Gravemound by Kim Fielding

Author:Kim Fielding [Fielding, Kim]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tin Box Press
Published: 2021-03-21T22:00:00+00:00

Phineas fell into bed almost immediately after arriving home and slept deeply for most of the day, his dreams as insubstantial as morning mist over the fields. He woke up well rested and ravenous, almost believing he’d imagined Kendo. God, had he really spent an entire night talking some poor stranger’s ears off?

If Kendo was real, where had he slept today? He hadn’t even been carrying a blanket. Dammit, Phin should have given him the one he’d brought to the cemetery. He could have spared it.

In the day’s final hours of sunlight, Phin fixed himself a simple meal, ate, and tended to his kitchen garden. He still wasn’t sure what he was doing there—he’d need more tips from Osgod—but Phin thought he’d made a slight improvement. Or he’d at least kept the plants from erupting into a full-fledged jungle. He looked forward to eating something he’d grown himself. Before landing on this planet, he’d never done that and didn’t know anyone who had. Back home, food came from the big rooftop ag-domes and the protein factories. And although you could buy products containing a variety of spices and artificial flavorings, none of it tasted as good as the simple fare he ate here.

With this in mind, he packed his snack basket extra full. Although the chance that Kendo would reappear was probably small, Phin could keep himself busy by stuffing his face all night. He also brought two blankets, just in case. The sky was without clouds, and tonight might be chillier than the previous one.

Phineas greeted both Thozzon and Somboon when he arrived at the cemetery. They didn’t answer back, of course, but it seemed rude not to acknowledge them. He made his way to what he now thought of as his spot against the wall and settled down. “You know, they should install comfy seats in this place. Armchairs. Except maybe not too comfy, because we don’t want guardians nodding off in the middle of the night.”

He wrapped one of the blankets around his shoulders and began to hum softly. He wasn’t very musical, but a few old tunes rattled around in his head and he didn’t mind giving them an outing. Nobody on this planet had heard them before, and he wondered what the villagers would think.

Phineas was halfway through an advertising jingle for holidays on the moon—probably a little morbid under the circumstances—when a figure appeared out of the darkness. This time Phin startled only a little. He hadn’t heard Kendo approaching.

“I have food,” Phin offered. He couldn’t see Kendo’s face, just the outline of his wiry body and the sword handle sticking up above one shoulder.

“I don’t want to impose.”

“It’s more than fair compensation for your company.”

After a brief pause, Kendo sat close beside Phin and thanked him when Phin passed the basket.

“I didn’t know if you’d show up tonight.”

“I…. I rarely stay in one place for more than one night. But you’re very interesting.”

Phin smiled. “Not really, but thanks. Hey, is it comfortable to sit with that sword thing hanging on you?”

“My baldric?” Kendo sounded amused.

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