In celebration of passing the milestone of 20,000 words written I am posting an excerpt from the chapter I just finished.
Also, I know for a fact that I'm not the only person in the slimesalad community who likes to write, so if anyone else wants to share any bits of writing, this is a good place for it
in a chapter of my book I wrote:"Put the sacrifices up high, above the fire!" Provincial shouted.
Catt stared at him in open-mouthed bewilderment, not understanding how he expected her to even begin doing such a task.
Four hook-tipped wires suddenly dipped down from above and fastened themselves to the corners of the burnt offering rack. They began to lift it up by some unseen mechanism.
Catt whistled in surprise, and stepped back a bit. She wiped the sweat off her forehead and looked up, watching the rack rise.
"How did you do that, Magic?" Catt asked.
Provincial was still focusing his attention upwards. "Good, good!" He shouted. "Perhaps move those ribs to the side for now, we do not want them full of the wrong kind of smoke!"
A large rack of ribs moved laterally. Catt felt certain that this was some kind of spell, but Provincial's words did not sound anything like the utterings of a wizard, which she knew had to be spoken in specific special languages in order to work.
Provincial nodded in approval of the current position of the tray. The paper and cloth bits were already kindling. He seemed to belatedly notice Catt's curious amazement.
"Ha! You like? Is not Magic," Provincial chuckled, "Is Jangley!"
"Jangley?" Catt asked, confused.
"Well, Jangley is maybe sort of magic. Jangley! Come down and meet Catt!"
All the wires lurched just slightly all at once, and then the cobweb began to rearrange itself, bunching downward. The rack of burnt offerings and the various cooking meats all remained in roughly the same places, with wires shifting and trading places to keep them where they were.
At the heart of the mass of wire, it seemed like there was one point where many of them came together in a bundle. This point was coming closer to Catt. She could see a cylindrical shape about as big as three fists side-by-side. The wires connected to its two ends as if it was their source. As it drew parallel to them, she could see a semi-round shape on the side of it that looked like a large eye.
"What is it?" Catt asked. It brought to mind a spider with far too many spindly legs, or some baleful ocean creature, all tentacles.
"Catt, meet Jangley. Jangley is wire golem. Jangley, meet Catt Zago. She is acolyte for Reverend Lemmy.
The wire golem was frightening, but Catt remained calm. It helped that Provincial was speaking to it like a person, but she was also glad that it was moving slowly. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Jangley." Catt said. She kept her hand firmly at her side. She did not want to shake any of its appendages, some of which were still glowing red hot.
"I like small Priest," said a buzzing voice like a bucket full of bees. "If small Priest apprentice you then I like you."
"Jangley is our Master Chef," said Provincial. "Jangley is the one whom we have to thank for the success of the Outer Bakak Fine Meats and Sausages Company. There is no finer chef in the Smokefields."
"I like to cook. I cannot taste," said Jangley's buzzing voice. "Will you taste for me?"
A thick slice of bacon descended from above on a single wire. It was sizzling and sputtering. Catt remembered how hungry she was, but she didn't dare burn her fingers by reaching for it. She also could not help but notice the wire's resemblance to a fishing line.
"Um… I…" Catt stalled, not wanting to offend the golem.
Provincial produced a grease-stained cloth pot holders from somewhere and held it under the bacon, as if he had seen this sort of interaction before and understood the need to put her at ease. Jangley gingerly dropped the bacon onto the cloth, and Provincial passed it to Catt. She blew on it to cool it and gratefully savored the smell.
After it had cooled enough that Catt could take a bite, Jangley asked, "Taste?"
"It is exquisite!" Said Catt, honestly. She didn't know how to describe the smokey aftertaste, but she tried, "It tastes… like a beautiful flowering tree… burned to… the smoke… I'm sorry, that came out much more sad than I meant it to sound."
"It is good that sadness is in the taste," buzzed Jangley. "All meat has sadness, but you had empathy for the wood. This pleases me."
Catt nodded, unsure of how to respond. She ate the rest of the piece of bacon, chewing very slowly, feeling suddenly as if she had to relish the experience of eating it in order to respect the sorrow inherent in the meat.