August Writing, Day 14: Tales of Verkath: End of a Metamorphosis
I decided to write my second short story in the anthology "Tales of Verkath." This one also features Baliluri, but is set several years before the events of the first story.
"Do I have to do it?"
"Of course you do. They've started to come loose, haven't they?"
"Yes, but... doesn't it hurt?"
"Yes, it hurts a little, but don't worry about it. You've already taken your aspirin, and we've got the salve right here. You'll only feel it for a moment."
Baliluri still looked uncertain. "Will you do the first one?"
Her mother, Malaika, smiled a little. "Oh, all right, but you must do the second one by yourself. All girls do."
"I know."
Nervously, Baliluri felt the small, rounded nubs of hard, dead calcium on her chest with the pads of her fingers. They were devoid of sensation, just like her claws, and she could move them back and forth because they were only loosely attached by a very thin membrane of skin, like a loose tooth. They were the last remnants of her childhood carapace, which had cracked, broken, and fallen off, piece by piece, as her body had outgrown it. Now, she was covered only by an adult's smooth skin. She probably wouldn't formally become an adult for several more years, though.
Malaika lifted a pair of silver shears. "Remember, look away," she instructed her daughter. Then she made the cut, in one swift motion.
Baliluri cried out in pain, but the pain only lasted for a brief moment. Her mother was already using a soft, damp cloth to wipe away the small amount of blood that oozed from the fresh, raw skin that had just been revealed. Then, she massaged medicinal salve into the new skin.
"See?" said Malaika. "It's not that horrible. You can do the other one by yourself, can't you?"
"To do that, I'll have to look," said Baliluri unhappily.
"Well, yes." Malaika placed the shears in Baliluri's hand. "I'm right here, little one. You can do it."
Baliluri set her jaw and closed her larger mouth tightly, feeling the teeth grit together. She bent over from the middle of her back so that she could see what she was doing better. She positioned the shears, hesitated for a moment, then cut off the other bit of carapace.
"Auuuggh!" The pain stabbed at her. She hadn't been quite as quick about it as her mother had. Her mother pressed the cloth into her hand when she reached for it, and she used it to wipe at the new skin. That helped a little. When it had stopped bleeding, Baliluri carefully rubbed the medicinal salve into her soft, new nipple. It was remarkable how the circle of new, darker skin there resembled the old carapace.
"All done," said Malaika. "You did just fine, Baliluri."
"Thank you," sighed Baliluri. The pain was now almost gone from both nipples. "I'm glad that's done."
Her mother kissed her on the forehead, at the base of her tentacle. "I'm proud of you. You're growing up to be a fine young woman."
"Do I have to do it?"
"Of course you do. They've started to come loose, haven't they?"
"Yes, but... doesn't it hurt?"
"Yes, it hurts a little, but don't worry about it. You've already taken your aspirin, and we've got the salve right here. You'll only feel it for a moment."
Baliluri still looked uncertain. "Will you do the first one?"
Her mother, Malaika, smiled a little. "Oh, all right, but you must do the second one by yourself. All girls do."
"I know."
Nervously, Baliluri felt the small, rounded nubs of hard, dead calcium on her chest with the pads of her fingers. They were devoid of sensation, just like her claws, and she could move them back and forth because they were only loosely attached by a very thin membrane of skin, like a loose tooth. They were the last remnants of her childhood carapace, which had cracked, broken, and fallen off, piece by piece, as her body had outgrown it. Now, she was covered only by an adult's smooth skin. She probably wouldn't formally become an adult for several more years, though.
Malaika lifted a pair of silver shears. "Remember, look away," she instructed her daughter. Then she made the cut, in one swift motion.
Baliluri cried out in pain, but the pain only lasted for a brief moment. Her mother was already using a soft, damp cloth to wipe away the small amount of blood that oozed from the fresh, raw skin that had just been revealed. Then, she massaged medicinal salve into the new skin.
"See?" said Malaika. "It's not that horrible. You can do the other one by yourself, can't you?"
"To do that, I'll have to look," said Baliluri unhappily.
"Well, yes." Malaika placed the shears in Baliluri's hand. "I'm right here, little one. You can do it."
Baliluri set her jaw and closed her larger mouth tightly, feeling the teeth grit together. She bent over from the middle of her back so that she could see what she was doing better. She positioned the shears, hesitated for a moment, then cut off the other bit of carapace.
"Auuuggh!" The pain stabbed at her. She hadn't been quite as quick about it as her mother had. Her mother pressed the cloth into her hand when she reached for it, and she used it to wipe at the new skin. That helped a little. When it had stopped bleeding, Baliluri carefully rubbed the medicinal salve into her soft, new nipple. It was remarkable how the circle of new, darker skin there resembled the old carapace.
"All done," said Malaika. "You did just fine, Baliluri."
"Thank you," sighed Baliluri. The pain was now almost gone from both nipples. "I'm glad that's done."
Her mother kissed her on the forehead, at the base of her tentacle. "I'm proud of you. You're growing up to be a fine young woman."