What had seemed like hours had passed for Domingo as he stood patiently await in the cool light of the endless plateau.
The light radiated softly from some undefinable source high above their heads.
It appeared to move, pulse, break apart into clusters and coalesce back again into a single glob of luminescence.
He shifted his eyes toward the source and back down again, straining his eyes toward a distant black horizon where lava flowed orange. A dark orange that bordered itself on the edge of red. Like a trail of veins strung out across the darkened operating-table landscape, the lava glowed alive.
Lightning and thunder rolled through distant black and barren mountains where the trees had been scorched petrified. Flattened against a gently illuminated backdrop the jagged trees held the potential for wicked things that he had only begun to fathom.
It was over the tops of these jagged trees that he saw something that would peak his sense of terror. He didn’t want to say it. He didn’t want to speak what it was that he perceived to be hovering on the forlorn horizon. He didn’t need to.
The sleek shape with glowing eyes hovering in the distance moved swiftly. Moving almost faster than comprehension, the craft or creature startled Domingo. He watched it carefully darting on the horizon with a supernatural bird-like gracefulness.
His heart pounded in his chest. His eyes widened and he broke out into a sweat.
The giant bird would announce its existence with a high pitched, ear-shattering burst
Octavius, who had been working diligently to restore electrical power to the engine of the Mercedes made his way carefully to the driver’s seat. Domingo watched him as he moved. He moved stiffly, slowly, as if he were in pain.
”are you ok?” Domingo said with a look of mild concern.
”I’ll be ok.” Replied Oc. “I just need to get this goin’ so we can get the fuck outta here.” His face was strained. He had a look of discomfort as he moved.
”oh no” replied Domingo. “Your hands. Let me see them.” He moved swiftly toward Octavius and grabbed his arm. “Oh no.” He said again. “This is no good.” Oc stood there shaking. “What?” He replied innocently. Dom looked at his hands that now appeared clamped tightly together.
“Remember how I told you what happened to me that time a few months ago? That time that I couldn’t visit Fallon because my hands cramped up?”
”yeah” he said.
We need to get you some water.”
