Spider world 04 - The Delta by Colin Wilson

Author:Colin Wilson [Wilson, Colin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sci-Fi., Science Fiction
Publisher: Ace Books
Published: 1990-02-04T00:00:00+00:00

Manetho's face was now so swollen that he was scarcely recognisable; he looked like a man who had been brutally bludgeoned and battered. But when he inserted his fingers into the bloated rolls of flesh that concealed his eyes, and forced them apart, he said that he could see the daylight. This raised their spirits; somehow, the thought of permanent blindness was more frightening than the thought of death.

But Milo was still weak, and said his legs felt numb; when he tried to stand up, he immediately collapsed. His feet and legs had turned a dull blue colour; when Simeon examined them, he looked grave. But he decided to try a remedy that he had learned from his grandmother: boiling the leaves of the tree that had caused the injury, and using them as a poultice.

There was no time for Niall and Doggins to wait to learn the result. They knew they had a long day before them, and that lingering could be dangerous. After a light breakfast of dried meat, biscuits and a potation of herbs sweetened with honey, they set out once more towards the strange hill that looked like a giant's head.

Simeon accompanied them to the edge of the forest. The sun had only just risen over the hilltop behind them, and the central basin of the Delta was still covered in silver mist. Simeon said:

"A word before you go. I would have preferred to go with you, but that is impossible. So let me content myself with a word of advice. I know there are many dangers in the Delta, but somehow, the greatest danger lies in your own mind. The Delta has a habit of destroying those who are ready to be destroyed, and sparing those who refuse to become victims. Your chief guarantee of survival is determination. So be courageous without being foolhardy. May the gods protect you."

They clasped forearms, and Simeon's grip was so powerful that it made Niall wince. Without intending to probe Simeon's mind, he was aware that the old man suspected he would never see them again. Simeon stood and watched them until they disappeared among the reeds.

Before they set out, they had already decided to retrace their steps as far as the western edge of the marsh. What they had not expected was to find the path of the previous day almost obliterated. Where they had used the Reapers to cut down the reeds, new reeds, more than a foot high, had already sprung up to replace them. They were able to trample their way through these without any difficulty. But where the toad-faced saurian had bulldozed a path for them, most of the smashed reeds were already upright again. At least they were less dense than elsewhere and, when mowed down with the beam of the Reaper, could be trampled underfoot. Because they were feeling fresh after their night's rest, they moved forward with slow deliberation, halting periodically to listen intently for signs of pursuit. But there was no sound except the wind among the tall reeds.

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