Page 16 of Nixx
I screw the water purifier onto the canteen and slowly turn it over my hand. Clear and I know it, pure water flows into my hand. I take a sip to show him it's good and hold up the bottom of my hand to show him the result. He grabs my hand and puts his lips on it. This guy is too much . . . this guy is too much . . . everything.
He turns his back on me abruptly and returns to his winged companions. Would he be sensitive by any chance? Disappointed that I, a small human, can manage drinking water problems alone?
I bring purified water to my friends and we settle down around the fire for the night, while continuing to listen to the conversations of our hosts.
More and more words are deciphered, but we will have to wait until tomorrow morning to have a good understanding of the general content of the conversations and another day or two to be fluid in our exchanges with them.
I end up lying down on the sand, for another difficult night and close my eyes under the inquisitive look of Nixx.
Between my eyes, the images become entangled. Those of the ugly one, ready to decapitate me. And those of a dark angel with a frightening charisma.
Finally, I decide to fall asleep with music, it will help me to clear my mind. I put on my headphones and turn on the random mode. I fall asleep lulled by the hoarse voice of Steven Tyler[3]who, like this world, is completely crazy.
Nixx
The humans settle down to sleep in the camp that they have already set up for two nights. I note that Marc settles down to ensure a first turn of the guard and understand that the next one will be for David. Gregory seems to want to participate, but Marc sends him to sleep with the females. They are right, Gregory doesn't seem to be in a condition to stay up tonight. And with a group of vorks in the area, it is better to remain on guard.
I evaluate our options in case of an attack and give my instructions individually to each of the fighters who accompany me.
“Lokk, if the vorks show up, you take the one called Marc.
Jaxx, if the vorks attack, you get the one called David to safety.
Kurr, in case of a vork attack, you take care of Eva, the black-haired female.”
Of course, I will take care of Sarah. Which unfortunately leaves little chance of survival for the one called Gregory.
For now, the humans settle down to watch or sleep. I see Sarah get up briefly to take something out of a small bag. Then she puts a device in her ears and lies down again.
From where I am, I can faintly hear music emanating from the little device. How strange. I refocus and take the first watch with Jaxx. Lokk will take over with Kurr on the next rotation.
In the early morning, the sun rises on the creek of the Nose. There were no incidents to report. Jaxx went to get some fruit to give them a tastier meal than their bags.
Eva approaches cautiously and points to the fruit with a small device. Then she checks something on another device that looks like a rigid sheet of paper that she calls a “tablet.” She looks satisfied and informs her friends, in Erian language, showing them the fruits:
“It's good to eat.”
Well, I'll be damned! By all the Winds!
“Do you speak our language?” I ask them.
“We're learning fast,” Marc replies, “keep talking.”
They gather around the fruits gathered by Jaxx and start to taste them. We give them names and explanations as they taste.
This joint meal is going well and I'm eager to check that Sarah understands me and that I understand her too. These humans are amazing in more ways than one.
