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(An excerpt from A Path Less Taken Chapter 6 : The Overlords)
As Katy assisted the other women in carrying a basket of fresh berries to the adobe cliff dwellings, fatigue set in, prompting her to pause for a moment. She found herself reflecting on the ingenuity of the native people who constructed these homes on the mountainside, nestled within a large cave. Memories of her history class surfaced, where she learned about the Anasazi cave dwellings carved into the sandstone cliffs of Canyon de Chelly in Arizona. Yet, she noted that the village she is staying at has its own unique characteristics. She inhaled deeply and gazed up at the afternoon sky, where lavender clouds blended with shades of crimson above her. “Maybe rain,” she thought.
“You
should not stop,” Luana warned. “The overlords will notice.” Katy glanced over
her shoulder and caught sight of one of the enormous insects fixated on them,
its multifaceted eyes glinting in the sunlight. A nervous gulp escaped her
throat as she exchanged a quick nod with her companion. The group of women
pressed on, their footsteps crunching against the rocky terrain as they made
their way toward the canyon. The adobe village, nestled into the vibrant red
cliffs of the mountain, appeared to be much farther away than Katy had
initially anticipated, its unique architecture blending seamlessly with the
surrounding landscape, almost as if it were a part of the mountain itself. The
afternoon sun beat down relentlessly on the group as they hoisted their
baskets of
berries above their heads, the heat radiating off the ground. Katy is wearing a
brown weathered suede crop top, which is tied at the front and features a
striking black fur trim that added a touch of flair to her look.
Below, she has a torn, weathered brown suede miniskirt that she wouldn’t have chosen for herself, but it was the only option available when she arrived so she could blend in. In fact, it is mandatory to wear what the natives of that world wear. To complete her outfit, Luana had gifted her some black fur wristbands, which Katy wore proudly, feeling a mix of gratitude and a sense of belonging as they all worked together under the sweltering sun.
Katy was feeling utterly exhausted after a long day of picking and hauling a heavy basket filled with fruits. She finally found a moment to rest, plopping down on a large boulder and letting the basket settle at her feet. Just then, Luana appeared, her striking lavender violet eyes wide with concern.
She approached Katy with urgency, warning her, “Please, it will see you, and you’ll end up in the oubliette again.” Her eyes hinted at the overlord. But at that moment, Katy was too drained to care about the threat of being thrown into the dark, dreaded oubliette. Her disdain for the overlords overshadowed her fear, and she simply replied, “I don’t care.”
As Luana’s gaze shifted to an approaching insect, she quickly turned and walked away, leaving Katy to her thoughts and the weight of her fatigue. “Rise to your feet,” it ordered. Katy glared at the insect. She let out a heavy sigh and stood up. She can hear it speaking to her in her head. The overlords are telepathic, among other things.
“Who came up with the term overlords?” she silently mused, a scoff escaping her lips as she crossed her arms and fixed her gaze on the creature before her. Her eyes drifted to one of its missing legs, a remnant of an ill-fated escape attempt by a villager named Gregor. He had crafted a makeshift bat from a sturdy tree branch, concealing it cleverly until the moment he decided to flee. Unfortunately, his plan was thwarted; he was outnumbered by the insect guards, and now, he was no longer part of the tribe, the Queen took his head off and ate it. The memory of his courage hung in the air, intertwining with the palpable tension of the moment as she pondered the intricate power dynamics surrounding her.
She envisioned a future where she would
orchestrate her escape with far more cunning than he did. The uncertainty of
how far she might venture before being apprehended loomed over her thoughts, a
tantalizing question that remained unanswered.
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(This is what I got so far of Chapter 6. I will complete the book sometime in 2026 and publish it.)
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