Unknown Footprints

Krule and Krusolik woke from a sleep, in a northern forest, a tundra forest, in a near broken teepee, far, far away, from home. The night before, Krusolik broke into an argument with their mother.

Krule, the younger brother, cried himself to sleep, he couldn't bear hearing them fight. It made him miss Fa even more.

It was 9 moons ago, Fa was a skilled hunter, leading a hunt for food. It was winter and it was getting colder, the clan's portions weren't enough, so Fa proposed with four other men to hunt a megalonyx, they’re huge and can feed many. Once they encountered one, more appeared, then more, then more. The men were dumbfounded at the sight. Then Fa realised, they were migrating North. Without any time to even think, two men ran at the beasts with sharpened branches, spears. Then a chaotic frenzy of claws wreaked havoc amongst them. Fa knew that no man could win this battle, not even him, so he fled behind a boulder. Hoping they wouldn’t catch his scent, he needed to blend in. He reached into his pouch for an unpleasant turkey carcass and tried to smother his body with its scent. Megalonyx were herbivores, they wouldn't bother a rotting turkey, thought Fa, they would rather browse on bushes. After the megalonyx left, he noticed one was behind, still scanning for berries. Fa knew he couldn’t come back to his camp without any food, so he rushed at the beast, with an axe in his hand, and flung it against its head, whilst also getting struck by its large, razor-sharp, murderous claws. Fa died a hero that day, but also left his wife and two kids.

Ma decided to retreat, further north, no clan, no people, no friends, just ourselves. Krusolik was just like his father, brave, smart, a skilled hunter, funny, but ever since Fa died, he got sadder and more serious. Krule also was sad, every night, crying to the spirits, praying for a blessing. He was smart and athletic and caring, now he must leave everything from his past.

When the sun woke up, shining its light of life, Krule woke up to check the fishing lines that Krusolik set the other day. When he counted, he saw two whole salmon. It must've been his hunger, but they looked delicious and more sparkling than any other salmon in the river. “Ma!” He screamed… nothing answered back. “Ma!” He screamed again… nothing. He went to her teepee to see nothing but her blankets and winter gear. Did she leave? Why? She can’t live without her equipment, thought Krule in a panic. He raced to Krusolik’s teepee, and luckily, he was there. “Where is Ma?!” He yelled. "Why, what happened," Krusolik asked with a sense of worry in his face. “I don’t know – she’s gone! We have to go look for her, she doesn’t have her winter gear or blankets!” Krule answered. “Let’s go then, bring her gear and food," Krusolik said.

They left the camp and began a search. It was hours and hours, and they still couldn't find Ma. Just when they started to lose hope and head back, they went backtracking and observed strange footprints… unknown footprints. They looked like a cross between a huge frog paw and a monkeys foot. But what was even more strange, was that it was greater than a mammoths head! Even though they were on a look for Ma, the brothers decided to track them.

It seemed as if they would go on forever until they led to a huge metallic looking object. A rock upside-down mushroom? Krule heard Fa talk about one, and how he had to escape one of them when he was getting chased by – something, Fa didn't know what was chasing him, he just knew he needed to get back to safety. As curious as ever, Krusolik yelled “Ma!” And of course, nothing answered back, but an unusual buzzing sound, then a mysterious figure appeared. "Hello, Eee- aerth- alingz, we have come to destroy your wor – “ Krule and Krusolik ran fast to get further away from… it. They couldn’t understand or see it, they only heard fumbled up sounds and noises.

This is when things got worse. They got stuck between the bottom of two mountain cliffs and it cornered them. “Listen, you don’t have to do this, just come onto our ship and- “said the stranger. Krusolik threw his axe at it, and it vanished! Then reappeared! Then charged. It launched a punch at Krule, he avoided and jabbed his dagger into its chest. The beast screamed in rage, then multiplied everywhere, swarming Krusolik and then disappearing into nothing with him.

In a bewildered and angry state, Krule yelled out “Krusolik! Where are you?” Nothing replied, but the soft peck of a bird seeking for worms, and a squirrel, grazing on a shrub. Krule went everywhere to find his brother, even the enormous upside-down mushroom. It was gone. It disappeared. Then Krule saw Krusolik, lying on the ground. “Krusolik, are you okay? What happened? Are you hurt?” “I’m okay Krule, let’s just go find Ma.” Krule examined his body for healable wounds, but then he saw a scar on his chest, a dagger wound. Krule rushed for his knife and paused for a second and said, "You're not my brother… alien.” He jabbed his dagger into its head, as it showed its true form, and crumbled into nothing.

Krule sobbed all night, he couldn’t sleep. His life was full of violence, anger and death, and he now needs to let his soul rest. He realises this and sleeps, at last in peace.