1. AZ Mystery - chapter 2


    Date: 6/26/2024, Categories: Science-Fiction , Alien, Author: Limnophile 

    ... clothes, I had no pockets.

I smelled smoke. I tried yelling again, "HELLO? ANYBODY?"

I searched for the source of the smoke and saw a small plume of white rising from a smoldering tree stump. Lightning must have struck it. FIRE! Yes!

I hurriedly gathered up some dry sticks and grass, and added them to the smoking stump. I blew and blew, encouraging the grass to catch. I saw a small flame! I added more grass and a few small sticks, then a few larger ones. The fire was burning well. GREAT!

The stump and wood I piled on it would be enough fuel for at least several hours, so I didn't have to worry about it going out. There were dozens of trees, and a lot of dead branches. As long as I kept it going, fire was no longer a worry.

What should I use it for first? Water! Safe water was very important. How could I get my bottles over here?

My grandmother taught me to weave baskets when I was a little kid. I thought I remembered how. Maybe I could make a basket with a handle, to use like a sort of backpack?

I gathered up some vines and started ripping the leaves off them. I kept an eye on the fire, to be sure it didn't go out or spread.

Within four hours, and six or seven attempts, I had a basket with a long handle on it, sort of a large purse.

A manly, macho, naked park ranger purse. I chuckled to myself.

The sun was nearly overhead, and the temperature was still only a little warmer than I'd like. Much better than the last few days! I wasn't sure why, ...
    ... since there wasn't a cloud in the sky. I was grateful, but expected it to be much hotter at noon than in the morning.

I checked the fire once more, then took my knife and manly purse to retrieve my precious bottles. I brought a couple of carrots to snack on.

People threw out or recycled millions of bottles every day. To me, mine were very important, maybe even lifesaving. The few cents worth of scrap metal I turned into a knife was also critical to my survival. I chuckled at the irony.

When I got back to the desert puddle with my precious bottles, I saw something slowly moving around on the other side of the area. I couldn't see quite what it was, but it was exciting. I might have a companion! Or more food!

I walked over to take a look. It was a goat. I thought of "MEAT!"

When I got closer, I saw the goat had an injured foot and was limping. It would be easy to catch! Great!

I got closer and behind it I saw a baby goat, only a few hours or maybe a day old. The mother still had a bit of dried blood on a rear leg from the birth.

Awh crap! I couldn’t kill a mother with a baby.

The baby walked to its mother and drank some milk. Hmmm... at least I might be able to get milk, if I took care of it.

That's better than lamb chops one day, a week's worth of meat I might not be able to preserve, and a lot of guilt.

The baby looked like it was barely getting any milk and complained.

The mother goat sniffed the air and limped toward me. She was thin and I saw ...
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