If he’d set the eggs differently, things might have turned out differently. It was at least another half-hour before the next was set to go off if it was when he thought it was. And then the rate would increase as the rest played out their role. But it was down to survival and escape, and as far as Goa was concerned, he was playing for his life. An hour here or there with a hungry bunch of cannibals could mean the difference between life and death.

Not to mention his betrayal offered him some more time to test his bonds and the post.

Just a little further. Just a little more.

He watched silently and quietly as the man and woman pulled the barely conscious Kel from his post and dragged him away. To his credit the kid did struggle a bit, but a few blows to the head with the bent bar managed to knock as much of the fight out of him as could be expected.

The children, and especially the girl who had poked him looked back the longest at him before heading into the building, but even she eventually joined the others as they followed the adults dragging off Kel.

He was at least spared the sight of the young man getting chopped up. But the sound of the butchering as well as the subsequent smell of the cooking did waft over. And that also meant the group missed the second explosion, right on time. Definitely then, his bombs were going off like clockwork. The next blast should be big enough to grab their attention

Goa had to admit the smell wasn’t half bad, especially after not having eaten in some time himself. It made his stomach rumble despite the fact he knew what was being cooked. Sure, there was a little natural queasiness when he thought about it. But this was the southlands, and you can’t be too particular about survival at times. Battling for life was something could cost more than anyone admitted.

He’d never actually gone so far himself. Abek tended to plan out his hunts better than that. And so far he’d been luckier than some. But it wasn’t as if he hadn’t thought about it in the past.

Sorry Kel. Wouldn’t have liked it to last longer. But, buddy… better you than me.

Still, the activity that clearly occupied the entire group meant he had more time to work on his bonds. He was making some progress, even could start feeling something in his feet and hands, although one look over showed that the wires binding his hands were brightening with blood. The pain of the returning sensations were also sharp enough over the other dull pains to keep him from passing out again.

The post was moving a bit more as well. If he kept it up...

No, streck! Someone was coming from the broken down building the cooking smells were coming from. He blinked, sight having gotten clearer over the time he’d been awake. Small, he was sure, and carrying something with both hands. Something that steamed.

One of the girls approached him later with some soup. A different one. The hot bowl steamed in the cold breeze. She was a little older than the one who’d poked him, had a dirty face like her sister, but instead of being fearful, her expression, her big orange eyes were empathetic, not at all like the other girl. A better chance, then?

“Are you hungry?” she asked?

He was hungry, but still. He’d betrayed the man. Abek wasn’t about to consume his flesh as well. But what limits did he truly have when faced with death himself? And he was hungry.

He nodded his head.

The girl pulled set the bowl down. Then she pushed over a metal box. She stood up on it, tall enough now to feed him with a big spoon from the bowl she held in one hand. The soup was warm, oily and sweet and it at least dulled the pang in his belly.

When he was finished, she stepped back down. Before she turned he asked her, “why did you do that for me? I thought I was just more food for you like my partner was.”

“Everyone deserved to eat,” she told him in a serious tone. “Even food.”

Another blast blew in from the distance. This one was louder. Second stage. Had twice the trilium charge. The next would blow in half the time, and be twice more as loud.

The girl clearly heard it, appeared rattled by the noise, more so than the other girl had been.

“Get you’re da out here,” he told the girl. “I got something to tell him.”

The girl gave him an uncertain look, then slowly backed away. She didn’t seem ready to do as he commanded. The veteran gregga took in as deep a breath as he could.

“Now!” he shouted.

That got her moving.