The main character from One Last Vigil has some fun with a plump reptile in this short, humorous excerpt from chapter 2.

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     As I walked along the path, my bamboo cane supporting my hitching gait, I chanced across several things that didn’t scurry from me like the trees and grass did. A large reptile was once left in the wake of stampeding vegetation. It had been turned on its side and was quite fat. It struggled to get its feet beneath itself and I couldn’t help but laugh at its dire situation. 

     I stopped and crouched down. “Why haven’t the trees and grass gotten to you yet? You must not be all that tasty, huh?”

     The reptile had since rolled over. It was roughly eight feet long from flickering tongue to jerking tail. It wore green along most of its body, red streaks that ran along its spine, ribs, and from the corners of its eyes breaking up the monotony of emerald. It hissed at me then charged. Well, marched really. Did I mention how fat it really was? 

     I danced to the side, the trees crashing into one another as they fled from the aura my stardust radiated. The reptile stomped by me and I laughed at it. If it hadn’t been so overweight and clunky in its movements, its snapping jaws certainly would have caught me; I still moved awkwardly and relied on the bamboo staff heavily. 

     I took the shawl from my shoulders and waved it before the reptile, stabbing my staff at the air before its face in feigned attempts to skewer my foe. “The gladiator takes the stage with his fearsome enemy. He is rare in form though, and will certainly outwit this monster.” 

     As if cued by my monologue, it charged again. I shuffled backward and it closed. I slammed my staff into the ground just feet from its snout and it stopped with a rumbling hiss, tongue flicking at the air. “That should do you in!” 

     But it didn’t. The beast slowly walked at an angle, as if it meant to pass right by me, but then it lunged for me. I kept my distance but only barely.  “Ah, the beast is more cunning than the warrior believed. But can it deal with this!” 

     I whipped my shawl at it, snapping the fabric on its stuffed side. Before I could pull it back, the creature surprised me with a burst of agility as it struck out and snapped its maw closed on the shawl. We played tug of war for a moment but then the reptile wrenched its head to the side and ripped a corner of the fabric from the whole. 

     I stood there, immobilized for a moment. Finally, as the reptile stood there smugly, chewing on the fabric victoriously, I said, “You ass! Well, then.” I bowed slightly then turned and continued on my path.

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Want more? Here’s chapter 1.