Skip to content
  • Home
  • Archive
    • Chapters
    • Comic Pages
  • About
  • Characters
  • World
  • Support
    • Patreon
    • Store

Chapter: Chapter 7: Antlers

  • She hops up the ladder on the side of the support jack rail and begins climbing the long extendable staircase connected to the airlock door of the Runaway. Bip: Oh yeah, you're really into lifting weights, aren't you? Talita: Well, it's handy in my line of work. ...And it's kinda fun, seeing what I can push myself to do. Though I'm really better at rowing than lifting. Bip: So how much can you row? The outer hatch of the airlock opens and Talita walks into the the dim glow of the tube-shaped chamber's illumination bars. A posse of electrician worms is waiting the greet her inside. Talita: In 1g it's a little over twice my body weight, with all six legs. Bip: What's your body weight? Her cheeks bristle up bashfully. Talita: Oh… er… I can row 1800 kilos. Bip: Not shabby! Talita: Um, thanks. The exterior hatch shuts behind her. SFX: SHUNK Talita looks down, startled, as gas starts coming out of the airlock chamber's repressurization vents. SFX: pssssssssshhh

    Runaway to the Stars: Page 203

    Sep 04, 2025

  • Talita walks down off the elevator ramp in the pit that the Runaway ship is being stored in. A front loader is there to greet her, with two electrician worms perched on the steering wheel. She has a new nose piece on her helmet that's longer and more rectangular to accommodate her antlers. Bip: Wow! Why the long face? She scowls. Talita: Ha ha ha. You’re so funny. Bip: Sorry. She walks alongside the frontloader as it drives towards the the ship. Talita: What did you need again? I don’t normally come out here on weekends. Bip: Furniture removal! The worms strike a silly pose. Her nose wrinkles in annoyance. Talita: Do I look like a moving service? Bip: It’s a bit below your paygrade, I know. But none of my equipment that fits through the airlock can lift more than 20 kilos.

    Runaway to the Stars: Page 202

    Sep 02, 2025

  • Gillie crouches down next to Idrisah, concerned. Gillie: (ASL) You ok? Idrisah looks up at Gillie, tears welling in her eyes and hand over her mouth. She curls into Gillie’s shoulder and sobs. Gillie takes her in her arms and consoles her, then hesitantly broaches the subject she knows is on Idrisah's mind. Gillie: (ASL) I know you like how living here lets you work with more Tiiliitians in person… But we knew when we came here that it couldn't be forever. Maybe it's time to move back to Nexus Jovia, and look for something new. Idrisah: (ASL) Yeah… Talita, who was peeking over her shoulder at the conversation, feels her heart quietly sink.

    Runaway to the Stars: Page 201

    Aug 30, 2025

  • Runaway to the Stars: Page 200

    Aug 28, 2025

  • Idrisah’s phone chimes in her pocket. SFX: RING bzzzzz She takes it out and looks at the screen. It's a new voice message from her mother. She looks at it trepidatiously. Gillie sidles up to her and grimaces. Gillie: (ASL) …You have to. Idrisah waves at Gillie and Talita to enter the apartment without her as walks off towards the side of the road for more privacy. Idrisah: (ASL) Be right back! Talita looks back curiously anyways, her acute hearing picking up the audio of Idrisah's phone. SFX: clk Idrisah's mom: Ya habibti… if  you can't go,  that’s fine. There will be another family reunion. But this is the first thing you say to us? In two weeks? I was worried sick! I thought something had happened to you! It’s difficult enough, having to wait 6 minutes for your voice to reach me. But being ignored? Throwing my questions into space everyday, with no response? Do you have any idea how much it hurts me? 

    Runaway to the Stars: Page 199

    Aug 26, 2025

  • Talita, Gillie, and Idrisah are in the mail room checking their boxes. In the background, an avian checks their mail on a large tiered mailbox structure. In the foreground, Killian uses a step ladder to check his mail box that is out of reach from the ground. Idrisah reacts to the contents of her mail slot with irritation. Idrisah: (ASL) Ugh, of course all the food I bought for Ramadan arrives now. Eid was weeks ago! The three gather their mail and leave. Killian glances at them curious as Talita signs. Talita: (ASL) Have an Eid party again, small. Maybe? They walk down the street towards Talita's apartment. Gillie signs while holding a bag of snacks she got in the mail: yeast curd strips with "real goat flavor." Gillie: (ASL) Yeah, time isn't real and holidays are when you say they are. Idrisah: (ASL) No, what makes holidays special is the fact you're celebrating at the same time as others! It's about that feeling of unity, even while separated! They reach Talita's door and she unlocks it with the keypad.

    Runaway to the Stars: Page 198

    Aug 23, 2025

  • Talita grips the loose skin on her antler. SFX: RRIIIP She tears it away from the newly grown bone, blood dripping from the shredded flesh. She grins in satisfaction. Idrisah looks on in surprise, while Gillie jumps towards her wife in horror, tail poofed up. Idrisah: Need a towel? Talita: If you don’t mind getting blood on it…

    Runaway to the Stars: Page 197

    Aug 21, 2025

  • Idrisah is doing dhuhr salat, the noon-time prayer. She sits up in a kneeling position and looks over her right shoulder, quietly reciting the last surah. Idrisah: السلام عليكم ورحمة الله Then over her left shoulder. Idrisah: السلام عليكم ورحمة الله She rolls up the prayer mat and walks over to the picnic blanket Gillie sits on. Gillie: (ASL) So where’s Mecca right now? Idrisah: (ASL) According to the AR app… She looks at her phone and points overhead. Idrisah: (ASL) Up there, setting to the North. Did I miss anything? Gillie looks over at Talita, who is leaning over a trashcan, one hand on rim and the other rubbing her antler. Gillie: (ASL) Talita just ran off. I’m not sure w–

    Runaway to the Stars: Page 196

    Aug 19, 2025

  • Gillie opens her palms towards Talita and wiggles her hands in the air, Deaf applause. Talita smiles, flustered but proud. Gillie: (ASL) It's not the same, but I can totally tell you're making question faces! Talita: (English) That’s a relief. She rubs her face, noticing the velvet on her antler is itching. She asks Gillie a "WH" question with her approximation of furrowed eyebrows. Talita: (ASL) Where’s the trash can? Gillie: (ASL) Yeah, like that! Talita: (ASL) No, actual question. Gillie: (ASL) Oh! Over there. Gillie points off to her side. In the distance beyond both of them, Idrisah can be seen praying on a rug.

    Runaway to the Stars: Page 195

    Aug 16, 2025

  • Gillie launches into a series of demonstration sentences. STATEMENT Gillie: (ASL) Nice to meet you! Gillie has an open smile and neutral eyes. Talita copies her, albeit looking considerably more panicked. Talita: (ASL) Nice to meet you! "WH" QUESTION: LOWERED EYEBROWS Gillie: (ASL) What’s your name? Gillie furrows her eyebrows to make a neutral questioning face. Talita, face starting to bristle, slightly squints her outer eyelids and lowers her upper nictitating membranes. Talita: (ASL) What’s your name? YES/NO QUESTION: RAISED EYEBROWS Gillie: (ASL) Are you copying me? Gillie raises her eyebrows to make a questioning face, and exaggerates it into an expression of feigned indignation. Talita, mane fluffing out and cheeks bristling and about to combust from embarrassment, copies her by widening her eyes and raising her lower nictitating membranes. Talita: (ASL) Are you copying me?

    Runaway to the Stars: Page 194

    Aug 14, 2025

1 2 3 4
Promotional Banner
© Jay Eaton 2025