T R A P S ! [SAIGA]

[Howard Wright]

The miner shibito lowered it’s view on the old-fashioned rile, fat body swaying around as if shaken by the wind. It scratched it’s leg rather lethargically, then burped, shibitos still seemed to function like normal humans. They even used the bathroom. Don’t ask Howard how he knew that, he’d rather not think about it. Finally the man, or what was once a man, moseyed around and began to waddle back down to the other side of the bridge to enter the mine, bow-legged as can be. Carefully, Howard peeked his nose out from the protection of the mining office, coffee colored hues glancing to and fro amongst the mist. This area of Hanuda especially was often blanketed in fog, even worse now that tiny sprinkles of rain were beginning to fall from the sky. Though, even with his limited line of vision, the boy couldn’t “feel” any of them close by. Most of the were hauled up in the mine for some reason or another. The villagers often came here, why, he wasn’t sure. His lanky body stepped out of the doorway, sending a chorus of rattling chains into his ears, both of his arms woven above his gut to shelter a pile of old hunting traps at the other’s behest. He could hear him behind him every couple of seconds, the safety of the gun latching and un-latching, it’s barrels snapping open and shut, causing Howard to frown. If he was so damned impatient they could just go back to home-base, as Howard called it, it was his idea anyway.

“Okay,” He murmered in a low voice. “Coast is clear.” Stepping into the chill of the outside, his eyes still alert for any sign of movement. He knew if one of them saw him, his… “sight” would let him know. Howard still wasn’t exactly sure what this strange ability was, he hadn’t mentioned to Saiga in hopes he wouldn’t think he was crazy. He felt like he could be one with the creatures, feel how hard their were breathing, see through their eyes. Maybe he was turning into one of them… involuntarily he shivered. No, hopefully that wasn’t the case. He hadn’t had any weird side-effects other then that. He could see the over-pass under the tunnel as the older male had indicated, and if he tilted his head he could see the small building that had the siren controls inside. He still didn’t know exactly what Saiga was planning, now tilting his head to look over his shoulder at the man attired in a beige colored shoot, hands carefully working at… whatever he was doing.

“Uh…” The youth cleared his throat. “So, what is this plan you’ve come up with? Can’t I know now?” He tilted his head, shifting his hefty cargo with another jingle of the large, rusting chains. They had large mouths in a rustic red brown color, iron skin peeling from their teeth, open at least three feet in diameter. Bear trap. Held together with large metal bolts, that was a bite that would keep you there. You’d be lucky to get out and keep your leg, not to mention you might contract a horrid infection from the dirt. Not that those monsters looked capable of infections, they WERE walking infections. These traps were obviously for the creatures, but what would they do once, and if, they caught them? And why?
“You’re startin’ to freak me out…” An itch began to tingle on his nose, causing it to wrinkle, tilting his head to rub it roughly against his shoulder. When he looked at the off-white of his shirt, a smear of dirt lined where it had touched his skin. He hadn’t bathed since arriving here, obviously not such a big concern next to survival, but he was sure he looked like a homeless kid in all meaning of the word. He was hungry, and frightened, a majority of the time. But all he could do was trust Saiga, this man he hardly knew, and hoped he knew what he was doing.