Havsum had made it to the expanse with 6 children on her back, the other 7 had been “taken” the night before.
Mommy, what is it? (Troublesum)
Honey, I don’t know.
Can I have something to eat? (Needsum)
Not right now.
Havsum touched the ground of the expanse, she wondered why it was hard. She had always wondered.
Hey, what’s this mom? (Ventursum)
I don’t know son, I don’t know.
I wanta touch it, I wanta touch it (Ventursum)
Not a good idea.
Why not? You touched it! (Ventursum)
Do you need a tail wackin?
Silence.
Crickets.
Grass moving
Grass moving… sound getting closer
What’s that sound? (Troublesum)
Getting closer….. smell unfamiliar.
Alright kids you know what to do. (whisper)
Deadness…..
Havsum, wake up, WAKE UP! (Grissum)
For the 43rd time…
Why aren’t they sleeping in a tree? (Newsum)
They are playing dead, something spooked them. (Grissum)
Dah… they are so cute went dey er sleepy-in (Dumsum)
Look I found a bug! (Jensum)
Grissum put his noise under Havsum’s belly and rocked her. This startled her she rose up quickly on her hind legs, with the kids holding on for dear life, hissing at her assumed attacker, 51 and 1/2 teeth showing.
Newsum, Dumsum, Jensum, hit the ground…
Deadness…
Havsum it’s me, it’s me Grissum.
Havsum came to her senses. Heart beating, adrenaline flowing.
It’s just you, Grissum, it is just you.
What scared you enough to cause you to pass out like that?
Grass was moving, unfamiliar smell, it came closer and closer. I was scared so we hit the ground. I don’t remember anything after that…
Havsum’s kids were now peaking over her shoulders.
Why are you way out here at the expanse? (Grissum)
For the same reason you are. (Havsum)
Do you know anything about this? Why it feels different, what is on the other side of the expanse?
My second husband went to the other-side, never saw him again. Thats all I know.
Hey do you here that?
Grass moving.
Yea, it sounds like it is coming from the other side of the expanse. (Havsum)
Grass moving, sound is closer.
The smell is the same smell of a little earlier.
Well what ever frightened you is coming back. (Grissum)
What do we do? (Havsum)
Well we know it did not harm you before, so lets just lay down and close our eyes. Not like a total play dead but a playing, play dead and see what happens. (Grissum)
End of grass sound, light foot steps, out of rhythmic order, approaching.
Ok Play,playing dead. (Grissum)
Alright children eyes closed and not a sound.
Almost deadness….
step step, pause, step step step, pause, step st-pause-ep step step step step pause. Closer and closer.
Grass moving, right next to them, a pause.
Grissum slowly opened one eye, and there it was…….
A chicken!
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