Terry Pratchett

Carpet People parts 1-4

Carpet People

Episode 4/ 12

th

29

October1965

Glurk snatched up his bow and peered into the darkness beyond the cicle.

” Snargs! ”

” What’s a snarg? ” asked Snibril, fitting a bolt into his crossbow.

” Hunts in packs, ” puffed Glurk, his bow twanging, “mainly claws and teeth. Can’t stand the light and hates anyone who can -hurry up with those arrows there!

”

Snibril watched as the people formed themselves into the traditional carpet-fighting formation. A squad of bowmen stood by the fires, lighting the ends of their arrows. Then there was a twang and a loud whoosh! and half a dozen fire-arrows would rise above the clearing, lighting up the darkness. Then every bowman would fire at the first snarg he saw. It usually worked quite well.

Glurk was sitting on a wagon and cursing each time he missed, and his wife was handing him up arrow after arrow. Snibril and Gurth (Glurk’s eldest son, he had 29, it seems a lot, but there you are) were standing together at a place where the snargs had knocked over a cart and were trying to get into the circle. Snibril could hear the sound of bodies pushing their way through the carpet, hemming them in.

Another flight of fire-arrows went up. Snibril felt for an arrow, and realised he had used them all.

” Help here! ” he yelled, as he and Gurth took a flying leap onto the nearest cart.

A mass of black bodies were pushing through the gap, growling and snarling. Then they stopped, their evil red eyes watching the people. Arrows clattered harmlessly off their thick skins.

Then the biggest snarg, the leader of the pack, leapt forward until it was alone in the middle of the clearing.

” It’s looking for someone to fight, ” whispered Glurk to Pismire, “and it might as well be me. ”

” I don’tthink that will be necessary, ” said Pismire, pointing.

Someone had stepped into the firelight, holding a large carving knife. It was Snibril.

The snarg chief seemed to laugh, and the two started to circle each other.

The snargs and the people watched as the chief snarg prepared to spring. But as it did Snibril ducked, and, as the giant body whizzed over him, threw the knife upwards as hard as he could. The snarg landed, skidded along on its face for a little way, then rolled over with its legs in the air. Dead.

A howl went up from the snarg pack, and they began to creep forward, glaring at Snibril.

” Enough! ” shouted someone, and something swung across the circle to pick Snibril up by his hair and drop him on a cart. Then it swung back, and dropped off the carpet-creeper right in front of the snargs. Whoever it was put a long shining stick to his shoulder, and took aim.

To be continued…

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Terry Pratchett

Carpet People parts 1-4

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