Falling From The Sky Part 24

As he looked at the expanse of meadow before him, the wizard scowled.1

The tableau before him was a disturbing contrast to the verdant fastness2

of the Forest he had just stepped out of.3

The meadow which seemed to stretch on interminably gave off the decided4

impression of barrenness and sterility. The grass before him was a sickly shade of yellowish brown. Scattered copses of various vegetation broke up the landscape, yet they too were distressed and wilted.5

As he sought to center himself and attempt to elicit some meaning6

from what lay before him, his ears picked up a nearly inaudible fluffing 7

sound from overhead. At that moment, a shadow briefly eclipsed the glow of the Moon. Tipping his battered old fedora back on his head, the wizard8

peered upward. No more than a few yards over his head was a large owl9

gliding soundlessly through the sky. 'Precious little hunting to be had in THIS place, the wizard muttered. In many cultures, the wizard knew,10

owls were considered to be a bad omen. Irritably dismissing the notion from his mind, he continued looking skyward. Orion, the Dippers, all the standard constellations gleamed overhead. As he looked, the wizard saw a  shower of meteors emblazoning the night sky in a moment of celestial glory. Giving a hitch to the Hammer that nowadays hung always by his side,11

the wizard continued on his way. After what seemed like a lifetime of striding across the blasted terrain, the wizard came upon an earthen escarpment fringed with the stunted yellowish foliage that appeared to dominate the area. He walked in underneath the overhang and seated12

himself on the moss-covered ground. Suddenly hungry, he reached into the pocket of his overshirt and pulled out a leaf-wrapped bundle.13

Opening the leaves, the wizard took out a patty of baked flour that had been folded over a few slivers of turnips. His mind wandered to different14

times, different places as he slowly chewed the simple fare.15

What to do, what to do, he mused. Abruptly he leaned back against the16

mossy wall of his ad hoc shelter, tugged his hat down over his eyes and was soon fast asleep. Tiny tendrils of vibrant green appeared on the periphery of the escarpment. Off in the distance, an owl hooted.17

TO BE CONTINUED18

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