"Heart of the Crown" Chapter 72

[seymoure]

Chapter 72

Tall Order

Slip was suddenly aware that he was standing alone.

The wind was whistling by him in the way he had nearly gotten used to while riding on Morgana’s back through the blue sky, high above the land.

He looked down to see that he was standing on a long column of stone. He was so far above the space below that he couldn’t see anything distinctly.

Looking to his left, he saw a long continuing series of like pillars.

To his right was another repetition of long spikes of stone, with their tops flattened, just like the one he stood upon.

Not one of the columns was closer than two feet, neither the ones to the left nor right. It would be a jump, but he could make the next one.

Now there was another sound.

There was a sound reminiscent of elephants stomping through a swamp or bog. There was also something like a cracking that could be a million reeds being bent to breaking all at once.

He didn’t want to do so, but he forced himself to turn and look behind him.

The same set of columns were stretched out for an almost endless vista of stepping stones set on the end of stony sticks pointing to the sky, all originating from a point down in the valley.

There was a difference between this set of columns and the ones on each other side of him.

The pillars around him were completely stationary, but those behind him were anything but.

Swaying from as much as 5 to 10 feet from one side to an equal amount in the other direction, the columns were picking up the movement.

He also noticed that the next set of columns picked up the movement.

It was getting closer. In a couple of minutes the column he was standing on would be moving so much it would be impossible for him to stay there.

He looked forward, drew a deep breath and tensed the muscles in his back and neck in preparation for the leap he would have to take.

Pushing his small legs to their limit, he made the jump.

He landed on the next column and reached out with his arms, just barely keeping himself from falling over into the chasm.

He looked and saw the movement getting closer.

He stood and looked forward.

There was no end to the upcoming set of places he would have to go.

He could keep jumping until he was overrun by the swinging pillars, which would spill him down into the abyss.

He readied himself for the next jump.

This was going to get old real fast.

© 2008 C. Wayne Owens
Chapter 73 is here.