The Feeding Season

by Stoyan Stoyanov

Bars' dry throat swallowed a drop of the nutritional fluid. Immediately after that he felt sick, but at least he had been able to hold it down. The reservoirs that held the remains of their last hunt were about empty. They were forced to march on empty stomachs most of the time, because they didn't know how long they would wander this horrible land, before they found a place, where green slugs lived. It couldn't get any worse. Only the two of them, alone among the endless swamp, without any food or hope of escape.

  The two Shells walked for days without talking. The view around them didn't change. There was no sign that they were nearing the end of the endless swamp. Everywhere was rocky debris buried in the mud, whose edges broke up the bluish fog that hung over that isolated and forgotten place.

  At night, when they took turns on watch, Bars would listen to how Thirteen would talk deliriously in his sleep. Even he was plagued by horrible nightmares. Both of them took Yazo's loss quite hard, and they couldn't get rid of their feelings of guilt, even if there had been no way to help with that unfortunate incident. The gloomy thoughts in Bars' mind blurred his reasoning, and his fear of the inevitable became ever stronger. His traveling companion had withdrawn into himself and wouldn't say a word. He followed Bars tiredly and thoughtfully, as if he was afraid to admit what was going on in his head – this damned swamp had truly proven to be endless.

  “We'll stop here for a longer break,” announced Bars. “Endlessly walking in this place is useless here. Without any sun, stars or any clear signs to guide us.”

  “Whatever,” replied Thirteen.

  Both boys stood there up to their knees in mud, which seeped into their suits' metal joints giving off bubbling sounds. If it wasn't for the bubbling and the far-off booming, the silence would have been deathly maddening. That strange and unusual sound followed them almost wherever they went and didn't stop for even a minute. Once again they were listening to its hypnotizing tempo, which seemed to clearer than usual.

  “In the beginning, I thought that it was some kind of earthquake or maybe a giant volcano,” shared Thirteen distractedly.

  “Huh? Is that how a volcano sounds?” wondered Bars.

  “I don't know exactly how it sounds. I've only seen pictures of them in the Textbook. But I can't think of anything else, big enough, to give off that kind of sound over such a long distance.”

  “I bet it looks amazing in real life,” thought Bars to himself.

  “No, that couldn't be a volcano. I'm sure of it now,” noted Thirteen. “Even if it erupted for months or years, it's still an act of nature.”

  “What about it? Didn't you just say that nothing else could be heard from so far away?”

  “Yes, but the noise repeats itself at regular intervals,” the little Mechanic began to explain. “Don't you understand? It sounds more like something made by man!”

  Once they realized it, both of them sharpened their hearing and listened more closely. The strange noises were definitely clearer than before. Once Bars concentrated on them, they were no longer just the background noise of this disgusting and merciless place. Now, these sounds were far-off signals that could be used as a guide!

  “We can follow them and try to understand where they’re coming from!” said Bars excitedly. “If they’re made by people, that means it is somewhere outside this terrible swamp!”

  “But is it really made by people?” wondered Thirteen.

  “When we reach it, we'll find out!”

  Now, that he knew what direction to take, Bars felt more sure of himself. Every doubt and worry left him and for the first time in many days, he was sure that he was heading toward a better place.

  While they followed the mysterious sound, the fog gradually changed color and became darker. Bars turned on his searchlights, but they had a limited effect.

  “I haven't seen you this enthusiastic in a long time. It's as if you are hunting a juicy slug,” noted Thirteen.

  “This fog isn't going to stop me, even if it becomes impenetrable!” replied Bars.

  “Aren't you at least a bit suspicious about what we're heading into?” questioned Thirteen.

  “I don't know what we’re going to find. It's enough that it's outside the swamp. And that's good for us!”

  “Yeah, I'd quite like a change of scenery.”

  The next few passages through the softened mud were quite serious, because their suits sank deep down into it. It was almost impossible to move. With great effort, Bars and Thirteen crawled to the first rocky sections they could reach and after a short rest they continued on. They walked for hours, longer than they had ever done before, following the constant sound, which lured them to its secret location.

  “From here on out it will be steep,” announced Bars after he had reached some kind of rise. “We'll have to climb for a while.”

  It proved to be difficult, because the surface was loose and soft. The heavy suits sank and slid down as the boys sweat from their tries to pull themselves higher up. When it became too steep, they began to use their hands. And in the end, they succeeded in reaching the peak before it got any darker. At this high point, they realized that they had another climb ahead of them but it was already late and they decided to leave it for tomorrow.

  “We'll rest tonight and gather our strength for the last climb tomorrow,” said Bars.

  “Do you think we'll succeed in getting there in one day? Are we that close?” asked Thirteen, who was already nodding off, worn out from the long day.

  “I'm sure of it! The sound is already quite loud. We have to be close. Maybe after these hills, a surprise awaits us.”

  “I hope you’re right and that the surprise is a nice one, because our food reserves are almost gone,” stated Thirteen, then he fell asleep, and Bars kept watch, listening to the darkness.

  The night was full of all sorts of amazing sounds. Joining the main roar were many other, weaker, but curious and just as alluring sounds. Some of them sounded at shorter intervals, for just a second, and you had to listen carefully, if you wanted to succeed in picking them out from the other sounds. Thirteen's snoring was also a part of the background noise, but that wasn't as interesting to Bars.

  The hours passed with the Hunter standing at his post in that way, wondering what they would find on the next day. One thing was certain – they would be the first to understand what could give off such a loud noise.

  Whatever it was, Bars strongly believed that that would be the end of their roaming these endless swamps.

  When the night had passed, Bars feverishly woke Thirteen.

  “Let's go!”

  “What? Did I sleep all night? Why didn't you wake me to take my watch?”

  “This way you'll have more strength and we'll be able to reach our destination sooner,” replied Bars calmly.

  “OK, let's see what we'll find,” said Thirteen and took a quick sip from his food reservoir.

  Once Bars had found a path for their ascent, they both began to climb. They climbed next to each other, about a meter apart, and rocks and all kinds of filth fell below them, raising a cloud of black dust, which mixed with the fog making it even more impenetrable.

  “This black stuff, which is smeared all over my suit, looks like some kind of .... ash,” shared Thirteen intrigued.

  “It's everywhere,” Bars, who had reached the same conclusion, continued to dug in with his limbs for better support..

  Both boys interrupted their climb in a few places, where they were able to take a short break, and then they would continue climbing the mountain of ash. It was difficult, and with every meter that they climbed higher, it got that much more dangerous. But while they climbed the thick layer of ash, the impenetrable fog began to dissipate.

  When Bars reached the peak, he stopped. He was shaking from fatigue. His companion lifted himself up to the top and looked around excitedly.

  “Are we at the top?” asked Thirteen out of breath. “Where to now?”

  Here, high abo
ve the disgusting swamp, the wind began to blow as strong as it could. While the boys recovered their strength, impenetrable clouds of dust and filth were blown about by the natural element.

  And then, through a break in the clouds, Bars spotted their destination.

  “Do you see it?”

  “Of course, I do! It's huge!” answered Thirteen amazed at the sight of it.

  “What is it?” Bars said at a loss, trying to understand what exactly the massive silhouette on the near horizon represented.

  From the surface of the Old Earth protruded an enormous structure, whose dark form was horrifying. The tall chimneys on top of it spewed forth thick columns of black smoke, and the exhaust fumes rose up merging with the sky above them, spreading out in more than hundred kilometers radius.

  “This is NOT the end of the damn swamp!” said Bars disappointedly. “We are right in the center of it – where all its filth springs from!”

  Staring at the fiery streams, erupting from some of the chimney stacks, Thirteen stood their mute in awe. His cracked lips quivered feverishly, while he looked with unbelief on the ancient structure.

  “It's impossible!” he succeeded in saying.

  “We should have done exactly the opposite of what we did – we should have run as far away from this sound as possible, instead of following it!” continued saying Bars even more discouraged. “I'm sorry that I misguided you! You shouldn't have listened to me! Now we'll be stuck here forever...”

  Bars' suit leaned forward, stumbling, but at the last moment, his legs succeeded in steadying himself. A sharp pain in his stomach followed, and then the Hunter puked up some sticky mucus out of his mouth. His vision went black. He frowned. Then he straightened up lifting his angry hands in the air and gave off an inhuman howl.

  Then the earth shook from a strong quake following a powerful roar. From the side openings of the gigantic structure poured out tons of water and masses of dirt, forming a waterfall of mud. It continued to pour out even after the surface stopped shaking.

  “Amazing! It's still functioning after all these centuries!” yelled Thirteen.

  Still unable to understand what was making his traveling companion so excited, Bars just frowned at him.

  “Do you know what we've found, Bars?” the Mechanic was in ecstasy. “This is a Consummator! The hugest machine ever built by human hands! And besides that, it's still in good enough working condition that it could get us out of here...if we’re able to operate it that is.”

  “A Consummator...?”

  “Yes! That's what it is ... Have you read the History of Mechanical Engineering?” asked Thirteen. Since Bars continued to have puzzled look, Thirteen understood that the Hunter knew nothing about their astonishing find. “OK! I'll have to tell you about it, but while we walk. We have to find the entrance before the next eruption of waste water. Come on! I'll lead now!”

  The two boys proceeded ahead through the whirlwind, straight for the remains of the Consummator.

  “How's it possible that this mountain of metal was built by people?!” said Bars unable to comprehend.

  “When they were building them, there was more than enough material still,” replied Thirteen.

  “And when was that?”

  “A very long time ago. Before the Earth turned into what it is now. At a time, when people were still able to walk upon its surface without the need of survival suits.”

  Hot mud was still flowing out of the Consummator, forming wide streams, which gradually spread everywhere. The ground became soft and was colored orange from the chemicals that had seeped into it.

  “It really does look ancient, but I still don't understand how it moves,” said Bars, jumping over a puddle of boiling mud.

  “At the moment, the Consummator is in the mode for extracting minerals, and its legs, which are situated on the side of the main hull are being used as stabilizers. They can't be seen, because they're covered in sediment and discarded waste. Apparently, it's been in this mode for many centuries...”

  “And you know how to control one of these things? How are we going to be able to operate it at all?”

  “Well, it shouldn't be that hard. All the systems are automated. We just enter the coordinators and that's it....”

  “That whole thing can move on its own?! How's that possible?” Bars couldn't believe his ears.

  “It was created to be operated by only one person. How else would one person be able to operate it?” replied Thirteen.

  “What?!” once again Bars was surprised and almost stepped where he shouldn't have.

  “Yup. Only one person lived inside. With this powerful machine, he could go anywhere looking for precious resources, which were later used for fuel or building structures. Of course, in the belly of that beast was a whole army of laboring droids and machines, which did all the work for him.

  “Now I know why you’re so enthusiastic and impatient to find the entrance. Inside is hidden a real treasure!” said Bars.

  “Imagine how we can change life in the Fortress, if we succeed in returning with a Consummator and it's whole load.”

  “They'll welcome us as real Heroes!” said Bars in awe.

  The two boys were already quite close to the base of the Consummator. At such a close range, it looked more frighteningly powerful. Its outer walls were covered in tons of ancient filth, layered on over the past centuries. Its drilling probes placed a great amount of stress on the whole structure and in places the hull was vibrating, as if there was a wild beast hiding inside.

  “Do you see that opening? Do you think it's an entrance to the interior?” yelled Bars loudly, since the sound of the working machine had become deafening.

  “Where?” Thirteen said looking around for it, and when he looked where Bars was pointing, he succeeded in finding it. “Perfect and just in time!”

  A few meters up there was a hole that looked like an open wound, from which came large pipes and cables. Hanging down, the intertwined cables formed a kind of bridge between the ground that was soaked in mud and the Consummator.

  “After you!” yelled Thirteen over the deep roar. The roar of the Consummator was getting louder with every second as Bars made his way up to the opening.

  “Follow me, what are you waiting for?!” urged Bars, upon nearing the hole.

  With uncertain and stiff movements Thirteen somehow succeeded in reaching his friend, without once falling.

  “Let's go in and see what's here!” yelled Bars and both of them stepped through the opening, just before the next eruption of mud.

  When the quakes had passed and both Shells were once again on their feet, they turned on their searchlights and looked around. The interior was completely filled with scattered cables and pipes, which were still swaying, their shadows jumping around sinisterly. Everything was covered with dust.

  “Somehow we need to make it to the top. Somewhere up there, we'll find a control panel,” said Thirteen, no longer needing to yell, since it was quieter inside.

  “Understood,” replied Bars and he started to make a way through the thick jungle of cables and wires.

  It wasn't any easier to walk in these conditions than it was to slog through the sticky swamp. Like two little parasites, burrowing deep into the base of the Consummator, Bars and Thirteen made their way forward, tearing apart the hoses that tangled around their feet. From the torn hoses poured some kind of liquid, which spread everywhere, while from the torn cables flew blinding sparks.

  “Be more careful!” yelled Thirteen. “If any fuel spills, we're dead.”

  Bars carefully moved aside the next rubber tube and elegantly freed himself from its grasp. Then he continued forward following the line of cables, he reached a point, where they headed up. From there they succeeded in getting to a higher level, where there were even more tangled traps. Time passed quickly while they struggled to get free of the pitfalls. Many hours had passed since they had entered the belly of the me
tal beast.

  “We've finally made some progress!” announced Bars encouraged upon finding a huge hollow area amid the thick web of old cables. From somewhere above their heads, a tiny shaft of light seeped in, which lighted the whole area. Thanks to the light, the Hunter noticed something different about their surroundings. On one of the walls was installed a huge fan, whose blades were tangled in partially torn cables. Behind it was the opening to a gaping ventilation shaft. “Here's our way out of this damned jungle!”

  “I'm coming!” replied Thirteen, pulling himself free from a sticky cord, after which he followed Bars into the huge pipe.

  Their searchlights lighted the metal walls that were bear of any obstacles. Here they could walk without any problems and make up for the lost time.

  “How long do you think it will take us to return to the Fortress?” asked Bars.

  “Once we get this monster off the ground, maybe we'll be there in a day or two, at full speed,” answered Thirteen. “Whether this Consummator is still able to do that, we'll find out soon enough.”

  “Will we make it back before we die of hunger and thirst?” wondered Bars.

  “It depends. When was the last time you ate?”

  “I don't remember!”

  The two boys laughed and their voices echoed through the pipe into the interior of the Consummator.