100 Words a Day 1134

Merik’s aching head woke him. He was looking up at the sky. When he tried to sit up it made the world spin, so he dropped back down. He could feel that he was on an open bed of a wagon, bouncing along a rough road. Merik turned his head to look to the left. Loping next to the cart was a being like he had never.

It humanoid. But it was taller than anyone Merik had ever seen and rail thin. Long, stiff hair stood straight up off its bare arms. It was bald except for single, long braid.

100 Words a Day 1133

“The whole of the land is against you, Sarah. If you fight and struggle, you’ll just freeze to death. Take the Cold Kiss, it’s the only way you’ll survive.”

Sarah stood, shivering. She tried to scowl at Zoe, but her face was too cold.

“Never!”

“Please Sarah, there’s no other way. You won’t have to worry about the cold, hunger, anything. And we’ll be together again. Forever.”

Sarah looked into Zoe’s eyes, completely ice-blue where they had been brown before, and she wanted to give in. Those eyes implored her. Zoe reached out with a hand, pale and tinged blue.

100 Words a Day 1132

When she inhaled the room’s smoky air, it filled her nostrils with a medley of smells. The club was full, and nearly every patron was taking regular, lingering pulls from large, pungent cigars. Flavored tobacco was the latest craze.  The slow, intermittent exhales contained notes of vanilla, strawberry, mint, and a host of other things.

The odor of the room evolved as she walked towards the stage. She passed a table of fashionable young women; the smell of vanilla and lavender overwhelmed all others. The odors of Coffee and rum replaced it as the women’s excited conversation faded behind her.

100 Words a Day 1131

Bisliev blinked; the sun was unbearable after his time underground.

“Wane gods, that’s bright!” Vakhaev side.

“Better than spending another instant underground.”

“Cliff’s edge, you’ll get no argument here.”

“And,” Bisliev inhaled, completely expanding his chest and flaring his nostrils. “Are those blue cups?

Vakhaev inhaled, “Fire and Steel! Something better.”

Bisliev ignored him. He was bent over in the grass by the side of the road.

“If I never smell another mold or fungus it will be too soon.”

“Wane gods, that’s true. Don’t think I’ll ever be able eat stinky cheese again.”

“Let’s find a lot of beer.”

100 Words a Day 1130

“It’s so quiet out here.”

“I know. I come out here a lot, to be by myself. Or when the city gets to be too much.”

“The memories you mean.”

“Yes… the memories… That’s why I brought you here. I thought it might be as salubrious for you as it has been for me.”

“Thanks, I appreciate that.”

“I’ve always tried to look out for you, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“I just brought you here so you would know the way. I can’t look out for you anymore.”

“Why not?”

“I’m… leaving.”

“What? Where are you going?”

“Far away.”

100 Words a Day 1129

“Who was that on the phone? The police? What did they say?”

“There was an accident.”

“Is he okay?”

“They’re sending someone over to speak with us in person.”

“I told you not to let him take the car! This is all your fault!”

“It wasn’t a car accident.”

“What happened? What happened to him?”

“They wouldn’t go into detail over the phone. They just told me there’d been an accident at the bar he was at.”

“I knew we shouldn’t have let him go there. I told you that.”

“Yes. You did. I just told him to be careful.”

100 Words a Day 1128

“Pass me the ladle, would you.”

“Sure, no problem.”

“Thanks.”

“How’s the soup?”

“Delicious. The meat is so tender. What did you say it was?”

“I didn’t.”

“Well. What is it?”

“Come on, don’t be coy. I must know.”

“Well, remember those raiders that came through here two days ago.”

“The guys that tried to steal our onions? Yeah, what about them? Did they have this with them?”

“Not exactly.”

“What?”

“Well, let’s just say that raid solved our meat problems for the next few weeks, now that the refrigerator is running.”

“Wait, are you saying…”

“Yep.”

“I feel sick.”