stew

previous part: https://jordynsaelor.com/2025/10/10/squeal-of-the-things/

all parts: https://jordynsaelor.com/cant-catch-me-now/

***

The first salamander

I accidentally stepped on

squelched

and blood dribbled out

and I hurried on.

The second I stepped on

got out an Ulk

before leaking and twitching to stillness

and the third

gave the others clues

to my path–

I really tried not to step on any

but they were everywhere,

covering the dusty ground

in a writhing sludge

of black flesh and colored lights–

like rainbow spirits of the dead

racing through a river–

so I just kept running

and quit counting,

wishing I’d thought to

prepare runes on my skin to fight with

before leaving

but no,

I just had runes

for invisibility,

healing,

fixing pencils

and memorizing papers

and making my bone-digit frame

less likely to break;

I couldn’t fight

unless I had time to stop

and scrawl a fire rune on the ground

or maybe a water one

to counter the fireballs

nipping at my heels

but I didn’t

have that time

especially after

a tree nabbed me.

***

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