Shitstorm

 This week I wrote a short story. The idea popped out of my head during a free write and I decided to run with it. It's not edited so hopefully there aren't too many errors or poorly written sentences. Let me know what you think.

Shitstorm

Amongst the tallest and most remote mountains of the Spredumback range there lives a small community of very large folks. This little village is built from the mighty boulders that break from the faces of the mountains when the great thunder god is feeling uncertain and full of angst. Huts that would be massive to you or I provide modest and cozy shelter for the rock giants that dwell in this place. At the center of town there exists one hut that dwarfs the rest. It is an imposing and ornate structure, gaudily decorated with large, raw crystals and gems. Above the entrance there hangs the head of an enormous bird of prey, preserved in an expression of sheer terror. This palace is the home of Fgor, newly appointed chieftan, president, protector and holy man of all rock giant-kind. Upon the walls inside Fgor's home there is a great mural, painted with red dust mixed in water, that tells the tale of the great victory of Fgor's life. What follows is my best attempt at translating the images I saw upon these walls. May Fgor be merciful should I err.

For many years the rock giants inhabited the village of Murkystank and lived there in peace and happiness. When food was in need, they simply hiked down to the land of men and slew all they could find, feasting upon their nutritious flesh and taking a pleasant, scenic walk home. They were good days.

It was early in the spring of Fgor's 24th year when the terrible gray clouds appeared. It had not rained in the Spredumbacks for nearly 400 years and the sudden change in weather made the oldest and wisest fearful of what may come next. Linderbub, the great father of the wise men, looked to the sky one day and prayed to the bashful sun god to return. As he peered up he noticed something unexpected. A great bird soared high in the clouds, a creature of which he had heard before. Some moments passed as Linderbub recovered the creatures name from his memory. The entire community was there, watching Linderbub as he worked his magic to banish the clouds, and he looked upon them and the word came to him.

"Griffins."

Thus the great bird creatures came to the Spredumbacks. At first, the rock giants were in awe and showed respect to them. Griffins roosted upon the cliffs high above the village and started a life there, growing in number over time. The first time a rock giant got shit on, it was pretty funny. Several other giants witnessed Dugburn get hit by a softball sized glob of white goo and they laughed hearty bellowing laughs. It was a story that was told for days after, and every time it got a good laugh. Cleaning the shit off the roofs was easy, and the giants did not mind it much, because it is wise to recognize that everything must shit.

Several years passed and the griffins thrived. The shitting increased gradually, so that no one noticed what was going on but their behavior began to change. Irritation had eventually become a plague, and no one could understand the source. The giants avoided looking at the sky for fear of getting shit in their face, even though no giant would laugh at another for such things anymore. It had happened to them all at one point or another. They became depressed, down-trodden. This is what happens to any creature's spirit when it spends too much time being shit upon by other creatures. The rock giants began to feel like they were worthless, they lost their honor and were doing horrible things to one another. They were lying to get ahead, being sneaky, murdering each other in horrible, unfair ways.

Fgor was no different from the rest, conniving, selfish and fed-up. He was a simple stone puller who wanted to experiment with his mind. In his home one night, he ate a large cave mushroom and had a vision. He saw the future of his people. They had become small, tinier than maggots. They were grimy and disgusting and they cannibalized each other in order to live. They began living off the shit of the griffins. Using it to build their dens and spice the flesh of their families. This tore open Fgor's mighty heart. He began to see how even he had been acting like a scummy deviant and he wept.

The morning after, Fgor awoke and saw a fraction of light break through the dense clouds. Thus Fgor decided that the time for change had come. With little thought he simply began climbing the great cliff face toward the peak where the most griffins roosted. The birds soon saw him coming and saw the vengeance in his eyes. They immediately attacked him, swooping on him as he climbed, trying to peck his eyes. They knew rock giant skin was tough, too tough for their razor claws to do any serious damage, so they went to his face. When that did not stop him, the birds tumbled rocks down upon him, but still Fgor climbed. After many hours of punishment he reached the top and the griffins scattered in fear.

It had become widely known that griffins are mainly female. The griffin King is usually the only male and the only one who inseminates the females' eggs. Kill the king and the griffin population will dwindle, taking generations to recover. Fgor called to the king and insulted him. The huge male strutted out of his cave roost and haughtily responded. They lunged at each other at once.

The bird king's claws were large and sharp and they dug deep past Fgor's thick hide. He was wounded and bleeding, but the strength of giants is unrivaled. Fgor grabbed sensitive parts of the king's anatomy, squeezed really hard and lifted the griffin above his head. Griffin bones splintered as the great bird creature was slammed down onto the harsh ground. One excruciating chirp was the king's last address to his harem before a large rock smashed into his skull, ending his life. Fgor tossed the rock aside and dragged the body down home, to show his friends what he had done. They cheered for him and worshiped him and the clouds began to part.