The Settlement

The portal devoured me and I walked right into this gate of space.

Disorientation welcomed me with open arms, and a dull ache reverberated through my body.

Like a tuning fork, my bones vibrated with pain and my head buzzed with sharp throbs, threatening to rob me of my consciousness. But no thief would rob me of anything.

Faster than it came, the sensation ended, and I found myself at the other end of the portal, surrounded by a great clattering commotion.

It took a moment before clarity returned to me, and my senses cleared up, allowing me reprieve from this crippling experience.

Exiting the portal, I managed to hold myself from falling this time, standing on my two feet to welcome a breath of fresh air, free from the stale air of drying blood and the craze of wilderness I was deeply submerged in.

A very faint melody of chirping sang in my ears and the sun bore down its heat with surprising mercy. The winds were sharp, and the smell of humidity was accumulating.