Over the next two days, in addition to getting used to the area, I looked for ways to improve my lifestyle. The shrimp meat will last a while longer, but I need to find other ways to survive in this godforsaken place.
The day after catching the shrimp, I tried to fix the hole I made in the cabin, but it wasn’t that simple. Since I cut the vines that held the board in place, I have no way to tie it down anymore, except using the shrimp’s antennae, but their texture isn’t as pliable as I’d hoped.
I spent a long time trying to mend the wall, but in the end it looked so bad that I just tossed the wood aside and put some large leaves I found in its place.
Too bad they fell off in the night breeze, and I had to fix it again the next day.
Besides that, I looked for a way to start a fire to cook the shrimp, since eating it raw and unseasoned would be awful. I tried many methods, like spinning a stick quickly, striking two stones together, using the sun’s heat, but nothing worked.
Until the shrimp shell, which I had left drying on the windowsill, almost set my bed on fire as if it were a magnifying glass.
— If the fire had caught the wall… my house would have turned to charcoal.
I used the straw that had started burning to light the fireplace and, finally, fry the shrimp.
And, as I expected, it tastes bland, but it’s edible.
As for the rest of the body, I sorted everything out neatly.
I discarded the organs, since they didn’t look good to eat and I wouldn’t want to eat them either.
I saved the meat, but since I have no idea how to preserve shrimp without a refrigerator, I ended up letting it dry in the sun by the window before storing it in a corner of the cabin. It yielded less than I expected, but it’s enough for now.
And then there are the parts I kept because they seemed useful: the carapace, which I can use as knee and elbow pads; the antennae, which serve as rope; the blade on the forehead, which became my knife; the huge claws, which are strange and heavy, but somehow serve as a weapon; and a strange stone I found right in the center of the body while I was removing the organs.
I’m not entirely sure about this, but I believe it’s a magic stone. They exist in the novel’s universe, but there wasn’t much description of them beyond being sources of magic.
It’s relatively small and has a moss-green hue, almost as if it were a normal stone.
— I don’t remember exactly the odds of finding a magic stone, but wasn’t it kind of rare? Or do they have different rarities, and this is the most common one?
Leaving the stone stored inside the cabin, I turn my attention to the shrimp’s claws.
My first idea was to use them as a spear, but the problem is that the joint between the claw and the arm is flexible, forcing me to modify it into something else.
First, I cut through the middle of the arm, where one of the joints was, splitting it in two: one side attached to the claw and the other resembling a staff that could have become a spear, if I’d managed to sharpen the tip
Anyway, with the arm that has the claw in my hands, I had to lock it so that it wouldn’t keep moving with every movement. To do this, I stuck a wooden stake into the joint, at the base of the claw, making the arm form an L-shape.
It looked a little strange, making me wonder if this is really a scythe, but at least it’s locked in place and I can use it to protect myself.
Finally, I wrapped the arm in my shirt to be able to hold it, since it’s much rougher than I expected, and I adjusted the claw’s blade with the shrimp knife, which is extremely convenient.
And now I’m sitting on the bed, which is still terrible for sleeping, thinking about what else I should do.
— What are my goals for today? Besides finding another shrimp, since it seems there aren’t any left in this area…
I look at the wall and see the gaping hole, with a few leaves trying to cover it. I’ve tried several things, but nothing has managed to stay in place.
— I need to find some rope or cloth, but where am I going to find something like that on an uninhabited island?
My only idea is to look for some insect that has something useful like the shrimp, but what kind of insect would have something like that?
— …A spider would be too dangerous, plus I don’t know if there are any on the island.
I feel like the weather and the sleepless nights are still affecting me, but I’m finally getting used to them.
I walk outside and head to the makeshift hammock tied between two trees. I lean against it for a moment before swinging, trying to rest a little longer.
I’ve considered using this hammock to make traps or improve the cabin, but it brings me peace of mind whenever I lie in it, which is what I really need right now.
After swinging for a while, I get up and grab the little bucket.
— Time to get some water.
With my shrimp knife, the carapace protecting me, and the scythe on my shoulder, I move slowly into the island, trying not to attract the insects’ attention.
This island seems to have some territories defined by these insects, like the ant nest to the east. I didn’t get close to it, but I always see them heading in that direction after gathering food.
— At least the spring seems to be neutral territory…
I follow the usual path, recognizing the route that is becoming increasingly familiar. Despite the familiarity, I still carry a constant fear of being attacked by some insect.
As I walk, I feel the scythe weighing on my shoulder, forcing me to switch it to the other side constantly.
— Even at this size, it’s still heavy…
It’s about a meter long, not counting the curved blade, which must be about fifty centimeters. I had to make it smaller for this, because I wouldn’t be able to use it otherwise.
After quite a while, I reach the spring and start filling the bucket, wanting to return as quickly as possible. I get the feeling something is following me, maybe because of some strange noises coming from the forest, or maybe because I haven’t seen a single insect on the way here.
— …Are there any other dangerous insects around?
I feel a slight discomfort behind me and turn around, only to see an ant slowly emerging from the forest.
— …What is that?
The ant, which I was used to seeing carrying leaves, now has a somewhat strange body. Grass sprouts all over its carapace and flowers take the place of its eyes. It doesn’t seem to be able to walk properly, bumping into everything in front of it, before turning toward me.
— …Damn!
I grab the scythe with both hands and drop the bucket on the ground. The ant seems to be staring at me, even without eyes, which is deeply disturbing.
— What happened to it? Did a plant consume it?
I remember there’s a fungus capable of controlling insects, but I’ve never heard of a plant doing the same.
— This is dangerous… If that thing follows me, what should I do?
It’s still standing there, just staring at me with those flowers in place of its eyes. It’s clearly no longer an ant, but something probably much more dangerous.
After taking a deep breath and calming myself down a bit, I stare at the ant and make my decision.
— Let’s test this scythe.
I approach carefully, trying not to startle it, and when I’m close enough, I plunge the blade of the scythe into its head.
There’s no scream of pain or counterattack. The ant simply falls to the ground, blood dripping as the vines consume it.
It’s as if it were begging to die, and I granted its wish.
— ...So what now?
Looking at the ant being consumed, I see its magic stone tangled among the vines.
— Is there something in that stone?
I cut through some vines with my scythe, and, noticing that the plant moves very slowly, I grab my knife and carefully free the stone. Its shape is similar to the shrimp stone, as is its greenish color.
— It looks just like the shrimp stone… Do these plants consume magic or something like that?
Without many ideas, I go back to get my bucket and head back to the cabin.
As I return, I stay alert for any kind of movement. I have no way of knowing if that was the only ant controlled by the plants or if its nest was entirely consumed.
— Why have I never read anything about this kind of monster in history? Is it something unique to this island, like those insects?
I arrive at the cabin without further incident, and before anything else, I grab the shrimp stone that was stored in the corner and examine the two stones in my possession.
— They really are quite similar… In shape and color.
I stare at them for a while, wondering if it would be possible to use them for something.
— If I had magic power, I could use them… Hey, whoever brought me here, at least give me the most basic power in this world!
[To be continued…]
[???]:
— Something’s wrong…
[+++]:
— …Hm? Did you make a mistake?
[???]:
— It’s not like I made a mistake… But it seems like someone has changed?
[+++]:
— …Why are you even here?
[???]:
— Practicing my calculations, nothing more than that…