Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure by Allan Richard Shickman Page A
Authors: Allan Richard Shickman
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high in the sky and the rocks underfoot were hot, but there was nothing to do except endure it until he could get to the stream, which was a good distance away. Zan had time to think even as he walked on the burning surface. This part of the journey would prove to be the most difficult of all his trials. He had to provide himself with food, water, and shelter in this hostile wasteland! The fierce sun told him that he needed shelter right away. Already it was drying his throat and burning his skin. He took the animal pelt still packed in his sack and covered his head and shoulders as best he could. Lucky that Rydl had saved it for him! But the deeper he went into this sun-baked and desolate place, the more frightened he became. âAlways face your enemy,â his father had taught him, but this enemy was neither before nor behind him. It was everywhereâin front and behind, over and under! Zan wondered once again whether he was going to die. Panic seized his heart and his breath almost left him. He stopped in his dusty tracks, looked around, and said aloud, âI will not panic!â and even forced himself to smile at his situation. Immediately he felt a bit better. âIf this is a land of death, how can so many things be alive?â Zan observed the cactuses that had begun to appear in great numbers. Endless in variety, they were flowering vigorously in purple, orange, and lemon. At almost every step a lizard or rodent darted out of his path. He had to dodge the scorpions. Overhead an eagle soared, and other birds also flew in the bright and cloudless sky. This desert place was actually teeming with life! All of these creatures could survive and thrive! Why shouldnât Zan-Gah? A ball of tumbleweed blew across his path, dead as anything could be. âThat too was alive not long ago.I must try to learn the secrets of things that liveâto become part of the desert instead of struggling against it!â In this way Zan tried to encourage himself and keep his presence of mind.
It was not long before Zan discovered that certain succulent plants (the likes of which he had never seen before) were full of liquid. He knew better than to suck their juices, however, because many plants were poisonousâjust as the berries were that the wasp women used to make their venom. Fortunately Zan still had some water, but he wanted to conserve it as long as he could. He rubbed some of the sapânot muchâinside of his lower lip, as Thal once had taught him. If his lip swelled or became sore he would know not to swallow any more of it. Zan applied very little at first, knowing that some plants are deadly, even in small quantities. A little later, if he suffered no bad effects, he would try a somewhat larger amount. At length Zan successfully tested three different desert plants that provided moisture, and food too. One of them, a cactus, was so round and bulbous that Zan was fairly certain it stored quantities of liquid. He broke it open with a large rock, but the pieces were covered with needles, which made them hard to handle. Another cactus plant was sweet to the taste, both its sap and its flesh, but it too was covered with spiky thorns. Zan was out of water when he arrived at the creek, and to his bitter disappointment, all he found was a dry riverbed. It had looked better from a distance.
For all his efforts and discoveries, Zan was parched and famished. He found himself eating bugs and a lizard, knowing that he could not continue this way forvery long. He needed water. He noticed the paw prints of an animal in the dust, and then others, small and large, mostly going the same way. Zan followed them to a puddle in the rocky bottom of the creek that he had not seen. It was all that was left of what had once been a stream. Something scampered away and Zan lay down to drink what was left. He managed to refill his canteen, and decided to settle for a while. The bank of the creek gave him some shade and the
It was not long before Zan discovered that certain succulent plants (the likes of which he had never seen before) were full of liquid. He knew better than to suck their juices, however, because many plants were poisonousâjust as the berries were that the wasp women used to make their venom. Fortunately Zan still had some water, but he wanted to conserve it as long as he could. He rubbed some of the sapânot muchâinside of his lower lip, as Thal once had taught him. If his lip swelled or became sore he would know not to swallow any more of it. Zan applied very little at first, knowing that some plants are deadly, even in small quantities. A little later, if he suffered no bad effects, he would try a somewhat larger amount. At length Zan successfully tested three different desert plants that provided moisture, and food too. One of them, a cactus, was so round and bulbous that Zan was fairly certain it stored quantities of liquid. He broke it open with a large rock, but the pieces were covered with needles, which made them hard to handle. Another cactus plant was sweet to the taste, both its sap and its flesh, but it too was covered with spiky thorns. Zan was out of water when he arrived at the creek, and to his bitter disappointment, all he found was a dry riverbed. It had looked better from a distance.
For all his efforts and discoveries, Zan was parched and famished. He found himself eating bugs and a lizard, knowing that he could not continue this way forvery long. He needed water. He noticed the paw prints of an animal in the dust, and then others, small and large, mostly going the same way. Zan followed them to a puddle in the rocky bottom of the creek that he had not seen. It was all that was left of what had once been a stream. Something scampered away and Zan lay down to drink what was left. He managed to refill his canteen, and decided to settle for a while. The bank of the creek gave him some shade and the
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