Page 30 of Citrine

It doesn't work very well.

I keep wondering, what if I lose sight of her? What if I never understand why I can't hunt her? When did I lose my will as a hunter and become curious about my prey? Why do I focus so much on her when everything else is novel to me?

I must return, the dread of losing sight of her crawling up my tentacles, up my back, and onto my scalp.

The ripples on the surface of the water are calm as I make my way back to the other side. I swim through the lake silently, stretching out my tentacles to feel for any nearby predator. When I don't feel any, my body drifts to shore, toward the very female that enrages me.

Of all the things to be curious about, why such a weak and unfettered thing that draws predators to herself with every walking step? The wind carries her scent into the water and even I can feel their excitement for a rare prey. I certainly haven't seen anything like her before.

Is it because her upper body is similar to mine?

There's an infinite number of excuses I can come up with, an infinite number of questions I can ask. The trail of blood excites my tentacles as they taste her scent and my body reacts when I'm near her. How could something vile be so exciting?

This isn't the excitement of a hunt anymore.

Even if she is weak, my reaction to her is proof she is a different kind of danger. One I don't yet understand, but if I am to survive her presence, I must.

A good enough reason to keep trailing her.

14

Eli

My pace is slow, though at least I'm not leaving a blood trail anymore since my wounds have somehow already closed. The hairs at the back of my neck are raised so I'm aware I might be in danger, but I'm still moving. I won't stop until I'm safe.

I don't know if it's simply my imagination, but the pain in my arm dulls as I keep moving.

The rocks littering the shore make it difficult to move with a broken arm, but I am able to make a fair distance from the jagged array of rocks. Now that my vision is clearer, I can see how far I've gone and spot an alcove.

I walk closer to it and relief floods my mind.

There's an entrance to a large cave nearby, but the extending darkness doesn't welcome me into it. I can hear the wind whistling and water dripping deep in the cave.

I'm not curious enough to fall for a horror movie cliché.

No need to make my situation worse, yeah? I decide to search for an alternative, a safer shelter for the night that doesn't screamdeath trap.

I look past the cave and find a cove with promising depth, and make my way into it instead. Water washes over my leg as I enter, but the water is shallow, and I can see all the way to the end of the cove.

Soon after, I enter a thick forest of trees with bright green, feathery foliage and purple bushes. Light barely filters in through the canopy the farther in I go.

There are a lot of things I'm worried about. I'm on an alien planet, with no idea if there are vampire bats or bloodsucking insects lurking around. My eyes shift endlessly, and I crane my head around, but no clear threats jump out at me. I keep moving through the trees when my eyes catch something.

There's an incline that leads to a flatter area of tall grass and very tall trees. It's surrounded by sheer rock on all sides that don't lead to the lake, rising to form a hexagon-type rock structure that protects it from wind and hopefully lurking predators.

As I stare at this wonder, I see the sky slowly getting dark.

I push my way farther toward the rock formation, wanting to gain distance from the water.

I glance at the distance to the cove, hoping it will deter that octo-man from barging in here. My body says he is still stalking me.

I don't like the feeling the least bit.

My stomach grumbles, reminding me I've been moving and healing non-stop with no form of nutrition. It's not like I can hunt like the octo-man, not that I want to, nor can I forage on an alien planet with strange looking trees.

I can't even climb to catch fruit with a broken arm. Not that I've seen any. Or that it wouldn't just poison me.

I sigh, leaning back and closing my eyes.

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