Not wanting to dare fate, you work your way slowly backwards into the root system of the gigantic tree. Wedged deep in a grotto, you find safety from the birds. The moments stretch into what seems like hours, as the pecking and scratching draws nearer. You feel as if the mammoth sparrow is right on top of you, mere inches away. You imagine it’s sharp pointed beak stabbing at pecking at your flesh.
It’s all you can do not to bolt and run.
Seconds latter, it’s all over. The flapping of wings indicates your safety as the bird takes flight. You make your way out of the musty hole in the ground.
That was close. Too close.
Walking out into the bright morning sun, you look around. The tree is smack in the middle of a little patch of dirt, just a bit away from the entrance to the bar. The street lies just beyond, to your left. It’s not that busy - well, compared to a downtown street. The run down cantina finds itself just on the border of town, the last bastion of civilization before the three or so miles of wilderness to the collage. This is the main drag into to the academy, so there is a fair amount of traffic - both foot and vehicle. Getting back to safety should be no problem.
After walking for an hour - and making no appreciable progress in the meantime, you eventually reach the bus stop. [i]This is going to take me days - all week![/i] That’s when you spot her.
She’s a young girl - freshman, you’d guess. Long brown hair, deeply tanned skin. Cut off shorts, leather biker jacket, black sandals, topped off by round framed sunglasses. Her attention is currently held by a thick tome with a black cover of some sort. She seems largely oblivious to the world.
*sigh* I know where this is going. you think loudly to yourself, walking slowly forward.
This sandal is huge!! The sole part is two inches thick - well above your head. On the up side, it's also covered in carved designs, making it a snap to climb. Tentatively, you start making your way up the side of her shoe. Fortunately the girl doesn’t seem to be moving a lot. It must be an engrossing book.
Reaching the top, you roll over onto the flat surface of the sandal. The ledge you are standing on is about 6 feet wide. Just to your immediate right is the where the strap meets the stitching of the sole. Above you is where the strap meets the ankle. Before you is a vast wall of flesh, covered in tiny (and gigantic) lines. You reach out and touch her tough, leathery skin. Its firm under your hand.
I wonder if she is ticklish. you ponder with an evil grin, poking her foot gently. No response, of course.
You look up - this is going to be a long climb, if you choose to make it. If the bus comes along and she starts moving, you could easily be dislodged. A fall from that height would surely be lethal. Of course, hanging out at foot level all day would get you nowhere fast. It might be fun, but certainly not productive.
What will it be, trooper?
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