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    Dead Language
    Dead Language
    Dead Language
    Ebook32 pages31 minutes

    Dead Language

    By R. Richard

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Jiraz has been out for three days now and he hasn't been able to refill his pouch. He needs to find water. Well, he also needs to find gems, or anything of reasonable value. However, the water comes first. In the desert, water is life.
    After a time, Jiraz gets up and moves up the ridge. He passes over the top of the first ridge and then descends and begins to move along a little valley. The early morning wind has begun to blow and the sand begins to sting Jiraz' face. Jiraz readjusts the scarf of his garment to provide as much protection as practical. The little valley winds back and forth up the second ridge. This winding is unusual, as normally narrow wadis are cut by water flow. Water moving down the side of a ridge doesn't need to wind back and forth, so to create a broad, flat valley. As Jiraz moves up the valley, he watches closely for any sign of Krellen and, of course, for sign of gemstone bearing rock. He sees no evidence of either Krellen or gemstone bearing rock, but something nibbles at the fringes of his consciousness. Jiraz has learned, from hard experience, to pay close attention when he begins to get uneasy feelings about a situation. As he makes yet another switchback, Jiraz notices that there's a notch in the outer wall of the little valley. It's not the first notch Jiraz has seen and they are all in the same relative location. It's as if the notches have been placed along the way, as water drains.
    The idea slowly dawns, “Jiraz, you're on a road. A road now covered with sand, soil and rocks, but definitely a road.”
    The road is wide enough for several load beasts. No one would build such a road in the desert. Not the People, certainly not the Krellen. It must be an ancient structure. But built for what purpose?
    Addressing himself, he says, “Jiraz, people build roads to get somewhere. The finer the road, the finer the somewhere. Thus it is. Thus it has always been. This was a fine road, thus it must go to somewhere fine. Perhaps a clever man can obtain something fine, by following along such a road.”
    Completing his statement, Jiraz immediately puts his back to the ridge at the inside of the road. All well to reason, but it's also necessary to always watch for Krellen and other dangers of the desert.
    His searching gaze finds nothing. His ears hear only the moaning of the early morning wind. Then, after satisfying himself that it's safe to do so, Jiraz begins to again move warily along the path of the road.
    The road slopes gently and steadily upward. There are, from time to time, rocks or dirt fallen across the roadway, but road it definitely is. The steady upward slope levels near the top of the ridge. The road ends in a sort of large circular ring. The purpose of the circular ring puzzles Jiraz. Perhaps the circular ring is some sort of religious thing.
    Since Jiraz has determined that what he's on is a road, it must go somewhere. The only evidence of somewhere are a large flat circle in the ground and two rocks, set into the surface of the ridge. The rocks are not of the same material as the ridge, but they the rocks are each of the same color and texture. There's a very large rock and a smaller rock. Both of the rocks are reasonably flat. Jiraz tries to visualize the rocks as doors. The smaller rock is about the right size for a door. The larger rock is, perhaps, three times the height of a man and nearly that wide. Why would anyone make such door? It makes no practical sense. Still, there are many things in the desert which seem strange, only to reveal themselves as quite reasonable, if only after time and careful thought.
    The smaller rock shows some promise. There's faint evidence of a not-too-jagged crack where a door could possibly open. There are five numbers graven into the surface of the smaller rock. The numbers are hidden in a fold of the rock, out of obvious view. Jiraz pushes all five numbers, but nothing happens.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherR. Richard
    Release dateJun 1, 2018
    ISBN9780463162002
    Dead Language
    Author

    R. Richard

    I'm the co-author, with Sunset Thomas, of Anatomy of An Adult Film.I have 48 novels and over 299 short stories currently published.I spent my early years in the part of Los Angeles known as the South Central. I was known as Whi' Boy, which was sufficient to identify me in that place. I'm a skilled Kung Fu player, using a system that I learned from a Korean I knew only as 'Pak.' It would be easier to tell you the places that Pak wasn't wanted by the police, rather than the places where he was wanted by the police. Pak's Kung Fu system, augmented by some bits and pieces from some Chinese practitioners is quick and effective, or I wouldn't be alive today.My early education was mostly obtained by stealing books from the public library (I always returned them and the Librarian even began to provide me with reading lists.) I did go to high schools, but I never really learned anything there. I eventually graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles, UCLA, with a degree in mathematics.I work as a Systems Analyst and also make a part of my living as a professional gambler (legal in Nevada.) I write science fiction and erotica. My published novels are:Anatomy of An Adult Film (With Sunset Thomas)1. Second Chance: God Killer2. Second Chance: Sky Pirate3. Second Chance: Scroll Seeker4. Second Chance: King of The Islands5. Second Chance: King of Zaya6. Second Chance: Duke of Averon7. Second Chance: King of Golomon8. Second Chance: King Of The Sky9. Second Chance: Warlord of Ifrequeh10. Second Chance: King of Ariby11. Second Chance: King of Mesodania12. Second Chance: King of Avuls13. Second Chance: King of Kemet14. Second Chance: King of Zorran15. Second Chance: King of Two Worlds16. Second Chance: King of Averon17. Second Chance: King's Duties18. Second Chance: King of The New WorldAdventurer: Simulation ProblemAdventurer: Pannar ProblemA Programmer's GambitAmateur StripperBeach MurdersBondage HouseCorporate Sex SlavesFriday NightGo Naked In The SoftwareGrasshopper WinterInvoluntary NudeLayoffNot A HeroPirates of The KeysSummer of SexThe LakeThe Last Moon DanceThe Nude Adventures of Plain JaneThe Secret Life of Wanda WilsonTails of the Pussycat LoungeTo Keep A JobTopless RestaurantToy WhoresVix: The MarineWayward BoyShort Stories:A Christmas Visit

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      Book preview

      Dead Language - R. Richard

      Dead Language

      By R. Richard ©

      Published by R. Richard at Smashwords

      Copyright 2018 R. Richard

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Dead Language

      By R. Richard © 2018

      Jiraz patiently works his way up the windward side of a dune and warily peeks over the crest. Down near the base of the leeward side of the dune he spots a group of three Krellen, moving to the East, in the moonlight.

      Jiraz addresses himself, As every man knows, the Krellen do not move at night. Clearly there's something unusual going on. Well, unusual has to be in your favor Jiraz, since this is your first trip into the deep desert and you're inexperienced. However, be very careful!

      As he waits for the three Krellen to move past, Jiraz looks around to make sure that he remains unobserved. He's very careful, as the Krellen will kill one of the People, if they can catch him.

      Jiraz would have preferred to be back in Mrovoria, sleeping before the next morning's work. However, no one in the village is going to give him steady work. Thus, Jiraz has decided to try the desert, to at least try earn some money to feed himself and his mother.

      The problem is not so much that the Mrovorians are unkind, but the village only has so much water. The amount of water decides how many can live in the village and there are currently too many for the available water. Those who don't have a farm, with water allotment, or an established business are being forced out of the village, via economic pressure.

      Jiraz has studied the old maps and decided to try for the ridges which, hopefully, lie a few more hours to the South. The ridges are known to hold turquoise and opal. If he can find some of the stones, he can make enough money to allow him to move himself and his mother to a more hospitable place than current day Mrovoria.

      Jiraz waits, until the Krellen have finally moved out of sight. Jiraz moves carefully down the lee side of the dune.

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