Chapter 44: Leaving sandworms valley - 1
Footsteps echoed down the broken streets, crunching over dust and debris. The settlers moved as one, drawn toward the sleeping giant that had ruled their lives. They walked slow, steps unsure, like each inch closer made the air heavier.
They stopped when the worm came into view.
Its body stretched across the clearing, motionless, its armored hide rising like hills of scarred stone. Some settlers stood frozen, gazes fixed. Others stepped forward, words slipping out like breath.
"So this is what it really looks like..."
A man reached out, fingers brushing a long scar on its side.
Nearby, a woman clutched her shawl close, knuckles pale.
"It took my daughter."
No one replied.
Then a laugh cracked the silence—bitter and sharp.
"And without it, we'd all be dead. The only reason this settlement survived was because of them. The ones we gave up."
A rough voice answered.