Razing Pel

Chapter 5: The Guardian

CHAPTER FIVE

THE GUARDIAN

            It seemed as though hours passed by since Kaj left the wreckage scene.  Every so often he'd look back to check to see if anyone from the scene was alive and following him.  But to his disappointment, there wasn't.  He was all alone.

            In the distance, Kaj could hear a faint buzzing sound that began to grow louder.  He looked around to only see the sand flying around.  "What is that?" Kaj whispered to himself.  A distant triangular-shaped object was approaching him.  "Wait, I know what that is!"  The object was getting closer.  Kaj backed out of the way a little.  He started waving his arms around as if he were trying to flag the object down.  "It is!  It's a shuttle!  Hey, hey!"

            The shuttle flew right by Kaj - the speed it was going knocked him down, covering his body in sand.  He spit out sand that found its way into his mouth.  Getting up, he again waved his arms around as he yelled, hoping they'd turn around and pick him up.  "Hey, hey!  Come back!"  It was no use.  The shuttle was long gone.

            As he wandered through the wasteland, Kaj's thoughts were soon getting to him.  He kept thinking about how he would never get out of the desert, and just keep circling around it.  He'd end up like every other Daj that would try to be free but fail in the end.

            The idea of suicide came to his head a few times.  It'd be quick, a voice in his head echoed every time he thought of the subject.  Even though it sounded like an easy way out, he knew he had to fulfill his duty and continue the legacy of his people.  He knew that his uncle would be disappointed in him if he just gave up halfway through, though the thought of seeing his parents again made him second guess every time.

            An hour or so had passed by.  Kaj's stomach growled.  He grabbed his stomach and felt it grumble, trying to remember the last time he ate.  Kaj slid off his backpack and unzipped it.  He pulled out a few pieces of squished bread wrapped in brown paper.  Forcefully, he devoured both pieces in seconds.

            "Ah," Kaj sighed.  He dropped onto the sandy floor, lying on his side.  The rest that Kaj needed for his journey slipped off his schedule.  As his eyelids grew closer together, Kaj spotted something.

            "What the ..." Kaj said as he sat up.  He slipped back on his backpack as he noticed that whatever was out there was heading towards him.  As the creature headed towards Kaj, he made a dash in the other direction.  He raced across the terrain, faster than he ever thought he could run.  One bad step he took sent everything from his unzipped backpack flying out.  He took a look back, but still kept running, ignoring what had just happened.

            Up ahead Kaj could see a new biome.  Tall, lively trees stood out in the distance.  A large smile grew on Kaj's face.  He knew he must be close.  Kaj glanced back again to see the creature still chasing him.

            The creature then let out a roar.  Kaj jumped a little by the sound of the hungry beast, but continued until he reached the biome.