Sabit picked her way around a mass of young fruit trees sprouting from the stony remains of what must once have been a warehouse. Pushing through the foliage, Sabit stumbled over a human skull, an ugly gash on its forehead indicating a bloody, violent death. It was not the first one she had seen in the streets of “the jewel of the west.” She would be glad to see this place sink behind the horizon.
Emerging from the branches, Sabit had a clear view of the ship at dock. After the desolation of the city and the breaking of her spear, she longed to return to its familiar confines. Even if Allamu had not returned, Sabit could consult with Melcior, the ship’s captain, and plan the next phase of the search.
Sabit approached the ship in silence, and from the ship, silence answered—stillness, also. No member of the crew toiled at the ropes, nor slumbered upon the deck. The tall mast where Melcior had posted a sentry swayed gently with the river current, devoid of occupant. The rowers’ benches sat as empty testament to the missing crew.
Hurrying to the ship, Sabit found a few signs of struggle—a small spatter of fresh blood, a single fresh knick in a wooden gunwale—but not nearly the carnage that the entire crew would have left behind if they all had been taken by force.
Desperate for answers, Sabit seized a rope and began to climb the mast. The height would give her the best view into the city. She had barely begun her ascent when some vile insect stung her neck. Slapping at the pest with her free hand, Sabit’s fingers found a long, sharp wooden splinter with a fuzzy tuft on one end.
No, not a splinter. A dart.
Sensation faded rapidly from Sabit’s limbs. The sky above her seemed to spin as she fell from the mast.
—–
Wayfarings of Sabit: Isle of the Wicked is copyright (c) 2016 by Michael S. Miller. All rights reserved. New chapters post every weekday. You can support this and other stories on Patreon: https://patreon.com/michaelsmiller or http://ipressgames.com/fiction/