One Day in a Small-Town Desert, chapter 12, page 2

(start of book) (start of chapter) (previous page)



Zhíno Zhudıro flew through the desert sky, alone and free, and yet he could sense every animal on every world. He was alone, and yet part of something far greater--the interconnected matrix of life, the energy that swirls within every living being. As he soared, he could feel every bird, every horse, every snake, every jellyfish.

Not only could he feel them, he could be them. He was them. Zhíno galloped through fields of tall grass, the stalks brushing his chest and legs. He squirmed his body back and forth, pushing against rocks for greater forward momentum, flicking out his tongue to find a scent of that which he sought. He floated weightless in the ocean, sucking and pumping water through his body, searching for food, searching for something.

Névazhíno stood/sat/hovered in front of him in the ocean/clouds/field. A forked tongue flicked from His beak and He serenely asked, “Which one are you?”

“I am. . .” Zhíno pondered the question. “A human being.” Yes, that is it. Zhíno smiled, glad he could still remember.

The god lowered His head, arched up His back, stuck out His quills. “No. Are you the sacrifice or the recipient?”

Sacrifice? Recipient? Zhíno could barely remember his species and Névazhíno expected him to know if he was a sacrifice or a recipient. Zhíno didn’t even know what the god meant by recipient. Sacrifice certainly sounded bad, though, like it would be an end to his wonderful life in these forests and lakes and mountain meadows. Zhíno didn’t want that, so his decision became easy.

“Recipient.”

Névazhíno rattled His tail and snorted through His huge nostrils. “Then where is the sacrifice?”

Zhíno looked around. Nobody else was in sight, just air and waves and empty tunnels. “I do not know.”

“Then I shall find someone.” The god swam away, His wings pumping.

Zhíno sighed with contentment, glad the issue was resolved. He scurried out along a tree branch, in search of tasty nuts.

(next page)