Grave Digger: Part 2: Part 2

By: J. Elias Epp

Illustration By: Bjarke Pedersen

(I don’t own any rights to the picture and am only using it for my hobby writing purposes)

The shore is near. He grabs at the bouncing bundle on the donkey’s back frantically. He pulls free the pickaxe.

He did not face them with fire or sword

In the distance he saw his savior

A wolf snarls just behind him. He nearly falls as it jumps on his back. His cloak keeps the wolf’s fangs from tearing out his throat. Sliding, he twists and flings the wolf to the ground.

In one motion he brings the pick down. The wolf yelps and breaths its last.

A wolf jumps at the donkey’s back. The donkey kicks both hind legs into its body. The wolf flies through the air and lands with a thump.

The remaining five wolves keep their distance, snarling and baring their fangs. He raises his pick.

Cracks spread in the ice below them. Their sound is piercing and deep. The ice is thinner by the shore.

He takes a careful step back. The donkey keeps close. The wolves keep pace in a crouch.

He hailed the last champion of his people

The last and greatest to survive

A wolf leaps.

He swings the pick and misses, embedding the point in the ice. Cracks burst out from the impact. The wolf bites his arm.

He yells and lets go of the pick.

Three wolves jump upon the donkey. It bucks and thrashes them off. Its hooves pound the ice.

The last wolf runs at him and he kicks at it. He slips and falls. The wolf biting his arm lets go and scrambles out from under him.

The ice breaks under the donkey. It keeps its front hooves upon the ice. A wolf falls into the widening pool and scratches its claws against the sides.

The enemies chased close behind him

The champion answered not

The pack of gold upon the donkey’s back begins to slide off.

He pulls the pick free and swings it in an arc around him. The wolves back off.

Two of the wolves scramble out of the water and shake themselves off.

He turns and takes a few steps towards the donkey. The sound of claws behind him betray the wolves’ intention.

He spins and takes another in the side. It yelps over and over as it retreats into the forest.

Loud cracking sounds beneath his feet. He quickly falls prone.

The wolf attacks. He kicks it.

More cracking beneath him.

The wolves’ ears perk up. They back away from him.

He offered gold, jewels and many riches

The champion stood still and silent

He scrambles on all fours and leaps for the donkey. The ice breaks beneath him. He falls into freezing waters.

His hands and feet go numb. He resurfaces and sputters.

He swims to the donkey. The donkey still clings to the side. The gold is pulling it down.

With numb hands he opens a sack and pulls out gold. He flings it on top the ice.

The donkey falls off the side and begins to sink.

He goes with it. The dark waters close above their heads.

With the light of the moon through the water, he finds the tie in the rope. He pulls on it hard. The rope comes free. The gold sacks fall into the depths.

He threw the riches to the ground

His first enemy overtook him

He and the donkey swim to the surface.

He gasps when he reaches the surface.

He hauls himself up onto the ice. He shivers uncontrollably.

The donkey gains foothold and climbs back up. It shakes itself off and trembles.

He forces himself to stand. He rubs himself and staggers towards the forest. He fumbles in his pocket for flint and steel.

He stumbles up the bank to the first tree. The donkey follows after.

The wolves begin to gather again.

He strikes the tender to the dry pine needles beneath the tree.

Growls behind him.

He strikes again. The flint falls from his numb hands.

His enemies struck him where he stood

They held no mercy for him

He picks up the flint again. Again he strikes the steel to the flint. Sparks light upon the needles.

A wolf draws too near. The donkey kicks, slips and falls. The wolf limps away.

The other wolves are hungry. They approach. He turns to face them.

A tongue of flame lights the night. The fire gives the wolves pause.

It grows larger. The wolves growl.

The fire licks up a branch and sets it ablaze. The wolves back slowly away.

He stands as near the fire as he can. His whole frame trembles. He can barely feel the heat.

The wolves keep their distance as the fire grows larger and engulfs the tree.

He regains feeling in his hands, a painful tingling. He pulls off his clothes and sets them aside to dry. The fire dries his skin.