Of Elvia and the Steam | Part 9
Table of Contents : Prt 1; Prt 2; Prt 3; Prt 4; Prt 5; Prt 6; Prt 7; Prt 8; Prt 9; Prt 10
Having finished his song, Jubal Cain breathed deep. This was the information Sherah wanted, To know about the steam or what the fog did. She sensed the fog was alive and creaturely. If what Jubal Cain said was true, they’re loathsome. They must be put in their place and served justice For disturbing the ecosystem’s balance, She thought, listening for more information. “So the fog is alive? They’re their own people? And they rule the gulf with an oppressive heat? If they have it so good there, why would they leave? You’re holding something back about this people?” Elvia thus questioned the devious faun Skeptical of his incomplete narrative Which held truth but still felt manipulative, Twisting facts from the perspective of the song. Jubal Cain simply repeated what he’d shared In different ways, reinforcing his story Redundantly repeating his sung story Until it felt like as good a fact as the air. But Elvia was still angry for her friends “So where are they? These low loathsome steam creatures? You said they journey with you—the life leechers.” Elvia was ready to avenge her friends. She was hot with rage, sweat dripping off her head. Ready to kill the faun, she raised a sharp stick, But the poison was wearing off from the pricks. The faun moved and the stick found the ground instead. From Elvia came a venomous giggle. She leapt on his back, nails tearing at his face. Sherah took deep hot breathes in her hiding place Choking as a thin haze blurred her visual. Steam whistled out of Jubal Cain’s bloody cuts. Elvia floated in the fog of her sweat. The thick surrounding air was dripping hot wet Stifling Sherah’s roars and gurgles and grunts. Up from barge boxes steam billowed out all round. Elvia thrashed in the air like writhing snakes. Cackling and sputtering was Jubal Cain. Sherah haltingly crept across the cool ground Toward the river as calm as she could manage. Neither gators, nor lions, nor otters sweat, So she took few, small, measured, meaningful breaths To minimize any internal damage. Then, many voices hissed out like wind through fire Saying as one, “[This is unnecessary. Do not think that we are your adversary Because you heard a half-truth from an old liar.]” Jubal Cain reached for his wicked instrument. Slowly plucking a hypnotic melody Jubal Cain gradually rose to his feet Mouth closed tight, cool mud slathered over his skin. Then, the faun took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Elvia tried to scream as she wildly writhed But it was a soundless, silent, desperate cry. Like a cotton mouth’s white jaws stretched open wide. Sherah rolled into the river where she found Gar, gators and nutria swarming round her. They bit and chewed her hide climbing around her. She snapped her jaws and whipped her tail roaring loud. From her nostrils and mouth streamed boiling hot steam Melting the flesh off of many opponents, Shocking the beast for more than a few moments. A gleam came in her eye as she breathed in deep. Still floating in the air, Elvia watched stunned. Then, she heard voices whisper from inside her. “[She’s an unwilling host. Too strong a fighter.]” “[No,]” some protested, [Ubaken has begun . . .]” Elvia shook her head. These weren’t her own thoughts “Get out of my head!” She thought as well as yelled. “[This would go so much better if you would help. You are wasting time with how much you have fought.]” “You hijacked my body you dense formless fluff!” “[You welcomed us in with your fuming temper.]” “[She barely knew of us. We can forgive her.]” “[When has that ever mattered before to us?]” “Quit arguing inside of my melting brain!” Elvia’s rage amplified with confusion. “[We need her to calm and steep for infusion.]” “[Right, you try to calm someone melting in pain.]” “AAAAHHHH!” Elvia screamed at the top of her lungs. “These voices in my head are making me nuts And that song makes me want to puke out my guts.” With all the focus she could muster she lunged. She smashed into the faun knocking her senseless. Sherah shook free of the vicious creek critters, But it felt like something far worse had bit her. Jubal Cain was down but was not defenseless. The deep thwang still resonated through the air. Jubal Cain chuckled as Elvia’s eyes blinked. She lay motionless calming herself to think. “[This is what we needed. We are almost there.]”
“What is Ubaken?” Elvia asked in thought. The voices replied in one beautiful word. “[Together,]” was the thought that Elvia heard. She understood, standing up with a wet cough. Steam puffed from her mouth like a small cloud of smoke. She dawned a devious grin and drew a breath. She sucked the humidity into her chest, Jubal Cain still laughing like there was a joke. Then, Elvia blew like a hurricane wind Burning Jubal Cain, whose laugh turned to a scream. A strong stench rose with burnt skin and fur melting Not heat from a flame, but from a boiling hot mist. Jubal Cain ran as fast as he could upstream Elvia scampered to Sherah’s wounded side Tears flowing from her angry grief-filled eyes. She pressed her spritely hands to Sherah’s blood stream Snapping the arrow off inside the wet flesh. Sherah cried as Elvia applied a salve Cauterizing the wound with heat from her mouth. Then, she whistled a song so her friend could rest.
Table of Contents : Prt 1; Prt 2; Prt 3; Prt 4; Prt 5; Prt 6; Prt 7; Prt 8; Prt 9; Prt 10