by Steve Simons
~~o~~o~~o~~
Chapter 6 – Elles Here
Barse-Hesk-Fusa, the leader of the Fusas, looks rather stern, “Holding place reach we, was gone Ella-Hesk-Fusa. Trace there not, of where taken, was Ella-Hesk-Fusa. Camp, never before have on land of ours, the Grob-Lusier. Assured so much of success, of theirs, that camp and sense of permanent living set up for themselves. Showed did we them, that live on land of ours not they. Well done one and all.”
Jo stands and remarks, “It is just a real shame that so many of ours got hurt and that the Grobs managed to get Ella away before we had a chance to rescue her. We have to find out where the Gobs are hiding Ella now.”
“So so; in that, do you speak for us all.” Barse agrees.
Jo adds, “I must apologise to all the Ailers, for the harm I caused to Tomisk-Lee, I understand now that the Grobs' club is actually part of them, if I had known this at the time, I would never have attempted to use it.”
Barse replies, “This a lesson, learned have we all, at one time or another. Blame not to you, sure I am, will not do, the Ailers. For acted in best interest, of all, did you.”
Jo thanks Barse, for his kind reassurance. Jemi-Lee presents Jo with a flower and says, “Tomisk-Lee sends you this gift of forgiveness, as he knows that you meant well and would have never knowingly have harmed him. He asked me to tell you, that he will be up and flying again in a very short time and he would not want you to feel bad. As for finding Ella-Hesk-Fusa, my people are searching, as we speak. It would appear though that she may have been taken back across the waters to the Grob-Lusier lands, so that she is out of our reach.”
“Be it strange that the Grob-Lusier, issued not fresh warnings about actions of ours and refresh demands, about no traps for them.” Barse comments.
Another Fusa voice adds, “Enough statement, already, think issued, they.”
Jo suggests, “Perhaps after our attack, they have been spread too widely, to be organised enough to issue such threats and are relying on us thinking, that they have won.”
Barse replies, “Sense, much speak you, on this and other matters. Wise counsel, make you. Friend of the Fusa, you, glad we are.”
Jo feels quite embarrassed by the latter. She simply thanks Barse and turns bright red.
“Advise, next, what, you?” asks Barse.
“Well, if the Grobs have taken Ella, to their land, we must find a way of getting there, with the minimum of fuss. If she has been taken elsewhere we must find where that is.” Jo replies.
Jo is most surprised when Barse replies in quite a surprised voice, “What mean you, this is Elles-Here?”
“What?” Jo blurts out.
“This place, that live we, is called 'Elles-Here'.” Barse replies.
~~0~~0~~0~~
Chapter 7 – To The Coast
Jo's head darts first this way, then that, as she strains to hear, let alone see Barse he addresses the assembled group. Jo asks the nearest Wies-An-Fusa, what is being said. The Fusa just shrugs its shoulders and mutters, “Some report, of Ailers.”
“I wish I knew what they had reported, it would help enormously.” Jo says quietly.
Jo hears a familiar voice, it takes her a moment to tune into it, but she can make out the voice of Jemi-Lee, as she says, “Two Grob-Lusiers were overheard talking about someone being taken to an island just off the coast. Barse-Hesk-Fusa thinks this is a disaster, but we think this makes it easier to find Ella-Hesk-Fusa.”
Jo, finding the courage to speak up from the back of this large group, says, “I am sure you are right.” Then Jo pushes through the group of Wies-An-Fusa, to much protest. When she is close enough to be seen by Barse, Jo asks, “Just how far away is this island, do you have a map?”
The group are quite surprised at Jo's interruption and all stare at her in absolute confusion.
Barse asks, “What?”.
“You know a map, a picture that shows the layout of your land, the sea, the islands and other lands around you.” Jo replies.
“Purpose, what of this picture?” asks Barse.
Jo replies, “Then we can work out where this island is likely to be and plan how we are going to get there.”
“Get we, how, this picture?” Barse asks.
Jo thinks for a moment about Barse's question, then says, “I suppose it is all dependent on need, if you don't travel around much you would only need to know about your local area, so you wouldn't normally need a map.”
“Say what you?” Barse asked.
“Sorry I was just thinking aloud. Does anyone know the shape of the coast and where this island is likely to be?” Jo grabs a twig and starts scratching out a wobbly shape on some of the bare red earth and suggests, “Perhaps someone could draw the coast like this?”
One of the Fusa asks, “Why would do that, we?” then it gently takes the twig from Jo and carefully scratches an outline and continues to say, “When coast looks like this” Then the Fusa sets about drawing a separate outline from the first line. Presumably the latter being the island referred to by Jemi-Lee.
“And where are we?” asks Jo.
The Fusa scratches a blob, that does not appear to be too far away from the coastline.
Jo asks, “How long it would it take to get to the coast?”
“Travel by angry Cut-Tager, half a light time.” The Fusa with the stick replies.
Jo is confused at first, but after a short silence asks, “Does that mean half a day?”
Barse replies, “Yes, half a light time.”
Jo asks, “Would we be able see the island from the coast?”
The un-resounding reply from several Fusas, is yes.
Jo suggests, “With your kind permission Barse, a small group of us could go to the coast, have a look around and form a plan to rescue Ella.”
“Agree plan of yours, do I.” Barse replies.
Jo selects the Fusa with the stick and Jemi-Lee to accompany her.
~~0~~0~~0~~
The Fusa, Desag, is not very chatty, but never-the-less seems quite helpful. Desag certainly knows how to find Cut-Tagers quickly, also how to ride them.
Cut-Tagers are round, dark green skinned creatures that are multi legged. They have many mouths on their underside, they eat the moss whilst on the move. They normally move quite slowly, but as Jo had found, when that Cut-Tager had carried her off earlier; when panicked they can move quite fast. The Wies-An-Fusa use them as transport.
Desag shows Jo that lifting the skin over one of the eyes, around the edges of the Cut-Tager's body, makes it move in that direction. Lifting another flap and closing the first, makes it change direction. Then Desag shows Jo that closing all flaps, makes the Cut-Tager stop. Desag points out that they will stay put, unless they run out of moss, so if you park one up, don't expect it to be still in the same place when you come back.
Jo practices steering her Cut-Tager for a while, until she is sure she has got the hang of it.
The ride is not altogether very comfortable, although the Cut-Tager's skin is quite soft, it is also quite lumpy, due to all the wrinkles.
Jemi-Lee refuses to sit on Jo's shoulder until she is satisfied that Jo is good at riding the Cut-Tager.
Soon the three, set off in the direction of the coast. Sitting on the back of lumpy skinned Cut-Tager and holding a flap of skin up is not very comfortable. As for the make them angry part, Jo is not too happy about that, as it involves poking the Cut-Tager in a rather sensitive area.
Jo protests, “This is cruel. Isn't there another way?”
Desag says, “Get in half light time, the coast, only way, otherwise lifetime, it take. Anyway mind not Cut-Tagers.”
~~0~~0~~0~~
The sight of the coast is such a relief to Jo. The torment of her poor Cut-Tager will soon be over. The journey had seemed to be incredibly long and come to that, uncomfortable. Jo is looking forward to stretching her legs and walking about. They had stopped once, for such a walk around a
nd to let their Cut-Tagers have a bit of a graze, but it seemed such a long time ago.
From this vantage point, Jo can see pockets of the sea, in between the masses of the green of the buses around them, but no hint of the island itself. The Cut-Tagers seem to be enjoying their grazing.
Desag joins Jo, looks around for a while, then points off to the right, in the direction of some bushes, he says, “Other side, there, is island.”
Jo smiles, “I wondered where it was.”
“See not it, until, coast, we are standing on.” Desag suggests.
Suddenly the ground starts to shake. Jo looks at Desag for an explanation.
Desag looks really worried, he exclaims, “Den-Drilla!” Then drops to the ground, head to one side; he appears to be listening for something, then points to the bushes to the right and exclaims, “There, run, quick, you!” With that, Desag jumps up.
Jo realising the urgency, does as instructed and runs in the direction indicated. Jo looks back over her shoulder and is shocked to see, that the ground where they had been standing, moments before, has erupted like a volcano. Desag has been thrown into the air. Jo pauses, wondering if she should run back to try and rescue Desag, but Desag's shout of “Run, you!” is quite a decider. Jo resumes her running, in the direction that Desag had pointed to; stopping only when she reaches the bushes.
Catching her breath, Jo looks back to where the ground has erupted. There is no sign of Desag, but there is something dark red, moving amongst the clumps of soil and moss that have been thrown up. Jo looks more carefully, there appear to be claws, regularly spaced around the top of the mass of writhing dark red, which is now so much higher. It's skin has wrinkles. The claws are opening and shutting, as if eating an invisible creature.
What is this thing? It reminds Jo of a giant worm. A worm that has claws!
It is moving quite fast, there is so much more of it now sticking up out of the ground. So much so, that the front portion is now writhing along on top of the ground and the rest still seems to be erupting from below ground, the skin with its wrinkles bulging and contracting. Looking like a huge pulsating monster.
It suddenly strikes Jo that the creature, whatever it is, has one of the Cut-Tagers in its sights and is heading for it at speed. Jo is paralysed for a moment as she thinks over her options, she cannot stand-by, whilst that poor unsuspecting Cut-Tager, is about to be attacked. Jo suddenly starts to shout, “Oi, get out of there, that thing is coming for you!”
Jo knows that the Cut-Tager has heard her, as it opens an eye, that faces in her direction. That is when it sees the huge creature heading straight for it, takes fright and starts to run off.
The worm like creature, reacts fast and changes its direction; trying to head-off the Cut-Tager. It is now a battle of wits, agility and speed. The distance between the two creatures, closing so fast. Jo looks around for something, that she can throw, to distract the giant worm. There's nothing loose laying around. So Jo takes to jumping up and down and shouting, in the hope that the worm creature will change its mind about pursuing the Cut-Tager and pick on her instead.
For a moment, Jo thinks that she has been successful as the creature turns and starts to head towards Jo. Its giant mouth open wide, looking like the entrance to a large dark tunnel, with all those claws snapping around the opening. Jo now wonders if she has made a good decision. Jo is trapped by the bushes. The only two escape routes are to run to the rear of the creature, or run along the bushes, but the latter is uphill and Jo knows, that it is particularly difficult, in this place, to walk uphill, let alone run.
The creature must have changed its mind about pursing Jo, as it has turned again and is chasing the Cut-Tager.
Jo just hopes, that she has given the Cut-Tager sufficient time to make the distance between it and the worm like creature too great for it to catch the Cut-Tager. If Jo has been successful, that would mean the worm like creature, changing its mind yet again and it will come for Jo. She decides that she must put some distance between herself and that creature. The Cut-Tager must look after its own interests.
As Jo heads towards the rear end of the worm like creature, which is still erupting from the ground, Jo's thoughts turn to Desag. She hopes that he is not inside the worm like thing, currently providing it with its next meal.
Jo keeps glancing back at the head of the worm creature, as it continues to pursue the Cut-Tager. The worm creature is an incredible length now and there's still more of it coming out of the ground. Just how long is this thing? Its already longer than the local trains.
Now, not far from the hole and the still erupting, rear of the creature, Jo concentrates on running around the hole, trying to put as much space between herself and that mound of soil and moss.
Suddenly the ground rumbles and there's a large clump of moss and soil flying up into the air as a giant tail flicks up into the air. Jo loses her balance and falls sideways onto the ground. The tail suddenly crashes down onto the ground right by Jo. She thought for a moment as the sky above went very dark, that the tail was going to crash straight down on top of her. Jo watched momentarily as she assessed what direction the tail is coming down, she quickly rolls to the left, escaping by mere centimetres, the crashing descent of that giant tail.
The ground below her suddenly erupts!
“What now!” Jo exclaims.
The moss and soil rise to a considerable height, with Jo on top of it. Jo feels herself rolling off this newly formed hill. As she rolls over, Jo catches sight of a huge leg, rising into the air. It descends with a crash, making the ground shake.
Jo is concerned about not only what damage that leg could do, but also the giant tail, it won't stay in its current position for much longer. Hopefully it will lunge off in the direction of the rest of the body, but what damage could it do to Jo before then.
Here it goes! The tail rises into the air, swinging overhead. Jo is still rolling down the hill. She hopes that her involuntary retreat, takes her out of reach of that great lumbering tail. Especially as it is now descending again!
~~o~~o~~o~~
Chapter 8 – What Now?
Bruised and feeling as if everything is lost, Jo lies motionless on the ground. No sounds now, no ground shaking, in fact no signs of life! It seems like that giant worm has gone, but equally there's no indication that the Cut-Tager is still around.
Jo tries to sit up, it is painful, but she knows she has to do it. Even if her life seems to no longer be under threat, she must confirm that this is the case and also try and recover something out of this situation, after all she still has a task to do. With that last thought, Jo manages to get herself up and is soon on her feet again. The land around her looks like a battle ground, what was once reasonably flat mossy ground, is now a series of lumps and bumps. The hole where that giant worm like creature emerged from, is left as the biggest scar on the landscape. Jo cautiously peers over the side, there's nothing down the very dark and damp smelling tunnel. Jo wonders where the creature has gone and whether it is likely to come back again, in order to disappear down this hole again.
Fearing the worst, Jo decides she must get herself away from here. The thoughts of the fate of both Desag and the Cut-Tager, that the worm creature had been chasing, come back into mind. Were they both swallowed up by that, that, monster? Or did they manage to escape? Jo, not wanting to encounter that thing again, turns away from the idea of following the path, that it appears to have taken. Instead, Jo heads off in a direction, that should take her down to the coast.
Emerging the other side of some bushes, Jo is pleased to see a Cut-Tager nonchalantly browsing on the moss, as if nothing had happened. Jo recognises it, as the Cut-Tager, that she had ridden here. Jo has split emotions about finding the creature, on the one hand she is glad that it is safe and sound; on the other, it means that she will need to torture the poor thing again, on order to get her ride down to the coast, as she must complete her task.
It is then that thoughts of poor Desag come back to mind. Jo wonders how she is going to find her way back to Barse and the other Fusas? The journey down here was far from straightforward and Jo was totally reliant on Desag. Even if Jo can carry out her information gathering and form a plan, there is no guarantee that she will be able to get back to the others and relay that information to them.
Why oh why, did this have to happen? Everything was going so well, until now.
Jo cannot bring herself to find a sharp stick, in order to torment the Cut-Tager again, perhaps she can find another way to encourage the Cut-Tager to take her down to the coast. Then thoughts turn again, to getting back to the others, it is one matter traveling a short distance, another to get all the way back.
The Cut-Tager, quite content to continue grazing, takes no notice of Jo as she approaches and even when she sits on it's back. Jo reaches forward and lifts the eye flap that is best placed to head the Cut-Tager, in the direction that will take Jo down to the sea. Slowly the Cut-Tager starts to move in the desired direction, its speed picking up. Jo is delighted that it takes no poking to achieve this co-operation.
~~o~~o~~o~~
The sea can be heard easily now, as it crashes against the beach. It can only be the distance of a couple of bushes away now. Jo searches for a small gap between the bushes, she wants to look out and see if she can spot the island, but without being spotted herself. Having travelled all this way without being seen, Jo does not now want to give away the fact that she is here, by brazenly walking out into full view, in-case the coastline can be easily seen from the island.
It takes a while, but eventually Jo finds a suitable gap between the bushes. She releases the Cut-Tager from its carrying duties. Then makes sure that the Cut-Tager has a nice spot with plenty of moss to feed on. After all, Jo doesn't want it getting bored and wondering off. Having found the ideal spot, Jo leaves the Cut-Tager to enjoy its grazing. She can't resist the temptation to pat the Cut-Tager, purely out of gratitude and affection at its devotion to her, after all it didn't have to bring her down to the coast. Jo is most surprised when the Cut-Tager makes a kind of purring noise. The first time Jo has actually heard a Cut-Tager make any noise at all really, apart from the chomping of the moss.