Just before sunrise, before the first of the villagers stirred in the crisp morning air, Huxley and Akan awoke in their tents and prepared their gear for the long hike ahead of them. They packed lightly with just enough food and water for a few hours. The giant tucked the folded map and a compass into his pockets, and Huxley did the same with a small revolver, the existence of which none but the two men in this tent realized.
Having fully readied themselves, they slipped out into the darkness, sneaking through the village to the opposite end, where they felt confident enough to light their torches with a flint Akan pulled from his satchel. Quickly, they disappeared into the offered obscurity of the jungle.
"This way," said Akan.
"I see you fine."
"Try to keep up. It's a good distance away."
"I know that already."
"Yes, well, I'm sorry. When one goes months only uttering the barest of words, one feels compelled to make certain the voice still works."
"That or to make up for lost time."
"A valid point."
"I've told you," said Huxley. "We haven't long to go. To be honest, I hadn't expected to find the place so soon, so there's a good chance we can cut our projected week down to several days. Then we'll just have the trip home, and oh, it will be so worth it."
"Promises to me little good. It's the actuality of the thing that I desire the most, so keep your anticipations to yourself, if you don't mind."
"Fine, then. I'm simply trying to lighten the mood."
"It'll be lightened enough when we find our quarry. Now follow me, and stay close."
"Yes, yes, fine," Huxley sighed.
The two men, bearing torches like men traipsing through the deepest caves, vanished in the darkness. They had become little more than fireflies, bouncing and rounding through the woods.
Having fully readied themselves, they slipped out into the darkness, sneaking through the village to the opposite end, where they felt confident enough to light their torches with a flint Akan pulled from his satchel. Quickly, they disappeared into the offered obscurity of the jungle.
"This way," said Akan.
"I see you fine."
"Try to keep up. It's a good distance away."
"I know that already."
"Yes, well, I'm sorry. When one goes months only uttering the barest of words, one feels compelled to make certain the voice still works."
"That or to make up for lost time."
"A valid point."
"I've told you," said Huxley. "We haven't long to go. To be honest, I hadn't expected to find the place so soon, so there's a good chance we can cut our projected week down to several days. Then we'll just have the trip home, and oh, it will be so worth it."
"Promises to me little good. It's the actuality of the thing that I desire the most, so keep your anticipations to yourself, if you don't mind."
"Fine, then. I'm simply trying to lighten the mood."
"It'll be lightened enough when we find our quarry. Now follow me, and stay close."
"Yes, yes, fine," Huxley sighed.
The two men, bearing torches like men traipsing through the deepest caves, vanished in the darkness. They had become little more than fireflies, bouncing and rounding through the woods.
No comments:
Post a Comment