Day 120: Heading East

Day 120:

I took some time today to just walk around the caverns and see where things were at. You know, kind of a tour of my domain, or somthing.

I’m making good progress digging to the east. At least I think I am. I can clearly see the big mountain when I’m at the east entrance, which wasn’t true of my home location, so I’ve definitely gotten closer. It looks like the area I’m digging in might be south of the big mountain, but I can shift northerly when the time comes.

It’s also hard to tell for sure how far away I am since I can’t tell if the mountain is big and close or really big and far away.

At some point I suspect I’ll have to dig under the river. Not really looking forward to that. If I have enough ducken skins left over after making my bed, I might try to figure out how to waterproof some leather.

Watercolor of the valley outside the east entrance, with the big mountain in the distance. Incredibly simple, mostly green shapes.
The big mountain has either a smaller mountain or an even bigger further away mountain behind it.

Day 119: Feathers

Day 119:

The cave is full of feathers and drying ducken skins. My shoulder’s healing and I’m not limping as much, but I’m really worried that the gash on my calf is going to get infected. I’m cleaning it every few hours.

This wasn’t how I intended to get around to making a feather bed, but truth be told I’m lousy at prioritizing the things that will make me more comfortable when I could be working on the things that will get me out of here altogether.

On the other hand it’s nice to be doing tiny detailed work like sewing skins together for a while instead of big wide movements. One has to keep the fine motor skills exercised as much as the gross ones or real problems can happen.

line sketch of the inside of the author's cave. to the left of the door, a large pile of feathers that reaches halfway to the windows. To the right of the door a pile of red flower heads for dying leather that reaches to a quarter of the window's height. Above the windows and the door a row of chicken skins drying on pegs - roughly 13 in view.
Smells like boiled chicken brains in here.

Day 118: Wrong wrong wrong

Day 118:

I do not wish to discuss how wrong I was about the zombies and the skeletons and the spiders. Suffice it to say that I lived, and I’ll be spending the next few days recovering from my injuries in my cave.

line sketch of a left leg from the knee to the foot. A  wide red gash runs from just below the knee on the shin to the ankle.
Ow. Dammit.

Day 117: Back to digging

Day 117:

The eastern entrance that I uncovered is part of a ravine. Not a deep one, not like some of the ones I found near the house. This one’s just deep enough that it’s level with the part of the cavern I was in.

So far, it seems like maybe I’ve outrun the monsters, too. I’ve come across one skeleton, and to be honest I can’t tell if it came from above or below. Is it possible that I was just dropped in a particularly dangerous area and the rest of the planet is safe?

It’s probably too much to hope. I’m not leaving my sword home.

line sketch. On the left, an underground chamber attaches to another underground chamber, which then drills right out of the side of a cliff. The cliff doesn't appear to have a bottom. Across from the cliff is another cliff, making this a ravine.
Feels like something out of a cartoon.

Day 116: Peace

Day 116:

Decided to take a day off for a change. I’m sore and tired and achy, all to be expected since I’ve been digging like crazy.

I think I’m maybe a third of the way to the big mountain. It’s hard to tell. The mountain slides in and out of the mist  both day and night, and totally depends on the weather if I can see it.

Sometimes I think I see snow on top.

Today I did little things, like carve wooden pegs to use on frames to hold leather skins, and roast some fresh meat, and just not rush.

It was a good day.

line sketch of a pegboard - a flat board with wooden dowels sticking out of it at regular intervals, meant to be hung on the wall to hang skins from.
A few dozen of these and I can get to tanning ducken hides.
Never thought I’d say that.