4. Infinity: Into the wind

I hit the ground hard. My breath got knocked out of my lungs. The dirty streets were rising up like spires as they were ripped apart. The puffers were in the sky, but they weren't going anywhere. I heard screams and squeals as my fellow demons ran for their lives. At various points, the ground just collapsed from underneath swallowing people into oblivion. I needed to get home and save my book. I was fortunate ma and I lived on the outskirts of the village. Ma.... I fought the urge to cry as I ran. I didn't even know why I still bothered doing anything, but I knew that I couldn't lose that book. I already lost everything. Tasha, ma. Without that book, I'd have no hope left. I ran along the very edge of what used to be called a road. I tried not to look behind me or even down, for fear that fear would paralyze me. The ground rebelled against my every step. I couldn't depend on solid ground anymore. Even the back of the village was starting to sink, so I needed to act quickly. Debris was raining down from the collapsing buildings. A dust miasma was obscuring the sky like fog. I was dodging falling debris like my life depended on it because it did. I sprinted up the srairs and hopped up to my open window. The structure was unsteady, and it sagged under my weight, but I was lucky that somehow it held. I flipped into the room and sprinted for the book. I grabbed our maroon table cloth and fashioned it into a sling. I stuck the book in there and slipped the sling over my shoulder. Then I leaped out the window again. I grabbed onto the outside of my house and hoisted myself up to the roof. The swaying made me nauseous, but I still had one more thing I needed to do. I merely hoped I'd live long enough to do it. The village guard house was built into a surrounding hill. It honeycombed the interior of the hill. I had to get in there somehow, so I took a running start to jump onto the next nearest roof. I continued to hop from roof to roof while trying not to throw up what was left of my lunch. When I got to the eastern edge of the village, I climbed down to ground level. There wasn't a good way to sneak inside the place, so I'd have to take the direct approach. I took hold of my feather and sliced through the metal gate. Then, I cut through the heavy metal door that once intimidated me. It collapsed off its hinges like a broken wagon wheel. Once inside, I heard the sound of screaming and the shouts of fear. It seems the village guard had holed themselves up in here like a bunch of cowards waiting for everyone else to die. Yeah, that was definitely what they would do. Except now that I was tearing through their base, they didn't seem so mighty. One bulbous oaf with buck teeth actually dropped to his knees to beg me for his life. I'm sure Tasha begged for his life, too. Again, I had to fight off the sadness. I'd left Tasha's body on the ground in the square. I said I'd come back to him. The entire center of the village had caved in by that point. I didn't think that I'd be able to keep that promise, but I sure as hell was going to keep this one. I just hoped Tasha's Ma was still alive. I split the fat coward's head open like a melon and kicked his limp corpse out my way. I had to find Tasha's bed. The idiots jumped out of my way and cowered. These were trained warriors who the village depended on for safety, and they're hiding in corners like children. I raised my sword and shouted. "Hey! You over there, yes you! Where is Tasha's barrock?" The stupid ass pointed straight. "Alright, but you'd better not be lying. " The overweight, pimply child in his soiled briefs whimpered as I walked by. When I reached the room I was pointed to, I moved Tasha's bed. Or rather all the beds, and started carving the tiles off the floor. I kept scooping dirt until I finally hit something. It was a leather pouch. I slipped the pouch into the makeshift sling I made to carry my book. Both the book and pouch were a snug fit. Now I ran towards the front entrance, and none of the sickening babies in this place tried to stop me. I exited the cavern, the miasma still hanging low, obscuring visibility. There was a cool wind, and it felt good on my skin. The miasma slowly dissipated with the breeze, revealing nothing. There was a massive hole, and that was it. Nothing at all remained of the village. I didn't know how to feel at that moment. I thought it odd that I didn't feel. How many countless people died today? Tasha and my ma. They both died today. I felt numb. I didn't know what to think. I was alive, and I didn't know if that was a good thing. I turn towards the edge of the eastern border where the hills begin. I was finally free, but the cost I'd paid had been too high. The wind pushed me gently in the back, almost like, "What are you waiting for?" I took the hint, I took that first step as I headed for the hills. The wind was clean and crisp, but it aroused the smell of blood and death. I looked to the horizon. Hills stretched out before me as far as I could see. I saw the stars and galaxies swirl like liquid. I saw three moons rise at once to brighten the view. I saw limitless possibilities for what was to come, and I saw silver birds fly down to land on my shoulder. There would be a time to mourn what I had lost, but now wasn't that time. There was too much road ahead of me.