I am 50 skulls old today. My parents say I am bigger now than Bansel was before he... disappeared. I am now the biggest kid they have raised. I feel sure that I will be a grown-up soon.
Since the skulls are taking up a lot of space in the counting skin, they started using a naia stone for 10 skulls. We call it "lights", so in other words I am 5 lights old.
Ikus is four lights old, he has also gotten pretty big. He really likes to run around and crawl on things... he's good at climbing, and the grown ups have to keep an eye on him often.
Katika is 3 lights old and is also big, she doesn't really want to go outside as much as the other kids and prefers to stay inside. Leon and Laut are both almost 3 lights old.
My parents have also had another daughter named Mari, who is 18 skulls old, and Gatyk and Filiny had a son and a daughter named Niek and Panna. It's pretty crowded now, and they have built the home to be even bigger.
Hast likes to build things out of bones, rocks and pelts, but it's hard to keep them upright. He isn't allowed to cut out rocks from the wall or floor. He says when he's big he's going to build a home with rooms on top of eachother, instead of next to eachother, and they'll be taller than the maze's walls... I don't think it sounds possible...
"Ellei, we have decided..." Armun says, with a reluctant note to his voice, "you should go on a hunting trip for the first time.
"Yes!!" I jump in excitement. "When are we going?"
"Soon. And I want you to stay behind us the whole time and watch."
"I will not get to do it myself?"
"No, not this time. I just want you to see it."
"Okay..." I'm a little disappointed, but I'm mostly excited to see the outside.
Arbella gives me a blade. "Only use this if you get attacked." she says.
We go to the gate, and Armun pulls the skins aside. I walk with them outside... there is a very very long path lined with naia stones. I've never seen something so far... Armun and Arbella lead the way along the path, then take one of the side paths into the maze.
I spot an anim on the ground, further down the passage. It's long, and has no legs... it's a beo. When it spots us, it slithers away quickly.
"Why did it run away?" I ask.
"Beos and jamn do not attack us anymore. Especially when we are in groups. I guess they know they can not win."
I keep my eyes open for movement... I see another anim, it's a maum. It runs away too.
Armun chases it. He is faster and kills it.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83ZJqKum1w
"Maums and uams have more meat than beos and jamns. Almers and lensels have more, and are the best to hunt. Arubs have the most... but it is best not to try to kill them, since they are the most dangerous, it is not worth it." Arbella explains.
We continue on the travel. I see a lensel... I'm amazed by the way it crawls on the walls... eventually, they have enough and they turn around.
"What is outside of the maze?" I ask.
"We have never seen the outside." Armun says. "We do not know if there is one at all."
"Oh... can I see the top of the maze?"
Armun and Arbella glance at eachother. "Yes... when we get home."
Once we're back, they put the anims aside, then he takes me inside, taking aside a piece of skin on the wall. I didn't even know there was a room behind it... there's a staircase, which leads to the top of the wall. He helps me climb up, until I step onto the top of the wall. I look around... the maze continues on forever no matter where I look.
"Wow..." I say, staring at the horizons.
"Yes... it seems to go on forever..."
"It's so beautiful!"
"You really think so?" He looks surprised.
I've never seen anything like it, the lines of the maze stretch on and on. I want to travel out there one day... and see if it really does go on forever...11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bMeoRV0Mh
We go back down.
"How was it?" Hast asks.
"The world is so big, I could never have imagined it... it looks like it never ends!" I say.
"I hope I can see it soon." he says.
"You' will be five lights old soon. And when we're grown ups, we'll go down the big path and see how far it goes."
ns 15.158.61.54da2
