A Steampunk Guide to Hunting Monsters 16 | Page 12

T HURSDAY , A UGUST THE N INETEENTH
As there was only one bed, and that one quite large, we
decided, rather than fi ghting the mountains of luggage, to sleep
on opposite sides of the bed, with quite our own blankets, and
facing away from one another. But in the night, I admit that I
slid my hand out from under the covers, and found his hand and
held it—and he held mine in return.
When morning came, we dressed up in our warmest
winter coats and stepped outside for tea. While having tea, we
apparently took the Yeti by surprise—for the giant beast came
around the corner carrying our yak and halted to yowl at us!
Th e beast was ferocious! Its maw matted with blood and gore!
Yet its primitive aspect was adorned with the most interesting
jewelry made of bone—not in a scavenged way, but almost as if
it was a Yeti artisan.
Th e monster tossed the yak onto our table, smashing
our frozen luncheon and causing the poor beast to yell most
uncomfortably! Th e Mayor rushed forth, shooting a pistol at the
Yeti, but he must have quite missed, for the beast only knocked
him back with one thrust.
I drew my tiny gun and shot towards the beast, but the
projectile was defl ected by the creature's jewelry. Th e Yeti did
not stop moving or roaring, and Percy quite disappeared for a
moment—only to return with his camera to photograph the
beast! I cannot imagine why he thinks fi rst of my safety in every
other instance, but in this one—simply because it is the rarest
monster and has never been photographed—he quite ignores
me. I suppose I must muster my lion-like courage.
Our guide stepped out of the tent, running most aggressively
towards the Yeti. Th e Yeti turned towards the man and ran
straight back at him, roaring! Th e Yeti lifted up the man and
then tossed him into one of the tents. He then lifted up the
surprised Mayor in one arm and slung the injured yak over the
other. Th en, the beast fl ed along the edge of a precipice.
Percy and I immediately took after it in pursuit! After scaling
the most jagged cliff face, the landscape opened once again. We
chased the beast, our legs slipping thigh-deep into the snow.
Th e trek became most laborious, and so the Yeti threw down
Th e Mayor into the snow.
We ran up to him, and he was quite beaten. His cheek was
bruised and his lip bled.