Devouring the Neverglades (Beta version) Chapter 1 (Patreon)

A/N So I mentioned I was going to post a bit of another original series I've been working on for a long time in exchange for my normal GitC schedule for a bit. This is a Original Series, Fantasy novel, and I'm very fond of it. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1

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“Got one!” Erik happily shouted out spitting mud out from his mouth as he did. The eight year old held to his bare chest a thankfully small wriggling Rock Crab even if he was struggling to hold the muddy creature as he pressed it to his bare chest and groaned under its weight.

“Grab the pot!” I called out pointing to the old cast iron pot held by Sam, and Willis who quickly rushed over and let Erik drop the very heavy crab into the bottom with a splash and a thud.

“Whew!” He groaned, a bit as he stretched. Of course we all ignored that, huddling over the pot to see the pissed off Rock crab searching around his new home. He was too heavy to climb out though.

“So do we cook him now Vicky?” Sam asked and I shook my head. 

“Not yet! That’s just one, and we can definitely get two! That would feed all of us, and give us some to take home. We put the lid on so he can’t get out, and keep searching.” I demanded standing up hands on my hips as I struck a pose uncaring that being covered in mud sort of diminished the effect.

“Got it!” The boys cheered.

“Just remember! They are heavy and the pot will be even heavier now! So don’t pick them up if you can’t carry them! Just call out and we will work together!” My call was mostly ignored as the three boys ran off. I might be the youngest of the four, but I was the one with an actual brain, so they let me boss them around without too much fuss.

It helped that I had done a good job filling their bellies with my plans.

I caught my breath, wiping mud off my hands and adjusting my big straw hat to wipe the sweat off my brow.

Even though we were playing in the shallows, the water only barely helped fight off the heat. The summer sun blazing down, on the creak and the endless humidity.

And the compound didn’t have AC.

I walked over to the stream, sticking my still muddy hands into the water, cleaning them off, and then splashed the cool water on my face. It wasn’t time to find someplace cool to rest yet. There was still the hunt for more Rock Crabs that I needed to finish off.

I looked at my reflection in the flickering water and frowned at the blonde child staring back.

It had been a weird few years, having my memories not quite working right, before I had one day woken up and just had a functioning brain again.

Death wasn’t as bad as I expected. Kinda quiet, a little cold. Floating in a dark nothing that felt both infinitely empty, and yet not empty at all, in the creepy something else is there sense. But it wasn’t bad. Peaceful, once you got used to it and realized that the other didn’t actually care about you.

That which lived between cared not for those that just passed through. 

Living was better though. Even with all the heat.

I had no idea what had caused me to be born again. To have a second life, but I wasn’t going to complain. Even if there was a lot to complain about.

This world wasn’t earth.

Well… Not exactly. I think?

I sighed. I hadn’t exactly had the internet to go check what the hell was going on. All I really knew was that technology was a mix of modern, and ancient. That we were very poor, some type of underclass I hadn’t entirely figured out yet, and school was basically old man William taking us kids aside from time to time to teach us how to read and write.

Everything else was work. Was survival.

It wasn’t that bad though. There was lots of food, the weather only had a slight variance on temperature, and we didn’t get any crazy storms.

On the other hand… Well animals weren’t normal.

“Got one!” Sam called, but he was grunting as he fought the Rock Crab he had picked up and was barely holding onto.

“Dangit Sam! I said wait!” I called out rushing over to try and help hold the crab off the ground.

Rock Crabs weren’t called that because they looked like rocks.

They were called that because they literally created their shells out of solid rock.

Each one weighed as much as an equal sized rock would, and they could burrow into the ground in an instant, and then you would never get them out.

So you had to lift them off the ground and use something to keep them from touching the earth.

But we were a bunch of kids and they were heavy.

“Hold it!” Erik called out desperate for Sam not to let the food source go, but the boy was already going red in the face. Not helped as the Rock Crab tried to fight back. It’s legs wiggling in the air, and it’s big pincers out and searching for what was attacking it.

Willis got there first, grabbing a side and hefting it up, and it was just in time as Sam nearly dropped it a moment after. Then I got there, and grabbed a few squirming legs and held it, and a moment later Erik.

“Got it!” Erik called out as the oldest and strongest, but we all still helped, dragging the big crab over to the pot. I let go at the last moment and pulled the lid aside as they dropped him inside.

We all fell into the mud around the pot after. Gasping for air.

“Okay. I think that will be enough.” I decided mostly because I was way too tired to haul another Rock Crab around.

“Sorry guys.” Sam mentioned breathing heavily as he lay completely flat on the ground.

“It’s fine.” I offered, using my responsible adult tone. “Teamwork everyone. Don’t forget.” I told them and the boys all nodded at that. It had actually been pretty easy to get them on board with teamwork lessons. Our parents all worked together through the day to complete their jobs, and so I had quickly gathered my pack of pre teens together. Usually gathering some food or something that we could eat, and share around as well.

“Okay let’s take it slow and haul the pot over to the fire.” I told them and everyone nodded. All four of us regained our feet, or stretched a bit before we each grabbed a side of the pot and started shimmying it towards our little camp.

We were close enough to the compound to reach it, but none of our Mama’s would allow us to cook in their kitchens. So we cooked over fires at our camp.

We plopped the pot onto the little fire we already had going, and started running around grabbing twigs and branches to build it up and then bigger pieces of dryish wood.

This place had like 99% humidity. We just used what we could.

Slowly the fire started. The water heated up, and the two crabs inside continued to fight among themselves, unable to realize their fate was sealed as they clacked and smacked at each other's rock shells.

“How long?”

“It’ll be a while Sammy. Gotta boil the whole thing.” I reminded the young boy, who just pouted at my words. I rushed over and grabbed an old metal box that had previously been my fathers tin soldiers box.

Now it was full of seasonings I had found and dried. My mother was a herbalist of sorts. Really she just knew what was good to add flavor to things and had taught me.

I was a girl after all. It sucked, but I would be expected to marry, have kids and cook in the future.

I was mostly just ignoring that for now. Although the cooking part didn’t bother me.

Of course none of the herbs and things had any names I recognized.

“Sam grind up this green pepper, and throw it in.” I called out, pulling out a handful of the bright green seeds. It tasted like Black pepper from my life before, but was bright green.

That should be enough for now. The saltwater that was in the pot should handle most of the flavor as well.

The boys went to work. Sam liked grinding up pepper, so I gave him that job, Willis and Erik both kept an eye on the fire, and on the area.

The fact was, this world wasn’t safe. It had been one of the big reasons I knew this wasn’t earth.

Like the Rock Crabs, having actual rocks as shells. This world was full of monsters.

Out on the edge of the Neverglades our families worked as labor to gather rarities of all kinds to sell to the city. St. Coleson was a long drive to reach, I had never seen it since only the adults ever really traveled to the city. 

Furs, leathers, herbs, minerals, and fruits. Anything we found of value was packed into the old truck, and taken to be sold. Usually once a month, or earlier if something wouldn’t last the wait.

“Vicky? Tell us a story?” Sam asked as he finished grinding the peppers.

“Okay. Want to hear more about the War of the Stars?”

“Yeah! What happened with Luke Skywalker!?”

“Well after he destroyed the Evil Emperors battle ship the Star Destroyer-” I cut myself off from storytelling when I heard it.

An engine.

“They’re home early?” Erik asked, looking confused.

The adult men all went out on the boats in the mornings. Usually hunting Mega Crocs, as they were good eating, and their leather could be sold for good money in the city.

Of course it was dangerous, and usually they were out all day.

It was only around noon.

“Hold up! We have food here, we don’t leave it. Erik. You go check. The rest of us will watch camp.” I ordered and Willis looked like he was going to argue before he sighed and nodded. Erik being the oldest was also the fastest so he could go check to see if something terrible had happened.

I sighed and sat back down, I was feeling nervous too. Papa was out on the boats too.

Thankfully, even though  we were just on the east side of the compound. While the main river was to the west of our fortified home that distance was something wild kids like us could run without much problem.

Erik came running back looking happy as he rushed into our little camp, only to stop and huff for air causing Sam and Willis to nearly attack him.

“What happened!?”

“Is everyone okay!? Erik!”

“W-wait.” He waved them away gasping for air.

Silly boy had run the entire way.

“Everyone.. Is okay.” He gasped out finally and Sam and Willis relaxed.

“Why are they back then?” I asked calmly, trying to keep the boys from going crazy.

“They found a big haul! Something big! The adults were all excited, but weren’t telling us anything. They were shooing me away, even the big kids! I just made sure everyone was okay before running back.”

“Okay. In that case you all know the rules. We finish cooking, and when it’s done we can bribe the adults for information with tasty crab!” I called out in a cheer, and that earned a riot of excitement from the boys.

Men out on boats all day always come back extra hungry. Bribes were a time honored tradition for us kids to get things we want from the adults.

—--

Once the water was boiling we were basically done.

We dumped out the water very carefully making sure no one got splashed, and then with a good bit of struggling got the crabs out of the pot. All boiled like they were, their rock shells split open without much fighting, and we got a smaller pot to dump all of the crab meat inside, peppering the meat as we went. Some would be eaten as is, some might be added to a stew, crab chowder or whatever the mothers were cooking tonight.

Making sure it was good of course.

Sure at least half of the meat from the crabs went down our throats, but that was just business. Tasty business.

Then Erik hefted up our big cooking pot and we were on our way. I made sure to stand in front of him as well just to make sure he didn’t start running, so he wouldn’t trip.  

Then as we walked up the earthen path we saw it. The large concrete walls that surrounded the compound were comforting, as it meant home. The place was like a castle, if it was made from concrete. Ugly, and square, but built to handle anything coming out of the Neverglades.

We entered through the heavy side gate. Through the wall ‘airlock’ inner gate and then, we were in the compound's courtyard. 

And the energy alone would have told me something crazy had happened.

Adults were chattering and excited. Something big had happened. Adults were rushing around the courtyard that was our main ‘safe’ area in the compound. Where everyone did work together, laundry and things were hung here, or up on the walls sometimes. 

But there, directly opposite the big main gate was the open-air main hall. A mix of gathering point, and communal eating area and it was bustling.

We all walked under the stone roof, pushing through a few people just hanging around to see what was going on.. The large room fit all the families that lived here in the compound and was always the place the adults would gather when they got back from working.

It was packed. All the men were inside, which was super weird. 

Something really really big had happened. This early in the day all the boats had come back?

Never. I had never seen this happen, even when someone got attacked… Or worse.

Of course we were mostly ignored as we entered and I waved Erik to follow me. I had an idea.

The adults were usually pretty tight lipped about telling us kids what was going on. I could see from the gaggle of teenagers that lived in the compound that they hadn’t been told yet either, which meant it was time to bribe the adults.

I saw Papa sitting at one of the big tables. He was actually a pretty important guy. He was one of the boat leaders. That meant a lot of people respected him, and he always knew what was going on.

He was also pretty young. The sort of guy that had made a name for himself purely because he worked hard, and had just the right amount of caution to make sure everyone came home after a day.

So I found a loose chair and stepped on top of it waving for Erik to hand me the pot.

“Eh-hem!” I cleared my throat loudly. “Look at this! It’s an amazing pot of Rock Crab meat, freshly boiled and peppered and salted! So tasty! Much Yum! Of course there is only so much left! If any adult wants to taste our delicious yummy crab then we accept trades for information on what is going on! Limited time offer! Take it while it lasts!” I called out nearly at the top of my lungs. My voice echoed off the pagoda-like roof over our heads and into the open air gathering place.

Of course instantly my Papa was cracking up. Practically wheezing with laughter.

Papa rarely laughed normally. But for some reason he found my ability to try and bribe adults for stuff hilarious.

I was earning a great many smiles and laughs from the men and women that wandered around. Most men already had some food and drinks passed to them by the women, being taken care of despite the early return.

Of course some were frowning. Not everyone enjoyed children's hijinks.

I can’t see you Mama, so obviously you weren’t glaring at me. Nope. Didn’t happen!

“Your daughter is a riot Vincent. She’s gonna be real trouble for her future husband.” Uncle Charles said, elbowing Papa, which silenced Papa’s laughter in an instant as he glared at his friend.

“Never!”

I giggled a bit as Papa was very sure that no man was good enough for me to marry. I thought it was cute how he would get protective so I didn’t mind.

“Well any takers?” I demand earning a second round of laughter. 

“Fine, fine! I guess if the kids are rioting it’s time we tell them what’s going on.” A voice called out, it wasn’t Papa, but old William. The oldest man in the compound. Everyone's collective grandfather even if most of us had no blood relation stood up and waved for quiet, and everyone did.

“Vincent, since your daughter is blackmailing these old men, why don’t you go get what we found to show off ey?” William called out and Papa had the decency to blush a little for my sake.

But I had no shame, so I just smiled even brighter.

Besides, they all loved it.

It was well known that the extra food we brought in would go to help no matter what. It was just play to make the adults owe us things for helping.

It was all my fault really. Most of the kids at our age, didn’t really help out at all, and it was because of me that we were actually bringing in extra food and being useful and not just coming home, coated in mud in our best outfits. I was the one that made sure we had play clothes on, and brought in stuff.

The kids loved it too, cause extra food was extra food. 

“Alright. Give me a minute.” Papa called out, and the adults nodded. I noticed Uncle Charles got up and waved the teenagers all over. Which instantly caused a mini riot as they scrambled out of their seats their previous sullen grumblings washed away in excitement to find out what was going on.

We were all gathered up, us kids in front mostly so we could see better, and then Papa came back out from the warehouse holding a bag in his arms.

But instantly we all knew something was happening.

The weave of the bag wasn’t great. And there was a glowing blue light coming out from within.

The room went quiet as Papa put the bag down on a table, and then opened the bag.

It was a crystal.

“Beautiful.” I whispered. What else could I say as a blue light ran ripples across the crowd. 

Crystalized beauty. It shimmered and waved, and the light even rippled off the material, like an Aurora Borealis, but in object form.

It was absolutely gorgeous.

“This is a Mana Crystal.” Old man William started speaking, startling more than a few in the crowd, child or adult from staring. “The first our compound has found in twenty years. It’s very very valuable, so we will be driving it up to the city today after lunch. If you ever see glowing blue light like this in the future. Well now you know what it could mean.” Then to my happiness the old man waved a hand through the shimmering aurora and it actually trailed along his fingers, like water floating in the air, although it didn’t seem to touch him, just flowing around him as if he had a negative charge.

“Mages can use the mana crystal for magic. Anything a mage needs is obviously valuable. We’ll sell this crystal for more than we make from leather and such in a year.” He continued impressing all of us with just how valuable the foot tall glowing crystal mass was. 

“Can we touch it?” Harmony. One of the oldest teenagers asked, looking like she would stab someone if she got a no.

“Hahaha!” Old William laughed along with most of the adults, although a few of them looked like they wanted to as well.

“Of course. Line up now kids, we’ll give you a chance to touch the Mana Crystal. Not like we can do anything to it anyways.”

There was a rush of excitement, and everyone lined up, the oldest up front, quick to slap the back of the head of any younger child that tried to cut in front of them.

I was almost at the back huffing in irritation.

I mean, yes I was one of the youngest! But it had been my bribe! How irritating.

Slowly the line inched forward. Sam in front of me practically vibrating with excitement.

Only a few times did the adults  have to get involved to push someone along as they took too long, but I was more patient than any kid my age has a right to be, so I just tapped my foot and waited.

Finally there it was. Sam reached out and waved his hand excitedly through the flowing light shifting it around a bit at his touch but he grew kind of despondent as it didn’t feel like anything. He touched the crystal itself and just sort of shrugged.

“It just looks cool.” He finally said and I couldn’t help but snort.

Cool was a word I had introduced. No one had said it until I did. The adults still looked confused when one of the youngsters would call something cool.

Finally it was my turn. I stepped forward and went to wave my hand through the aurora.

But when I touched it instead of forming around my hand and whooshing in the air, instantly it pulsed. I yelped, jerked my hand back and jumped up and down.

“It shocked me!” I yowled, my entire arm was numb like the worst static shock I had ever had. My desire to curse quite a bit was barely kept in check.

Adults did not like it when I cursed.

“Vicky!” Papa was there and grabbing me, checking me over in concern, but he settled down when I raised my hand and just flexed it. 

“I’m okay. Just shocked.” I answered, flexing my hand as feeling was already returning. “What-”

“A mage.” Old Man William called out loud and clear. “It seems little Vicky has the potential.” His voice echoed out over the room and everyone was quiet for a moment.

Slowly chatter filled the area. Everyone was talking amongst themselves, but I was too focused on the feeling I now had since my hand wasn’t numb anymore.

When I had touched the crystal it had flashed through me, but… Why did my sense of smell keep reminding me of the space between.

The place I had been after I died? I didn’t think it had a smell, but despite that, my nose was filled with it. Why did I smell that place now?