“Get up, Pale-Eyes!” T’cho yelled in his ear. He kicked a pink, exposed rib. It hurt. “Leave me alone,” Pa’haana said. Again he found it unnecessary to open his mouth to speak. “Why can’t you do as you are told?!” T’cho said. He slapped Pa’haana. “Useless!” Pa’haana’s eyes snapped open. *You should not have hit… Continue reading THE PATH Part 23

14 billion years. That’s how old the universe is. Think about that number, as much as you can; admittedly the human brain isn’t wired to truly grasp a number that large. Written out numerically that would be 14,000,000,000. That’s a lot of zeros. Now imagine a civilization, a race, even half that old. A third,… Continue reading We Are An Alien Science Experiment

Maker-of-Ghosts bellowed. Thick saliva blew from its muzzle, gleamed wet on its countless yellow fangs. Half of Pa’haana’s spear still protruded from the shaggy brown fur at the brute’s left shoulder, causing pain but no injury, serving but to fuel the beast’s rage. Maker-of-Ghosts stood above Pa’haana for many years. Each heartbeat lasted the duration… Continue reading THE PATH Part 22

“If I am to die, I might as well get it over with.” Pa’haana had spoken those words less than an hour past. And now he would fulfill them. Pa’haana looked into the eyes of Maker-of-Ghosts and saw death. His death, and Tobazhi’s. The brute’s eyes flared red in the light of the torches. The… Continue reading THE PATH Part 21

“Maker-of-Ghosts roams far,” Tobazhi had said, an hour before they came upon the monster in its lair. “And leaves bloody tracks everywhere he goes.” Pa’haana did not reply. He felt no need to do so. They had followed the beast’s trail for one day and half of the next, and indeed it had been a… Continue reading THE PATH Part 20

He’d waited until she woke up to cut off her nose. His rage had been all the greater, because her beauty would have brought him much riches when the time came to sell her. Yes, the one who called herself No-Name had been beautiful then. But even her shin’she’e dared not defy the Law. He… Continue reading THE PATH Part 19

No-Name waited until the sun had climbed high, and then she ran. She did not look back. A single hound, rooting through a garbage pile, raised its head and yapped. The noise made her cringe but she did not stop. If the dog’s barking should awaken anyone in the camp, No-Name intended to be far… Continue reading THE PATH Part 18

Pa’haana scowled at him, then turned to the Chief. “What is to be my punishment, then, Grandfather?” The Chief took the pipe from his lips. “To make atonement for the blood you have spilled,” he said, “you will go into the deep woods and kill Maker-of-Ghosts.” Pa’haana didn’t answer, but he felt a cold quiver… Continue reading THE PATH Part 17

As I sit typing these words, the Academy Awards show for 2022 has just wrapped. (No, we ain’t gonna talk about the slap.) I didn’t watch it. Other than NIGHTMARE ALLEY and DUNE getting nominated for Best Picture, I didn’t care, and I knew neither of those would win. Even on a good year the… Continue reading Oscar’s Hypocrisy

Senior ladies are beautiful in their own way. This post is in no way meant to be derogatory towards them. That should be stated upfront, so there is no misunderstanding. Got it? Good. So yes, old ladies are beautiful creatures. But they are not “hot”. I do not find them “sexy”. They do not crank… Continue reading Pearl is Hot