The Rift Rider (23 page)

Doctor Sree
caught the ball, threw it, caught it, threw it. Again and again and again. Is
this green furry ball a gift or a curse? he thought. The alien had returned
with it a week after depositing him here in his private cell.

He caught the
ball, stood up and walked over to the glassless window, a perfect square cut
into the clay hut. No bars obscured his view. Bars would be superfluous.

 
From his location at the peak of
Poklawi's highest mountain, he had a perfect view of the Yult mountain range. It
crawled for as far as the eye could see, a winding horned beast without legs. He
stared out at the pristine sky, counting the flyers cutting through the
sapphire blueness, their wings glistening gold as they preyed on the creatures
of the sky. Wings he thought, that's what I need.