Chapter XIII: ON LAND, AMONG THE STARS, OR HEAVEN KNOWS WHEREHe woke up coughing, gagging on salty seawater caught in his throat. Rolling off his back, Witon pushed himself up onto his hands and knees and gasped and heaved until he felt he would cough his lungs out of his body. Like a cat gagging out fur, he struggled to bring his breathing under control. Slowly it eased, the pain in his lungs faded, and he sat down hard on the wet sand.
Dreamily, with a sluggish motion, Witon brought his hand up in front of his face. The wet beach sand covered his limb, a strange sort of sand, finely textured and glittering ever so slightly, damp though it was. He rubbed his fingers together and felt the grittiness scratch at his skin.
Witon jumped up and looked down. He stood on land, on a beach. With
