Chapter 6: The Cycle of Life

I was in darkness once more but there was nothing to be afraid of. The shellfish on my side would probably disagree. We weren't in a pleasant place at all and without the shell, the shellfish looked really small. I wonder if it felt fear.

This was probably it for the shellfish. However for me, I was now stuck in a very different place. It took me a while to get out of the shellfish's prison but how long would it take me to escape the bird? Unless I could successfully absorb its entire body into me, I highly doubt I could escape. Even so, I needed to be able to move on my own after I did that.

Both of us landed in hot liquid that smelled terrible. While nothing other than the smell affected me, the same could not be said for the shellfish.

The moment the shellfish touched this foul liquid, it started to melt in a horrific manner. What was happening? I could only watch on in fascination and horror.

It took a while to understand what I was seeing, the fatigue left behind me.

Burning the shellfish's last moments into my memory, I now understood why the shellfish was so stubborn and refused to give in to the horrible attacks by the bird. If it gave in, it was doomed. Unfortunately, the bird was stronger and it met the same fate.

My respect for the shellfish hit the climax. What a noble way of life and yet what a cruel death. I will adopt its way of living in memory of our almost-friendship.

With that thought, I felt the fatigue that left me return at full force. Now that the shellfish was no longer here, I had no more reason to fight it. Sleep took over as I grew immune to the putrid smell.