The Sole Runner
The third floor was still vacant when I came out of the speed training room.
I could feel his anger even through the closed door.
With Agile protection, I had no worries. I won’t end up like the newcomer.
I breezed through the empty halls, enjoying the white noise coming from the air ventilation.
It was this soft humming sound.
Fattaralla used to hum it when she used to help Ma make clay pots.
Ever since GOU stepped in, I’ve stopped fretting over them for the slightest inconvenience.
Life seemed better than it used to be.
I should have headed back to the fourth floor: the fourth floor belonged to GOU — lounges, private libraries, resting rooms, showers, even a sauna I couldn’t comprehend how half of it worked.
The list of accommodation provided by the arena was endless. I couldn’t even comprehend how most worked.
It brings back memories of when I first met GOU.
Everything felt odd back then. One day I was on my home planet, which was close to destruction, and the next, we were all safe.
I stood in front of the elevator, pondering whether to head up to take a bath or go to the ground floor.
I didn’t feel like going up there right now. I needed a fresh breath of air, and I knew just the perfect place for it.
Location: 317UXG - Valconalla
Status: Unstable
Current time: 0820 local
Type: Dwarf Planet
Diameter: 1,882 km
Population: 1,132
Solar System: Nok - 17
Inhabitant: Tuttwana
Attributes: red, yellow and orange skin tones. Long claws. All genders are capable of pregnancy. Pregnancy lasts for 3 months. Lifespan is shortened due to the harsh climate. Most offspring do not survive infancy.
I stepped outside, letting the wind wash over me, carrying a hint of burnt ash, and suddenly memories of home swept back.
For over a millennium, my people have made this ashy planet their home. This ashy place was never a bright place. It was always this gray. Gray as smoke.
Because of a parasitic, ruthless organism taking over my ancestors’ place of birth, they had to escape. They lacked the technology and strength to keep driving until they found a suitable home.
The lack of ambition led them here. To the nearest planet for survival and survival only.
And just their luck, the old spacecraft landed with a thud. Breaking down completely and unable to function for the next thousand years.
And for centuries, they lived here, trying to survive and develop to adapt to the hostile environment of this small volcanic planet.
With over eight active volcanoes erupting every minute.
What we didn’t know was that one was sleeping.
A sleeping beast, as humans say in their common tongue.
“Eralla,”
The mellow voice of Ma gently stroked me out of slumber.
“Eralla.”
A soft, brisk smile crept across my face.
My eyes fluttered open; the first thing I saw was the yellowish-orange tint of my Ma’s hand hovering over me with light gray smoke lingering.
“Ma, you don’t have to do this.”
“How can I not? You need every blessed smoke.”
I nuzzled her hand away from me as I sat up on the satta*. Stretching my arms out, I scanned our hut, which starts with one bed and ends with 13.
The room was empty beside Ma and me.
The others must be fooling around despite telling them to behave
Motalla and Koralla along with Soralla liked to get near the smaller active volcanoes despite the warning. They were the eldest after me.
Tiballa, Osamalla, would join with others of their age and fool around. Stealing pots and gray greens to sell for toukina*.
Lylla and her twin Somala would just be by themselves.
While Gibralla, Fattaralla, Quen-alla, and Batharalla being the youngest would always play Monomitt*.
“I heard from Oubural that Ka-Tohthorayn said tettara* will die faster.”
Ma said, walking around the hut, smoking the entire place.
“Every year this place is getting worse,” I muttered, swinging my legs off the satta*. I walked towards the kitchen at the far left corner of the hut and sat down on the hard floor made from the dirt collected near the active qualtentk*.
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“We must not talk about Ma-Oktava* like this.”
“Ma, stop with that nonsense.”
I chastised, shoving my right hand into a clay pot made from the clay found near water. I took out the long, tube shaped slimy tettara.
The slimy, gulpy soft-boiled in the near hot spring came out.
The liquid dripped down my mouth as I slurped it all in.
It was blank. It had no taste or flavor. An empty meal devoid of everything to fulfill one’s body. It was the only edible thing on Ma-Oktava hence why we all ate it as if it was the best thing.
“They told me to tell you they will be leaving in an hour for the hunt.”
I looked towards her, nodding my head.
“Be careful out there, Eralla.”
“I know, Ma.”
“And don’t fall behind them.”
“I know, Ma.”
“But also, don’t be too quick.”
“Right, Ma.”
The boiled tettara was slurped up, and then I wiped my forearm.
I stood up properly on my feet, making my way over to my touki*. I fell down on my knees on top of the bed to grab my pouch — made from the skin of a tettara. It helps carry more.
Ma made it for me when I first started to run alongside Fa.
“Are you already leaving?”
“Yeah Ma. I am going to meet with a friend before I join the hunt.”
Adjusting my ragged brown shirt, I got up and moved towards the door.
I turned to look back at Ma, who was already in tears.
“I will send in Lylla and Somala. You’re not alone.”
I whispered. Despite my best efforts to show Ma how I cared, my voice remained flat.
Since Fa was lost to Soktane* two months ago, Ma has been emotionally vulnerable. Clinging onto me every second of the day.
And I have become the sole hunter for my family of thirteen.
When Fa was alive, I went on small hunts alongside him, never a big one, but now, no matter if running cramps my legs or eating tettara makes me sick, I have to run. Or else my family would go hungry.
And if something happened to me, Motalla would become the next hunter in my family.
I couldn’t let her become it. She was nowhere fast enough nor had the stamina to run for long. Or escape when things go south.
I have to be strong for my family, and survive.
No matter what.
“Eralla.”
My head snapped around when I heard someone call out my name.
Behind me, a tall, lanky man with burgundy short hair was running after me and quickly catching up with me.
“Eralla, I have been looking for you.”
My face remained flat as I stared up at him. Before I could respond, he added, “I asked Motalla, Gibralla, Tiballa and even your snoopy brother Quen-alla. By the ashes, he gets on my nerves.”
“Why were you looking for me?”
“My Maa-a has allowed me to become part of the Runners.”
“Oh…”
“Yeah, so I was like, if I am becoming a part of the Runners, I might as well make progress to know them. Observe them. And well… you are the coolest runner I have ever seen, so… I am here.”
“I see…”
I turned around and strolled straight ahead. I could feel his eyes fixed on me as he caught up, falling into the rhythm of my steps.
Ougine had been… enamored of me since he was four. I was thirteen.
I didn’t understand back then what he saw in me, and even after all six years, I still don’t.
I never led him on, and I will never do so.
He just isn’t my type.
Ma wanted me to be with him and forget all about Aourine.
People always backed away when I didn’t show any outlined emotions across my face. Though I still felt pain, anger and sometimes happiness.
Only a handful of people found themselves drawn in rather than pulled back.
Ougine is one of them.
Despite not being into him, I still appreciated his company.
“Be careful out there, Ougine.”
I whispered, staring down as my feet floated above the grainy gray sand.
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Txetia Glossary
(Sat-tah) — means “mattress”
(Touk-ki-na) — the currency on Valconalla
(Mo-no-mith) — a game similar to “tag”.
(Qua-ten-tak) — means “volcano”
(Tet-ta-ra) — means Mushroom. They are long, tube-like slimy with a thick brown shell. The only source of food found in 317.
(Maa-uuk-ta-va) — Local name for the planet. Also means mother lava.
(Tok-key) — means “bed”
Soktane (Su-keh-tane) — the volcano closest to her village.
