Encounter

Life was a delicate balance between survival and the whims of nature, where each day brought forth challenges that tested one's resilience and adaptability.

As the first rays of dawn pierced through the dense foliage, Garnt's eyes fluttered open, his head pounding and his body burning with fever. He groaned softly, trying to make sense of his surroundings. The cave felt oppressively warm, and the air was thick with humidity.

"Mother?" Garnt's voice croaked weakly as he turned his gaze toward the woman who had raised him. His heart sank at the sight of her flushed face, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. She was sick too, just like him. He could see the worry etched into her features, a silent acknowledgement of their dire situation.

"Garnt, my dear," she rasped, her voice barely audible. "The rain... it brought illness with it. We must fight to survive."

Garnt nodded, his young mind struggling to comprehend the gravity of the situation. Rain, usually a life-giving force, had become a harbinger of doom. He clenched his small fists, determination flaring in his feverish eyes.

"I won't let us succumb, Mother," he vowed, his voice surprisingly resolute despite his frailty. "I'll find a way to make us better."

His mother managed a weak smile, her love and pride evident even in her weakened state. "You have the spirit of a true caveman, my brave Garnt."

Summoning every ounce of his willpower, Garnt pushed himself upright, his body protesting every movement. The fever was unrelenting, but he couldn't afford to surrender. He recounted the story of the rain – how it had brought not just water, but sickness that now threatened their very existence.

As the words spilt from his cracked lips, he couldn't help but marvel at his own courage. He was just a child, but the weight of responsibility bore down on him like a boulder. He had to question himself the purpose of pushing his body to the limit, as he had no idea what to do.

'What can I do? How can we fight this illness?'

Thinking about his next moves, he staggered towards the entrance of the cave, the world outside coming into view. But what he saw took his breath away – the land was transformed into a waterlogged expanse, the floodwaters glistening under the pale light. The cave entrance was surrounded by a shimmering pool, their isolation now complete.

Tears welled up in Garnt's eyes, not from the fever, but from the sheer helplessness of it all. He was so thirsty, his throat parched and his body weak. His gaze fell on the flooded water at his feet, an instinctive urge to drink it clawing at him.

"I can't take it anymore, I need water,"

Yet, as he knelt by the water's edge, something within him shifted. A profound sense of disgust surged through him, overriding his desperation. It was as if some ancient instinct warned him – the water was tainted, poisoned by the same rain that had brought them sickness.

With a shudder, Garnt pulled back, his resolve unwavering. He turned away from the flooded waters, his gaze fixated on the land beyond. He couldn't give in to despair; he had to find a way to save himself and his mother.

But suddenly a new sensation overcame him. It was as if a veil had been lifted, revealing glimpses of a world unlike any he had ever known. Images flashed before his eyes, vivid and bewildering. He blinked, trying to make sense of the strange visions that now mingled with his surroundings.

"What is this? What are these giant shining things? Why are these birds carrying humans inside their bellies? Why do people cover their bodies like this?"

His head throbbed, the pain intensified by the flood of foreign memories flooding his senses. Faces of people he didn't recognize flashed through his mind – people engaged in activities he could barely comprehend.

"Mother! Help me, it hurts, these things hurt," Garnt shouted, but no voice came out of his mouth. It was as if he had been frozen in an empty room all by himself, but he kept shouting longing for someone to hug him. "Mother! Mother! Mother!"

[Calm down, kid. Take a deep breath and calm down]

The strange voice resonated gently in Garnt's mind, a soothing presence amidst the chaos of unfamiliar sensations.

Garnt's rapid heartbeat began to slow as he focused on the voice. Confusion still clouded his mind, but the voice offered a glimmer of reassurance.

"Who... who are you?" Garnt stammered in his thoughts, his mental voice trembling. "Are you a natural spirit?"

[Well you could say that] the voice replied, its tone kind and patient.

[I know this is overwhelming, but you're not alone. I'm here to help you, so listen to me]

Garnt's panic started to subside, replaced by a cautious curiosity. "What is happening to me? Why do I see all of this? Am I going to die?"

[Those memories you saw are a part of you now, after all, they will help you in future, but right now I need you to heal your body]

"Mother!" Garnt's fear surged again, his voice echoing in his thoughts. "I need to find my mother, she is sick! Help me, please!"

The voice's tone shifted, becoming slightly more urgent.

[If you want to save your mother, you must listen to me from now on. Can you do that?]

Garnt nodded mentally, determination replacing his fear. "Yes, yes, I'll listen. Just tell me how to save her!"

The voice couldn't help but laugh seeing how naive he was, but she didn't expect a cave kid to have any common sense and she knew from now on this idiotic kid was going to be her host.

[Good] the voice affirmed with a firm voice.

[You can call me Eva since that is my name and I will call you Garnt, Our partnership is going to be a long one, so I hope you won't disappoint me, little boy]

Garnt nodded his head looking at the flooded forest, and he knew from now on his life was going to change for better or worse, but he was ready to embrace that change after all, he knew living in a cave wasn't the peak of what humanity is what capable of. But also bridge the gap between the primordial past and the boundless possibilities of a world that is yet to come.