บท 5: The Lullaby Of Nature
Daniel surged forward, his movements swift as he sprinted through the sandy terrain, creating a visible cloud akin to an elephant in motion.
The makeshift club raised high above his head, Daniel executed a powerful swing, aiming to deliver a decisive blow and secure a one-hit kill against the approaching lizard.
"I'm sorry, little buddy, but I need food," Daniel confessed, a conflict of emotions evident in his demeanor as he brought the club down upon the lizard.
Despite the plethora of reservations flooding his thoughts, Daniel pressed on with the motion. He grasped the harsh reality of the food pyramid and the unrelenting cruelty of nature.
In the absence of any form of civilization to provide both literal and philosophical shelter, Daniel found himself isolated within the stark confines of the food pyramid. It enveloped him entirely, leaving him with no alternative but to embrace his role in this primal cycle.
Amidst the structured realms of civilization, the majority blissfully overlook the profound distance that separates them from nature—the raw, visceral acts of killing, harvesting, and labor essential for survival. Though the methods may vary, the essence of the process remains unaltered; they merely assume the role of the consumer.
A resonant *squelch* punctuated the air, ushering in a moment of profound silence, as Daniel grappled with the stark reality of his actions.
In an abrupt burst of realization, Daniel exclaimed, "OH MY GOD," his voice echoing through the oasis.
His strength had proven overwhelming, reducing the lizard to nothing more than a splotch on the pristine white sand. A sense of disbelief washed over him as he grumbled in discomfort, realizing that his unintended display of power had left him without a meal.
His gaze fixed on the crimson stain on the sand, Daniel grappled with the weight of what he had just done.
The absence of a harvest after the kill, what others might label a murder, clashed with Daniel's ethical principles. A disoriented, uneasy feeling settled within him.
'Uhh...'
*Pukes*
The aftermath of his first kill left Daniel wrestling with nausea and unease.
"Oh, I guess I ended up puking anyway."
"It's my first time. I'll be fine... I'll-"
*Pukes*
Interrupted by the persistent churn in his gut, the reality of taking a life unsettled him, prompting another bout of sickness.
Daniel averted his gaze from the grisly aftermath, unable to stomach the sight of scattered chunks of meat, ligaments, and brain matter.
"I'm okay... I'm okay. Surely this is a one-time happenstance." After a momentary pause, Daniel gathered himself.
He ran around the oasis, searching for his next victim... I mean, meal. His hunger persisted, driving him to secure sustenance, momentarily distracting him from the lingering trauma of his first kill.
As he strolled along, another lizard caught his eye. This one was smaller and darker.
'I'm sorry, little homie, but I gotta eat. Else I'll starve,' Daniel lamented as he began approaching the lizard.
"Alright, I'll pretend I know how much I'm holding back & say... uhh, 50%," Daniel mumbled to himself, gearing up for a quick approach toward the lizard.
This time, he aimed for its head with an underhand swing, hoping for a swift and merciful end.
As the lizard saw his approach, it hissed and jumped toward him! How could it not see the big plumes of sand dust rising into the air, getting closer?!
'Ha! Wrong move, homie. I read you like a book!' Daniel reveled in his opponent's lack of intelligence and anticipated an easy victory.
As the club connected with the lizard's head, it came off! Almost like unscrewing a light bulb!
*Squelch*
*Snap!*
Its vertebrae broke at its neck as its head went flying in the opposite direction!
'Yes!' Daniel raised his hands in victory!
The body dropped a bit past him, skidding to a halt in the sand, the warm blood splashing onto his face and body.
"Haha! I succ-"
*Puke*
The nausea was back in full swing.
"Ugh.. I'll be o-"
*Puke*
"I'll be okay"
A few moments later, he grabbed the carcass & moved to where he landed in the sand. It was a pit, so he hoped to start a fire there.
Daniel dusted his hands off and walked around, gathering dead grass, twigs, and some bigger pieces of wood.
After finishing, he walked around in search of stones.
'Oh, that's right. Flint is usually found in waterbeds.'
He headed over to the oasis, only some tens of meters away from him.
As he walked, he played with the sand on his toes. Surprisingly, it wasn't searing hot, only mildly warm. With the sun beaming down, you'd expect the desert to be hotter.
Daniel stared into the water, looking for dark stones beneath the surface.
'I've seen too many scary movies regarding water so I'm going to avoid swimming in it. Of course, it's an oasis, so nothing large could live here.. Right?'
Soon he spotted one; a dark stone.
'Cool!'
He reached into the water & grabbed the stone.
As he inspected it, he was correct!
'Perfect! It's dark gray & has sharp edges. Now, all we gotta do is find another!
After a bit of searching, he was able to find another flintstone.
Once he got back to his pit, he set up the dead grass above some twigs crisscrossed to allow airflow.
After he set up the twigs teepee style, he once more made another teepee with the bigger pieces of wood.
'Looks pretty good so far! Let's start the fire!' Daniel struck the two pieces of Flintstone against each other.
Sparks flew into the dead grass & caught fire!
Daniel gently blew on the lit grass, inciting a stronger exothermic reaction.
As the fire started, it grew larger, the small twigs, the branches, it all followed suit in a domino effect.
Once the fire was self-sustainable, he proceeded to make a makeshift grill.
Using twigs and bigger pieces of wood, he made two supporting points, after which adding five twigs that stretched in between.
'Cool, time to... uhh.' Daniel scratched his head.
'I've never skinned an animal... ugh... This is gonna be fun. I'll have to hurry; the fire is already burning.'
Adapting to nature after only knowing civilization was prone to a lot of hardships, but then again, he had no choice if he wanted to live.
Daniel then used one of the sharper Flintstones and stood before the carcass.
'I can do this; it's just a dead animal.' After consoling himself, he started cutting the lizard.
Despite the abundant challenges—profanity, bouts of nausea, and overall discomfort—Daniel persevered in the grueling task of preparing the lizard for consumption.
Once he had carved out sizable slabs of reptilian meat, he carefully arranged them on a makeshift grill. The remaining, less palatable parts of the lizard were relegated to a spot about thirty meters away, as a provision for whatever scavengers might happen upon them.
'They can have what I don't want to eat.' Daniel strolled away, a sense of accomplishment mixed with a hint of a smile on his face.
With the grill set up, Daniel deftly flipped the meat slices as they sizzled and cooked to a beautiful, appetizing brown. As the aroma wafted through the air, he couldn't help but reminisce.
'I like my cooked meat a bit crunchy... I miss cookouts in the summer.' Lost in thought, Daniel kept a vigilant eye on the meat until it reached his desired level of doneness.
'Thanks for the food, bro. Your sacrifice will be appreciated.' With that silent acknowledgment, he sat down and eagerly began to indulge in the fruits of his labor.
The quiet desert ambiance was intermittently interrupted by the rhythmic sound of Daniel's chewing, each bite a testament to the success of his makeshift cooking endeavor.
"Mmm. It's really good, it just needs some salt & pepper & it would be so much better." The enjoyment resonated in Daniel's voice as he savored his meal.
With his hunger temporarily satisfied, Daniel turned his attention to the remaining portion of meat. A thought struck him: 'I should smoke it!'
Guided by this culinary inspiration, he approached the oasis, gathering scoops of water. The oasis water, slightly salty, held the potential to enhance the flavor of the meat through smoking. As Daniel walked back to his pit, anticipation hung in the air.
He tossed the water onto the sand, a realization dawning on him—perhaps he should have fashioned a container first. The oversight, now evident, added a touch of irony to the otherwise triumphant moment.
'Dummy!' Daniel chided himself, a touch of self-amusement evident in his voice. Determined to rectify the oversight, he gathered the tatters of his clothes and fashioned a makeshift container from twigs. Returning to the oasis, he carefully scooped up another round of water.
As he came back to his cooking site, a new development caught his attention. Other animals, drawn by the enticing aroma of grilled meat, were beginning to encroach upon his territory.
"Shoo!" Daniel bellowed, his voice echoing across the desert. The critters, startled by the sonorous command, scattered in different directions, relinquishing their claim to the aromatic feast.
After about an hour, the water had evaporated & a bit of salt was left behind.
'A few more times, and I'll have enough for the meat.'
...
After repeating this step several times, he finally had enough.
At this point, he started snuffing out the fire with a bit of water, until only the smoke reached the skies.
'Cool, in about six hours, I'll have some smoked rations.' Daniel smiled at the thought of indulging in smoked meat.
He stood up and surveyed his surroundings. The setting suns cast long shadows across the vast desert. With darkness on the horizon, he realized he needed shelter. He had roughly a couple of hours before the veil of night descended upon the land.
'I've got food, I've got water as long as I don't drink a lot, the salt shouldn't affect my body. But shelter... Hmm... Should I use the palm trees, or should I just dig into the sand and create a snug little cave to call home?' Daniel pondered his options.
Logically speaking, finding civilization was the next step. However, who knew how far the nearest village was? The vastness of the desert hinted at the potential danger of getting lost.
The changing hues of the evening sky painted a sense of urgency.
'It's gonna be night soon; I'll just camp out then. I'll gather some leaves, dead grass, and more leaves to fashion a makeshift bed.'
As twilight embraced the desert landscape, the suns dipped below the horizon, and the celestial canvas above transformed into a breathtaking tapestry of stars.
'Wow... The moon is beautiful, so big too?' Daniel marveled at the celestial orb, sprawled on his makeshift bed. His arms crossed beneath his head, adding to the growing allure of drowsiness.
The moon, casting its ethereal glow, appeared about ten times larger than its Earthly counterpart. It hung in the night sky like a mesmerizing lantern, captivating the lone observer.
Truly a sight to behold.
'It's a full moon tonight. I wonder what month it is? Year? Do they follow the same calendar as us? Or do they have a different system? Wouldn't that be something cool to discover?' Daniel mused.
As Daniel succumbed to his thoughts, he gradually slipped into the realm of sleep.
Not long after, something intriguing unfolded in his surroundings.
The moonlight wrapped around him, akin to a gentle spotlight's embrace. The sand beneath him transformed into an almost non-Newtonian liquid, gently molding itself to create a more comfortable bed for Daniel.
His surroundings seemed to defy gravity, suspended in a tranquil dance.
The light breeze, accompanied by the soothing sounds of the desert, served as a lullaby for the weary traveler.
Soon, he entered a profound slumber, and the enchanting phenomenon persisted.
A night of serene beauty and tranquility unfolded.
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