Zingtober Day 16 - Grungy (Totem)

about 1 month ago

How can you tell me that the sky is the limit? PV embarked the journey one day ago, when the Holozing Law allowed him to venture outside the bio-dome.

He turned 10, opened the chest and found a key, then with his backpack filled with gadgets has open the mystical gate! He was ready for this! He was ready for the hike!

Beyond the gate he could see a tropical paradise! Palm trees, flowers in bloom, insects... and a lot of sunshine! He never seen natural sun in the bio-dome, or experienced anything like this. A TROPICAL PARADISE!

PV looked in the horizon through the binoculars and seen A brand new world was in front! He was ready to explore it! He started walking towards the big mountain he seen ahead!

The peak was so high that the sun was hiding behind the summit! He was up to the challenge, as PV was not the average 10-years boy! He was different... he was special!

He started the hike at the basecamp, heading towards the steep steps he seen carved in the rocks. Upper on the side of the mountain, the hike would become harder! The steps stopped and instead there were little digs that could serve as climbing sheltters or camping in bad weather.

The hike will take him at the top of the mountain, where the peak was covered by snow! Will the secret of "Z" be solved there?

He walked all morning, slowly climbing on the steep steps... when he felt a bit dizzy! He needed a sip of water and to catch his breath. The scorching sun was making the hike harder, as the air and the path was getting dusty dry.

PV heard some birds and looked in the sky. It was the first time in his life when he seen another living creature. In the bio-dome only humans and droids were allowed, so he wasn't even sure if the creatures he seen in books where even real.

But wait?! Is this a trick played by the fatigue and the heat? He seen another creature... much bigger? He seen something else chasing those birds! Was it a giant predator? He was both scared and tired now!

He looked again and couldn't see it, as the sun was too bright! Maybe was just his mind playing tricks! He had another sip of water and continued his hike!

A strange feeling took over when PV reached the peak of the mountain and could see the valley bellow! The lonely farmer's house he have seen in the distance yesterday was not there anymore, neither the crops or the tractor!

Were the lands shifting overnight? All he could see now was a plain landscape and a tent! He had nomadic expectations now, like he traveled back in time!

The forest he seen through the binoculars was gone, the farmer's lands as well. All he could se now was the nomadic tent, and an wooden rack where fishes were left to dry. Nomadic feelings indeed!

The hike made PV tired and hungry! He looked around for a place to rest, and found the perfect spot by a big tree. He sit on a big root, which he used as a stool, and opened his backpack.

Unfolded the cloth that was keeping his food fresh, and checked his snacks. Two days into his journey and he was already running low. Two small baguettes and some bird drumsticks, couple of apples and some sweets.

If things would go bad and he will run out of fresh food, he will had to relly and the energy biscuits and the zingworms, as one of those critters would keep an explorer running for days. Time to feast!

He eat and he fell asleep! When he woke up ... his theory was proven... the lands were shifting overnight! The nomadic lands were now sands and sea!

He could see a remote hut in the distance, through the dunes and into the sea. There was a path paved by rocks that was making the hut remote into the waters. PV knew that there are some answers in there.... at the end of the road!

He started walking towards the hut, watching over the horizeon, when he noticed that the sea started to cover the sands around. PV walked as quick as possible, then started running!

The path paved with rocks was now under the sea! All that was left was was him, the hut and the horizon! He managed to reach the hut, which by now was fully surrounded by the sea.

There was a strange glimmer into the horizeon, and he felt sleepy! When he woke up... the lands shifted again! There was no more dunes of sands, no more sea and waves, neither the sun in the horizon!

He was still in the hut made of sticks, but he was shocked to see giant creatures roaming outside. PV watched through the window and seen huge snails roaming upon the dusty field.

No vegetation around, only snails roaming in every direction. Was this a clue? Was this part of his journey? Time will tell!

After being amazed by the giant gastropods, PV was now a bit anxious because he was missing the clue. He realized he fell asleep before he could explore the hut, and started looking around.

Between the interwined twigs he noticed something that looked like a small shelf, and the gaps between the branches were giving enough intel that something was hidden behind. He slowly approached and moved the obstruction to see better.

There was a dusty book behind the twiggy wall, the ZING Guidebook II, which maybe will provide some answers. He wiped the cover clean and opened the guidebook... and all pages where blank!

His sorrow was fast replaced by hope, when his pazzport started to vibrate. He took it out from the backpack and the vibration turned into a beam of light, which started to create symbols on the first page of the book.

A map was revealed, with the hut as a starting point. His journey will take him into the deeps, as a mechanical noise revealed an opening in the floor. PV slided the panel away and seen poorly lit steps going below.

He ventured into the underground, with a bit of fear, one step at a time. It was dark and humid at the beginning, slowly becoming brighter with every step he was doing into the unknown.

After 200 steps, or maybe more, PV stepped on solid ground and had a look around. He was not in a cave as he expected, he was into the jungle and the sun was bright above. How was this possible?

The lands shifted again and he didn't even noticed. But he noticed the huge grungy totem ahead, in between wines and leaves. It was in a poor state, cracked and unstable. The curious thing was that the ground around it showed signs of impact.

It looked like this grungy totem fell from the sky!

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