelt next to the little troll, getting close enough to feel its hot sticky breath. She didn't do much but open her mouth wide enough to show teeth. The child looked in fascination as it stared at the smooth curves. Its eyes traced the shape of the teeth, making its head bob.

"Woah! They don't look like vampire's teeth. This is so cool. Mota look, no fangs."

Giving him a small smile, Jai-Jai stood up and dusted herself off as she spotted the bus.

The bus rolled to a slow stop beside them, its wheels kicking up a dust cloud. Its doors squealed as they swung open and Jai-Jai stepped in. Digging into her pockets, she handed the driver a few coins before settling into the back of the bus. Throwing her only bag underfoot, Jai-Jai leaned back, trying to get comfortable.

The bumpy journey made her teeth rattle and jaw ache. Jai-Jai had known that cement roads were rare, especially in Troll territory, but she hadn't expected the dirt paths to be this uneven.