by Don P. Bick
Chapter 12
The grinding wheel turned relentlessly, gradually working the glass-like-rock into a sharp saw blade. The grinding stone was mounted on a shaft and turned by a water wheel that was situated in a fast moving stream. The wheel constantly rotated as the man worked the blade, slowly turning the clear looking rock into a useful tool.
The hardest part of the grinding operation was actually the easiest on the operator. It was the very beginning of the stone work. The stone grinder was able to fasten his work down to the table and let the spring action on the grinding wheel do a lot of the work by itself, taking off the thickest part of the stone which was the longest part of the job. It was the fine finishing that was actually the hardest and took the most skill.
Although Druc had only been doing this for a couple of months, already he was turning out a fine edge. A patient man, he arrived in this world almost three months previously and was content with his newly found trade. It was peaceful here and the accommodations were comfortable. Of course it was not as comfortable as he remembered it being back home, but comfortable nonetheless. He had a skill he enjoyed, a nice home and a fairly uneventful life. That suited him just fine. Dying in that awful atmospheric chemical reaction was the worst thing imaginable to Druc. Although the living conditions in this new world were somewhat primitive compared to the life he had been living, he considered it heaven after the lengthy death process he underwent back on Saturn.
Druc was a typical looking Saturnian. He was approximately 5'5" tall with albino like skin that was perfectly smooth, but tough as leather. He had long jet black hair and intelligent looking coal black eyes. Perhaps the most outstanding feature about him was the fact he looked like he was over inflated. His entire body appeared puffed up. His fingers were pudgy, his face looked swollen and overall he looked as though a garden hose had been put down his throat and left to run until he overflowed, creating a balloon like appearance.
It was difficult to believe, considering the way he looked, but he was actually quite agile. He was not only quick but very coordinated. His intellectual grasp of the right moment to seize an opportunity, under adverse conditions, was perhaps his greatest asset.
Admiring his latest work, he put a couple of last minute finishing touches on the blade, and then rose to stretch. It had been a long day already, so he decided to disengage the grinding wheel and call it a day. Once the tools were cleaned and put away in the nearby shed, Druc washed in the cool waters of the creek. After drying his face he turned toward home.
The walk was short, just a few yards actually. He could smell the fresh sea breeze gently moving inland from the ocean shore, which was less than a mile from where he lived and worked.
Even though the walk was short, it was up some very steep rock steps. Druc lived in a cave. Most of the Saturnian inhabitants in RockView also lived in caves. But they were not just everyday run of the mill caves; Druc's cave was no exception. It was his new home now and a lot of pride went into maintaining it.
As he neared the doorway to the cave he turned and looked out toward the sea. He could see the distant water quite well from his vantage point high up on the cliff face. A ship was on its way down the coast from the harbor, about three miles north of where he lived. That was where the central district of the Saturnian settlement of RockView was located.
The Saturnian people made stone and glass items that were traded and sold in the marketplace down in OceanBay. Ships would also come from all the villages and towns throughout the land to pick up windows and other tools used to build their various dwellings. Yes, life was respectable and good here, thought Druc, as he turned away from the excellent view and began to enter his cave, his home.
With such limited tools, the stone craftsmen did remarkable work, especially considering the lack of available metal for use in their trade. One of the simpler and best known items made by these men and women in RockView were small cylindrical stones with flint wheels; a simple lighter used by all woodsmen and indeed most people everywhere. They were relatively lightweight and easy to use; however, one drawback was they only carried enough burning oil for three or four lights. A separate container was usually carried to refill the lighter as needed. If there was no burning oil handy, the lighter could still be used by placing some small amounts of tiny dry grass in the cylinder, and igniting it with the flint wheel.
The cave entrance to Druc's home was over two stories high and covered mostly with glass. Some of the glass was stained and presented a sharp contrast to the surrounding rock. The view was pleasing and relaxing, especially in the evenings and mornings when the changing light shined and reflected through them.
Druc opened the door to the cave which was set into a natural jog along the side, rather than in the front of the dwelling. Once inside the door, immediately one forgot it was a cave. The floor space within revealed an open area three stories high. The entry overlooked the main living area some seven or eight feet below.
The floors in these caves were leveled by mixing a combination of glass and stone dust. They were covered in beautifully hand woven rugs of bright colors. Large timbers were used as supports and decoration. Covering and sweeping down from the cave ceilings were brightly colored silk-looking sheets. These sheets were attached here and there in billowed fashion, like so many nets suspended in mid air. They created the appearance of brightly colored clouds moving across the horizon.
The main sleeping room was on the upper floor, one floor up from the entry, while the middle floor was dedicated to his work and study rooms. Toward the back and to the right of the entry area was another adjoining cave entrance. This cave he worked on a little each day. It was his plan to put in a work shop so he could continue with many of his projects during the winter. Downstairs was the kitchen and living room, as well as a much prized bathroom, complete with running water pumped in by the water wheel below.
It had been four days since a message had been sent to him regarding a possible quest for a bridge. He was expected to join this quest, should he be asked. He wasn't very enthusiastic about the prospect. However, a Saturnian never shirks from a duty that is expected of him. Druc had resigned himself to the fact that if he was asked, he would go without a fuss. Still, he didn't want to go and was hoping maybe someone got their information wrong. He was happy here. Maybe they just wouldn't ask him. He had no choice but to wait and see what developed.