Chapter 1:

Swallow

Kaiju Country


Claw crept slowly across the jungle floor on his hands and knees hoping he wouldn't die today.

The grassy cracked pavement felt cold and damp under his palms from the heavy rain that lasted all night and throughout most of the morning. The first ground shake began earlier than it normally did most days so he decided to be cautious and leave his home before the sun had fully risen above the canopy of trees and mangled skyscrapers. A crooked tower he'd been calling "home" for the last two nights loomed over him, engulfing his shadow within its own. He was only a few hundred yards away from the tower when the second ground shaking began. The first one was light, only harsh enough to rock Claw awake, but when he stood up he could begin to feel the crooked tower lean even farther than before. As soon as he exited the ground floor he looked up and could easily see the structure was starting to slant farther to the left than the night before. 

The second one made his whole body shudder, a cacophony of trees quaking and branches snapping above him drowned out the sound of the tower collapsing behind him. It wasn't until the square stone symbol displayed prominently atop the tower came flying down snapping a tree in half right next to Claw made him notice. As soon as he turned around he saw the imposing building no longer leaning sharply to the left but sweeping downward in his direction, simultaneously feeling like it was falling in slow motion and at an unstoppably high speed all at once. Time seemed to stand still until he leapt behind the square symbol and tree it had cut down only moments before the tower hit the ground. Immense pressure from it slammed against the symbol and trees trunk almost as fast as he'd moved out of the way. Rubble showered around his makeshift shelter as it crushed everything around him. A particularly large hunk of rock crashed against the overgrown green pavement so hard a piece of concrete came flying off and clocked Claw across the forehead. Within moments of seeing blood trickle down the bridge of his nose he blacked out.            

                         *    *    *    *

By the time he awoke it was already nightfall. The moon's pale light dimly lit the world as Claws vision unblurred and returned to normal. His eyelids cracked open from the dried blood that'd run down from his forehead while he slept as he looked around making sure he was still alive. The first thing his eyes focused on was the square symbol that saved his life, he never noticed the detailed lines and stars engraved into it when it was atop the crooked tower.  Slowly he stood up, testing his footing while balancing  himself against the stone surface of the symbol. He was confused by how he slept through the day without another ground shake waking him but that wasn't his main priority. He knew by now It would be near the jungle, and if he didn't find somewhere to hide for the night he'd be Its next meal.

Comically, at the exact same moment that thought crossed his mind, he was swallowed whole. Unbeknownst to him It had been towering above him while he slept, and didn't notice him until he stood up. Normaly a Kaiju as massive as It could never sneak up on him like this but circumstances came together perfectly (and conveniently) for him to be eaten alive.

"The end?" Claw thought inside the pitch blackness of Its mouth. "This is the end for me?" was the last thing that popped into his head before the heat of Its breath caused him to pass out for the second time that day.

Joe Gold
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Kaiju Country


triskilian
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