Ark: The Revival

Chapter One:

Fist Full of Sand

It was so hard to breathe. Hot, dry air choked her lungs as she tried to take a deep breath. She coughed and sputtered as she pushed herself up. Her hands dug deep into what she thought was loose dry dirt. No. It didn't have the right consistency. It felt more grainy… almost like river silt or sand. Slowly she opened her eyes, but she soon shut them. It was so bright. The brightest light she had even seen filled every part of her. She couldn't remember having ever seen such a bright light. There was no way that it could have been the sun. Normally she would have been a bit more cautious, but her whole body was beginning to burn under the unforgiving light. Squinting her eyes just enough, though her vision was still a bit blurry, she was able to pull herself into some nearby shade. It wasn't much cooler, but her skin no longer felt like it was about to blister. Opening her eyes a bit more and even rubbing them, she found herself in a strange world. Scrubby bushes. Yucca like plants. She was even sitting in the shade of what looked like a giant cactus.

"Where…?" she started to cough as her throat was so parched and ached for a drink of water.

She reached down for where she usually kept her canteen, but it wasn't there. That's when she took a good look at herself. She was horrified to find herself barely dressed save from some boxer shorts and a thin bra. This wasn't right. She knew that she was wearing her thick pair of blue jeans, a flannel shirt button down shirt with her heavier trench coat and her favorite pair of boots and hat. That's when something shiny on her left wrist caught her attention. She nearly backed into the cactus with surprise and horror as she found a diamond like metallic thing in her arm. Scratching at it, she was so confused about what this silver object was that seemed to be firmly attached to her wrist. It looked like it was made of silver and it pulsated with a faint blue glow. She had never seen anything like it before in her life. Running her fingers over the smooth metal, she was surprised to feel a vibration or humming coming from it. As she sat there and really concentrated on it, she could actually feel the humming traveling through her bones. She gave her body a good shake as she didn't like the feeling. She really didn't want to focus on that feeling. It made her feel uneasy.

The whole situation is uneasy, she looked around with leery eyes.

To awaken in a place covered in sand and prickly plants. It was so disorientating and startling. This place was so different from where she had been before. That's when it hit her. Where was she last? What was the last thing she could remember before waking up in this strange place? Closing her eyes, she tried to think about what she was doing last.

Think Jory. Think, she sat there quietly until a flood of memories came back to her, I… I was driving the herd to the northern pasture… I couldn't wait for Big John and his brothers

the southern fields were already starting to flood. I divided the herd so I could move smaller and more manageable numbers by myself. I had done it a thousand times before. Sure there was a lot of water, but it was just standing… not moving. If I would have waited, that water would have started to take the cattle… I had to move them, she slowed down her thoughts, I was on Holly Mary… we were just crossing the creek to get to the north side… it was a bit swollen, but the water was slow and only came halfway up Holly's legs. I know I was tired and cold… probably shouldn't have been doing that myself, she admitted, But I couldn't lose any one of those cattle… all of them were so important to keeping the ranch afloat… Holly… she got spooked, a pit formed in her stomach, she reared… I lost my grip… my hands were so weak and numb from the cold… the rain made everything slippery… I fell into the cold water… I… I hit my head, she panicked as she ran her hand over the back of her head.

Pulling it back around, she was relieved to see that it wasn't full of blood and gore. Her head didn't even hurt, but she could recall the pain she felt as her head hit a big rock. The feeling of the cold water rushing into her mouth and lungs. It was so painful. Her lungs felt like they had frozen. Everything went black after that.

I died… I actually died…, she came to a horrifying conclusion, I never got back up… I drowned because I hit my head… I died…, she pulled her bare legs up to her chest.

It didn't make sense. If she died, then how was she alive now? Was she alive? Was this some sort of afterlife? It was a strange place. The place after life was supposed to be strange. Or that is what she had been told. Big John's people believed in a spirit world in the sky where everyone eventually went. It was a peaceful place where there was no pain. It sounded a lot like what Pastor North would talk about, but he also told of a place that was filled with fire and suffering souls. This place was certainly hot, but no fire and she seemed to be the only suffering one. It didn't seem like any place that Big John or the Pastor had described.

It's more of a desert… never been to one… just seen pictures of them… I've been out to the Sandhills… they are kind of like a desert… more like sandy scrub land with hills. There weren't any cacti that I can recall, she looked up at the cactus that was behind her.

Her curiosity got the better of her. Turning around, she pressed her finger into one of the needles. She applied pressure until the needle punctured her fingertip. She quickly withdrew it with an audible ouch. She popped her finger into her mouth instinctually. The taste of blood filled her mouth. It didn't bother her as she had tasted it many times before. Though this was a sign that she was alive. Right? She was feeling pain and bleeding. People only do that if they were alive. Right?

Right? I remember how I died, but here I am feeling the sting of a cactus, getting burned to a crisp by the sun and sweating like a pig. I have to be alive, but I know that I died… I felt myself slipping away, she pushed those feelings away, Here I am though. I… I have to be alive… somehow…, she tried to convince herself.

Whether or not she could convince herself that she was truly alive it really didn't matter. She was conscious in this strange place. She could feel pain. She felt like she was boiling in her own skin. Her throat was aching because it was so dry. She couldn't stay there. It was dangerous. She could feel the heat zapping her strength even though she wasn't doing anything strenuous.

I know how to survive in the woods and plains… but this sandbox? She looked around, I don't know nothing about surviving in the desert. Hmm…, she thought for a moment, I think I remember something about getting water out of a cactus,she turned back to the tall prickly plant, Seems like a pretty tough plant. Guess it would have to be to live in a place like this… I assume the water is in its flesh… How do I get to it? Hmm…, she thought again, A knife… I need to make a stone knife, she could see some loose stones that looked just right.

Pulling a few nearby stones out of the sand, she was able to find two that would be perfect. Luckily one of the stones appeared to be flint. She crossed her legs and began the laborious task of trying to shape the piece of flint into a usable blade. It really wasn't that bad as she had done it a thousand times before. Once she got into a rhythm, the blade started to take shape. It chipped and flaked until there was a razor edge. It was a bit thinner than she wanted, but she wasn't sure if she had the strength to make another. Just slamming two stones together was causing her to sweat and breathe a bit harder. Her thirst was only going worse with each hit. She really needed some water. Holding the handmade blade up, she let out a sigh. It would have to do.

I can admire and criticize my work later, she turned to the cactus, Right now, I need to see if there really is water in cactuses… cactussss? Cacti… its cacti, she was sure.

Taking in a deep breath, she plunged the stone blade as deep into the cactus' trunk. She made sure to go about chest height as the bottom seemed a bit thick and brown. She thought that maybe the 'water' would be in the greener or younger parts of the cactus. The flint blade seemed to hold out as she cut out a chuck of cactus flesh. Just as she thought there wasn't actual water, but the flesh was juicy and dripping with what looked like water. She examined for a few moments. It didn't smell bad. Maybe a bit herbily and kind of reminded her of how the long grasses would smell after the rain. The dry pain in her throat reminded her why she had cut into the thick plant. She took in a deep breath and took a small bite. The plant flesh oozed as she bit into it. The taste was like that of a green pepper with a crunchy yet sticky texture. She had barely swallowed the chunk before it felt like her mouth and throat were on fire. She quickly spit it out and even her stomach tried to empty itself but the only thing that was in there was bile. She wiped her mouth of the sticky mess. It went from being something somewhat pleasant to an acid filled viscous plant chuck.

Okay… that was disgusting…, she could feel her stomach trying to heave again, I guess that was a myth. Of course I'm now nauseated, thirsty and tired… I'm wasting precious energy on things I don't know. I should be using it on things I know how to do, she looked up at her flint blade, Like making some more tools, she then looked down at herself, and see about making some type of covering, she let out a sigh.

Everything she knew about survival began to run through her mind. Weaving simple cloth. Stone tools. Basic weapons. Shelter. All those things were important, but the first thing was to find some food and water. Water being the most important. She started to move, but she was stopped when her hand sunk into the sand. She felt every grain of sand slip around her palm and fingers. She pulled up a fist full of sand and let it run through her fingers. It fell back down to the sandy floor.

"Like sand in an hourglass…," she mumbled to herself, "Jory… what hell have you found yourself in?"