Its back was covered in a mesh of human bones, interwoven with what appeared to be a rope made from their hair. It wore them like a hermit crab wears a shell, always searching for more cover as it outgrew each new addition in a matter of days.
The island it had been born to had long since been picked clean, nothing remaining save for a few tattered huts and a neat pile of bones that had been too small to be of any use. Anything it could catch had been caught and when it realised this, already on the verge of outgrowing its bones, it took to the waters and began its first search.
Shallow water fisherman came first - it got trapped by their nets and hauled onto their boat. They were added to its shell before sundown. It rested in the lower decks, sleeping off its gluttony til waves faded and the boat came to a graceful, sloping halt on a beach.
It skittered onto the main deck, soaking in the sun's warmth as, in the distance, the sounds of life awoke.
No comments:
Post a Comment