{"sf1_id":2110031,"sf2_id":"rm8QXpWn","title":"JIH Chapter 3: A Snail's Pace","author":"Dextrose Overdose","words":1535,"posted_at":"2024-02-29T07:27:24.000Z","tags":["Adventure","Alien","Cave","Fantasy","Female","Fighting","Human","Isekai","Magic","Male","Sci-Fi","Snail","Sword"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2110031-jih-chapter-3-a-snail-s-pace","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/rm8QXpWn","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/a4/b1/a4b1ccb0-d3ba-4b42-b649-d9becee63066","description":"Jack, an unassuming holiday traveler, engages in mortal combat with a horrible beast.","content":"Okay, it would be really nice if I could wake up, because I was definitely dreaming.\u0026nbsp; There's no way that the horror that I was backpedaling from could be real.\u0026nbsp; There was something like a snail following me, only it was huge!\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;A giant, slimy gray head was stretching out toward me with its strange, floppy mouth open in an attempt to bite me.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;A cluster of eye stalks—too numerous to count in my terrified state—all danced around on top of its head and ran all the way down its neck like a mane.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The eyes were extending and contracting with no rhyme or reason to them.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Instead of a shell on its back there was a giant stalagmite that it dragged around.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It moved with more speed than something carrying so much weight had any right to, and it made absolutely no sound as it did so.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Unlike the salamander creature from earlier, it had no fear of my light.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\n“Y'know, my pommel kinda hurts,\" the sword in my hand buzzed an observation that had no bearing on my current predicament.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;“Did you bang me on something while I was asleep?\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\n“What?\" I shouted, not able to carry on a conversation and flee simultaneously.\n\n \n\n“Cause I really hate it when people do that.\"\n\n \n\n“Zoe!\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;What do I—?\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;At that instant my shoe came down on something that slipped underfoot and I fell on my ass.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Sensing victory, the monster slithered forth.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I did the only thing I could and shoved my luggage in front of me like a shield.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The creature chomped down on it and there was a soft sound of hissing as it tore the bag away from me.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The snail shook it like a puppy with a rag doll as I scrambled back through the water and regained my footing.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;After a few seconds, the monster realized what it was chewing on was not edible and turned back to me.\n\n \n\n“What do I do?\"\n\n \n\n“Um, I don't know… stab it?\" Zoe offered.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;“That works for most things.\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nI wasn't exactly keen on getting close enough to do that.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Zoe may have claimed to be a sword, but her blade didn't have much reach.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;So I turned to run.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\n“Aw,\" Zoe grumbled in disappointment, “I thought we were going to fight it.\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nI splashed through the cave, running blindly in hopes of getting away.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I had no clue where I was going, or if I was about to run into even worse danger, but I kept fleeing.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I turned to see if I was making any progress but the monster was somehow able to keep pace with me.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Before long I was starting to tire and was losing the edge that adrenaline was giving me, but the snail creature didn't appear to have any of the same issues.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It was getting closer.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nEventually I stumbled into a deeper part of the cave where the water came up to my crotch.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;There was no way I could stay ahead of it anymore, but I surged forward anyway, only to find that I had reached the end of the line.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I ran into a dead end.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;A wall of slick stone blocked my way.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I turned around and pressed my back against the wall, holding the feeble sword out defensively with both hands.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The snail pressed a wake of water toward me as it moved in for the kill.\n\n \n\n_Keeerunch!\u0026nbsp;_\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nThe tall stalagmite formation on the back of the creature slammed into an overhead outcropping, bringing it to a halt.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The eye stalks danced around in confusion as it attempted to move forward but found itself unable to.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It stretched its head out toward me, but it fell short.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Only able to reach a stretched eye to the tip of Zoe's blade.\n\n \n\nZoe giggled.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;“It's not very smart, is it?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Can we stab it now?\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nI tried easing my way along the wall to find some other way of escape.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The creature followed, the growth on its back scraping along the overhang, but not able to get any closer to me.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;There was nowhere I could go and the monster didn't seem like it was going to give up and go away.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I was backed into a corner with only one way to get out.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I had no choice but to fight.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I gripped Zoe's hilt as tightly as I could with both hands and watched for an opening.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The snail's head bobbed and turned away slightly and I lunged for it, striking at the neck with the tip of the blade.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;An all or nothing attack.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nIt was like trying to puncture a truck tire with a wooden spoon.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\n“Whoops,\" Zoe uttered when her blade bounced off.\n\n \n\nIt shot a painful jolt up my arm as my wrist twisted and thumb jammed into Zoe's crossguard.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The monster appeared to wince, but otherwise barely registered the injury.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Its head twisted and the mouth clamped down on my thigh with a hiss. I could feel the pressure of its powerful maw, but the thick winter coat wrapped around my waist took most of the damage.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;There was a sizzle of polyester and nylon smoldering from the creature's caustic saliva.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I shouted in panic as it dragged me away from the protection of the outcropping.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I tried to jam Zoe into the head again but that had even less effect than the first try.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nI'm going to die!\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nI started swinging the pathetically dull weapon wildly, each successive strike as useless as the last.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The snail's thick hide absorbed it all, and even the eyes were shockingly tough.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I did manage to slice one off, but the creature didn't appear to notice the injury.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Having so many of them, I guess it wouldn't.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nThat was it.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;There was nothing else I could do.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I guess I had a good run.\n\n \n\nNo… No!\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I had a terrible run!\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I haven't done a damn thing I planned in my life!\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I'm still a virgin for Christ's sake!\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;This sucks!\n\n \n\nJust at that moment when I was forced to accept my fate, the creature let go.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I pinwheeled my arms to try and keep my balance but failed, splashing back into the water.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I got back up quickly, swinging Zoe blindly as I retreated.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I coughed up the foul reek I had nearly swallowed and wiped a hand across my face to clear my vision.\n\n \n\nThe creature in front of me shook its head irritably.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Drool fell from its mouth and splattered about as it coughed out a lump of smoking polyester stuffing.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It spit an acidic loogie on the floor and turned to slide away.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Upon finding a high and dry spot it settled in and withdrew its entire body under the stalagmite, camouflaging it perfectly.\n\n \n\n“I guess you don't taste good,\" Zoe observed.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nI glanced down at my thigh.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;There was a huge hole in my sopping wet jacket that went all the way through the pant leg underneath, but the creature's bite had been shy of my flesh.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The skin was bruised like the biggest hickey ever, but no other injury was apparent.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;At any rate, the pain managed to get through to me that all of this was real.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Somehow, no matter how surreal everything was, this was really happening.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nI noticed something moving in the water with me.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;When I turned the light I saw that the eye I had cut off the creature was swimming around me like a tadpole.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;It even appeared to have grown tiny legs.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Upon seeing that I desperately wanted to get out of the water, even if it meant I had to walk past the snail-agmite.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I eased my way past the monster while holding out Zoe, who could only cursory be called a weapon.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The creature had no further interest in me and let me go unmolested.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nOnce I felt I was safely away I held up the sword in front of me and shook her angrily.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;“Why didn't you tell me you were so dull?\"\n\n \n\n“I'm sorry, Master Jake!\" Zoe cried apologetically.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;“I forgot my last master mostly used me to split wood!\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\n“I almost got killed!\" I hissed as loud as I dared in the echoie cave.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I flexed my twisted wrist and thumb, thankfully I couldn't sense any major damage.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;“And it's Jack, not Jake!\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\n“Jack!\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Right!\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I'm sorry, Master Jack!\" she corrected herself.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;“It's just I can't sharpen myself and nobody has bothered to do it for me in forever!\"\n\n \n\n“Alright, well, maybe you care to explain to me why I'm here?\" I asked with irritation.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;“Or where on Earth here is?\"\n\n \n\n“I don't know that!\" the sword vibrated anxiously.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;“I just met you and I don't know what an “Earth\" is.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I don't even know why I'm here.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I'm sorry I'm such a bubblehilt, but I just don't know.\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\n“You're lying to me!\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;You can't be this stupid.\"\n\n \n\n“I am— hey!\" she huffed angrily.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;“I'm just trying to help.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;That's no reason to call me a liar!\"\n\n \n\n“That demon woman gave you to me, and I refuse to believe that you don't know why.\"\n\n \n\n“But… I don't!\" she whined.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;“I don't know anything about a demon woman.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;When I'm in my sheath I go to sleep.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I can't see or hear anything.\"\n\n \n\n“This sheath here?\" I asked, putting my hand on the scabbard stuck in my waistband.\n\n \n\n“Yeah.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Wait! Don't—!\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;She was cut off as I slammed her blade in.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nAt that moment the phone strapped to my head buzzed before playing its shutdown tone.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The flashlight flicked off and left me in darkness.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nKnowing what was in the cave with me, I couldn't help but piss myself again.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;","series":{"name":"Jack's Incidental Holiday","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2109531-jih-chapter-2-knife-to-meet-you.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2110652-jih-chapter-4-nightbane.json"}}