Fading Away

By E.W. Pierce

Marooned on a skyland that crashed to the sea, young Joha Mender is slowly starving to death. His food stores exhausted, he must face his greatest fear and brave the deep waters. But the sky-peoples harbor old superstitions about the sea for a reason, and as Joha enters this alien world, he discovers that myths often contain an element of truth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: E.W. Pierce
• Release date: Apr 11, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311171436

E.W. Pierce

E.W. Pierce is the writing handle of Eric Pierce. Raised on a steady diet of Star Wars, cowboy movies with his great-grandfather, and lots of pretend, he developed an early interest in the making of make-believe. Eric discovered the fantasy genre via the Dragonlance novels, and shortly thereafter, was introduced to the tabletop roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons. His world was never the same. Eric writes Fantasy and the occasional Science Fiction or Horror story. He lives in Michigan with his wife and their two children. You can follow him at http://ewpierce.com, where he blogs about fantasy books, roleplaying games, and other geeky pursuits.

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A SMALL SKY THRU BROKEN STRANDS

E.W. Pierce

Smashwords Edition. Copyright © 2014 E.W. Pierce All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. Reproduction in whole or part without express written consent is strictly prohibited.

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On a tiny bit of land in the middle of the sea, Joha Mender watched the midnight sky for sign of his father. He didn't know how many days had passed, and he didn't let himself dwell on counting.  It'd been a long time, and that was all he was willing to admit. But Pa would come.

The fire was dying noisily, sputtering on the last of the land's meager fuel source. He could burn his clothes if it came to that, he reasoned. The fire was his lone companion, and he did not relish the thought of facing the long, cold nights without it. Pa would come before it came to that.

His belly coiled tightly, painfully. Uncle Emmitt's pantry had been stocked amply, enough to see a careful person through a season, but now the cabin's shelves held naught but crumbs. Joha wished he'd been a little more careful in those first days. Tomorrow he'd have to go into the sea to get food, if he dared. He shivered. Pa would come. Pa would come.

Joha warmed his hands. The wind ruffled his