Aquamarine

Chapter 1 - Christina

I was bewildered by the red blotch on the shore. Since when were the pristine beaches ever colored red? My life and activities were usually monotonous; I never had anything important to do except for the fight for survival. I hopped off of my watch post, my feet lightly digging into the sand as I landed. Packing for the trip was easy; I owned very little. I rolled a few Stinger pelts into a cylinder, and stashed a few glowing Stingbulbs inside. I picked up a long staff with a scallop shell tied to the end and jogged off into the distance.

It only took about ten minutes to get close to the "mysterious splotch" as I began to call it. As I rounded the last turn around a dune to reach the shore. Suddenly, I gasped. The spot wasn't just a mysterious stain, it was a bloody mess! I sprinted toward the mass of bloodied sand, and kneeled before... the body of a face down boy! I turned his face up towards me, and I winced as I noticed the dripping mess that used to be his chest. He was pale from lack of blood, but by looking at him I noticed that he used to have a perfect tan and chiseled muscles. This was just my luck! If I could save him, I'd actually have a companion! I jumped up and down in ecstatic happiness. Finally! I wasn't alone... but then I realized that I had to check his pulse. I gently placed my fingers against his carotid artery... and felt nothing. I broke down. My chance at happiness was gone. Tears streamed out of my eyes and I wailed with despair. I dropped onto his back and pounded my fist against the ground. A single tear slipped down my cheek, and fell onto the small of his back. Abruptly, the body let out a soft groan. I let out a soft sigh. He was still alive! But now came the hard part. I had to bring him to my future camp and take care of him before we could talk. I draped his blond, blood - matted head over my shoulder and took my first step toward my - OUR - new future.

I was halfway to the oasis and the sun was setting as I felt a rumble in the ground and looked around anxiously. I dropped the boy's body and my heart skipped a beat as I noticed a blue glow under the sand circle me, like a shark does a fish. Not now... PLEASE not NOW! The sand erupted in front of my face as a blue mass sprung up from the depths. A Stinger! The smell of rancid meat overcame my senses as I readied my scallop-staff.

I started running. If I ever wanted a new life, I would have to keep that giant beast away from the boy to let him live. The Stinger shrieked and started chasing me across the vast sandy expanse, its tail lashing back and forth as the glowing bulb on the end of its tail flashed. When I was about 100 yards away from the bloody form, I turned to face the giant scorpion.

The Stinger let out a soft HISSSSSSSS... and tensed its six legs, as if it was about to pounce like a cat. I primed my staff, and began to circle the turquoise beast. As it began to wave its tail mezmerizingly above its head, I looked straight into the scorpion's dark eyes. There was no tint of good in them. This monster was pure evil.

WHOOSH! The Stinger's lethal, barbed tail swung through the air above my head, and I barely ducked the blow. This fight was off to a bad start...

The monstrous colossus shrieked again, and tried to crush my with its giant claws. BANG! A pincer crashed down in front of my face, and I stabbed a sharpened scallop into a space between the monster's exoskeleton plates.

SCREE! The Stinger's jaws opened wide as green, sticky blood splashed out of its wound. Its limbs went wild. A huge cloud of sand floated up around the scorpion as it scrabbled back and forth in circles. I stepped back, ready to let the sand once again drift toward the ground as the titan drained itself of blood. I had hit a vital artery! The sand stained itself green and quieted.

The beast lay in a pile on the ground, twitching every few seconds. I crept toward it, ready to deal the final blow and SNAP! I screamed in pain. The Stinger still had enough strength to grab me! As its claw tightened, I felt my ribs strain to the breaking point. As red blood - MY blood - dripped from the scorpion's arm, I pushed the claw apart and heard a slight tear of skin. As I winced and blood dripped from my sides, I climbed up onto the fiend's back.

I let out the loudest yell I could in so much pain, and stabbed the Stinger between the eyes with my staff. SCREE! I was thrown off of the giant's shell, and the monster took its final breath as it thrashed about on the sand. After a few final convulsions, the beast quieted. With the oasis only a few yards away, I walked back to the boy.

By the time I had dragged him to the oasis, the sand held a bloody trail behind me and I had nearly fainted from exhaustion. I fell to the ground, and pulled out my supply of the healing herb bloodwort.

I ground the plant's red, thorny leaves between a few rocks and added some water from the oasis. I spread the creamy pink paste over my wounds, and smoothed the rest over the boy's chest.

Darkness swam before my eyes, and I noticed that the sun had set. As the night set in, I relaxed, safe from Stingers. I felt accomplished. This day was over, and I had come up with a reward - a person to spend my life with.

I let myself slump into the painless coma of sleep. I couldn't wait to reach tomorrow, to finally have a friend.