ã€ŠFrayedã€‹


 Prologue

    A cold wind sweeps through a city street. Cars are strewn across the road without regard for order or safety. Many have crashed into each other or the buildings around them, windows smashed or flipped wheels up in a scene of unrestrained chaos. No person is visible. There is no sound save the susurration of the wind, no movement but soft debris and leaves blown down the street.

    A second glance reveals more details incongruous to the scene. Plants have breached the concrete, fighting to reclaim this urban environment. Durable weeds and vines crowd every gap that allows for growth, while trees have taken root in the larger cracks that are spread across the pavement. The tires of every car are cracked and deflated. What metal is visible has deteriorated and rusted so far as to be near unrecognizable; several of the buildings seem to be sagging under their own weight. Whatever has happened here, it was a long time ago.

    A figure wanders out of one of the derelict buildings. It wears the ripped and tattered remains of a suit, though the cloth is so far gone that it gives more the suggestion of covering than any true attempt. It turns its head, looking around the deserted street. Its eyes come into view, betraying the notion that this could be a person living amidst the wreckage of the city. There is no spark, no suggestion of intelligence or thought within, and the merest glance at its face conveys a deep sense that something about it is wrong. It takes a step closer, eerily silent, but then begins to get smaller. The entire street does the same, allowing other blocks to enter the frame, faster and faster. There is more movement from dead-eyed creatures all around, but still the view zooms out until eventually the entire city is seen from high above. There is a swarm of movement below, countless of the people-shaped things crawling through the remains of civilization.

    Everything goes black, and when vision returns a much more rural setting is seen, endless plains of grass broken by modest hills and lone trees that sporadically dot the landscape. The view swoops down, following a cracked and broken highway road that splits the countryside in two. After either a few seconds or several hours¡ªtime seems slippery and distant¡ªa dozen figures can be seen below, disdaining use of the road to travel quickly through the tall grass. The direction of movement alters to follow them. While they are humanoid in shape, there is little else about them that resembles a person. Each one is taller and more heavily muscled than the largest human, with green skin and long curved fangs that fold back their lips. All are topless, wearing only a leather skirt though both genders are represented within the group.

    The view soars past them and travels once more for an indeterminate period of time. Eventually a collection of single-story buildings and a web of roads branching off from the main highway mark a small town where more humanoids can be seen. There is a variety of beings present, all of which mix together rather than dividing into segregated groups . More of the green-skinned creatures are visible, though many have vastly different apparel from the traveling group. The majority wear collared shirts or flannel and jeans, tailored well to their larger frame. Alongside them are shorter creatures, nearly as broad as the first but less than half of their height. Most have beards that reach to their chest. The third type of being is closest to a human in appearance, though their pointed ears and impossibly graceful movements ensure that they would have difficulty passing as such. Beyond the buildings a plot of tended land can be seen where crops have been planted. The view pauses over the town for a moment before fading to black once more.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    The vision cycles rapidly when color returns, forming a scene for only a few seconds at a time before shifting. A sculpture of black metal stands resolute in the shape of a person, its face smooth and featureless. A shiver runs through it, and it begins to march toward some unseen destination. A gust of wind blows on a mountaintop. A section of the wind starts to glow, displaying all the colors of the rainbow in a rough outline of a humanoid shape. A shark circles its prey beneath the sea. A curious patch of dark brown skin covers its back. A man in a long black leather duster and hat walks down an empty road. He turns around with a big smile, tipping his hat as the vision dims. A green gorilla pounds its way through a forest, leaving a trail of slime with every step. The gorilla stops momentarily and collapses into a pile of goo.

    Finally, the parade of images ceases and focuses on a single view once more. It is night now, and points of light far below mark the presence of another settlement. The light of the moon reflects off of a lake of still water that snakes off into the distance in a long line. At the front of the lake is a huge, curved dam, built to fit into the walls of the canyon it spans. The view begins to plummet, closing in on the settlement with growing speed. Figures become discernible in the light that quickly resolve into individual humans. Before any amount of detail can be gathered, the vision approaches the ground, halting just as an impact seems unavoidable.

    For a moment, bare dirt is all that can be seen. Then the vision flips to face the sky above. The black backdrop is framed by thousands of stars, steady glimmers reminiscent of the lights seen when looking down on the town from above, expanded to numbers beyond imagining. The scene seems to be frozen in place. The only evidence that what can be seen is more than a still image comes when the stars begin to wink out. One by one, slowly, inexorably, the light above is overcome by the press of darkness. In the midst of the loss of uncounted legions of stars, a discrepancy hovers at the edge of awareness. A flaw in the shifting landscape that cannot be fully articulated. The sky becomes emptier, more suffocating before the realization is made.

    The positions of the lost stars, the points where the darkness swallows up the light, are not truly darkness at all. It is a trick of the mind, an unconscious self-deception that can no longer be maintained once the sites of the illusion become too numerous to cover up. The stars have been replaced with... nothing. Not light, nor darkness. Neither black nor white. The night sky is dotted with places of absence, holes in the fabric of reality that, once noticed, cannot be unseen. In the moment after the realization, the rest of the stars disappear. The pinpricks of absence expand their sphere, swallowing even the darkness.

    Nothing is left.

 1.1

    The first hint that anything was wrong came when the internet went out.  The fridge had seemed perfectly fine, stocked with about everything that could be expected.  Since this wasn¡¯t much, Luke had to be satisfied with grabbing a slice of cheese for his snack.  Turning around, he glanced at his phone on the way back to his room and frowned when he saw all the bars for wifi turn gray.  He could not afford to go on data at the moment.  The frown deepened when he pulled up the list of connections and saw that the device didn¡¯t register any networks within range.  That wasn¡¯t good. If his phone crapped out on him he was screwed every way except the fun one.

    Luke was shorter than average, with a frame that wasn¡¯t quite malnourished, but he knew he¡¯d lost a few pounds in the last month.  His dirty blonde hair was longer than he normally wore it as he wasn¡¯t willing to shell out for a haircut, and his pale skin was in the process of acquiring the unhealthy pallor of one who stayed inside too often.  Dark brown eyes peered at his phone, appearing black in the reflection as he pondered this new development.

    Occupied as he was, he didn¡¯t look as he threw himself onto his bed and was thus caught completely off-guard when the bedframe came apart and the mattress fell to the ground.  He froze for a moment to catch his breath and stare at the rusted metal beam that had been part of the frame until a moment ago. It was mostly remarkable for the fact that it now poked through the top of his mattress, a mere few inches from impaling him.  The light was off and all he could see came from the flashlight on his phone, but a brief sweep across the fallen remains was enough for him to learn at least one pertinent fact.

    That wasn¡¯t his bed.

    Looking around the room now, while the general layout was similar to his room, nothing was exactly the same as it had been a minute ago when he went to get a snack.  His PC had been replaced by some antique box-looking monitor straight from the ¡®90s, and the few posters he had put up as a halfhearted attempt at decoration were gone entirely.  In their place, flowered wallpaper wrapped around the room.  It was faded and peeling, but undeniably present in the space he called his own.  For that matter, a lot of the room seemed to be peeling or in a similar state of disrepair.  The metal in the bed that had given out on him was rusted so badly that it was surprising it hadn¡¯t collapsed under its own weight before he came in to finish the job, while  the mattress was old and decayed badly enough that it looked like the fabric would tear apart with the slightest pressure. A thick layer of dust covered everything.

    ¡°What in the ever living fuck?¡±  Luke said aloud.  The moment after he spoke, a series of thumps sounded from the ceiling.  Long experience told him it was footsteps from the apartment above. He paused at this sign of life and considered seeking help, but it was after midnight and he just wasn¡¯t mentally prepared to have that conversation with his neighbors.  The sound moved away, out of the range of his hearing, and he put it out of his mind. Slowly, Luke walked out of his room back into the living space and kitchen he had just left.

    A quick look with the flashlight told him that the only other space in his apartment had undergone an even greater change than that of his bedroom.  The kitchen and living room had swapped places, and the door to the apartment hall was on a different wall than it should have been. The same decay seemed he had seen continued here.  The fridge and other appliances in the relocated kitchen looked like they were thoroughly rusted and replaced by models thirty years older. Luke opened the door of the fridge¡ªfumbling with a latch that had never been there before¡ªbut before he could identify any of the rotted remains within, his attention and flashlight snapped to the entrance to his apartment.  The doorknob was jiggling loosely within its setting as it slowly turned to the right.

    Unable to bring himself to do more than watch, Luke stayed in place as the door creaked open, revealing a man in tattered trousers and the remains of a white polo.  Half of his hairy beer gut was visible where the shirt had been torn in two, hanging down around his sides. Luke started to say something, but the words died as a half-strangled noise when he met the stranger¡¯s eyes.

    In color and construction they were normal, a deep blue with the pupil, iris, and sclera all in the right places.  It was impossible to even articulate what precisely was wrong with them, but it was clear to Luke the instant he made eye contact with the stranger that the man was dead.  No, not even dead. Whatever spark or sentience that could be inferred from a person¡¯s face was absent from the intruder. The gaze of a corpse held immeasurably more humanity than that of the man who had walked into Luke¡¯s apartment.

    They looked upon each other for a single moment before both broke into movement at the same time.  The kitchen counter made a barrier between Luke and the entrance, giving him a second¡¯s head start to run back into his room and slam the door.  Dust showered down around him as he turned the lock. That should keep the thing out for at least-

    A fist appeared through the middle of the door with a crunching sound, pieces of wood flew into the room.  It hadn¡¯t been the most solid portal to begin with, and with the wood rotted like everything else in this fucked-up hellscape it seemed to have the structural integrity of a piece of styrofoam.  Panicking, Luke scrambled to the only other exit in the room¡ªa window on the wall opposite the door. He pulled back the curtain, some part of him registering that it was still the dead of night, as it had been before this started.  He clawed at the latch until he managed to throw the window open, glancing back with his phone¡¯s light to see the door being methodically ripped apart by his pursuer, unmindful of a chunk of wood that stuck out of his arm.

    Once the window was open, Luke nervously looked down below.  He was only on the second floor, but it still had to be a ten foot drop at least, maybe more.  Before he could work up his courage, the tearing sounds at the door ceased. He whirled around to see the intruder lunging through a sizeable gap, grabbing towards him.  On pure instinct, Luke leaped out the window just as the fingertips of the thing brushed against his shirt.

    He hit the pavement hard, but not as hard as he was expecting.  Something soft broke the worst of his fall. Rather than looking down, however, he sought out the window he had just jumped from and the intruder he had escaped.  There were no lights on, but the moon was high and he had a good view of a figure leaning out above him. The face was shrouded in darkness, but Luke shivered at the thought of those empty eyes staring down at him.  After a few moments, the figure retreated inside, leaving Luke alone on the street.

    Only ¡°street¡± was a generous term, he saw as he took in his surroundings.  It was certainly an urban area, or had been, and the layout seemed to match what he remembered of the outside of his apartment, but just about everything outside of that looked wrong.

    The soft substance that had broken his fall was grass, he saw now, and his landing spot was far from the only place it had found a foothold.  Half the street was flooded; algae and dirty water covered the other sidewalk across from Luke, shining under the moon in an ankle-high film. It was hard to see where the water came from, but the reason it hadn¡¯t reached the whole street was due to a huge crevasse that had formed in the middle of the road.  It was filled partway with water, and ran down the block as far as Luke could see. There were trees too, growing in smaller cracks that lined the dry side of the street. The damage wasn¡¯t limited to the pavement alone¡ªa third of the buildings on his block had collapsed, and several more looked to be sagging at even a casual glance.  Luke¡¯s apartment building seemed to be one of the few that had held up relatively well; most of the glass was still intact, and the roof didn¡¯t look like it was on the verge of caving in.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    At a loss for where to go, and worried that his pursuer might be taking the stairs to the ground floor, Luke set off in the direction that had the least amount of flooding.  At least, the water level seemed to be going down, which was enough to push him that way. He was wearing sweatpants and a hoodie that kept him warm enough for the moment,¡ªthankfully, it was summer¡ªbut slippers were all he had for shoes.  Walking would be brutal enough without soaking his feet.

    After a few blocks, Luke felt through his pockets with a sinking feeling and realized that somewhere along the way he had lost his phone.  There was no way he was backtracking to find it though, and he quickly wrote it off as well and truly lost. He had bigger issues at the moment.  Every so often Luke glanced for signs that he was being followed, but the streets were deathly silent. It was disturbing, seeing the results of what had to be at least ten years of decay in the city he grew up in.  What the fuck is this?  Now that he was past the initial stupor of incomprehension and was moving on something other than pure instinct, Luke could only wonder what the hell had happened.

    One second he had been in his room, playing games way later than he should have been as usual, and the next he was attacked by some thing that practically radiated inhumanity in an urban jungle that looked like it hadn¡¯t been inhabited for years or decades. It had been so sudden that he couldn¡¯t begin to imagine how or why it changed.  He supposed it could be a dream, but dismissed the idea quickly. He knew dreams, and there was no way he could be this lucid while he was asleep. After a few deep breaths, he forced himself to table the question for the moment.  He had no chance of figuring out an answer, and there were more pressing issues to worry about. One question in particular seemed more urgent than anything else for immediate survival.

    Where were all the people?

    The streets were absolutely noiseless, devoid of the crowds that should have been there even as late as it was.  Was the city abandoned? Were they all killed by the thing that had attacked him? Or had he been dropped right in the middle of a zombie movie with soulless monstrosities instead of brain-eating undead?  Something told him there were more of the things out there than the one who had made a grab for him. Maybe a lot more.

    Was he the only human left?

    When it came, it came on quick.  Everything seemed to close in, as if the buildings were hemming in on him to cut off any escape.  Luke¡¯s heart started pounding, his hands trembled. He fell to his knees and took deep, gasping breaths, trying not to throw up.  He curled into a ball on the ground, a sense of doom falling over him. Time passed while he laid there, fetal. Gradually, slowly, his breathing steadied and rational thought crept back into his mind.  After a span of minutes he managed to stand back up, though his palms were slick with sweat and he still felt unsteady on his feet.

    It had been a long time since he had an attack like that, but it seemed pretty damn appropriate for the situation.  Luke closed his eyes and clenched his fists, willing himself to return to normal. It wasn¡¯t a healthy way to cope with what happened, but there didn¡¯t seem to be a therapist around at the moment and he was pretty fucking far from his happy place.  It worked to an extent, but when he opened his eyes what he saw nearly made his heart stop and sent him spiraling all over again.

    The glow of the moonlight illuminated several of the closest buildings, most of which were storefronts in this part of town with glass windows, most of them either dirty beyond visibility or completely shattered.  Of the latter, there was one store that looked like it sold clothing once, though the only hint to that was the apparel strewn across the floor, visible by a narrow strip of light that made its way inside. Just beyond the reach of the illumination, a shadowed figure stood out from the darkness.  It might have been a mannequin, but before Luke could do more than conjure a desperate hope that this was the case, it stepped forward into the light.

    It was a woman, wearing thinned out pajama pants and a black tank top with one of the straps broken in half, leaving it askew on her body.  The clothing was enough to set alarm bells ringing, but even if she¡¯d been wearing a fresh-pressed suit, the eyes would have given her away.  She gave off the same sense as the man from Luke¡¯s apartment, a disconnect from life and thought. Luke turned to bolt, only to see the same soulless eyes gazing at him from half a dozen different buildings.  Up until now, he had instinctively preserved the quiet of the streets he walked through, but they had found him anyway. He had stayed in one place too long, and now there were a lot more that had found him.

    He turned back the way he had come from, dimly noting that they sprang into action the same moment he moved, and sprinted back down the street.  The loose slippers he was wearing slapped down on the pavement where it wasn¡¯t covered by grass, making his footing even more unsure than it would have been merely from the plants and debris underfoot.  Luke ran without thought, taking cross streets at random, glancing behind at his pursuers as often as he dared.

    They seemed to be growing in number, though it was impossible to tell whether that was because he was drawing more attention to himself or they were communicating in some unseen way.  They certainly weren¡¯t speaking. They stayed as quiet as they had been when he noticed them, the only noise during the chase coming from Luke himself. He wasn¡¯t even sure if they were breathing, though that was hard to tell from half-second glances as he ran for his life.

    At least they seemed slower than he was.  Though he didn¡¯t seem to be losing the group, there was no immediate danger of being caught either.  At least until exhaustion set in, anyway. Luke tried to keep in shape, but he was no athlete and he could already feel himself tiring.  Desperately, he cut through an alley to break the things¡¯ line of sight, throwing off his slippers as he went. The street beyond was as naturalized as the rest, carpeted with grass and dotted with trees twisting their way up through the broken pavement.

    Without many options to choose from, Luke made directly for the closest cover and slipped behind the biggest tree on the block, peeking around to watch for the things chasing him.  It wasn¡¯t the most inspired hiding place, but he was just about out of options. The crevasse outside his apartment might have been a good place, but it was gone here. There wasn¡¯t any flooding on this street either, just a few shallow puddles scattered around.  A few buildings around had openings he could duck through, but there was no fucking way he was going in one of them to get lost in the dark until he got jumped by one of the assholes.  Maybe he could escape them by getting out of the city, but the street layout was different from the city he knew and he didn¡¯t have the slightest idea which way to go.  The only possibility he could think of was to try to lose them and slip away in the confusion.

    After a few minutes without seeing any of them and feeling a little better about his chances with his semblance of a plan, Luke put his back to the tree trunk to rest for a moment.   Turning around gave him a glance at the street in front of him that made him jump badly enough that he scraped his shoulder on the tree bark. He barely noticed the pain. There were a dozen of the things spread out in a line across the road, every one staring straight at him.  He hadn¡¯t heard any of them move. Not even the ones standing in puddles seemed to have made a splash on their approach, which was all kinds of fucking unfair.

    They were frozen for the moment, and a sinking feeling in his gut made Luke risk a quick glance around the tree.  Sure enough, the second he had taken his eyes off that side of the block they had cut him off there too, forming another line that blocked off any side street he might run to.  There was nowhere to go but into the arms of the things, one way or another.

    He glanced up at the branches of the tree above him, but a part of him pushed back on the idea.  It would only be delaying the inevitable, and his terror was fading into weary resignation. Whatever had happened, it seemed like he wasn¡¯t destined to survive it.  Even if he somehow made it through them, there had to be more, just waiting for a chance to get at him. A wave of tiredness flooded through him, further dulling the horror that dominated his psyche.

    After a few minutes of awaiting the inevitable, Luke realized they hadn¡¯t moved.  Another glimpse behind the tree told him that it was the same there. Still frozen, still staring.  The tension was worse than when they were actually chasing him. He stood there, staring back, and the pressure grew and grew until Luke thought he would have another panic attack.  He tensed, ready to shout or run or do something to make them react.  What exactly that would be, he never knew.  Before he could move, a deafening blast resounded through the street and the leftmost thing collapsed in a spray of blood.

    The others turned immediately, sprinting away from Luke, but the sound echoed again and again, another creature falling still with each blast.  Luke crouched by the tree and covered his ears, flinching each time the sound rang out. Eventually he registered that it came from a gunshot, convincing him further to stay where he was.  The shots continued until Luke couldn¡¯t distinguish between them, his ears ringing from the sudden assault. He only realized that the gunfire had stopped when he chanced a look up and saw a hand held out in front of him.

    Relief flooding through him, Luke reached up to take it.

 1.2

    Luke studied the man who had saved him as best he could while they ran. He wore a gas mask that covered his entire head, the kind that had a cylinder projecting out from the side of the mouth and a clear plastic pane that allowed his face to stay in view. While they were on the move though, it was difficult to make out any details about him other than the fact that he was male and looked older.

    It was easier to see his outfit, a vest with pockets everywhere over a navy turtleneck and cargo pants with still more pockets. It seemed that he had made it a point to ensure that none of his skin was exposed to the air. Duct tape was wrapped around his ankles where the pants met his boots, and black gloves were pulled snug over his wrists. Even the turtleneck was wrapped around the base of the gas mask to ensure his entire neck was covered.

    Though he was thankful for the sudden rescue, the man¡¯s appearance had Luke unsettled and supplied him with even more questions to enhance the blend of anxiety and terror he was running on. Had some kind of gas caused whatever happened to the people in the city, or a toxin that was absorbed through the skin? Had he already been exposed? He¡¯d tried to ask his rescuer, but the man had been unwilling to pull off his mask to talk and his only form of communication thus far had been gestures to start running.

    At least the pace he set was only at about a steady jog, but Luke wasn¡¯t sure how long he could keep going anyway. The constant adrenaline spikes and repeated flights had taken their toll, not to mention the ironclad certainty of death that had filled him when he¡¯d been surrounded. It had already been after midnight when everything started, and there was only so long that Luke could stave off his exhaustion.

    Not that he could really explain any of that to his silent savior, who ran ahead, still holding the handgun he¡¯d used to shoot the creatures. After pulling Luke to his feet from where he¡¯d been hiding at the base of the tree, the stranger had only paused long enough for the younger man to lace up a pair of boots that had been tossed in his direction. Even then, he stayed alert for any sign of movement, waving off Luke¡¯s attempts to talk. All Luke could hope for was that they would reach someplace safe soon, and not run into any more of the things on the way. Of course he¡¯d no sooner had the thought than the man held up his hand and ducked into an open doorway on the side of the road. Luke followed his lead, and peeked out from behind the door to see another group of the zombie-things blocking the street ahead. There were only four of them, but they were spread out across the block in the same formation as the ones that had cornered Luke before..

    The man pulled him back and made a bewildering series of hand motions.

    ¡°Wh-what?¡± Luke asked. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    He thought he glimpsed a look of exasperation before the man reached back and unbuckled the mask. As he pulled it off, Luke realized the stranger was even older than he thought. Lines criss-crossed his dark skin, and his well-trimmed beard was streaked with gray. He guessed that the man who had saved him was in his late fifties, maybe older.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to draw their attention,¡± he said, his voice rough. ¡°As soon as there¡¯s a gap, run for it. No matter what you do, do not get close to them. Cut through the alley two streets up and turn on the vehicle there. I¡¯ll be right behind you.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what vehicle? What if there¡¯s more of them? How-¡± Ignoring his panicked questions, the stranger clapped Luke on the shoulder and put the gas mask back on, rolling the top of the turtleneck over the bottom so that his entire body was contained once more. Without further hesitation, he lifted his handgun and turned out into the street.

    Luke had just enough warning to clap his hands over his ears, but the gunshot still echoed painfully. He glanced out to see the creatures run for the man as they had before. There were five of them now, and they were fast. Much faster than the ones who had pursued Luke when he was by himself. He watched them approach in fascinated horror before a rough shove reminded him of what he was supposed to be doing.

    He sprinted out to the middle of the road, glimpsing another group converging on them from the opposite direction. More shots rang out, prompting Luke to realize for the first time that this plan put him behind the targets the man was aiming at. Surely he hadn¡¯t been meant to go while the shooting was still happening? If any of the bullets went wide of the creatures, Luke would be right in the line of fire! He hesitated while the man gunned down the rest of the things, each loud report signalling the end of another monster. He then turned smoothly and continued to fire at the group on the other side. On the fourth shot the pistol clicked, out of ammo. Two of the things still flew towards him, hands extended.

    Dropping the pistol, he reached into another pocket and pulled out a long hunting knife. He tore at the blade and ripped off a plastic sheath just in time to ram it into the chest of the closest thing. It fell back as he pushed, the knife still stuck inside. The last creature reached out wildly, but the stranger stepped around its flailing arms. While it was overbalanced, he shoved his hand into yet another of the innumerable pockets in his vest and took out a small black oblong-shaped object. Stepping back further, he took advantage of the distance to bring his arm down with the oblong and expand it into a long baton. Before the creature could come up to lunge at him again, the man stepped up and swung the baton at the side of the thing¡¯s head. With a crack, it dropped on the ground.

    Even as the monster was falling, the man crouched and grabbed the pistol he had dropped earlier. After pawing at his pocket again, he pulled out a magazine and quickly reloaded. The thing that had been stabbed was making its way to its feet, though its movements were slow and erratic. Blood poured from its chest. The man fired off two quick shots that echoed through the block, one through the forehead of each creature. Stillness reigned once more. The entire encounter had lasted perhaps thirty seconds.

    Luke still stood in the middle of the road, dumbstruck by the efficiency of the stranger. He flinched when the man finished picking up all his equipment¡ªincluding the spent magazine¡ªand turned around to see Luke still standing there. He didn¡¯t speak, but Luke didn¡¯t have to hear his voice to interpret the anger in the gestures made toward him.

    The man started jogging in the direction he had told Luke to go, and Luke hesitantly followed. They made their way to the alley to see the vehicle he mentioned sitting at the other end. It was some kind of quad, an ATV with two seats nearly worn through. The entire thing looked ancient; the paint was chipped and faded and metal poles that rose above the seats were nearly rusted through, though the tires looked relatively intact. Without a backwards look the man swung his leg around the front seat and turned the key that was waiting in the ignition. Luke hopped on just before he gunned the throttle and tore out of the alley.

    The quad¡¯s exhaust was the only noise that accompanied their drive, but it was loud enough on its own. The ride was rough, but the vehicle was well-chosen¡ªit was small enough to maneuver between any trees and cars that blocked the road, and handled well on both the dewy grass and hard pavement. For the first time, Luke wondered at the lack of cars on the city streets¡ªthere were about as many as he would expect to see in a crowded city, but it wasn¡¯t the bumper to bumper insanity that he would have thought there would be if people had been trying to flee from whatever happened.

    The thought passed quickly, as most of his attention was devoted to the occasional person that flashed past them. It happened too fast to get a look at their faces, but all of them tried to follow or block their path, and Luke assumed they were the same soulless monstrosities. Their attempts were entirely unsuccessful, and the quad moved far more quickly than any of them could hope to match. For all that, Luke didn¡¯t relax in the slightest until the man turned off a freeway entrance and left the claustrophobic streets of the city behind them.

    While it fell far behind in Luke¡¯s immediate concerns, there was an odd disconnect in the path they took out of the city. The streets and architecture in the city itself had been reminiscent of his home city, but the actual layout was totally foreign. It evoked a feeling of deja vu that extended to the freeway they took out of the downtown area. It wasn¡¯t identical, but there were flashes where Luke thought he recognized a particular stretch of road, even with the vastly changed surroundings of the terrain around them. The dilapidation that he¡¯d seen in the downtown area extended to the freeway; there were long stretches where there wasn¡¯t actually any road to be seen, taken over as it was by foliage and plant life, though the stranger never seemed in doubt of where to go. Anywhere that had been developed before looked much the same as the streets Luke had been running through, a cross between demolition and reclamation by nature. Where Luke remembered open countryside, however, wildlife had completely taken over. The area was fairly dry and out here the plant life actually looked less lush than it had in the city, where the flooding had probably provided more water for cultivation, but bushes and shrubs covered every inch of open land for miles on end. Tall grass had grown high enough to block their vision through some stretches, though they also passed huge swaths of blackened ground that looked like they were burned by wildfires, sections where plant life only just starting to creep back in.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Luke¡¯s rescuer hadn¡¯t deigned to take off his mask after leaving the city, letting the silence grow with the miles that they traveled. Luke could only summon so much trepidation for how he had failed to follow instructions; he could barely stay awake, too exhausted even for emotion. He hadn¡¯t been summarily abandoned, and that was good enough for now. After an indeterminable period riding through the road and fields, the darkness started to lighten near imperceptibly. Shades of dawn took over the sky by fractions, but even as slow as it was in coming, morning had truly arrived by the time the quad spluttered and slowed, out of fuel. The man grunted through his mask, the first noise he had made in hours. Swinging his leg around, he jumped out of his seat and strode off in the same direction he had been driving.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Luke called. ¡°I-I don¡¯t think I can keep going.¡± He was still in the back seat, swaying back and forth; without the breeze to keep him awake, he felt like he might fall off at any moment.

    The man turned back and ripped off his mask, his face thunderous.

    ¡°You run around the city like an idiot, force me to track you down, nearly get me killed by the Empty, ignore my orders, and now you think you decide when we stop? No, we keep going until you drop, and I might consider taking a break then. I¡¯ll see how I feel in the moment.¡±

    Luke considered passing out right there to make a point. He didn¡¯t think it would even be that difficult. But he obviously hadn¡¯t made the best first impression on¡ªas far as he knew¡ªthe last human in the world, and instead tried to grasp for what questions he had conjured up during the drive.

    ¡°Who are you? What is¡ªall this?¡± He asked, waving his hand around vaguely.

    The man smiled grimly.

    ¡°You do as I say, to the letter, and I might consider answering some of your questions. Till then, get moving.¡±

    Later, Luke felt it reflected rather well on him that he made it a mile and a half before collapsing.

    ***

    When he woke up, for a brief moment he felt deliriously happy. It had been a terrible nightmare, but-

    Then he saw the sky and realized he would have absolutely no reason to be sleeping outside if it had been a dream.

    The lighting in the sky was similar to how it had been when he passed out, but after a few moments of confusion he realized that the sun was setting rather than rising. Luke was in the exact same position he had fallen in, lying in the middle of a shrub. When he sat up, though, he saw that there was a fire around a ring of stones nearby tended by his new companion. The mask was nowhere to be seen, though a military backpack nearby seemed a likely storage place. Luke vaguely remembered seeing him grab it when they abandoned the quad.

    ¡°I forgot the place you¡¯re from is so much different,¡± The man spoke. It was a softer voice than anything Luke had heard him use so far, though that was an exceedingly low bar to clear.

    ¡°Not your fault, I guess, that you¡¯re soft,¡± he continued. ¡°Probably the first time you¡¯ve ever been in a situation like that.¡± He poked at the fire with a stick and fell silent. The firelight made the wrinkles in his face deeper and more shadowed.

    His words pierced the fog of fatigue over Luke, prompting the younger man to sit up straighter and look over.

    ¡°Wait, you know I¡¯m from¡­not here?¡± He asked.

    There was a bark of laughter.

    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re the whole reason I¡¯m out here. Sorry you got shafted on the welcoming committee, kid, but this isn¡¯t my idea of a fun day out in the sun either. We¡¯re headed somewhere better than that hellhole, though, I can tell you that.¡±

    ¡°So how did I get here then? How can I go back? What the fuck happened?¡±

    The old man scowled, an expression that looked oddly natural on his face.

    ¡°Sandy fucking owes me for this,¡± he muttered. He went on in a louder voice. ¡°I can give you a basic rundown, but you¡¯ll have to wait for a lot of it. Like the ¡®going back¡¯ thing, that¡¯s not my department.¡±

    The hope that had flared inside Luke faded a little, though he nodded.

    ¡°How you got here is¡­complicated. I¡¯m not the best one to explain that. Same goes for why you¡¯re the lucky winner. There¡¯s some metaphysical shit involved that I don¡¯t stick my head into.¡±

    That sounded like an evasion to Luke, but he wasn¡¯t comfortable enough with the man to push the issue. His life was still basically in the old man¡¯s hands, after all.

    ¡°As for where we are, best I can explain it is that we¡¯re in a parallel dimension from where you¡¯re from. Far as I know, everything¡¯s mostly the same except for minor differences here and there.¡±

    Luke thought about that for a moment, then snorted.

    ¡°I can buy that as much as anything,¡± he said, ¡°but I don¡¯t know how much you know about the world I¡¯m from if that¡¯s the case. ¡®Minor differences¡¯ don¡¯t really cover what I¡¯ve seen so far.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well,¡± the man said as he shifted a log in the fire with his stick. ¡°From what I know, that applies up until maybe twenty years ago or so. That¡¯s when everything went off the fucking rails over here.¡± He stared at the flames, lost in thought.

    After a few moments, he shook himself out of whatever reverie he was in and continued.

    ¡°Out of nowhere one day, whole cities went dark. No one could contact their friends, family, authorities. This was a lot of the biggest cities in the country, understand¡ªincluding our great San Miguel back there,¡± he jammed his thumb toward the south. ¡°And there wasn¡¯t the slightest hint of what happened. Almost all the TV was down, radio, everything.¡±

    ¡°What about the internet?¡± Luke interrupted. The man gave him an irritated look.

    ¡°The what?¡±

    Luke opened his mouth to respond, but remembered what the other man had said. Twenty years ago, assuming time worked the same in both places¡­the internet would have existed, but might not have been ubiquitous yet. Seemed like his rescuer wasn¡¯t an early adopter.

    ¡°Anyway, that only lasted a day or so,¡± he continued. ¡°After that, what little information was still going around suggested there were¡­attacks.¡± He nodded at Luke¡¯s look of sudden comprehension.

    ¡°Dead-eyed things that looked like people flowed out of the major cities like water, right into the next biggest population centers. That¡¯s about the last information most of us got directly, but it¡¯s not too hard to figure what happened from there. The first places they attacked would have been overrun pretty quick, unaware as they were, but I¡¯m sure resistance picked up from there. The thing is, by that point it was too late. It¡¯s a pretty rough estimate, but I bet at least half the people in the country were Empty by the time anyone knew what was going on. All our infrastructure was gone. Political leaders, information centers...it was fucking chaos, everyone in the dark, everywhere.¡±

    ¡°But how did the military get overrun so easily?¡± Luke asked. ¡°Those things seem pretty much like zombies, and that¡¯s always been my problem with those kinds of movies. You managed the ones back there pretty easily, why didn¡¯t they just mow them down?¡±

    ¡°They did,¡± the man said grimly. ¡°I¡¯ve seen some of the towns that were hit by the later waves. There were whole mountains of corpses where the military or a militia set up kill zones. But while the Empty might not be intelligent, that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re stupid. They have instincts, of one kind or another. You saw that twice, when they blocked us in on the streets. That¡¯s a common tactic when they¡¯re hunting a small group. When there¡¯s more people that they¡¯re after, they overwhelm them with sheer numbers. They¡¯ll gather together a good distance away and wait. They only start moving when they outnumber us by at least three or four times. You can kill ten thousand of them, they¡¯ll just use the bodies to climb over walls. Once they get in close, the game¡¯s basically over. All it takes is a touch.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what,¡± Luke asked sharply.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t wearing that mask for my allergies. Notice how none of them in the city were disemboweled or shit like you¡¯d expect from those zombies you mentioned? The Empty don¡¯t eat brains or anything else, what they do is make you like they are. All it takes is skin to skin contact for five to ten seconds, and your soul is gone. Or whatever.¡± He flitted his fingers up in the air to illustrate his point.

    Luke tried to digest this as best he could. It explained why there was duct tape around the man¡¯s ankles to keep his pant legs in place, and why he had been so pissed that he¡¯d been forced to fight two of them up close. Something else he had said stood out beyond the obvious, though.

    ¡°How do they not eat anything? Where do they get energy to move or¡­live?¡±

    The old man shook his head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but believe me. That¡¯s some of the tamest unbelievable shit there is in this world now. The Empty weren¡¯t the end of it. Just the beginning of the end, maybe. We can talk about it later. Don¡¯t want to overload you all at once.¡±

    It felt almost cruel that he was ending the conversation there, but the old man was already staring at the fire again and Luke let it go. It couldn¡¯t be easy talking about the end of the world no matter how much of a hardass you were. He felt bad for dredging up what were probably the worst memories for anyone left in the world, but not as bad as he felt for being stuck in a world where that was the case.

    Though Luke was no longer exhausted as he had been, he still felt far from fresh and his companion showed no sign of resuming the march anytime soon. He layed back on the same bush he had been on before, lamenting the lack of anywhere more comfortable to sleep. Closing his eyes, he was caught by surprise when a weight landed on his chest. Shooting back up, he saw that he¡¯d been thrown a rolled-up sleeping bag. The old man wasn¡¯t so much as glancing his way.

    After he set out the bag and zipped himself up, Luke asked one more question before he let himself drift off to sleep.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Carver.¡±

    Luke turned away, leaving him to sit and stare at the fire once more.

 1.3

    The next day, Luke was shaken out of sleep before it was even truly day, in the pre-dawn hours of the morning.

    ¡°You slept plenty,¡± Carver told him. ¡°It¡¯s time to move.¡±

    Luke usually resisted any attempt to wake him to his utmost ability, but even in his initial confusion some deeper instinct compelled him not to argue. Something in the old man¡¯s voice suggested that it would not end well.

    So Luke struggled out of the warmth of his sleeping bag without the benefit of five or six alarms, a novel experience. The remembrance of where he was and what had happened came faster this time, crashing over him in a wave that left him more alert, if not any happier. Getting ready for the day took consisted entirely of the time it took to tie his shoes. He still wore the same hoodie and sweatpants from when everything had started, filthy with mud and plant debris from the long quad ride out of the city. He was also without socks, forced to wear the too-big boots Carver had given him bare. It was the apocalypse, though, so Luke bit back his complaints as he finished lacing and stood up.

    Carver was already looking at him impatiently, his handgun holstered at his side and pack slung around his back. The firepit had already been stomped out. As soon as Luke stood up, the older man tossed something toward him and started walking the same way they had been going. Catching the package, Luke saw it was a hunk of some kind of jerky and a bag of dried fruit. The thought of food had yet to even cross his mind, but his stomach rumbled at the reminder and he eagerly wolfed it down while they walked.

    Luke hesitated for a while before breaking the silence of the march, but the conversation of the previous night had far from answered all of his questions and after the first hour it was apparent that Carver would be perfectly content to go without talking all the way to¡­wherever they were going. It seemed like a good idea to stick to less contentious topics than the end of the world, so Luke started with something that had been bothering him since the previous day.

    ¡°So are we just abandoning the ATV? It seems pretty useful.¡±

    ¡°Runs on diesel,¡± Carver grunted. ¡°Pain in the ass keep fueled. I¡¯ll pick it up later.¡±

    Luke nodded, then a thought struck him. ¡°Wait,¡± he said slowly. ¡°It¡¯s been twenty years. How is there still any diesel left to get? I¡¯m pretty sure it goes bad, right? Do you make it?¡±

    Carver sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not touching that one. Ask someone else when we get there.¡±

    ¡°Ok¡­¡± Luke tried a different tack. ¡°Where is ¡®there¡¯? Where are we going?¡±

    Carver stopped and whirled around to look at him. ¡°Crater. I¡¯m not here to play Twenty Questions with you. Hold it in until we make camp, if you can manage that.¡±

    Luke blinked. The other man hadn¡¯t been the most effusive talker the previous day, but he had been positively chipper compared to now. He burned to ask what ¡®Crater¡¯ was, but couldn¡¯t bring himself to talk again and face Carver¡¯s reproach. They walked on in silence.

    They still walked along the freeway, though the number of cars abandoned on the road was steadily climbing. More often than not now, they were traveling on the shoulder, though it could be difficult to determine where that was beneath all the vegetation. There were stretches where long lines of cars were backed up on the side of the road too, places where Luke guessed panic and the need to escape the horrors loosed from the city outweighed the desire to follow traffic laws.

    It was chilling, seeing the remains of events that had played out so long ago now that he knew the context behind them. Every car represented someone who had died, or worse than died, years and years ago. The way nature had moved on, reclaiming the leftover bits of civilization might have been comforting to some, but to Luke it was horrifying. Hundreds of thousands of people had lived here, and already the evidence of their existence was disappearing. Within a few more decades, the only signs that this place had once been inhabited would be crumbling rubble and the soulless monsters squatting amidst the ashes of human achievement.

    It really made him wish that he was home.

    Several times throughout the day he almost spoke his thoughts out loud, but he doubted that Carver would have any patience for his laments of the fall of civilization. After a few more hours, he had them turn away from the road and make their way down a hill through the foliage until they reached a small creek. Carver cupped his hands and sipped a little of the water there. Whatever he tasted must have met his approval because he pulled a pair of metal canteens out of his pack and tossed one to Luke.

    Luke eagerly filled the bottle and took huge gulps, draining half the canteen before he took a breath. The jerky had dried his mouth and left him parched and miserable all morning, but he hadn¡¯t dared complain since he hadn¡¯t seen Carver drink anything either. Luke wasn¡¯t exactly scared of the older man, but he was very aware that left alone out in the wilderness, he would probably die rather quickly. He felt it was best to annoy his guide as little as possible.

    He found more dried traveling fare laid out after he finished drinking what felt like half the creek and topped off the canteen. Carver was sitting on a rock, munching quietly.

    ¡°We stop for twenty minutes,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re not going to pass out again, are you?¡±

    Luke shook his head. The path so far had been uneven but not strenuous, no worse than a number of hikes he had been on. Now that he was watered, the prospect of further traveling wasn¡¯t too onerous. There was a large rock near the creek bed, which he used as a chair while he ate. Silence reigned as it had since Luke had come to this world, but he tried one more time to get Carver talking. There was just so much he didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°So what¡¯s Crater?¡±

    The old man looked at him wryly. ¡°This isn¡¯t camp.¡±

    Luke felt a flare of annoyance despite the answer being more or less what he had expected. He was starting to get the feeling that Carver really didn¡¯t like to answer questions.

    ¡°Can we just go then? The sooner we walk, the sooner maybe I can get some goddamn answers.¡±

    Luke slammed his jaw shut, appalled at the words that had flown out of his mouth. Giving attitude was not the way to go, even if it seemed like he was more likely to have a conversation with the rock he was sitting on than the only human he had met in this world. Luke still had little or no idea why the man had helped him, and what he might do if pushed far enough.

    He looked at Carver apprehensively, but the old man showed only the briefest flash of what might have been amusement and stood up.

    ¡°Alright then.¡±

    He headed back in the direction of the freeway, and Luke hastened to follow. He ate the rations hurriedly, and it wasn¡¯t long before he regretted his words. The water in his stomach sloshed around uncomfortably, mixing with the food and making him vaguely nauseous. A stitch formed in his side, forcing him to lean to the right as he walked to avoid a sharp pain with every step. He almost called out several times to ask for a break, but embarrassment made him hold his tongue.

    More than once, Carver glanced back and raised an eyebrow, but he said nothing. Thankfully, they had reached a section of freeway that was relatively intact, or Luke might have been forced to rest whether it made him look foolish or not. As it was, the day wore on, and Luke¡¯s system gradually rebalanced itself. He walked upright once more, determined to pretend the episode had never occurred.

    In what was quickly becoming a routine, not a word was spoken until the sun was well on its way to setting, turning the sky a golden color overhead once more. Carver stopped at a small clearing free of the thorniest shrubs and started gathering rocks into a circle. After a few moments of bewilderment, Luke saw what he intended and moved to assist him. The old man¡¯s reluctance to speak, he reflected, was starting to border on the ridiculous. He wouldn¡¯t even ask for help setting up a damn fire pit! Carver¡¯s one moment of broken reserve had come on the heels of literally pushing Luke to exhaustion. He fully expected the old man to find some way to weasel out of explaining anything once they had the camp set up.

    ¡°A settlement.¡±

    Or not. Carver spoke as soon he had taken a place by the fire, poking at it with a stick in much the same way he had the previous night. Luke looked at him in surprise

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Crater,¡± Carver said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. ¡°Crater¡¯s a settlement, where we¡¯re headed. Lots of people, farmland, the whole deal.¡±

    Okay, he had to be fucking with him at this point. Luke stared at the old man.

    ¡°And you couldn¡¯t tell me this before because¡­¡± he asked.

    Carver shrugged, face blank.

    ¡°We¡¯ve made camp now.¡±

    Luke looked at him more sharply. There was no trace of humor anywhere in the old man¡¯s features, but Luke was suspicious that there was laughter behind that expressionless mask. After a pause, he decided to let it go in favor of getting more of his questions answered.

    ¡°How long until we get there?¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow afternoon or night.¡± Carver said.

    ¡°Do a lot of people live there?¡±

    ¡°Suppose so.¡±

    Even when he was actually talking the man said nothing! It was infuriating.

    ¡°...About how many, do you think?¡± Luke asked, trying to keep the impatience out of his voice.

    ¡°Twenty-five hundred,¡± Carver said immediately. Luke blinked. He¡¯d expected him to have to think about it. The old man seemed to relent and expanded on the statement. ¡°The biggest on the West Coast for certain. Probably the biggest on the continent, though I¡¯ve heard of some out east that might be close.¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Two thousand five hundred. Luke wasn¡¯t sure what he had expected, but the biggest on the whole continent? It had been twenty years since the Empty came. He had no idea how fast populations were supposed to grow, but two and a half thousand people would have been a pretty small town before, at least in the more populated parts of the US. Surely in twenty years a bigger group of people had gathered together. Though there was one ugly explanation that presented itself.

    ¡°Is there really that few people left?¡± Luke asked, somber. For that to be the case, the Empty would have had to exterminate well over ninety-nine percent of the population. What was left would only be remnants. But Carver shook his head.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that. There¡¯re settlements scattered all over, but they rarely have more than a couple hundred people each. No one wants to chance the Emps.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Luke said, confused. Carver sighed, as if reluctant to say what came next.

    ¡°You remember how I told you after they appeared, Emps went straight for the most populated cities around them?¡± Luke nodded. ¡°They never stopped. For the most part they just sit around wherever they were created or attacked last, but it¡¯s possible to bring them down on you. There¡¯s a couple factors that go into it, but the biggest by far is population. You get enough people in a close enough radius and you¡¯re guaranteed to be swimming in the fuckers before the week is out. A few different patchwork cities cropped up the first few years after they appeared, and every single one of them got swarmed.¡±

    Carver paused before he went on. Despite his hesitance, now that he had started talking he sounded like a different person. He gave more than single sentence answers, and there was almost a lecturing quality to his voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible to nail down what the cutoff is before you get the Emps¡¯ attention¡ªno one¡¯s been too eager to test it, for obvious reasons¡ªbut most estimate it at about three thousand people or so. That¡¯s why Crater¡¯s the biggest settlement around. They flirt right at the edge of annihilation. They¡¯ve survived a long time by enforcing strict population controls to make sure they don¡¯t grow. If they didn¡¯t, if any settlement has more people than that within a certain radius, the Emps sense it somehow and come out in force. The people living there are Emptied or scattered, without exception. .¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Luke said. ¡°You can¡¯t set up walls or traps or shut them out somehow if you know they¡¯re coming?¡±

    Carver¡¯s eyes flashed in anger, the most emotion he¡¯d expressed that night.

    ¡°Of course, why didn¡¯t we think of setting up defenses?¡± he asked scornfully. ¡°Twenty years and the idea never crossed anyone¡¯s mind. Thank God you came to save us all, kid.¡±

    Luke went silent, hurt by his tone. After a moment Carver spoke again, more calmly.

    ¡°I told you before that they have instincts. The fuckers group up, make sure that there¡¯s more of them than us whenever they come calling. Say a settlement starts getting dreams of a new society and builds up their population past the point of no return. They know the Emps are coming for them. Let¡¯s be generous and say their defenses are strong enough to let them kill five of them for every one of their people. That¡¯s doable, at least before they run out of bullets. They fight off the first wave, get a few days to celebrate and take stock of their diminished supplies, and a week later they¡¯re mobbed by a horde that outnumbers them ten to one. It¡¯s a numbers game, and humanity has already fallen too far behind to win. If we try to fight back, we¡¯ll die through sheer, brutal attrition.¡±

    There was no inflection in Carver¡¯s voice, for all the hopelessness his words implied. Only emotionless precision. He seemed to retreat within himself as he had the previous night, and Luke thought that would be all he said. But a few moments later he continued in a low voice.

    ¡°We can¡¯t fight them head on. We¡¯ve bled enough to learn that much. We can¡¯t outwait them. They don¡¯t get hungry, they don¡¯t get bored, they don¡¯t die as far as we know unless you put a hole in them. We can¡¯t reason with them, they¡¯ve shown no sign of intelligence beyond what¡¯s needed to hunt us. How humanity survives now is by adapting. The age of sprawling cities and skyscrapers is over. Now we¡¯re a hundred little communities spread over a thousand miles, keeping absolute control over the population and doing whatever¡¯s necessary to avoid the attention of our new apex predator.¡±

    Luke mulled over that in silence. There was emotion in Carver¡¯s tone now, the weary resignation of a battle long since lost. Whatever bout of good cheer had made him more talkative was gone now. He poked at the fire in silence, chewing slowly on a piece of dried fruit.

    Something he had said sparked a question for Luke, though. He hesitated, but asked anyway despite the rapid change in Carver¡¯s demeanor.

    ¡°What about everywhere else?¡± he said. Carver only grunted in response, so he elaborated.

    ¡°Everything you¡¯ve told me has pretty much been centered on America. Did the Emps appear in Europe? Asia? Everywhere?¡±

    ¡°Hard to say,¡± Carver said eventually. ¡°Communication was non-existent in the early days. It¡¯s still difficult, but there¡¯s bits and pieces. Some places got it worse than others, but as far as I know there isn¡¯t anywhere that they didn¡¯t appear at all. There are people who would know more about it than me, though.¡±

    Luke took the hint and stopped asking questions. He was still afraid of pushing Carver too far, and the spurt of anger the old man had shown made him wary.

    He stayed at the fire for a while after that, eating the jerky and fruit that were the only meal he¡¯d had in this world so far. He was already starting to get tired of the fare, but it was better than starving. Maybe they would have better food at Crater. Luke wondered at the reason for the name, but it was so far down the list of things he didn¡¯t know that the question barely registered. After some time sitting, Carver took his sleeping bag out of his pack and settled within it, leaving the other on the ground for Luke to take.

    The young man felt a little bad about getting inside the bag when he¡¯d been sweating for the last two days without a shower or bath, but the prospect of sleeping without the dry shoots of the brush poking into his back was too tempting to ignore. He drifted off as the fire died down to embers behind him.

    ***

    He stood within the city again as he had not two days past, but now it was whole. The buildings stood tall, the pavement was uncracked, and wildlife did not run rampant through the streets. It was dark, but street lights were lit in rows as far down as the eye could see. For all that, though, the city was still empty as it would never be in reality. Even in the darkest hours of the night people should have been roaming the sidewalks while cars meandered through the streets. Now though, there was nothing, and it was almost as unsettling as the dead, twisted version that he¡¯d recently visited.

    There was no dream logic to the scene. Luke wondered at the emptiness around him, then at his capacity to wonder. There was a lucidity that had never been present within his dreams. All he was certain of was that he was dreaming, though he couldn¡¯t have said how he knew. He took his first step down the road, and whirled around as he heard the sound of someone clearing their throat behind him.

    The figure grinned and gave a small bow when Luke turned around. She had high cheekbones and an unnaturally sharp face, her chin almost coming to a point. The word elven came to Luke¡¯s mind, though she lacked the pointed ears that were iconic to his understanding of the creatures. Her skin was light, but tan and she appeared to be in her teens or early twenties. She wore a baggy hawaiian shirt and white shorts with sandals, looking for all the world like a tourist come to visit the city. Her blonde hair was short, styled into a pixie cut, and her green eyes looked almost luminescent in the glow under the street light.

    ¡°Hi there,¡± she said, her voice bubbly and high-pitched. ¡°Sorry, I meant for us to talk sooner, but there are some things that really take it out of a girl, you know?¡± She blinked, shutting both eyes hard. A moment later, she shut one for much longer than a standard wink. Then she grinned again as if the odd expressions had never happened.

    ¡°Um.¡± Luke said. ¡°Where am I?¡±

    The odd tourist looked around.

    ¡°Same city, right? I didn¡¯t mean to move, and the buildings don¡¯t look any different¡­¡± She stuck her tongue out as if making fun of him and the landscape in front of Luke shifted rapidly. It flickered between scenes for several seconds at a time. It was always a city street, but it became wider and narrower in turn, while the buildings flanking each side became taller, then shorter, then covered in snow, then rounded, then gone entirely and the street paved with cobblestone, before resolving back into the city where they had started.

    ¡°Nope, definitely the right place!¡± She said cheerfully. ¡°I¡¯d have thought you recognized it, you were here so recently, Luke.¡±

    ¡°Fuck!¡± Luke said, tottering unsteadily. ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I meant! What was that?¡±

    He frowned.

    ¡°Wait a second. How do you know my name?¡±

    ¡°Carver told me!¡± The tourist said, ignoring Luke¡¯s discomfort. ¡°He was really mad for a while but I cheered him up eventually. He can never stay mad at me for long.¡±

    Luke blinked, trying to think.

    ¡°But we haven¡¯t seen anyone since I met him.¡± He looked around at the empty street, then down at his hands.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked.

    The tourist beamed at him and swept into a deep bow, throwing her hand out to the side.

    ¡°My name,¡± she said, ¡°is Sandy. A lot of people call me the Sandman, but that¡¯s not a name. Sandy¡¯s a name.¡± She bared her teeth at Luke.

    ¡°Ok¡­¡± he said slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is, really, but if you¡¯re the Sandman¡­you¡¯re making this dream?¡±

    ¡°SANDY!¡± she shouted. She gave Luke a flirtatious look through her lashes. ¡°I just told you my name is Sandy. And yes, welcome to the last ten minutes, you¡¯re in a dream.¡±

    Luke¡¯s mind was reeling, but he tried to sort through what was important.

    ¡°Ok, assuming I¡¯m not having some kind of breakdown¡­you know Carver? What do you want with me?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to meet you,¡± Sandy said. ¡°I like new people, if they¡¯re nice. Except for Carver, he isn¡¯t nice but I¡¯ve known him the longest.¡±

    ¡°So do you¡­do this with everyone in this world?¡± Luke asked. He was starting to wish he could go on dream logic. It would be better than the utter bewilderment he currently felt.

    ¡°Oh no, not nearly,¡± Sandy said airily. ¡°Only the chosen few get to talk to me. You could say I¡¯m more or less a goddess. You should feel honored.¡± Her eyes rolled wildly in her head.

    Luke felt nauseous looking at it, but he tried to ignore the weirdness. Who knew what a dream creature would be offended by if he brought it up?

    ¡°I gotta say,¡± she went on, ¡°you¡¯re not impressing me so far. Kinda boring if I¡¯m being honest.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to get my bearings!¡± Luke said, insulted despite himself. ¡°I was ripped out of my world a few days ago and now I¡¯m having some kind of dream vision. Excuse me for not being at my most charming!¡±

    ¡°You know what? That¡¯s fair,¡± Sandy said solemnly. ¡°You are excused. Maybe we should try again later. You can get some tips from my adoring fans!¡± She blinked and winked alternately, the same way as before..

    ¡°Uh, right.¡± Luke said. He knew there were probably questions he could be asking, but his mind was spinning and thinking clearly was difficult. ¡°Thank you?¡±

    Sandy beamed brightly once again. ¡°Well your manners aren¡¯t bad anyway. There could have been worse people for to bring back with me. Off you go for now, we¡¯ll talk soon!¡±

    The street started to dissolve around Luke, becoming darker and distorted, though Sandy herself remained clearly visible.

    ¡°Wait!¡± he yelled. ¡°What are you talking about? Did you bring me here? Can you take me back? Please!¡±

    Sandy spoke over him, ignoring his words. ¡°Oh, and tell Carver to be careful. I don¡¯t have time to go to him, but there¡¯s a Bleeder nearby. It shouldn¡¯t be hard to avoid, but he needs to watch out.¡±

    With that, she disappeared, and the scene darkened into black. Luke stood alone for a few moments before he too disappeared.

    ***

    He awoke to the sun¡¯s first hesitant rays landing on his face and the ground around him. The dream was crystal clear in his mind, far more so than any dream should be. It was also far more specific than most dreams, and Luke didn¡¯t hold much doubt than it had been more than a figment of his mind.

    Carver was cross-legged on the ground, sorting through his pack. Clothes, knives, rations, and other gear were neatly sorted on the ground. He looked up when Luke rose from his bag, but quickly returned to his task.

    ¡°I had a dream about someone named Sandy,¡± Luke said quietly. ¡°I think she said she¡¯s the one who brought me here. Do you know anything about that?¡±

    Carver looked at him and sighed.

    ¡°Oh, fuck me,¡± he said.

 1.4

    Another day, another silent march.  Luke stalked behind Carver, glaring daggers at his back while the old man watched their surroundings, alert and apparently unperturbed by the tension.  He flatly refused to tell Luke anything about the woman who had appeared in his dream or his relationship with her. The old man¡¯s reaction at the name made it clear that he knew something, however, and convinced Luke that he was withholding information purely for the sake of being an asshole.

    Carver wouldn¡¯t even address what she had said about being the one who brought Luke to this dimension.  He would either respond to Luke in monosyllabic denials or refuse to say anything at all. He had given up by the time they started walking, seeing that nothing he said made any impression on the old man.

    It still ate at him, not knowing anything about the world he¡¯d been brought to.  Not even three full days had passed and Luke had seen things that suggested that there was far more going on than what he had been told.  First the Empty and all the weirdness associated with them, then the more recent invasion of his dreams by some kind of supernatural being.  Not to mention his transport between dimensions to begin with, if that was even what happened. There was so much that he¡¯d seen already that he would have called impossible a few days before, and he couldn¡¯t even begin to get a handle on it without some answers.

    A small part of him had started wondering about a theory that he had dismissed early after his arrival in the ruined city.  After seeing Sandy, it was harder to reject the idea that this was all an elaborate dream. Luke tried not to think about it, since anything he did was more or less inconsequential anyway if he was stuck in a coma.

    Plus, he could only hope that his brain didn¡¯t hate him enough to conjure up an obstinate jackass like Carver as his only company.

    The man¡¯s insistence at keeping him in the dark was getting to be more than just an annoyance, it felt like he was actively worsening Luke¡¯s chances at survival in this world.  He wouldn¡¯t even say anything about their destination beyond the fact that it was a ¡°settlement¡±, which might mean anything in a universe twenty years removed from the apocalypse.  What if society had collapsed into an absolute oligarchy and he would be forced into menial labor with the peasant class? Or what if they had some kind of ritual where he had to kill an Empty with his bare hands before he was allowed to live there?

    Or what if they just don¡¯t like certain people?  That was one of the more persistent thoughts that nagged him.  If society had turned into a bunch of tiny communities, there was a good chance that they would be isolated enough to be biased against outsiders.  Even someplace ¡°big¡± like Crater could be intolerant to people¡­unlike themselves.

    He just didn¡¯t know.  And it was impossible to find out as long as Carver refused to even talk about the most mundane aspects of the place, let alone something as surreal as a fucking sapient dream-creature.

    So went the circle of Luke¡¯s thoughts.  And the longer they circled, the angrier he found himself.  He never thought he had much of a temper before, but apparently getting dropped into a dimension with creatures who wanted to eat his soul and having to fight for scraps of information really brought it out of him.  He held out for two hours, but after that, since there was no brick wall nearby to ram his head against, he started talking again despite himself.

    ¡°Where exactly is Crater?  Is it where a town used to be?¡±  He fought to keep his tone reasonable, and thought he succeeded rather well.  Carver must have seen through the attempt though, because he shot a wry look behind him without breaking stride.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see before the end of today.  Coincidentally, right around then¡¯ll be the time to ask everything your heart desires.¡±

    Luke scowled behind Carver¡¯s back, but it had been more of a response then he¡¯d gotten all morning.  The rebuke was logical too, if condescending, but Luke was upset enough that his normal filter wasn¡¯t very functional.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you answer now and save some time?¡±

    Carver stopped and let out a heaving sigh.  ¡°Listen,¡± he said. ¡°I know what you¡¯ve been asking all morning and I can guess what else you¡¯d want to know.  I don¡¯t know the answer to half of it and someone else can explain the other half better than I can. I¡¯m being straight with you.  If you can wait four or five more hours, if that, you¡¯ll get a much clearer explanation than you would right now. Just bottle it up for that long and we¡¯ll both be happy.¡±

    It was a better explanation than he¡¯d gotten so far, at any rate.  Luke was on the verge of accepting the implicit deal, but the part of him that was still angry felt like he had to get something out of the old man.

    ¡°I get that,¡± he said.  ¡°I do, but-¡±

    Before he could finish, Carver cut him off with a violent motion for silence.  Luke felt like he was about to explode, but before he could say anything he heard a sound.  They were still near the freeway, a little off the shoulder to avoid the long line of old, abandoned cars that covered the road.  From somewhere off in this range of rusted metal echoed a muted drumbeat. Da-dum, da-dum.  It repeated every few seconds at a regular interval, and sounded somehow familiar to Luke.

    Carver had gone still.  He might have been a statue but for his eyes, which darted back and forth across the rows of rusted vehicles, searching relentlessly.  He spoke to Luke in a low tone.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move a single step.  When you had that dream last night, was there anything Sandy wanted you to tell me?¡±

    Luke¡¯s anger gave way to fear with the old man¡¯s change in demeanor.  ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± he said in the same quiet voice. He had to stop himself from shifting his feet.  ¡°She didn¡¯t say anything about¡ªwait. Maybe. There was something right at the end, but I was yelling at the same time.  I¡¯m not sure.¡± He thought for a moment. ¡°Something about bleeding, maybe?¡±

    Carver¡¯s face darkened, but he was already unslinging his pack from around his back, avoiding any quick motions.

    ¡°We won¡¯t be able to avoid it,¡± he said.  He squatted and balanced his pack on his leg, rummaging through as quietly as he could.  ¡°Stay still as much as you can. It senses movement through the ground, but noises attract it too if they¡¯re loud enough.  Do not let its spray touch you, don¡¯t get closer than ten feet from it. I¡¯m going to get its attention. The second I do, you need to run.  Go the same way we were walking, use the cars for cover. After that, try not to move and let me handle it.¡±

    While he spoke, the sound of the da-dum, da-dum gradually became louder, though the speed of the rhythm remained constant.  It was impossible to tell where it was coming from among the wreckage that lined the highway.  Carver withdrew something from his kit and shoved it into a pocket before standing up, still holding the pack in his hand.

    ¡°What-¡± Luke started to ask.  Carver shook his head violently and held up his hand up to his lips.  Luke shut his mouth.

    After he quieted, the old man took a deep breath and moved his hand in front of him, three fingers held up.  Luke desperately tried to remember everything Carver said, to hold all of it in his mind at the same time. Some dim part of him was grateful that the danger, whatever it was, had started so quickly.  If there was more time he might have shut down completely from pure panic.

    Carver dropped each finger, giving Luke time to tense and ready himself to bolt.  The instant before the old man acted, Luke realized why the sound around them was so familiar.  The same rhythm was thundering in his ears at that exact moment.

    It was a heartbeat.

    Carver raised his foot and stomped on the pavement.  Before he even brought his foot down, Luke was sprinting for the nearest car.  He dove behind it, taking what cover he could behind the rusted husk. Without moving his feet, he twisted to peek through the shattered windows toward the spot where he and the old man had been standing a moment before.

    His companion was nowhere to be seen, but the ground where they had stood was coated in some kind of dark red substance, while a large person painted a brighter red stood a few feet away.  No, Luke realized after a moment. Not a person. It was shaped the same, but there were holes all over where he could see straight through it. The thing was made up of what looked like red cords, thick at the center but that branched out smaller and smaller until they terminated in thousands of tiny threads that made up a detailed outline of the human body.  The largest cords were in the chest area, extending out from a mass in the center of the creature that pulsed in time with the sound that caught Carver¡¯s attention.  Its head turned, putting the ¡°face¡± toward Luke where he crouched behind the car.

    It moved, but not the way humans did.  None of its limbs changed position. Instead, it seemed to hover across the ground as if it were sliding on ice.  It was unnatural to look at, but it wasn¡¯t slow.  In the time it took to blink, the monster stood over the car, craning its head toward Luke.  He froze, unable to move or think. The creature raised its hand and pointed it at him through the empty window.

    Then its head exploded, and something spattered across Luke¡¯s body, coating his face and hair.  He was blinded while he worked the stuff out of his eyes, and by the time he could see, the monster was gone.  He couldn¡¯t summon the energy to feel relieved. The visceral terror he felt when the creature was in front of him faded, but in its wake everything seemed disconnected, like his thoughts and emotions were coming from someone other than himself.

    Even when he glimpsed a flash of red through the car window, Luke felt nothing more than distant horror, a feeling that pulsed in sync with the beat emanating from the monster¡¯s chest.  The thing was sliding in the same odd way, moving between lanes at random with its hands raised. There was now a V-shaped hole in the top of its head, a gap several inches wide that didn¡¯t seem to inconvenience it at all.  Carver was still nowhere to be seen.

    While Luke watched, the rhythm of the monster¡¯s heartbeat sped up.  The mass at its center throbbed wildly, expanding and deflating far beyond the limits of a human heart.  Tendrils of red shifted in its head, wriggling in a way that made Luke shudder. A few poked into the gap in its head, reaching across to bridge the chasm.  More and more of the small filaments followed suit, covering up the damage that had been done. In less than a minute, the hole was gone, indistinguishable from the rest of the creature.  The pulse fell back into a slower beat, even as the monster continued its search through the maze of cars.

    Without deciding to, Luke started to clean off more of the stuff he¡¯d been covered in when the thing was injured.  It was bright red, the same color as the monster itself. Flecked across his hands, the substance was indistinguishable from blood.  It even smelled of iron. As he rubbed it between his fingers, a thought floated across Luke¡¯s mind that it was blood, sprayed from the creature when it took an injury.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    He frowned.  An incongruity pierced the fog, creating a dissonance that sharpened his attention.  He turned to the car window again, stared at the monster hunting its quarry., It didn¡¯t make any sense.  The creature was certainly the color of blood, but how could it carry liquid in its body? It had holes and gaps all over that the blood would drain through in minutes.  Unless¡­

    In a flash of insight, Luke realized what he was looking at.  Blood vessels. The cords that made up the creature¡¯s form were the countless arteries, veins, and capillaries that were spread throughout the human body.  The thing was entirely made up of a human circulatory system, complete with a beating heart at its center. Except, of course, that it could move under its own power and apparently regenerate far faster than anything humans were capable of.  It still seemed to be searching for the one who injured it, moving row by row through the vehicle graveyard with upraised hands.

    The realization of the blood monster¡¯s nature seemed to kickstart Luke¡¯s brain into a semblance of normal function.  The fear was still there, but the mental paralysis was no longer crippling. He went through everything that had happened since he started running.  Carver still hadn¡¯t made his presence known, which was worrying. His first attack hadn¡¯t seemed to do much to the creature other than get its attention away from Luke.  He hoped that Carver hadn¡¯t been forced to use his only weapon to save him. The old man was clearly keeping his distance from the monster, though Luke wasn¡¯t sure why he hadn¡¯t used a gun yet.  The weapon he had used though¡­ Luke glanced behind him, but saw nothing that could have caused the damage he saw on the creature.

    He did see a ring of blood though, red spatters on the ground and car that marked where the attack had been.  It was a tight radius except for one dotted red line that extended past the boundary of the rest. Spots of blood made a trail leading away from the direction of the creature, but it was impossible to see where it led from Luke¡¯s angle.

    He turned back toward the monster.  Its movements were the same as before, a search pattern through the grid of cars that took it further away from Luke as it went on.  So far nothing had happened, but Luke didn¡¯t think that could last much longer. Either Carver would do something, which seemed increasingly unlikely, or he would be found.  His instructions had been to stay still, but that was before Carver had been forced to save him in the first few seconds of the fight. Luke was still petrified, but the monster¡¯s attention was off of him and if he did nothing, they might both die because of his inaction.

    Glancing over one more time to ensure the blood monster was still occupied, Luke took a breath and jumped on the hood of the car he was crouched behind, taking care not to shuffle his feet beforehand.  The front of the car dipped toward the ground, but it didn¡¯t touch the asphalt. His instincts screamed for him to hide somewhere less open, but the creature didn¡¯t react to his movement and he fought the feeling down.

    Eyeing the trail of blood, Luke mapped out a path of cars that didn¡¯t look too dilapidated to bear his weight.  He stepped from hood to hood, cringing each time at the sound he made. Apparently he was quieter than he thought, because the blood monster never turned his way.  It took a frantic minute of searching to find the end of the trail, but eventually Luke saw an axe on the ground, covered in red and in much better condition than anything else on the road.

    Gingerly, he made his way to a truck near the axe and stopped to consider how to retrieve it.  It was really more of a hatchet, probably made for throwing though Luke hadn¡¯t the faintest idea how to tell.  It seemed an odd choice for Carver who certainly had at least one handgun with him, but Luke had to hope the old man knew what he was doing.  He dropped to his belly on the truck¡¯s hood, careful to avoid making a sound, and reached down toward the axe.

    His weighted shifted to the corner of the truck, causing the metal beneath to groan in protest.  Before he could move from his compromised position, part of the rusted hood broke apart from the rest, bending down under his weight and making a screeching noise as it scraped against the metal of the truck.

    Alarmed, Luke scrambled back, but it was too late.  The blood monster had already turned, racing back towards him.  He gave up on stealth, jumped off the truck to stand on asphalt once more. With little time before the creature reached him, he snatched up the axe and held it up in front of his body, unsure whether to run or fight.  There was a flicker of movement in the corner of his eye, but all his focus was devoted to the monster bearing down on him.

    There was little chance of escape, fast as the creature moved and able to squeeze between spaces far too large for its frame.  Panicking, Luke threw the axe at it, aiming for the pulsing center of the monster. It went far wide, off into the brush somewhere to the side.  He turned to bolt, but it bore down on him, fingers splayed out in his direction. Liquid gushed out like a hose, covering Luke. The stuff was red, but darker than the blood he had seen so far.  It had aimed low, coating his legs and thighs in the stuff first. Luke tensed, worried that it might be some kind of acid or poison, but he felt no pain where it landed. He made to run, but his feet stuck fast to the ground.  Where the dark blood landed it hardened instantly, trapping Luke where he was. Whatever the blood was it was hard; all of Luke¡¯s strength couldn¡¯t budge it an inch.

    The spray didn¡¯t falter, and climbed Luke¡¯s body inch by inch.  By the time his hips were covered he was unable to even pivot on the spot; it was like being sealed inside of a rock.  Desperately, Luke looked for something he could use, but without the ability to bend over his options were limited. He held his hands high above his head to avoid getting them caught in the stream, but that was a temporary fix at best.  The stream of blood had crept up to the level of his belly button and was still rising. There was nothing he could do but close his eyes and wait for the inevitable end.

    When the heartbeat stopped, at first Luke thought his ears had been sealed up.  But he hadn¡¯t felt anything and his airway was still clear, judging by the rough breaths still coming out of him.  He opened one eye to see the monster leaning back, all rigidity gone from its body. Something poked out from the heart at its center, unidentifiable beneath all the blood.  Behind the body, Carver heaved with a grunt and threw the limp carcass on the ground, where it collapsed into a pile of grisly red rope.

    The man himself was covered in blood nearly as thoroughly as Luke, though it was all of the bright red variety rather than the solidified black gunk that still held Luke in place.  For a moment they both stood there, panting heavily in the sudden silence. Then Carver reached down and plunged his hand into the remains of the creature without hesitation, withdrawing the largest knife Luke had ever seen from within the remains.

    Luke struggled to fight off the disassociation he felt before, with a little more success.  Now that the danger had passed, he focused on the next task of getting himself out of the stuff he was trapped in.  He felt drained, though, and the hardened blood was strong.  While it was possible to chip away at the spots that weren¡¯t well-coated, Luke found himself unable to do much more than scratch the dark material at the bottom where it was thickest.  Carver had turned away toward the pack he had left on the ground, now as red as anything else in the vicinity.

    ¡°Hey!¡±  Luke called.  ¡°Can you help me out here?¡±

    Carver didn¡¯t so much as glance up as he rifled through the kit.  ¡°Told you not to get sprayed. I think you managed not to follow every instruction I gave you.  Almost impressive. Keeping you alive is more of a chore than I expected.¡±

    He took something in his hand and walked back over to Luke, kneeling in front of him.

    ¡°You,¡± Carver said, ¡°are one lucky son of a bitch.  I don¡¯t personally know anyone who got coated as good as you and lived to tell about it, and if you were on your own that still wouldn¡¯t be a given.  This stuff isn¡¯t impossible to break off, but it might as well be if you don¡¯t have help. Even from here I¡¯d have to spend all day chipping away at it if it wasn¡¯t for this.¡±

    Luke felt far from lucky, but he stayed quiet as Carver held up a nondescript black bottle.  He poured it over the blood and rubbed it in one section at a time. Whatever the stuff was, it dissolved the hardened material holding Luke in place like wet paper, thinning it enough so that after a few minutes he managed to break the rest of it and wrench his feet off the pavement.  There was still a large amount of the dark substance on his clothes and body, but Carver put the top back on and stuffed it into a pocket.

    ¡°Can¡¯t waste it,¡± he said when Luke shot him a pointed look.  ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe the shit I had to go through to get this stuff.  It¡¯s not long-lasting. Should fall off in the next day or two.¡±

    Luke was too exhausted to argue, though the idea of carrying around a blood carapace was far from appealing.  He changed the subject rather than arguing with Carver, a prospect bound to get him nowhere.

    ¡°What was that thing?¡±

    ¡°Bleeder,¡± Carver said shortly.  ¡°A walking, killing mock-up of human circulation.  They cover you in that shit up to your neck and suck the blood out of you while you¡¯re immobile.  Need to replenish their own supply, I guess.

    The thought of how close he had come to that fate horrified Luke.  ¡°But¡­how? How do they move, or trap people or do anything?¡±

    Carver shrugged.  ¡°The vessels on its feet are how it moves.  They carry it like a centipede¡¯s legs. As for how it¡¯s alive¡­I don¡¯t have the slightest idea.  The question ¡®how¡¯ doesn¡¯t really have a lot of relevance anymore. You should get used to the idea that anything you think is impossible¡­isn¡¯t.¡±

    Luke considered that in silence while he sat on the pavement, working chips out of the thick blood that covered his leg.  After a minute or so, Carver turned to him, deadly serious.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like to lecture, but one important point.  Next time you get a warning from Sandy, you damn well better listen.  She¡¯s the only reason I¡¯m still alive, and if you had told me what she said straight away, that whole thing would have gone a hell of a lot smoother.¡±

    Luke shuddered at the thought of a ¡®next time¡¯, but he didn¡¯t argue.  There was an edge to the old man¡¯s tone that made him wary.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said.  ¡°I just forgot.¡±

    The look in Carver¡¯s eyes hardened, and he seemed on the verge of raising his voice, but instead just sighed.  When he spoke, his tone was milder. ¡°You can¡¯t forget. That¡¯s how people die. All in all though, you could have done worse.   You froze up, but you snapped out of it fast enough to make a plan, and that¡¯s more than I can say for a lot of people in your situation.¡±  He snorted. ¡°The plan itself was idiotic, though. What exactly were you going to do with that axe?¡±

    ¡°I was going to get it to you,¡± Luke said defensively.  He was amazed Carver had managed to see all that without revealing himself at all.  ¡°I didn¡¯t think I could do anything with it, but I thought you needed it to get the thing without moving close.  How did you sneak up on it without it realizing you were there?¡±

    A rare smile crossed Carver¡¯s face.  ¡°These,¡± he said. He lifted up his foot toward Luke.  There were five small bags attached to the sole, filled with some kind of gel.  ¡°Bleeders aren¡¯t common, but it¡¯s not my first rodeo. Plan A would have been to get it with the hatchet when it rushed me, but you cocked that up when you bolted before I got its attention.¡±  He waved off Luke¡¯s stuttered apology. ¡°After I used the axe to get it away from you, it was all about finding an opportunity to get up close to it. Any gun I have would make a hole small enough for it to seal up; it was the knife or nothing.

    ¡°I put the gel packs on while it was looking for me¡ªit probably would have sensed me even with them on while it was focused on searching, but after its attention was on you as its prey it wasn¡¯t as careful.  Not the distraction I would have chosen, but,¡± he shrugged again, ¡°everything more or less worked out.¡±

    Luke eyed the congealed red mess that covered them both, but didn¡¯t argue.  He didn¡¯t want to ruin Carver¡¯s mood, which in contrast to Luke¡¯s seemed to be the best it had been any time since they had met.  Despite his claim that he didn¡¯t enjoy lecturing, he seemed amiable enough when going over the blow-by-blow of the fight. Even if he would be more willing to talk, though, Luke wasn¡¯t sure he could take getting answers to his questions at that moment.  Best just to push on.

    ¡°So do we keep going?¡± Luke asked.  ¡°Is there a chance we¡¯ll run into any more of them?¡±

    Carver shook his head.  ¡°They¡¯re loners. I¡¯ve never heard of multiple Bleeders hunting in the same area.  Should be safe enough here.¡± He went on in a gentler voice. ¡°Do you need more time?  The first few situations like this are never easy.¡±

    The concern in his voice was oddly touching, but Luke looked around at the blood that was splashed throughout the freeway and couldn¡¯t stand the thought of staying there any longer.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said.  ¡°I want to get where we¡¯re going as soon as possible, though.¡±

    Carver nodded once, sighed and stood up.  ¡°Alright, then.¡±

    Luke followed suit, and they started down the highway once more.

    They walked through the day, and by the time night fell, they arrived at Crater.

 1.5

    The rest of the day was comparatively easy after the horrific encounter of the morning.  Carver took them away from the freeway a few hours after they left the site of the Bleeder.  By the time they turned off a highway exit, the surrounding terrain had become decidedly more urban.  It was still in a state of severe disrepair, but the concrete roads and buildings of the suburb they walked through had kept the growth of the plant life down to manageable levels.  Luke was relieved at the easy path; he had been worried they would have to hack through miles of growth to reach the settlement.

    Carver guided Luke down progressively narrower and narrower roads until finally one dead-ended at a gate with a dirt path beyond and a severely rusted sign that proclaimed the area to be a nature trail.  The footpath displayed the first evidence of human maintenance Luke had seen since coming to this world. At least, he could think of no other reason why the grass should have grown so tall on either side yet leave the path itself untouched.  After trudging down this cleared path for only a few minutes, Luke heard the trickling sound of running water.

    By the time they reached the stream, it was mid-afternoon.  Carver paused only long enough to eat and refill their water flasks.  Both he and Luke carried a strong smell from the blood that covered them, and neither desired to tarry any longer than necessary.

    From there they followed the stream upriver.  Rocky hills around them hemmed in closer and grew sheer, forming a canyon around the deepening river.  The water seemed to be barely a trickle compared to the rocky walls around them, but it continued to grow as they traveled upstream.  They walked on through the afternoon without pause, always following the path of the river. By the time dusk arrived, Luke began to wonder if they might need to accept that camping would be necessary for another night, unpalatable as the idea was.  Before he could put voice to his concern, however, a roar became audible in the distance.

    It was a continuous sound, carrying on and on without ever diminishing in volume.  Luke had never seen a waterfall, but the sound didn¡¯t fit anything else he could think of.  Carver seemed to perk up once he heard it, increasing his pace and walking with more energy than Luke was accustomed to seeing.   By this time the river they followed had become wider and faster, though still small enough that they could have forded it without difficulty.  A few minutes later, the source of the ceaseless crashing came into view, obscured in the gloom of twilight but still visible.

    It was a waterfall as Luke had suspected, but the view still took his breath away.  A towering concrete wall rose up in front of him, curved upstream in a shape that was suggestive of a massive bowl.  The sides were flush with the walls of the canyon, cutting off any passage beyond. The structure was at least a hundred feet tall, and appeared much more intact than any of the other infrastructure Luke had seen so far, save for two deep furrows that had been carved into the stone.  Both were near the center of the structure, and reached nearly halfway down the building¡¯s height. A huge amount of water poured through each gap, the source of the river they had been following.

    ¡°You can¡¯t see it, but Crater¡¯s on the top of the canyon here,¡± Carver said, breaking a silence of several hours.  He hesitated a moment before continuing. ¡°Almost there.¡±

    Luke nodded, frowning at the up at the artificial waterfalls.  Something about them bothered him, but he stayed quiet as Carver led them up to the base of the structure, well to the side of where the water landed.  A metal door was set into the stone, with a symbol Luke didn¡¯t recognize spray painted on in purple. The door led to a staircase in the interior that went up into darkness; there was no lighting inside, and the only illumination came from the fading sun outside.

    ¡°Grab the railing,¡± Carver shouted as he held the door open for Luke.  The echo of the waterfalls reverberated in the small space, consuming all other sound.  ¡°I¡¯m not wasting light on this climb. We¡¯re going all the way up to the top, long as you hold your hand on the banister you should be able to figure out where to put your feet.¡±

    Luke did as he was told, and the old man shut them both into complete darkness.  Groping blindly, Luke found the first step and started to ascend. He felt more than heard Carver close behind him, more assured and steady in his movements.

    The climb was awkward at first, with Luke slamming his foot down on flat ground where he expected a stair, or wedging the tip of his boot into the gap between steps.  Quickly though, he fell into a rhythm. Eleven stairs, three steps, a right turn on a landing and repeat. His thighs started burning after the third flight, and he quickly lost count of the number of levels he had climbed, but it was certainly far higher than he had ever gone without an elevator.

    Still though, the burn caused by the ascent at least gave him something to focus on other than how damn eerie the place was.  Luke¡¯s eyes never really adjusted to the point where he could see much in front of him.  He could walk right by someone and never know it. Between that and the roar of the waterfalls that drowned out any but the loudest sound, it felt like there was constantly something lurking just outside the boundaries of his awareness.  It seemed like a silly thing to be afraid of after the very real horrors of the past few days, but the fear was there nonetheless. If Carver hadn¡¯t been there, he might have given up on the whole thing.

    After what felt like a full day, countless steps, and only three breaks, Luke finally hit his head on a wall instead of reaching another flight of stairs.  Letting go of the railing for the first time, he flailed around, searching for the handle of the door he thought must be there. From behind him came a cough and Luke felt Carver step around him, opening a door on the other wall and allowing light in once again.

    During their climb dusk had turned to true night, yet the light of the moon and stars was at least bright enough to let them see where to put their feet.  Luke stepped away from the empty wall he had been groping around on and followed Carver to the top of the dam.

    And if the waterfalls hadn¡¯t been clues enough, the fact that it was a dam became glaringly obvious as soon as he caught sight of the canyon on the far side of the curved structure.   A long, snaking lake reflected the light of the stars above, made slightly turbulent by the flow through the enormous furrows.  It was difficult to tell how high the water rose but it fell well short of the top of the dam. After a few moments of taking in what scenery was visible, Luke hurried after Carver, who had barely paused once out of the stairwell.

    They walked around the curve of the dam towards one side of the canyon, where a few twinkling lights could be seen in the distance.  The excitement of reaching their destination gave Luke the energy to keep up with his guide on this final leg of their journey, even after the exhaustion he felt from climbing the stairwell, walking all day prior to that¡­and everything else that had happened during the last few days, really.  Hoping that Carver would be feeling a similar way, he tried to strike up a conversation.

    ¡°Do you live in Crater most of the time?¡±

    ¡°...No,¡± the old man replied after a moment.  To Luke¡¯s surprise, after a longer pause he elaborated.  ¡°I roam around more often than not. I might be here a while now though.  At the very least, I need to resupply and get new clothes. And take a shower.¡±

    ¡°You have showers?¡± Luke asked, astonished.  He had been picturing a tub of cold water for washing, if that.

    ¡°It¡¯s been twenty years,¡± Carver said drily.  ¡°Give us a little credit. Probably not what you¡¯re imagining though.  Plumbing isn¡¯t what it used to be.¡± Luke groaned inwardly, convinced that his initial impression was close to the mark.

    ¡°What do you-¡± his question was cut off by a voice out of the darkness.

    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± a male voice snapped out, followed by a clicking noise.  Luke squinted and could barely make out two figures in front of them, holding up some kind of rifle.  He froze, but Carver kept moving.

    ¡°Easy there,¡± he said.  ¡°No need for that. Sorry to jump out at you, but I¡¯ve got an important package here.¡±

    One of the figures fumbled for a moment and turned on a flashlight.  The sudden light blinded Luke, but it only lasted for a few seconds before turning off again.

    ¡°That you, Carver?¡± the figure said.  ¡°You look like hell. And this is¡­¡±

    Carver cut him off before he could finish.  ¡°This is the new resident. And yeah, we had a grand old time out there.  Vacation¡¯s over though, so we¡¯re heading in.¡±

    ¡°Alright then,¡± the man agreed.  ¡°Angela¡¯ll have to go with you. Sarah would have our asses if we let two people in by themselves, even if you¡¯re one of ¡®em.  Or especially, maybe.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Carver grunted, clearly losing patience.  ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡±

    The other figure waved and stepped in front, leading them on.  Luke followed, still blinking the light out of his eyes. As his vision returned, he saw that she wasn¡¯t wearing any kind of uniform, just a black coat and jeans.  The rifle cradled in her arms seemed to be the only mark of authority that she needed. Her hair was swept back in a ponytail, and Luke was relieved to find that the second human he¡¯d met so far appeared to be more talkative than Carver.  It didn¡¯t take her long to break the silence, anyway.

    ¡°I hope that¡¯s not all your own blood,¡± she said cheerfully.  ¡°What happened to you out there?¡±

    ¡°Bleeder,¡± Carver said shortly.  The woman, Angela, nodded.

    ¡°I figured.  Must be a hell of a story, for you to get up close enough to be drenched like that.  What happened?¡±

    Carver sighed.  ¡°It tried to kill us.  We got it first.¡± Angela laughed aloud.

    ¡°Come on, Pop, I know you can do better than that.¡±  She turned to look at Luke. ¡°You want to give it a go?  You must be a better storyteller than him.¡±

    Carver didn¡¯t deign to respond, but Luke¡¯s jaw hung open.

    ¡°Wait, did you call him ¡®Pop¡¯?¡± he asked.  Angela grinned.

    ¡°What, you don¡¯t see the family resemblance?¡± She wrapped an arm around Carver¡¯s shoulder and pulled him close.  The contrast between his dark skin tone and her own pale complexion was stark.

    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised he didn¡¯t say anything,¡± she continued.  Carver ducked under her arm and kept walking. ¡°He¡¯s never exactly been the doting type.  And I¡¯m sorry that he was who you ran into, that can¡¯t have been a fun trip. You¡¯d think at his age he¡¯d have developed better people skills.¡±  She playfully swatted at the old man, who continued to ignore her.

    ¡°He, uh, was pretty quiet most of the time,¡±  Luke said, for lack of anything else to say.

    ¡°Yeah, I used to think it was an act, but I¡¯ve been forced to face the fact that this is just his personality,¡± Angela said.  ¡°Which raises some pretty damning questions, old man. Like why anyone would want to spend time around you, for one.¡±

    Carver finally acknowledged the woman to give her a long-suffering look.  ¡°You would know better than me, Ang.. And as you said, it¡¯s been a hell of a few days, so do me a favor and try to hold it in until I feel like a human again?¡±

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± she said, and turned back to Luke.  ¡°So what¡¯s your name, kid?¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°I¡¯m Luke,¡± he said.  Carver¡¯s comment reminded him of his own exhaustion.  ¡°Is there any chance there¡¯s a bed where we¡¯re headed?  It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been able to get a real night¡¯s sleep.¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Angela said.  ¡°We just have one quick stop to make, and then we¡¯ll find you a place, don¡¯t worry.¡±  Carver glanced over at her.

    ¡°I doubt there¡¯s any need to-¡± he started, but Angela cut him off.

    ¡°You¡¯re going too, Pop.  She¡¯ll talk to you one way or the other, and whatever you think her time is valuable.  You don¡¯t need to waste it making her hunt you down.¡±  Carver¡¯s look turned mulish, but he didn¡¯t respond.

    Luke took advantage of the silence to examine their surroundings.  They were off the dam now, following a road toward the lights he had noticed before.  The closest set was near enough to see their source; a pair of large spotlights focused on the street ahead of them.  Standing nearby were another set of guards who blocked their advance as the trio approached. Once Angela had stepped into the pool of light, however, one nodded and wordlessly waved them through.

    ¡°Damn stupid setup,¡± Carver muttered as they passed by.  ¡°Wastes power for nothing other than ruining their night vision.¡±  Luke had to privately agree as he was blinded once again by the influx of light.  Anything outside the spotlights¡¯ range might as well have been invisible to any guards posted there.

    Once they were through the checkpoint, Angela threw her arms wide to gesture at the town around them.

    ¡°Welcome to Smoking Crater, Luke.  I hope and expect you¡¯ll find it a bit more peaceful than what you¡¯ve experienced thus far.¡±

    It was difficult to see much of the settlement in the darkness; none of the cluster of lights he had seen were immediately visible save those they had already passed.  There was little sign of electrical lighting or even candles or oil lamps. As they penetrated further, however, Luke did make out more people walking around, going about their business or talking to each other in the street.  It was still early evening, so it shouldn¡¯t have been a surprise, but Luke was shocked by how normal the scene was.  Other than the lack of light or cars, it might have been a scene from any small town in his own world.  No one seemed to be excessively dirty or malnourished, and there wasn¡¯t anyone chained up or made into a slave.  After the last few days of imagining the worst possible scenarios, it was a relief to see. At least based on his first impression, Luke¡¯s worries about the direction of society after the apocalypse appeared unfounded.

    Carver and Luke garnered glances from more than a few people they passed, filthy as they were, but no one stopped to talk with them.  After a few minutes of silent observation, Luke spoke up.

    ¡°I thought it was just Crater.  How come it¡¯s called Smoking Crater?¡±  Angela looked back at him. He saw her smile in the darkness.

    ¡°Some guy¡¯s idea of a joke.  Crater was founded maybe a year or so after the Empty appeared, give or take.  Carver told you about that at least, right?¡± Luke nodded, and she went on. ¡°¡®Founded¡¯ might be too strong of a word, actually.  For the first couple of years it was just a few families living in the same general area and helping each other out from time to time.  We think it was an inside joke of theirs, and the name just stuck. A lot of survivors used dark humor as a coping mechanism, it wouldn¡¯t be too out of character.¡±

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sure?¡± Luke asked.  ¡°Can¡¯t you just ask the first people who were here?¡±

    Angela¡¯s expression sobered.  ¡°No, we can¡¯t. None of them are still around.  Everyone here is someone who came later on.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°There was a¡­schism, I guess.  A lot of arguments, a long time ago.  I don¡¯t know a lot of the details, this was before I got here, but when it all shook out all of the folks who settled here first¡ªand most of the second and third waves, too¡ªleft to make their own place.¡±  She shrugged. ¡°We still trade with them sometimes, but they don¡¯t talk to us much beyond that. Kind of a mutual ¡®leave me the hell alone¡¯ type of deal.¡±

    Luke digested that for a moment.  The idea of leaving a place you had made into a home to start over in this kind of world¡­he wondered what had caused the argument.

    Angela stopped in front of a door on one side of the street.

    ¡°Here we are,¡± she said.  It was a one story brick building, some kind of office space rather than a residence.  She opened the door and gestured for the two of them to enter. Carver paused at the threshold, but stepped inside at Angela¡¯s urging.  Luke followed on his heels.

    The interior was larger than he expected.  The only light came from a few flickering oil lamps on the walls, illuminating a room taken up by desks arranged haphazardly around the space.  Instead of any kind of functional setup, it looked like they had been aligned in some kind of maze, blocking off sections and forcing anyone moving through to snake back and forth to get anywhere.  At the back where the maze terminated there was another desk, the only one set up to be used for its intended purpose. The woman seated behind it looked up as they came in.

    ¡°Thank God,¡± she said.  ¡°Come on back. I would take it as a courtesy, Carver, if you could refrain from dripping blood on my floor.¡±  The floor in question held carpet so thoroughly faded and stained that Luke wasn¡¯t entirely sure what the original color was supposed to be.  That might have been the cause of the irritation that flashed across Carver¡¯s face, though the look of disdain he gave the woman seemed rooted in something deeper.

    ¡°It¡¯s dried,¡± he said as he crossed the room.  Rather than follow the path laid out by the setup of the furniture, he moved in a straight line to the back, vaulting across each desk that lay in his way.  Flakes of dried blood fell off of him when he landed, aided by an excessive stomp each time. It was impressively petty, especially coming from a man who kept up a wall of stoicism so much of the time.  The woman just rolled her eyes..

    Angela and Luke followed the more circumspect route, weaving between the desks as was clearly intended.  It gave Luke time to get a better look at the woman. She was in her forties, Asian, with her black hair at shoulder length.  Her clothes¡ªa blue collared blouse and black pants¡ªwere old, but kept in good condition without holes or tears. Her look was intense as she frowned at Carver, but when the other two approached she gave them a warm smile that belied her initial frostiness.

    My name is Sarah.  I am afraid you caught me unprepared for your arrival.  What is your name?

    Carver crossed his arms, leaned against a nearby desk.  ¡°You know who I went out there to find, Sarah. Don¡¯t play dumb.¡±

    She shot him an irritated look.  ¡°They¡¯re called manners, Carver. Some of us picked up the knack over the years.¡±  Turning back to Luke, she smiled once more. ¡°It is true though, that I had some advance notice of your arrival.  I hope you haven¡¯t found our realm too difficult to adjust to, though I would understand completely if that were the case.¡±

    While Luke racked his brains for a more polite way to tell the truth than calling her world a shithole, Carver snorted.

    ¡°Look at us.  You think it was a fun jaunt out in the sun to get here?  He nearly died twice in his first two days here.¡±

    Sarah actually turned to him, annoyance plain on her features.  ¡°How long do you plan on staying in Crater?¡±

    ¡°Three or four days,¡± he said immediately.  ¡°And I¡¯ll need supplies.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Sarah said.  ¡°You know where to go.  I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t be able to stop you from taking what you please.  Beyond that, I don¡¯t see a pressing need for you to remain.¡±

    ¡°I said the same thing,¡± he replied, glancing at Angela.  She glared back, but stayed quiet.

    He clapped a hand on Luke¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°Good luck,¡± he said. ¡°You could have done worse.¡±  He turned around, made to leave.

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk later, Dad,¡± Angela said to his back, her tone cold.  ¡°I¡¯ll find you.¡±

    Carver shrugged fatalistically and left the room the same way he came in, jumping over desks the whole way.

    Once the door had closed behind him, Sarah let out a breath and massaged her temples.

    ¡°I apologize for that, Luke.  Please don¡¯t take Carver as a representative of the people who reside here, nor my attitude toward him as indicative of my temperament in general.  Carver has¡­a unique talent for getting under my skin.¡±

    The exchange had been interesting, particularly the way Carver had acted, but Luke had spent most of the time pulling his thoughts together through the fog of his fatigue.

    ¡°That¡¯s ok,¡± he said.  ¡°But can you tell me how you knew I was coming?  And that I was from another world?¡±

    Sarah exchanged a glance with Angela before responding.

    ¡°What did Carver tell you, exactly?¡± she asked.

    ¡°More or less nothing,¡± Luke said, bitterness creeping into his voice.  ¡°He explained how the Empty made this place like it is, but wouldn¡¯t say anything about how I got here or how he knew to find me or anything else that¡¯s out there.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like him,¡± Angela said sympathetically.

    ¡°Yes, for a roamer he¡¯s remarkably prone to leaving his dirty work to others,¡± Sarah said with distaste.  ¡°Well, I suppose there¡¯s only one place to start, then.¡± She folded her hands upon the desk, clasping them tightly.  ¡°There are several aspects to your question, Luke, and a number of possible answers, but the most direct and honest response is that we knew you were coming because we brought you here.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Luke said sharply.  ¡°How? Why would you do that?¡±

    Sarah looked at him, her eyes tired.  ¡°Because we had to. It¡¯s the only way to preserve this world.  And yours.¡± She met Luke¡¯s furious gaze. He almost screamed at her, but took a deep breath instead.  The anger didn¡¯t abate, but he had to hear the full explanation. He had to.

    ¡°How could that possibly work?¡± he asked, clenching his fists.

    ¡°Truthfully, I can¡¯t say for sure,¡± Sarah said, and went on quickly when she saw Luke¡¯s expression.  ¡°We do not know how it works, only that it does. We are dealing with forces several orders of magnitude more complex than anything scientists managed to puzzle out in the old world.  The primary idea at play is that of multiverse theory. Are you familiar with the concept?¡± Luke nodded and gestured impatiently for her to continue. ¡°Good. As you might surmise, the weight of evidence now places the hypothesis on the same level of credibility as that of the theory of gravity.  Essentially confirmed, in other words. This fact has many, many ramifications for life on this world as it exists today, but most of these are irrelevant for the purposes of this discussion.¡±

    Sarah stood up and started pacing back and forth behind her desk as she spoke in the same precise tone.  The movement betrayed the nervousness of a woman who Luke suspected was usually well in control of her emotions.  He wondered why she would be nervous.

    ¡°For you at this moment, the most important factors are the characters of these universes and the space that lies between them.  It¡¯s unclear whether there are an infinite number of universes¡ªor worlds, realms, dimensions, whatever term you want to use¡ªbut whether finite or not, it has become clear that they are not all the same.  Size, makeup, physical laws¡ªall of these vary wildly between the few universes of which we are aware. The only exception to that variation is the place that you come from. Prior to the events of twenty years ago, your universe and ours were incredibly similar, down to the development of the human societies that lived there.  As it¡¯s been explained to me, our two worlds can be thought of as having a string tying them together, they are kept close on a dimensional level by whatever forces govern such things. This has interesting implications considering the shared course of history between the universes¡­but that¡¯s a tangent for another time.

    ¡°At any rate, this ¡®tethering¡¯ of a pair of universes is a fascinating phenomenon, but is only of immediate relevance because of the other element I mentioned¡ªwhat lies between the universes.  The term ¡®between¡¯ might well be an oversimplification when describing a state where space and time as we know them hold no sway, but it works as a metaphor to wrap our minds around something of which we are utterly ignorant.  We know very little about what lies outside of the universes. To use another comparison, we liken it to entropy, the natural disorder that tends to take hold in our own universe. Rather than disorder, however, outside of our reality there is nothing.  It is a vacuum more vast and complete than any possible in our universe or likely any other. But the similarity to entropy is apparent in the way that it consumes, reaches to make everything else like itself.¡±

    ¡°You make it sound like it¡¯s alive,¡± Luke said, processing her words.  Sarah shrugged.

    ¡°That is one theory.  Likely not, however. If we extend the metaphor, entropy is certainly a natural process without any guiding sentience.  But then, entropy never turned the largest population centers of the human race into unreasoning monsters.¡±

    Luke¡¯s eyes widened, and the woman nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯s not an accident that we call them ¡®Empty¡¯.  After years of study and¡­consultation with what resources we have access to, we¡¯ve come to the conclusion that everything that has befallen this world stems from the same source, this nothingness beyond the universes.  We call this force ¡®nihil¡¯. It has wormed its way into our universe and upended the natural laws that govern it, specifically targeting the sapient species within. There¡¯s not enough evidence to call it sentient, but its behavior at least raises the possibility.¡±

    ¡°So what does this have to do with me?¡± Luke asked.  It was nice to finally get some answers, but any gratitude he might have had was undercut by his anger at Sarah¡¯s initial revelation.

    ¡°As I said,¡± Sarah continued smoothly, though she still paced, ¡°nihil somehow entered into this universe from outside of it.  How this happened is unknown, but as time goes on it seems that whatever pathway it used to is made larger. The effects of its presence worsen, and the universe strays further from what it is supposed to be.  The only method we have found to stave off this deterioration is to tighten our connection to our sister world.  There is evidence to show that doing so protects both universes from the influx of nihil, though I understand your own has yet to show any effects due to its influence.¡±

    Horror rose in Luke¡¯s chest.  ¡°How do you tighten the connection?¡± he asked in a whisper.  Sarah looked at him with a carefully neutral expression.

    ¡°By bringing a person from one to the other.  As soon as you stepped foot in this universe you became a Tether.  Your existence is now the only thing that prevents the destruction of our world, and we believe, your own.¡±

 1.6

    In the wake of Sarah¡¯s pronouncement, Luke¡¯s throat felt like it was closing up.  Sweat covered his palms, his heart felt like it was beating out of his chest, and the room seemed to shrink to half its size in a moment as claustrophobia gripped him tight.  It came on slower than it had in the city, so instead of curling up fetal, Luke only went to his knees at one of the desks around the room, cradling his head in his arms.

    ¡°Luke?¡± Angela said, crouching next to him with her hand on his back.  ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Back up,¡± Luke gasped between panting breaths.  ¡°Need space.¡±

    ¡°Angela, get away,¡± Sarah ordered.  ¡°In fact, go fetch Adriana. Wake her up if necessary, just bring her here.¡±

    Angela nodded and left the room at a half-run, leaping over the desks the same way her father had done earlier.  Sarah turned her attention back to Luke.

    ¡°Do you need any help?¡± she asked in a much softer voice.  ¡°Water, anything?¡±

    Luke just shook his head.  He wanted to go outside, escape the tiny box he was trapped in, but he knew from experience it wouldn¡¯t help much and if anyone was around, he¡¯d just make a spectacle of himself.

    Instead he focused on controlling his breathing, taking measured inhalations and exhalations rather than the ragged gasps that came naturally.  After maybe ten minutes, he clenched his fists and forced himself to take a sitting position with his back against the wall. A cold sweat covered him and his heartbeat was still out of control, but gradually the symptoms started to lessen.

    Once a few more minutes had passed and he felt comfortable speaking, Luke wondered what he could possibly say to the woman who had triggered his attack.  Before he could think of anything, the door at the back of the room opened and Angela strode in with another woman behind her. The new arrival was tall and thin, in her forties with long unkempt hair.  She looked like she had been unprepared for the sudden summons, wearing sweatpants and a robe hastily thrown over a t-shirt.

    Both women weaved through the desks toward the back, maintaining a respectful distance from Luke.  The new woman crouched down beside him.

    ¡°Hi.  I¡¯m Adriana.¡±  Her voice was calm with a trace of a Mexican accent.  ¡°Angela told me what happened. Can you describe the symptoms for me?¡±

    ¡°It was a panic attack,¡± Luke said, irritated and a little embarrassed at the attention.  ¡°It¡¯s happened before. I think it was a perfectly reasonable reaction to hearing that I was yanked from my home to act as some kind of dimensional anchor, personally.  I¡¯m fine now.¡±

    Saying the words set Luke¡¯s heart racing again, though the attack was under control and anger had returned to mix with the fear.  Since his first step in this world, everything he had done had been in pursuit of the goal of going back home. Admittedly, so far that amounted to little more than trying and failing to ask questions of Carver, but the idea that he could never go back was unthinkable.  There had to be a way. Someone else could be the Tether. Someone who wanted to be here.

    Adriana started talking, but Luke spoke over her.  ¡°Thanks for coming, but I think I have it handled. All I want right now is to sleep.¡±

    The latina woman nodded.  ¡°Fair enough. Your feelings are valid of course, but I would caution you that such attacks are never the ideal response.  If you feel like they are spiraling out of your control, please come find me at any time.¡±

    Luke nodded, more out of a desire to get her to leave than true acknowledgement of her point.  Adriana stood up and Sarah pulled her to one side, whispering quietly. While they talked, Luke looked around the room to avoid Angela¡¯s concerned gaze.  They barely knew each other. Why would she be worried about him? After a few more minutes of quiet conversation, Sarah finally bid farewell to Adriana, who left with one final nod to Luke.

    ¡°Unless you have any more questions for me, Luke,¡± Sarah said, ¡°I think perhaps it¡¯s time you got some sleep.  We have a place set aside for your use.¡±

    Her calm tone infuriated Luke beyond anything he¡¯d felt so far.  A powerful urge rose within him to scream at Sarah and Angela and anyone else in earshot about the circumstances they had forced him into until they understood what they had done to him.  It was only exhaustion that held him in check, that kept him from breaking down completely. He stayed quiet as Sarah spoke to Angela and she led him out of the office building.

    Walking through Crater the second time, Angela seemed to catch his mood and stayed quiet, for which Luke felt a dim spark of gratitude, quickly swallowed by the hole inside of him.  It was less than ten minutes before she stopped in front of a log cabin, built right in the center of an old parking lot.

    Luke felt a vague sense of confusion at the presence of the archaic lodging built among the more modern trappings of the rest of Crater.  Some of it must have shown on his face, because Angela explained the bizarre structure.

    ¡°Here it is.  There¡¯s been a shortage of places that actually work as housing in this town for years.  So we had to start making our own. It¡¯s really almost better than living in the hotel or any of the other houses, nothing¡¯s run down or falling apart and there¡¯s more room than pretty much anywhere else, especially since you won¡¯t have to share.  Take a look!¡±

    He felt unable to match her excitement, but Luke opened the door and stepped inside anyway.  As with most of Crater that he¡¯d seen so far, the interior was dark. He could make out a bed against one wall by the light of the moon, but little else.  Angela moved in behind him and lit a candle on a small table by the entrance, allowing Luke to take a better look at his new room.

    The walls and roof weren¡¯t made up of logs as they were on the outside.  Instead, some kind of flat gray substance covered nearly every surface, a material that Luke didn¡¯t recognize.  Even the back of the door was covered in the stuff. The wooden floor was the only exception, though rugs were spread out through most of the space with no regard for unity of color or design.  There was little furniture save the table that held the candle and a single nightstand so old and battered that he felt sure it was dragged in from some half-destroyed building somewhere else. The bed, though, was the only thing Luke cared about at that moment.  He waved Angela off when she started talking and staggered over to collapse on the mattress. Unlike the last time he¡¯d been in a bed, this one didn¡¯t fall apart under his weight. He was asleep before he could remember to pull up the blanket.

    <hr>

    Several hours after waking up, Luke was still curled up in his bed.  No one had come to get him, so there didn¡¯t seem to be a reason to get up. A shroud still laid over his mind, but now it had nothing to do with tiredness.  Everything seemed hopeless. He was never going to see his friends again. Never go on to the internet. Never have an awkward phone conversation with his mother.  Instead he was trapped in a world where a town of two thousand people was the epitome of civilization and they had sentient blood monsters. Getting up to face that wasn¡¯t high on his list of priorities.

    Eventually though, he had to face the fact that while the place he slept had a bed¡ªhe couldn¡¯t think of it as his own¡ªit didn¡¯t have much else in the way of necessities.  Specifically, he hadn¡¯t had any food since the last rations Carver had given him, and while he wasn¡¯t excited to see what the staple foods of Crater might be, he would still need to eat sooner or later.  He hauled himself out of bed, sourly noting that he still had on the filthy clothes he¡¯d worn when facing the Bleeder. While his own nose seemed to have acclimated, he had to smell disgusting. After food he would have to try to find new clothes and whatever bath Carver had been talking about.

    There was little else he could do to prepare to go outside, but Luke paused at the door to look more closely at the gray substance that covered the walls and ceiling.  It wasn¡¯t mortar, insulation, cement, or any other building material he could think of, not that any of those would make sense on the inside of a log cabin. It was utterly smooth to the touch, flawless and with a slight give to it.  Luke pressed on it for a minute or two, watching it flex inward and spring back before he shook his head and walked outside.

    The light was intense, searing Luke¡¯s unhabituated eyes the moment he stepped out the door.  The weather had been mild during his travels with Carver, but now the sun beat down on him with a relentless heat.  There was a great deal more activity along the street than there had been the previous evening. People walked back and forth, carrying wheelbarrows, boxes, and tools everywhere he looked.  Everyone seemed to have a task, and while Luke got a few glances for his dried bloody clothes, no one stopped to talk to him or question what he was doing. It probably helped that he was removed from the main sidewalk while he stood in the parking lot.

    Without any clear place to go, Luke hesitated at the threshold of the cabin.  He was on the point of picking an arbitrary direction to walk when someone called out to him.

    ¡°Oh¡ªwait!¡±  A girl came running over to Luke holding a cloth sack in one hand.  She stopped in front of him, waving her arm for him to stop.

    ¡°Hey.  I was supposed to be here when you got out, but it¡¯s after noon and I got hungry¡ªif anyone asks, tell ¡®em I was here when you opened the door.¡±

    ¡°Um, who are you?¡±  Luke asked.

    The girl smiled and held out her hand.  She looked to be around the same age as Luke, maybe twenty years old.  She was black and wore shorts and a t-shirt, with several stylized rings on the hand she held out.  ¡°Naomi. I¡¯m showing you around Crater.¡±

    Luke reached out to give her a handshake, but when he took it in his grip an alarmed look crossed her face and she pulled her arm back.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Shaking your hand,¡±  Luke said, bewildered.

    ¡°What are you talking about?  I was trying to give you a handtouch.¡±  When Luke¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, she went on impatiently.  ¡°Don¡¯t they touch hands where you come from? Here, look.¡±

    She carefully put her bag on the ground and held out her hand again, taking hold of Luke¡¯s as well.  Orienting both their hands so they were palm to palm, she moved them closer together until there was the faintest brush between them and pulled her arm back.

    ¡°See?  Handtouch.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡±  Luke said.  ¡°We do something else where I¡¯m from.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I saw that.  You¡¯ll freak people out if you go around grabbing at them.  Handtouches are supposed to be a light brush.¡±

    Luke filed that away and tried to apologize again, but Naomi waved him off.

    ¡°My instructions are to take you anywhere you want.  Anything in particular you want to see or just a general tour?¡±

    Luke¡¯s stomach rumbled, reminding him of the reason he had ventured outside.  ¡°Um, if you don¡¯t mind, can you show me where I can get some food?¡±

    Naomi brightened a bit.  ¡°Right here.¡± She gestured at the sack by her feet.  ¡°That¡¯s where I went just now. So if Sarah asks, I was just doing what you wanted.  I got more than I can eat anyway, just in case.¡±

    She unwrapped the burlap bag to reveal carrots, radishes, apples, and other produce.  Luke¡¯s heart sank a bit when he saw there was no meat or bread, but fresh fruits and vegetables were still a vastly superior meal to anything Carver had given him.  He took one of the apples and started eating.

    Naomi sprawled out on the sidewalk, wolfing through her own share of the food.  They sat in silence for a few minutes. After eating one of everything but the radishes, Luke¡¯s felt a little better about his circumstances. He tried to start a conversation with his new acquaintance.

    ¡°How did you get picked to show me around?¡±

    Naomi shrugged.  ¡°Because we¡¯re the same age and I wasn¡¯t busy, probably.  I think they might have been relieved to have something for me to do.  I¡¯m between jobs at the moment and I think Sarah¡¯s running out of assignments to give me.¡±

    ¡°So Sarah¡¯s in charge here?¡±

    ¡°As much as anyone is, I guess.  She mostly figures out what jobs need more personnel and help with assignments, and any dispute that isn¡¯t bad enough to need the judge can be brought to her.¡±

    Luke chewed on a carrot thoughtfully.  Based on how involved she seemed to have been in the decision to bring him here, he thought she might do more than that, but it didn¡¯t seem worth it to get into it.

    ¡°Why is she running out of assignments for you, then?¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Naomi scowled.  ¡°Because all of them suck.¡±  She didn¡¯t elaborate. After a moment, Luke changed the subject.

    ¡°Hey, do you know where I can get some new clothes?  These ones are¡­done, I think.¡±

    She glanced over at his red-stained outfit.  He had managed to get almost all of the hard dark blood off, but there was still a healthy coat mixed with the sweat and debris of a few days¡¯ travels.  ¡°Nah, a weaver can probably clean those. I bet Sarah put in for you to get a free set, though. It¡¯s the kind of thing she¡¯d do for someone new.¡± She tossed a core on the ground and stood up, stretching.

    ¡°You ready?  I¡¯ve been sitting out here for hours, if I have to stay any longer I¡¯m going to lose it.¡±

    There were still a few vegetables in the sack, but Naomi didn¡¯t seem to be concerned about them.  Luke dropped the end of his carrot and stood up as well.

    ¡°Ok.  Where are we going?¡±

    Naomi turned away toward the sidewalk.  ¡°The Closet. It¡¯s where they keep all the clothes that get scavenged.  We have weavers that make new stuff, but sometimes it¡¯s hard to get enough material and old people cream themselves for anything from the old world.  Clothes are more popular than almost anything else from what I hear.¡±

    ¡°But none of them have been made for the last twenty years, right?  How are they still usable?¡±

    ¡°A lot of them aren¡¯t.  But if there¡¯s a shop that was closed up and went undisturbed the whole time, the clothes aren¡¯t likely to be too bad off.  They find enough.¡±

    They were walking down the street now.  In the daylight, Luke saw that the surroundings were similar to what he¡¯d expect of a small town in his world, though there were hints that pointed to the difficulties this universe had faced.  A few crumbling houses that hadn¡¯t been restored. The lack of cars. More than once he caught sight of log cabins identical to the one he¡¯d stayed in. The people though, as he¡¯d noted the previous night, were virtually the same.  There was more labor than would have been necessary in his world, but their behavior¡ªtalking, laughing, arguing¡ªdidn¡¯t suggest that they were living post-apocalypse at all. It was uplifting to see, and possibly the first positive aspect Luke had noted in the universe he¡¯d been dropped into.

    Beside him, Naomi had kept talking while his attention wandered.  ¡°It¡¯s pretty much anything that reminds people of how things used to be.  Scavengers probably aren¡¯t really necessary for survival anymore, but I think a lot of people would lose their minds if they couldn¡¯t get all the shit they bring back.  Toys, plates, furniture, literally anything. I don¡¯t get it, but they pay and it seems to keep them happy.¡±

    ¡°Wait, how can they carry furniture all the way here?¡±

    Naomi gave him an odd look.  ¡°Trucks. They don¡¯t have those in your world?  Wait, hold on.¡±

    She pulled Luke by the arm off the sidewalk behind a nearby building and put her back to the wall.

    ¡°Did she see us?¡±

    ¡°Who? What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Quiet!  That girl by the streetlight.  See if she¡¯s looking at us.¡±

    ¡°Why?  Is she dangerous?¡±

    Naomi rolled her eyes.  ¡°Just do it!¡±

    His heart racing, Luke turned and peeked around the edge of the wall.  There was indeed a girl standing by herself near a metal pole across the street.  She seemed to be by herself, lost in thought.

    ¡°No, she¡¯s looking the other way.  What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Naomi grinned.  ¡°What¡¯s going on is that you¡¯re going to stay here for a minute.  I¡¯ll be right back. Don¡¯t move.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, she crept back around the corner.  A stirring of fear touched Luke, but his guide hadn¡¯t seemed worried.  He watched her approach the girl. Her crouched pose looked a little ridiculous out in broad daylight as she was, but Naomi moved quickly and quietly until she was right behind her target.  She pulled something out from a pocket. Luke craned to see what it was, but before he could make it out he heard a shriek from the other girl.

    A dark spot spread across her back and she spun around, a surprised look on her face.  When she saw Naomi the expression turned exasperated, and she said something too quiet for Luke to hear.  Naomi laughed loudly and clapped the girl on the shoulder. She said something else, but the conversation was too far for him to hear.

    Luke still felt the fight-or-flight reflex triggered by Naomi¡¯s sudden actions, but he took a few deep breaths and calmed himself.  The pair were still talking when he walked up to Naomi¡¯s side.

    ¡°Hey Abby, this is Luke.  He¡¯s the new guy,¡± Naomi said, raising her eyebrows suggestively.  Abby, a short, tanned girl with straight blonde hair and brown eyes, had recovered her poise and nodded at Luke.

    ¡°A pleasure.  My name¡¯s Abigail, but please call me Abby.  I¡¯m sorry that Naomi¡¯s prank took precedence over showing you around Crater.¡±  She peered closely at Luke. ¡°Are you alright? You look a little¡­wild around the eyes.¡±

    Luke quickly schooled his expression and shook his head.  ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just a bit surprised at being dragged around the corner like that.¡±  Abby looked reprovingly at Naomi.

    ¡°Is it really that hard to exercise the slightest bit of thought for others in your actions, Naomi?  I don¡¯t care what you do to me, but not everyone appreciates having their collar yanked.¡±

    Naomi shook her head.  ¡°I love you, Abbs, but God, don¡¯t try to use slang.  You don¡¯t do it right and it sounds weird coming out of your mouth.  And I didn¡¯t do anything! I just saw an opportunity and took it.¡±

    Abby sighed.  ¡°Never mind. I can¡¯t count how many times I¡¯ve had this conversation,¡± she said to Luke.  She was still looking at him closely. ¡°Well, if nothing else, I apologize for her sudden stunt.  It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve had to take responsibility for her.¡±

    Naomi just rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Actually,¡± Abby continued, ¡°in the spirit of that apology, let me invite you to a get-together we¡¯re having tonight.  There¡¯s just a few of us going, but I¡¯d love for you to come.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Naomi said.  ¡°You sure, Abby?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Luke hedged  ¡°Thanks but I¡¯m¡ª¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no pressure if you¡¯d rather be on your own,¡± Abby said, shooting a swift look at Naomi.  ¡°But I worry that an entire day in Naomi¡¯s company might give you the wrong idea about the people here.  I only suggested it as an opportunity to prove that not all of us are as loutish as she is.¡±

    ¡°Loutish,¡± Naomi chuckled.  ¡°Who the fuck says that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­think about it.  Thanks for the invite,¡± Luke said.

    Abby nodded.  ¡°If you decide to go, Naomi knows where to go.  She can take you.¡± She looked toward the other girl again, who shrugged.

    ¡°Whatever you say.  We¡¯ve got places to be, Abby.  If I¡¯d known pouring water down your back would start a whole thing, I wouldn¡¯t have done it.¡±

    ¡°And what a tragedy that would have been,¡± Abby said smoothly.  ¡°I do have to get back anyway, however. You¡¯d better get going or I wouldn¡¯t put it past Naomi to leave without you.  Good to meet you, Luke.¡±

    With a final wave, she left toward an unmarked residence nearby, while Naomi gestured for Luke to follow her.

    ¡°Abby¡¯s cool,¡± she said unprompted as they resumed walking.  ¡°She gets a stick up her ass sometimes, but it¡¯s never too far up there.  You can even convince her to have fun once in a while.¡±

    Luke nodded.  He wondered how she had read him so easily after his scare in the alley.  He also wasn¡¯t at all sure that he was ready to go to a social event here, even if the girl had seemed nice.  Definitely not without some different clothes and a bath, if nothing else.

    After another fifteen minutes or so, Naomi stopped in front of the busiest building Luke had seen thus far.  It looked like it had once been a supermarket from the prominent placing in the lot where it stood and the space for the large sign above the entrance.  Rather than the elegant logo of a long-defunct chain, however, spray paint spelling out ¡°The Closet¡± had been inexpertly applied. Lines of paint dripped down the wall, and each letter was a different color and size, making a chaotic presentation that would have been a poor attempt at graffiti, let alone a sign for any kind of business.  Naomi beamed up at the display.

    ¡°Pretty good, right?  I really think it nails the tone of the place.¡±

    ¡°If you say so.¡±  Luke worried about what clothes he would find if the sign was any indication.

    They stopped at the back of a line that extended a little way out of the entrance.  Luke noticed that as Naomi had said earlier, it seemed to mostly be older people waiting to go in.  The two of them were the youngest people there by a couple decades, if not more. It was an odd observation.  Luke hadn¡¯t gotten a good grasp on the average age of the people of Crater, but he couldn¡¯t imagine the whole population skewed so old.  Admittedly Carver was around the same age group, but for all their disagreements, Luke had to admit the old man could more than take care of himself.  A lot of the people here were a lot less physically fit than he was, though. Luke wondered if sixty-year-olds were a rare sight outside of Crater.

    After another fifteen minutes of Naomi alternately fidgeting and moaning about the wait, they were finally allowed entrance to the Closet by a bored young man who waited for a couple to leave before waving them in.  The interior was immediately familiar to Luke, setting off a simultaneous bout of longing and homesickness that made him choke up. It could have been any department store from back home. The floor was white tile, polished until it shone.  Mannequins in various poses were propped up on small boxes, showing off the apparel in various aisles. And the clothing itself was available in such an array of colors and designs that it was impossible to take it all in. They even had the white fluorescent lighting so characteristic of large stores, though Luke had no idea where they got the power.  The sudden rush of emotion was almost enough to overwhelm him, but unlike the fear and panic of the last few days it wasn¡¯t a negative feeling. Just bittersweet.

    They only stood there for a few moments, Naomi oblivious to the feelings that swept through Luke, before they were confronted by a man wearing an actual suit, cleaned and pressed.  He stalked up to them, his expression furious.

    ¡°Naomi, what the hell are you doing here?¡±  The man actually snarled at her, ignoring Luke completely.  ¡°Am I losing my mind? Because I¡¯m pretty sure we had a deal and it involved you never stepping foot in here again.  Christ, what the hell is your problem?  Scratch that, I don¡¯t give a shit. Why are you making it my problem?¡±

    ¡°Cael, you gotta calm down, man,¡± Naomi said, unfazed by his aggressive tone.  ¡°You¡¯re gonna blow something if you stay so worked up all the time. And anyway, there¡¯s a good reason.  Take a look at my friend here.¡±

    He looked Luke up and down, unimpressed, and turned back to Naomi.  ¡°His clothes are disgusting and I¡¯ve never seen him before. So?¡± Uncomfortable, Luke said nothing.

    ¡°He¡¯s new in town.  I¡¯d bet anything Sarah told you he was coming.  Did she mention anyone in particular that might be stopping by?¡±  Naomi raised an eyebrow toward him and mouthed ¡®Tether¡¯ in an exaggerated silent enunciation.

    Cael froze for perhaps three seconds before turning to Luke again, his previous hostility gone without a trace.

    ¡°You¡¯re the new resident!  Of course, I know everyone in Crater so you must be, what was I thinking.  I do apologize for that¡­outburst,¡± he glanced back at Naomi, ¡°but welcome to Schelling¡¯s!  I¡¯ve really been eager for you stop by, I would love your opinion of my establishment. But I imagine your primary reason for visiting is to get something other than¡­those.¡±  He waved in the general direction of Luke¡¯s soiled clothing as if even pointing directly at them offended his senses.

    Luke shuffled his feet, embarrassed.  ¡°Yeah. They got pretty messed up on the road here.¡±

    Cael nodded sympathetically.  ¡°Of course. Quite a common problem, it¡¯s a wild world out there.    But I assure you, in here we have it entirely tamed. We have fitting rooms in the back.  Choose whatever you¡¯d like and feel free to wear it out! Sarah ensured that you¡¯re paid up for whatever you please.  You can stay, but touch nothing,¡± he said with venom toward Naomi.  She shrugged in response.

    Luke spent some time browsing the aisles, but felt awkward lingering in his soiled outfit.  The other patrons didn¡¯t bother hiding their disgust when they saw him, a stronger reaction than he¡¯d gotten while wandering the streets.  He chose a flannel and jeans that seemed near his size and quickly changed. Outside the makeshift stall, a woman with a silver pin handed him a bag for his old clothes.

    Once he felt presentable, Luke wandered again, taking a more leisurely pace.  Naomi stayed close, but he ignored her grumbling and pointed hints of boredom.  The feeling of familiarity had returned, and a sense of wonder along with it. The place was incredible.  The longer he looked the more details he noted that were out of place¡ªthe most obvious was that only every third light or so was actually lit¡ªbut the feeling of the place was there.  It gave him hope that no matter how long he had to stay in this world, (it wouldn¡¯t be forever, it couldn¡¯t) there were parts of it that might be less than terrible.

    Eventually he had to give in to the growing reproach of his guide and return to the front of the store.  Cael intercepted him before he could step out the door.

    ¡°That¡¯s a fine choice you¡¯re wearing.  I¡¯m embarrassed, but I forgot to ask for your name when you entered.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Luke,¡± he said with a hesitant smile.  He hadn¡¯t forgotten how the man had treated Naomi, but he saw no reason to be rude now that he had relented.  ¡°This is a fantastic place you¡¯ve made here.¡±

    Cael returned the expression.  ¡°You¡¯ve no idea how glad it makes me to hear that.  I am pleased you¡¯ve come on a lit day as well. Normally we have to make due with oil lamps, but every once in a while we turn the lights on, it makes the experience so much more authentic.  I¡¯d love to hear your thoughts on the store. I¡¯ve done my best to recreate the feel of it, but after twenty years the memory does tend to fade a bit. Any thoughts on what might be missing?¡±

    Luke shook his head.  ¡°Maybe if I really looked for it, but just from a general impression it seemed perfect.¡±

    ¡°Well, perhaps you could come back later and let me know your thoughts on a return visit,¡± Cael said.  ¡°I promise you, I welcome any nitpicking you have. And I also promise you, Sarah¡¯s stipend provided you with credit for a good deal more than a single shirt and pair of pants.¡±

    Luke glanced back longingly and nodded.  ¡°I¡¯m sure that I will.¡±

    ¡°And perhaps your next visit might be in¡­better company,¡± Cael added, his gaze flicking to Naomi.  ¡°The clintele are an essential part of the experience, after all.¡±

    Luke wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to that, but Naomi seemed indifferent.  ¡°Right,¡± he said noncommittally. ¡°Well, thank you for the invitation, and the clothes.¡±

    Cael bowed and ushered them outside, where the light told Luke that he had stayed inside longer than he thought.  The sun was well into midafternoon.

    ¡°Finally,¡± Naomi said when they had left.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have been so eager to go if I knew you were going to spend all day in there,  I just wanted to see Cael¡¯s expression when I walked in. That place sucks, why did you like it so much?¡±

    While Luke considered how to answer her question, he turned his gaze on the surroundings outside of the store.  The buildings that had collapsed from years of neglect. Roads that hadn¡¯t seen tires turn upon them in nearly two decades.  People who lined up just to experience a glimpse of the civilization that had once been. He¡¯d walked out of a memory and back into reality.  Trapped in a dead world, surrounded by strangers. Overwhelmed, Luke sat down on the sidewalk and cried.

 1.7

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sorry I asked.  It¡¯s a super cool place, forget I said anything.¡±  Naomi crouched next to Luke on the curb, clearly at a loss for how to comfort him.  ¡°Is there anything you need? Let me know and I¡¯ll try to get it.¡±

    The tears slowed.  Luke rubbed at his face, embarrassed by his outburst.  The sudden surge of emotion deserted him as quickly as it came, and he got back to his feet, pushing off Naomi¡¯s assistance.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m ok.  It was just a lot for a second.  I¡¯m fine now, thanks.¡±

    Naomi looked at him while holding up her hands as if expecting to have to catch him, but backed off once he showed he was capable of standing on his own.

    ¡°Jesus man, don¡¯t scare me like that.  I¡¯m responsible for you right now, more or less.  You have any idea what Sarah would do to me if something happened to you?¡±

    Luke laughed, a slight waver still present in his voice.  ¡°I did pretty much the same thing to her last night, you¡¯re probably fine.  I might not be in the most stable mindset right now. There¡¯s a lot going on.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re telling me.¡±  Naomi shook her head. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re sure you¡¯re ok, we should keep moving.  People are looking. Doesn¡¯t matter to me, but you probably don¡¯t want a public breakdown to be your first impression.¡±

    There were indeed several people glancing over and even outright staring at Luke.  A few were whispering quietly. He couldn¡¯t hear anything they said, but it wasn¡¯t likely to be complimentary.  Naomi was probably right, so he started off in a random direction down the sidewalk. The girl followed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where to go now.  Is there anywhere you think I should see?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Naomi said.  ¡°Not to be a bitch about it, but there¡¯s a bath system not too far from here.  The standards in Crater are pretty low, but I¡¯ve gotta be honest. You smell pretty bad.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± Luke agreed.  ¡°Lead the way.¡±

    After figuring out the ¡®bath system¡¯ (a complex series of pulleys that simulated a cold shower without functional plumbing) and removing the last remaining bits of Bleeder stuck to him, Luke¡¯s mood improved immensely.  It was amazing how much a shower and fresh set of clothes could lift his spirits. He still certainly wasn¡¯t happy with his circumstances, but he felt more able to face them without becoming a basket case.

    The sun had started to set by the time he was clean, and Naomi was getting restless.

    ¡°So is there anything else you want to do?  Or do you want to hang out at that thing Abby invited you to?  If not, I¡¯ll probably get going.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Luke said.  ¡°What is it, like a party?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not anyone¡¯s birthday or anything,¡± Naomi said with a frown.  ¡°We¡¯re just going to an empty house we know after everyone¡¯s done working.  You don¡¯t have to go.¡±

    Luke felt torn.  On one hand, he still felt unprepared for social interaction after the draining events of the last few days.  On the other, the alternative was going back to his drab gray cabin, which seemed depressing. He waffled, unsure what to do.

    ¡°Would you just decide?¡± Naomi asked impatiently after a few moments.  ¡°Go or don¡¯t, just make a decision.¡±

    ¡°Ok, fine I¡¯ll go,¡± Luke said, and immediately regretted it.  He¡¯d just agreed to join a bunch of strangers in a ruined house doing God knew what.  But the choice was made, and he had no recourse but to follow Naomi when she nodded and started off yet again.

    ¡°We can go straight there,¡± she said.  ¡°It¡¯s late enough that the others are probably already out.¡±

    Luke noted that the activity of passersby on the street had indeed lessened from what it had been in the early afternoon.  Fewer people walked by carrying tools or boxes, and more were strolling at a more leisurely pace in small groups. It seemed that Crater did go by a fairly regimented working schedule.  Further evidence that the bones of a society were still present, even if most advancements and technology had been lost in the wake of the arrival of the Empty.

    If he had been dropped in Crater straight away when he came to this world, he might not even have been so desperate to go back as soon as possible.  As it was though, Luke couldn¡¯t get the image of the ruined city out of his mind, let alone the terror that the Empty and the Bleeder had inflicted on him.  The settlement was no more than a temporary from the horrors present in this world.

    The house that Naomi brought him to was fairly unremarkable among the others he had seen.  It sat by the end of a residential street, a suburban abode with little to differentiate it from the others nearby.  At least, the ones that were still intact. Luke noted that there was a higher number of collapsed or simply absent houses on the street than many of the others he had passed that day.

    Naomi opened the door without knocking or ringing the doorbell and walked inside.  After a moment of hesitation, Luke followed. A nervousness of quite a different kind than anything else he¡¯d felt recently gripped him as he entered.  Voices were audible from within from off to the right. Following the noise, he found a living room off the entryway already occupied with people. Naomi had gone straight for a seat on a couch in the center of the room, leaping over an old wooden coffee table to worm between a pair of twins, their relation obvious from a casual glance at the two of them.  The boy and girl greeted her with simultaneous looks of familiar exasperation. Both had the same brown hair and emerald eyes, although the girl¡¯s were surrounded by dark circles and a sickly cast made her skin paler than that of her brother. Her apparent illness didn¡¯t stop her from objecting to Naomi¡¯s appearance with a vehement energy.

    ¡°Just once, it would be great if you could go ten seconds without invading someone¡¯s personal space after showing up, Naomi.¡±

    ¡°No point in wishing for what¡¯ll never be, Liss,¡± Naomi said cheerfully.  ¡°Gotta get a seat before they¡¯re all gone.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re always the last one here!  Who¡¯s going to take it from you?¡±

    ¡°Not today, I¡¯m not.  Stop being rude and say hi to Luke, Felicity.¡±

    Luke stood awkwardly by the doorway as a chorus of greetings met him.  Other than the trio on the couch, Abby sat on a padded chair with faded flower patterns nearby with a thick mug that she raised in his direction.

    The girl who¡¯d been speaking to Naomi glanced at him and gave a quick wave before turning back to her original conversation.

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying that it wouldn¡¯t kill you to be a little more¡ª¡±

    ¡°Give it up, Liss,¡± the boy sitting on the other side said.  His voice was quieter than that of his sister, though he was large enough that Naomi looked squished in sitting next to him.  ¡°You know she¡¯s not going to change. And she¡¯s right, you are being rude.¡±

    The girl rolled her eyes and looked back to Luke.  ¡°Welcome to our humble abode. Let us know how we might serve you, stranger.¡±  Sarcasm dripped from her words, and her brother frowned disapprovingly.

    ¡°Come on, Liss, it¡¯s too early in the night for you to start being a bitch,¡± another boy called out from the corner of the room.  Luke had missed him entirely on his initial sweep of the space. A few candles were the only light, and the new person was mostly concealed by darkness.

    The girl on the couch¡ªFelicity¡ªturned around angrily, but Abby cut in before she could speak.  ¡°It¡¯s too early for any of this bullshit. At least tell him your names before you get into it.¡±  She turned to Luke. ¡°Sorry about that. They¡¯re fine once you get to know them. They just¡­don¡¯t meet a lot of new people.  That¡¯s Felix and Felicity.¡± The twins on the couch waved, the girl with a contrite expression on her face. ¡°Naomi you know, and the broody little shit back there is Anthony. There. You all can keep on making an ass of yourselves now, don¡¯t let me stop you.¡±

    There was silence for a moment, everyone looking suitably chastised.  Luke took advantage of the opening to speak.

    ¡°Uh, good to meet all of you.  Is there a chair I can use, or¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, one second,¡± Anthony said.  He hopped off the cabinet and walked through a door in the back.  Luke looked around the room he stood in. There was an old square bunny-eared TV by one wall, dusty and unused.  In fact, the whole room was fairly dirty except for a pair of tables by the back wall where there were a number of bottles and metal containers of different shapes and sizes.

    ¡°Drinks,¡± Abby said, seeing his gaze.  ¡°Take anything you want. Left table is beer, mead, and wine, right side is anything harder.  None of it¡¯s labeled, but there¡¯s gin, brandy,¡± she peered at the mug she held. ¡°Moonshine, apparently.  Unless you can tell what it is by looking, it¡¯s luck of the draw, really. Just grab a cup to pour it into, don¡¯t drink straight from the glass.¡±

    Luke blinked.  She was sipping from her mug like she was drinking tea.  If there was moonshine in there, her expression didn¡¯t give any kind of indication.  He¡¯d had alcohol before, but he¡¯d never been a big drinker. He wasn¡¯t even twenty-one, though that wasn¡¯t exactly an issue here.  Hopefully they wouldn¡¯t expect him to start throwing back shots.

    Anthony came back with a wooden chair,  as dusty as everything else in the house seemed to be.  He dropped it in an open spot in the room and gestured to Luke.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Luke said as he took a seat.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± he said as he returned to his spot in the corner.

    ¡°So how do you like Crater so far?¡± Felix asked after a moment of awkward silence.  ¡°It¡¯s rare for someone to get in who hasn¡¯t lived here for years. They¡¯re pretty strict about keeping the population down.¡±

    ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t seen too much yet,¡± Luke hedged.  ¡°I liked the clothes store though¡­ The Closet?¡± He¡¯d heard two names for the place, but went with the one that was actually on the building.  The name prompted a gale of laughter from Naomi and Felicity. Felix chuckled as well, though Abby just rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Cael still hasn¡¯t gotten that stupid spray paint down?¡± she asked Naomi.

    ¡°He hadn¡¯t this afternoon,¡± Naomi said, still chuckling.

    ¡°You realize painting that sign was a good way to get Cael to hate you forever, right?  What are you going to do if you need new clothes?¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± Naomi said scornfully.  ¡°I¡¯ll go to the weavers like everyone else.  People only go to ¡®Schellings¡¯¡±¡ªshe spoke the word with a heavy tone of sarcastic emphasis¡ª¡°because they like the old world theme.  No one under the age of forty gives a shit.¡±

    Her words bothered Luke a little, but she didn¡¯t seem to be directing them at him at all.  Oblivious to the carelessness of her statement, Naomi turned around to crawl over the couch for a drink.

    ¡°Anything else you like about Crater so far, Luke?¡± Abby asked.

    ¡°LIke I said, I haven¡¯t been around much yet.  It¡¯s better than anything I saw outside, I can say that for sure.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Naomi, who was leaning way over the back of the couch to reach the table without standing up, turned her head.  ¡°Sarah told me I wasn¡¯t supposed to ask about anything that happened to you, but I¡¯m off the clock now so spill it. How the hell did you end up with a gallon of blood all over you?

    ¡°Naomi!¡± Abby barked, more forcefully than anything she¡¯d said so far.  ¡°It¡¯s his business, you don¡¯t¡ª¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s ok,¡± Luke said.  His experiences were terrifying, but they seemed far away at that moment.  ¡°I don¡¯t mind. It was a Bleeder, Carver and I ran into one about a day outside of Crater.¡±

    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Felicity said.  ¡°Those things are dangerous.  You¡¯re not an unmaker, are you?¡±

    Luke frowned, but Naomi interrupted before he could answer.  ¡°Wait, you came here with Carver?¡±

    ¡°Oh, here we fucking go,¡± Anthony muttered from the back.

    ¡°How did you meet him?  How long were you with him?  Did he do anything cool?¡± Her eyes were practically sparkling.

    ¡°Uh, I met him when I first got here, just a couple days, and I guess so?¡± Luke said, unbalanced by her sudden enthusiasm.  ¡°He killed a few Empty up close when he helped me out of the city. And I probably would have died if he didn¡¯t stop the Bleeder.  He used a giant knife on it.¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± Naomi said.  ¡°Did he¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ok, I¡¯m gonna go ahead and nip this in the bud,¡± Felicity interrupted.  ¡°Otherwise she¡¯ll have you describing how his abs glisten by the end of the night.  The man has to be three times your age, Naomi.¡±

    The other girl scowled.  ¡°It¡¯s not a sex thing, don¡¯t make it weird.¡±  She paused ¡°Although I wouldn¡¯t say no if it came down to it.  But he¡¯s been saving people and killing shit as long as we¡¯ve been alive.  How is that not cool?¡±

    ¡°Because he doesn¡¯t contribute anything,¡± Abby interrupted.  He¡¯s a roamer, he just runs around doing whatever he wants and them comes and takes our supplies when he runs low.  His kids have done ten times as much as he ever did to help build society.¡±

    ¡°And they wouldn¡¯t be alive if it weren¡¯t for him!¡± Naomi shot back, heated.  It sounded like an old argument to Luke, one that he had no desire to cut into.  Instead, he went to the drink table in the back. He grabbed a bottle from the left and poured it into an empty mug nearby, sipping as he returned to his seat.  To his relief, it was some kind of mead, sweet and not very strong.

    ¡°What¡¯s an unmaker?¡± he asked Felicity once he was back in his seat.  ¡°You asked me if I am one. I don¡¯t think so, but I¡¯ve never heard of it before.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Felicity said.  She exchanged a glance with her brother.  ¡°It¡¯s¡­I don¡¯t know how to explain it. It¡¯s someone who can make things disappear.¡±

    ¡°Unmake something into nothing,¡± Felix added, his voice a low rumble.  ¡°It¡¯s a skill some people have. Felicity and I can both do it. The way we¡¯ve been told is that it¡¯s an effect of nihil entering this world.  We were touched by it, or got too close to an Empty or something. No one really knows why it happens, but if we focus just the right way, we can erase matter from existence.

    Luke sat there, stunned.  Felix was casually describing the ability to violate one of the fundamental laws of nature.  He couldn¡¯t begin to comprehend how something like that would be possible, let alone how it was done by the power of someone¡¯s mind.

    ¡°That¡¯s incredible,¡± he said.  ¡°Nothing like that is possible where I¡¯m from.¡±

    Felix shrugged.  ¡°We use it less than you¡¯d think.  Usually if you want to make something disappear it¡¯s better to take it apart and use the materials for something else.  Plus¡­¡± He held up his arm to show the inside, where dark patchy blotches of skin stuck out like ridges. They looked like keloid scars, but much wider and irregular than any wound Luke could think of.  ¡°There¡¯s always a cost.¡±

    Before Luke could think of something to respond, Naomi yelled from her spot on the couch.

    ¡°It¡¯s my decision, Abby!  Why can¡¯t you just support me?¡±

    ¡°I know it¡¯s your decision,¡± Abby said calmly.  ¡°I just want you to acknowledge that it affects people other than yourself.  And that it¡¯s a little selfish to turn your back on the society that invested so much to help raise you.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be turning my back on it,¡± Naomi said, sulking.  ¡°Roamers can do missions that no one else can. Look at how Carver brought Luke here.¡±

    ¡°But they aren¡¯t truly aligned with Crater¡¯s goals.  Their loyalty is ultimately to no one but themselves.  To take your example, think of the history between Carver and the elves.¡±

    ¡°Crater isn¡¯t the absolute arbiter of the direction society should take,¡± Felix said, jumping in to the conversation.  ¡°The Committee still can¡¯t admit how drastically the world has changed. As long as they keep trying to recreate what was instead of acknowledging what¡¯s in front of them, there are going to be dissidents who won¡¯t stick to their rules.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not saying you¡¯re wrong,¡± Abby said, ¡°but Crater is the best chance humanity has to be more than a shadow of what it once was.  Whether that means restoring the civilization that existed before the Empty arrived or creating something entirely new, we have to trust that all the intelligence and knowledge concentrated here will find the best path to take.¡±

    Felix started to respond, but Felicity interrupted with a groan.  ¡°I swear to God, if you start droning about politics again I will kill everyone in this room and then myself.  Why do I hang out with such a bunch of nerds?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who paid for a scavenged chemistry textbook to read for fun?¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Tony,¡± she said.  ¡°There¡¯s a difference between being educated and a nerd, which I¡¯m not surprised I have to explain to you because you¡¯re ignorant.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a nerd,¡± Naomi said indignantly.

    ¡°No, but that¡¯s about the best thing I can say about you.  You are the worst in every single other facet of your existence.  But no, you¡¯re not a nerd.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Naomi nodded.  ¡°Long as we¡¯ve got that straight.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m still trying to catch up,¡± Luke said.  He¡¯d been unable to get a word in edgewise during the conversation.  ¡°Did you say elves?¡±

    ¡°Man, you¡¯re never gonna make it here if your reaction time¡¯s that slow,¡± Anthony said from the corner.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not as fast as you guys at talking out of my ass.¡± Luke stiffened at his automatic response, but there were a few chuckles and no one seemed offended so he relaxed.  He usually didn¡¯t say things like that. The mead must have hit him harder than he thought.

    ¡°Elves are sapient creatures.  They almost look like skinny humans, but they have pointed ears, and they¡¯re pretty aloof,¡± Abby said.

    ¡°Right I know that, I saw Lord of the Rings,¡± Luke said impatiently.  ¡°But are you saying that they¡¯re real?¡±

    Silence filled the room for a moment.

    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a colony of them out to the east,¡± Abby said finally.  ¡°You¡¯ve heard of them before?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s Lord of the Rings?¡± Naomi asked.  Luke ignored her.

    ¡°Of course I have!  You¡¯d have to live under a rock not to have heard of them.  Elves and dwarves and dragons and all that. But they¡¯re just in fiction.  They don¡¯t actually exist.¡±

    ¡°That is¡­extremely interesting,¡± Abby murmured.  ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never read about them. Although to be fair, we have a limited supply of books here.  But they do exist here, and actually dwarves do as well.¡±

    ¡°How did they get here?  Were they always in this world?¡±  Luke¡¯s head felt like it was spinning.

    ¡°No, they weren¡¯t.  I don¡¯t know how long ago it was exactly, but they came from a different world.  Elves, dwarves, and orcs all together, and they established a settlement east of here.  We have¡­strained relations with them.¡±

    Luke¡¯s eyebrows rose at the mention of orcs, but he supposed it wasn¡¯t too much of a stretch if he accepted the rest of it.  The idea as a whole, though¡­he thought he¡¯d had a handle on what this world was. One conversation was all it took to shatter that belief beyond repair.  Creatures from out of a fantasy novel, powers that could break the laws of physics¡­Luke wondered what other impossible things there were here.

    ¡°That¡¯s really weird that someone made up the exact same thing in your world,¡± Felix said.  ¡°I¡¯ve heard of dragons before, but like Abby said not any other of the other stuff. Have you ever read about chromutes?  Or cryptsils?¡±

    Luke shook his head.  Felix frowned thoughtfully, but Anthony spoke up.  ¡°Wait, your world?  What are you talking about?¡±

    Felicity gave him a scornful look.  ¡°Why do you think they let him in? Try to keep up, Tony.¡±

    The young man¡¯s face flushed a dark red.  He looked furious. ¡°I can¡¯t stare at a pile of dirt for half an hour and call it a day.  Some of us were born unimportant enough to actually need to work to do our jobs. Turns out you have a lot less time for gossip when that¡¯s the case.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah, because¡ª¡± Felicity started hotly, but Abby spoke over her.

    ¡°All of us have problems, Tony.  It¡¯s fine, I doubt a dozen people know why Luke¡¯s here yet.  I only do because Adriana told me. Luke, are you ok with letting everyone know?¡±  She shot a warning look at Felicity, who scowled but stayed quiet.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Luke said.  ¡°Sorry, I just assumed everyone knew where I¡¯m from already.  They brought me here from another world.¡± He hesitated. ¡°Sarah said I was a Tether or something?  I don¡¯t really know what that means.¡±

    Anthony¡¯s eyes widened, but it was Felix who answered.  ¡°It means that you¡¯re the glue that keeps this universe intact.¡±  Luke¡¯s heart sped up again, but Felix shook his head. ¡°I¡¯d say try not to worry about it.  You don¡¯t actually have to do anything, you¡¯re already doing it just by being here. And¡­it means a lot of people would die before they let any harm come to you.¡±

    Luke shifted uncomfortably in the quiet that overtook the room.

    ¡°Jesus, Fel,¡± Felicity said.  ¡°You really know how to kill the mood.¡±  Her brother shrugged unapologetically.

    ¡°I figured he should know.¡±

    ¡°But how do you know it works?¡± Luke interjected.  ¡°How did you even know that there was another world, or that me coming here actually does anything?¡±

    Everyone in the room seemed to share a significant glance.  It would have almost been almost comical if the topic hadn¡¯t been so serious.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± Felicity said finally.  ¡°The Committee¡ªthe people who run Crater¡ªwon¡¯t even tell Fel and I, and we can usually find out anything if we bother them enough.  Everyone in town knows about nihil and the universes and so on, but Committee¡¯s lips are sealed if anyone asks how they found out in the first place.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a whole lot of stuff they keep to themselves,¡± Anthony added.  Luke detected a slight slur in his voice. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe the shit I wouldn¡¯t know if I didn¡¯t hang around these assholes.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s always nice to hear how much you value our friendship, Tony,¡± Felicity said drily.

    ¡°Shut up.  You¡¯re all alright.  I wouldn¡¯t bring over my dad¡¯s bottles if you weren¡¯t.¡±  He waved his mug around in the air, sloshing some on the floor.

    ¡°Aww, Tony, you get so sentimental when you¡¯re drunk,¡± Naomi said.  ¡°Which it turns out is absolutely intolerable while I¡¯m this sober. Someone bring me another drink!¡±

    Luke felt more confused than ever, but he let the thread of conversation go.  He actually liked the people here, and that seemed more important than pressing them for every scrap of information he could gather.  None of them, including him, were going anywhere anytime soon. There would be plenty of opportunities to ask more questions.

    As the night wore on, they got steadily drunker and louder by degrees.  Luke tried to stick to the left table for his drinks, but was eventually convinced by an insistent Naomi to try something harder.  Shortly after, the night became a blur of laughter and bickering. Anthony, it turned out, had hidden a stash of food in the kitchen cabinets, a fact he revealed to general acclaim by the rest of the group.  It was a similar collection of fresh fruits and vegetables to the meal Luke had had earlier in the day. He had a moment of disappointment that there was nowhere they could go to get something greasier, but he didn¡¯t voice his thoughts and the moment soon passed.

    Later, there would only be a few moments late in the night that remained clear in his memory.  One that stuck out came when Felix went to the table to refill his mug and dropped a glass bottle on the tile floor, shattering it.  Instantly, everyone else quieted and looked over. Luke was about to shout at him for wasting the drink, but caught the mood of the rest of the room and stayed silent.

    ¡°Will your dad notice, Tony?¡± Felix asked, sounding guilty.

    Anthony swayed where he stood, thinking.  ¡°Ah, probably, but it¡¯s fine. The Salesman will still take shards, right?¡±  Felix nodded. ¡°Just leave it there and someone can bring a broom tomorrow.¡±

    The interaction puzzled Luke, but by the time he was able to frame a question, everyone else had moved on.  Naomi stood on top of the coffee table, wobbling dangerously, and started reading a limerick of her own composition.  Felicity splashed water on her from a flask she¡¯d brought. The other girl jumped down and stuck a leg out, sending her tumbling to the floor.

    Much later, Anthony pulled out blankets from the kitchen and passed them around the room.  He laid down on the tile and fell asleep almost immediately. Felix and Felicity were already passed out sitting on the couch, while Naomi was trying and failing to balance a ruler she¡¯d found on the tip of her forehead.

    Abby still sat in the same chair she¡¯d been in when Luke arrived.  She was gazing around the room, a small smile on her face. Luke started picking up the mugs and pieces of fruit scattered around, but the girl shook her head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.  Someone has to come back tomorrow to get the bottles, so they¡¯ll clean up anyway.  We take turns, I think it might be Felicity.¡± Her voice was far more steady than anyone else¡¯s, and Luke couldn¡¯t recall how much he had seen her drink.

    ¡°Did you ever finish that moonshine?¡±  She shook her head.

    ¡°Someone has to look out for them.¡±  The fond smile was still on her face.  ¡°It helps if there¡¯s someone who can shut down any particularly stupid ideas.¡±

    ¡°That seems smart.¡±  There was a short pause, punctuated by Naomi cursing at the ruler and laying down among her own blankets.  ¡°Thanks for inviting me. I think I needed something like this.¡±

    ¡°I thought so too, when I saw you,¡± she said, her voice serious.  ¡°We don¡¯t all get together like this often, but we try to make sure it happens every once in a while.  I don¡¯t think anyone would mind if you kept coming. Moving to a new place is hard enough, let alone what you¡¯re going through.¡±

    It took a few moments for her words to penetrate Luke¡¯s intoxicated mind, but when they did it was all he could do to keep tears from his eyes.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he whispered.  Abby nodded slowly in reply.

    He laid his head back on the chair, his eyes closing involuntarily.  Sleep came without his noticing. He was alone when he woke the next morning, but a pillow had been put behind his head and a blanket over his body.

 1.8

    Before Luke could blink, a week had passed.  There was no real routine, no set schedule for him to follow, and yet he grew a little more comfortable with his surroundings each day.  There was a world of difference between living in Crater and out in the wilderness, almost as though he had been taken to yet another universe.

    It was quickly apparent that their residents safety was a preeminent concern for Crater¡¯s leaders, as was creating an environment that felt safe for them.  Every entrance and exit from the township was closely monitored at all times, as much to keep non-residents from sneaking in as to take notice of the approach of someone dangerous.  Anyone spotted by the security teams was intercepted well away from its borders¡ªand the eyes of its citizens¡ªjust as Luke and Carver had been. The armed security also walked through the streets on regular patrols despite the minimal presence of any crime or wrongdoing.  Any violation of the short list of Crater¡¯s laws was met by immediate loss of residency, no matter how minor the infraction. A measure that might have been met with cries of tyranny in more peaceful times was now greeted with approval by the majority of citizens. The patrols were mostly unnecessary, but Luke suspected that they were meant more to reassure the populace than to serve any true lawkeeping function.  He still found himself comforted by their presence every time he noticed them.

    Naomi and his cabin were the only real constants in his life.  The energetic girl stayed by his side in her capacity as tour guide, and while Luke appreciated her company, he felt guilty for forcing her to spend her days babysitting him.  She never seemed to mind unless they spent too much time in one place, when she started getting antsy and itching to move on. Luke found it quite believable that she would gravitate toward a roamer¡¯s life, out beyond the relative stability of Crater¡¯s borders.

    By contrast to Naomi¡¯s welcome company, Luke grew to dread the times when he was alone in his cabin.  The aura of security that permeated the rest of Crater seemed to find no purchase within those featureless gray walls.  When he tried to sleep, all too often the dead eyes of the Empty kept him awake long past the time he laid down. A part of him was glad that alcohol was a rare luxury in Crater.  If he¡¯d had easy access to it, Luke had little doubt that he would drink himself to sleep every night. Instead, he spent as much time as possible with Naomi, thinking up places to ask her to take him long after the rest of the town had returned home.  She was more than willing to accommodate him, displaying few signs of tiredness herself.

    One welcome discovery came the day after Luke met the others, when he actually saw Crater¡¯s kitchens.  It was more of a cafeteria, really, but everyone referred to the communal eatery as the kitchens. With fuel as one of the scarcer resources within the settlement, it was more efficient to cook en masse, prompting the residents to eat most of their meals together in the public dining space.  The quality of food there was much higher than the raw produce he¡¯d had so far; he found that Crater¡¯s cooks were skilled at making huge quantities of food for the whole settlement. From what Luke heard, the food was one of the main draws that kept people in Crater even when times became hard.  A high priority was placed on ensuring that there were stores enough to provide for all.

    But the most interesting landmark Luke was introduced to came at the end of the week when he was taken to the communications center.  Located on the outskirts of town, it was a one-story brick building made half again as tall by a huge antenna affixed to its roof. Several smaller antennas dotted the roof as well, lending the structure a more modern look than many of the other buildings in town.  The most surprising aspect, however, came once Naomi opened the door and led Luke inside. The distinct hum of a generator was audible from somewhere in the building. Luke looked at Naomi in surprise, but she shook her head and held a hand to her lips, softly walking forward.

    ¡°Son of a BITCH!¡± Loud cursing came from behind a door off to their right.  Grinning widely, Naomi stepped forward more quickly and yanked it open.

    ¡°I¡¯m back, Sammy!  Miss me?¡± Inside a man was seated in a peeling leather chair, leaning in front of several large black boxes with different switches, knobs, and dials of all sizes.  There were a few other objects as well, though Luke could only identify the microphone on a small stand next to the man. He couldn¡¯t begin to guess the function of a mechanical lever with a black knob on the end, though the gadget was hooked up to one of the boxes.  It was the most advanced technology Luke had seen since he¡¯d been dropped in this world, but he couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of what its function might be.

    The man himself was balding, with a few scraggly hairs combed over the top of his head.  He looked sweaty, and the scent Luke caught upon entering the room suggested that he didn¡¯t get out to the bathing system very much.  His skin was saggy around his arms and neck, as if he¡¯d once been very fat before losing a great deal of weight. It wasn¡¯t a healthy appearance .

    ¡°Naomi.  Bad time.  This piece of garbage won¡¯t cooperate.  I might have to go out to the repeater again, see if something happened to the solar panels.¡±  He spoke without looking at them, turning dials and peering at a display on the black box.

    ¡°I¡¯m just showing Luke here around town,¡± she said, patting him on the back.  ¡°Luke, this is Sammy, our radio operator. He¡¯s the only man in Crater who can talk to other settlements without sending someone to talk face-to-face.¡±

    ¡°Good to meet you,¡± Luke said, holding out his hand.  The unkempt fellow ignored him completely, focusing instead on the box in front of him.  After a moment, Luke took back his hand.

    ¡°Luke¡¯s new to Crater,¡± Naomi continued.  ¡°He¡¯s been wanting to visit this place since I met him.  Can¡¯t get him to shut up about it.¡±

    Sammy looked up for the first time, glancing at Luke through a pair of eyeglasses with a huge chip in one of the lenses.  ¡°You interested in radio? Do you have a rig somewhere? Or even a handheld? Hell, I could even use it if it¡¯s CB, long as it¡¯s functional.¡±

    Luke hesitated.  ¡°Uh¡­no, sorry. I don¡¯t have anything like that.¡±

    Sammy turned back to the radio, apparently dismissing them completely.  Naomi rolled her eyes and gave Luke a thumbs down.

    ¡°You talk to anyone lately, Sam?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s called a QSO,¡± he said irritably.  ¡°And I already gave a report to Sarah yesterday.  You want to know, you can read it like everyone else.¡±

    ¡°You know that no one but you has called it that for twenty years, right?¡±

    Sammy went right on fiddling with his equipment in a display of obstinance that would have made Carver proud.  He didn¡¯t so much as twitch an eye to suggest that he heard the girl speak.

    ¡°It¡¯s ok, Naomi,¡± Luke said softly.  ¡°Maybe we should just go.¡± She waved him off with a gesture.

    ¡°Lack of equipment isn¡¯t what¡¯s going to kill radio, Sammy,¡± she said.  ¡°Someday we¡¯re going to have the ability to make transceivers and microphones again.  But we¡¯ll have phones and computers too. We¡¯ll be able to skip radio entirely, unless enough people remember it to want to bring it back.  They won¡¯t unless you make them take an interest in it.¡±

    That garnered a real response from the operator, actually making him turn away from his equipment and fold his arms as he glared at Naomi.

    ¡°Radio will never die,¡± he said, sulking.  But he kept talking. ¡°Weather¡¯s been good lately so I managed to round up the usual suspects.  The man at Hobble¡¯s a pissant, so we didn¡¯t have much to say. The Ark boys are still ranting about the end times or second coming or whatever it is.  They aren¡¯t interested in a real conversation and I¡¯m not interested in listening. The only other setup that I can reliably reach is Albrecht¡¯s at Darkend, and no one over there has any interest in talking to someone from Crater unless we come to trade or they want to cuss us out.  So no, no new contacts. I¡¯ve been trying to reach out further, but then the damn repeater went and shit itself on me.  Without it, I can only get about a fifty mile range at best, and only if the conditions are perfect.¡±

    ¡°What about further than that?¡± Naomi asked.  ¡°You¡¯d better let me know if you ever make contact with Australia again.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t get your hopes up,¡± Sammy said.  ¡°I¡¯ve been on the HF bands, especially lately since the Committee¡¯s been trying to cut my power allotment, but it¡¯s dicey to make a contact that way.  It¡¯s the same problem with the weather and conditions, except extended over half the planet. And then if everything does work exactly right, someone still needs to be listening at the other end.  I¡¯d be surprised if I ever manage to make a QSO again on another continent.¡±

    Naomi sighed and nodded.

    ¡°Is that it?¡± Sammy asked, slightly less brusque than before.

    ¡°Yeah, I guess so,¡± Naomi said.  ¡°Anyone ever tell you that radio¡¯s real boring most of the time?¡±

    The operator¡¯s face darkened, but he just turned to Luke.

    ¡°If you ever get tired of dealing with her,¡± he said, shoving his thumb toward Naomi, ¡°feel free to come back.  I could use someone with an interest in the science, even if you don¡¯t have the materials.  Now both of you, kindly fuck off.¡± He turned back to his equipment and once again seemed to forget the existence of the two people behind him.

    Naomi stifled a laugh and pointed toward the door.  Once they were outside and safely out of earshot, Luke glared at her.

    ¡°Why would you tell him I was interested in what he did?  I didn¡¯t even know there was a functioning radio here.¡±

    She did laugh now as they walked away from the communications building.  ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have even talked to us if I hadn¡¯t said that. Sammy¡¯s not exactly a people person.

    ¡°You worked with him?¡±

    ¡°Sure.  Where do you think that whole bit about the survival of radio came from?  Sarah gave me a script to motivate him when he gets really pigheaded. It¡¯d be impossible to get him to do anything other than fiddle with his rig otherwise.   I used to have to convince him to talk to people, sleep, bathe¡­he got the message eventually so I had to baby him less, but I guess he got back into bad habits since I left.  At least he has something to care about.¡±

    ¡°But why did you work at the radio station?¡± Luke asked.  ¡°It¡¯s a lot of sitting and messing with electronics right?  Sounds like something that would drive you insane.¡±

    Naomi shrugged.  ¡°Yeah, like I told Sammy, it was pretty boring a lot of the time.  There were a lot of days I didn¡¯t show up. Still¡­when he did manage to make a contact, some of the stuff we heard was pretty incredible.¡±  A wistful look appeared in her eyes; she seemed to be staring at something far off in the distance. ¡°Most of the time the farthest we made contact was somewhere on the continent, but even then they would tell us about so much we had never heard of.  Different races, new phenomena¡­some guy down south told us his settlement had seen some kind of creature that shaped itself from the wind. Can you imagine?¡±

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t actually.  How would you even see it if its made from the wind?¡±

    She shot an exasperated look his way.  ¡°Well, the guy who we talked to spoke mostly Spanish so something probably got lost in translation.  Someday I¡¯ll go down there and see for myself. But there was one time that Sammy managed to talk with a woman in Australia.  Across the ocean! It was unbelievable.¡±

    Less so to someone who had grown up with cell phones and the internet, but Luke couldn¡¯t bring himself to dampen her enthusiasm.  There was an infectious passion in her voice, a sincere energy capable of sweeping up anyone who came into contact with it.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°What did she say?¡±

    ¡°So much,¡± Naomi said.  Her eyes were glowing with excitement.  ¡°I have a notebook somewhere where I wrote everything down.  But the one that sticks out the most was the Shell. She told me that one day a giant sphere just¡­appeared on the horizon.  It was huge, like an enormous marble with swathes of color all the way through. It¡¯s stayed in the same place ever since, hasn¡¯t moved at all.  But she said sometimes the colors shift and they can see two blue dots¡ªlike the eyes of something hidden inside.¡±

    ¡°That sounds¡­terrifying,¡± Luke said.  ¡°Remind me to never go to Australia.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Naomi said, disbelieving.  ¡°I¡¯d give anything to get there! I have to see it for myself.¡±

    Luke shook his head.  He¡¯d be just as happy if he¡¯d never heard of a giant maybe-monster floating over another continent, let alone catch sight of it.  It wasn¡¯t as if he lacked for nightmare fuel already. But Naomi was different. Hearing her talk about what she¡¯d heard on the radio, it was easy to see why she would want to be a roamer.  She had a completely different mindset from virtually everyone else Luke had met in Crater. Under normal circumstances only farmers, merchants, and the security teams that protected them ventured out on any regular basis, and none of them strayed from the paths that had been forged years ago for them to follow.

    Risk aversion was a trait embedded in the cultural milieu of Crater, quite a sensible one to Luke¡¯s mind.  With threats unheard of in the old world lurking beyond their borders, it was smart to minimize any potential exposure to danger, even if that meant slowing progress toward the restoration of civilization. Naomi, however, rejected that line of thinking.  She wanted to see everything, experience everything, no matter the risk to her own life. It seemed an incompatible mindset with the settlement she lived in. Luke wondered how long it would be before she ran off in the night if she couldn¡¯t get the Committee¡¯s¡ªand Abby¡¯s¡ªblessing to be a roamer.

    ¡°Maybe someday after they build boats that can cross the ocean again,¡± Luke said.  He changed the subject to another topic that bothered him. ¡°Why does Sammy get a generator all to himself for communications?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not actually just for him,¡± Naomi explained.  ¡°They use that same generator to recharge batteries and for medical stuff.  Maybe other things too, I don¡¯t know. But Sammy uses it the most often¡ªand he¡¯s not above exaggerating how much he needs¡ªso they put it in the comm building.  It¡¯s one of the few things the Committee is willing to shell out gas to use.¡±

    ¡°Where do they get the gas?  There¡¯s no way they produce it, is there?¡±

    ¡°Nah, we get it from the Salesman.  He should be coming around any day now, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll want you to be there when they meet with him.  Pretty much everyone¡¯s seen him at least once.¡±

    ¡°Who is he?  How does he have gas when it hasn¡¯t been made in two decades?¡±

    Naomi shrugged.  ¡°He won¡¯t tell us.  You¡¯ll see when you meet him, he¡¯s a weird guy.¡±

    Luke, pressed her for more detail, but she insisted there was none to give.  Eventually he gave up and they talked of more inconsequential things while they returned to the kitchens to eat.  Afterwards, they took a trip to the old hotel where a large number of Crater¡¯s residents lived, including Naomi herself.  It had been fairly shoddy even when the business was functional, and the passing of years had done the building no favors. Luke could understand why most people thought it preferable to live in one of the log cabins, even if he personally associated the blank gray walls with the nightmares that haunted his sleep.

    When the time inevitably came that it was too late to continue going anywhere with Naomi, Luke had no choice but to return to his lonely room.  He was exhausted, but the idea of sleep still filled him with anxiety and dread. He lay in bed for a long time with his eyes open, and it was even longer before sleep took him.

    <hr>

    The deserted road reached out into the night, as fresh and unbroken as the day it had been paved.  There was no line of cars stretching out into the darkness, but the location was still immediately recognizable to Luke.  It featured in his dreams almost every night, second only to the dead city that had been his introduction to this world. It was the freeway where he and Carver had faced the Bleeder, tidied and newly paved but still capable of inducing a shiver of dread down his spine.

    The lucid sensation of the dream was familiar to Luke, so he managed not to jump when the voice sounded out from behind him.

    ¡°You really pick some boring places for your dreams, don¡¯t you?¡±

    He turned around to face the same girl who had been in his dreams the night before he came to Crater.  Her clothes had changed from the hawaiian tourist apparel to a neatly pressed black suit. Similarly, her hair had gone from blonde to a fiery red, swept to one side and shaved on the other.

    ¡°Just since I came here, I think.  They were always different before that.¡±

    Luke tried to take the changes in stride.  She had been annoyed by his questions before, so now he did his best to project an aura of confidence.  He wasn¡¯t even sure why he was trying to impress this woman, but it seemed like a smart policy to try to stay on the good side of supernatural dream entities.

    She nodded and stuck her tongue out at him.  ¡°So did you ask everyone about me? What did they say?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±  In the wake of the Bleeder and everything that came after it, Sandy had taken a back seat to learning how to live in Crater.  Her hint that she may have had something to do with bringing him there had been overshadowed by Sarah¡¯s outright declaration. Familiarizing himself with his surroundings had just been more of a priority than her.  Which she would take as a huge insult if he were to tell her, Luke was sure. But he didn¡¯t want to lie to her either.

    ¡°Carver told me I should listen to you, and that you¡¯re the only reason he¡¯s still alive.¡±

    She opened her eyes wide and tilted her head.  ¡°Well, obviously. He¡¯s hopeless. I don¡¯t think he¡¯d know to eat if I wasn¡¯t there to watch over him.¡±

    Luke sighed in relief that she accepted his answer.  Sandy was a little like Naomi except worse, flighty and with a tendency to jump from topic to topic.

    ¡°I saw that fight with the Bleeder, you know.  It looked like fun!¡±

    ¡°Fun?¡± Luke asked, disbelieving.

    ¡°Yeah!  Carver smashed his head with that hatchet!  It was awesome!¡± She was literally floating in excitement, hovering above the ground and climbing higher with every word.  A cartoonishly wide grin split her face.

    ¡°If I was there I would have done this!  And this!¡± She shadowboxed in the air, swinging her fist at a phantom opponent.  ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have known what hit him!¡±

    Luke was at a loss for how to respond.  He didn¡¯t want to argue with her, but ¡®fun¡¯ was one of the very last words he would use to describe the encounter.  Then he frowned as something occurred to him.

    ¡°How did you see it if you weren¡¯t there?  How did you know about the hatchet?¡±

    Sandy blinked at him like an owl, her face blank, but Luke sensed her disapproval.  He was starting to grasp her emotions even with the bizarre expressions she often had.

    ¡°You¡¯re raining on my patio.  Why do you ask so many questions?  That¡¯s all you did last time and now you¡¯re doing it again!¡±

    ¡°I think you mean parade, not patio,¡±  Luke said automatically, then cringed when he realized what he said.

    ¡°AGH!¡± Sandy licked her lips ferociously.  It was a little gross. ¡°And now you¡¯re correcting me!  You¡¯re just like Carver! ¡®Sandy, that¡¯s a simile, not a metaphor.¡¯  ¡®Sandy, you don¡¯t understand human facial expressions.¡¯ ¡®Sandy, that¡¯s not what ¡°vulva¡± means.¡¯  It never ends!¡±

    ¡°Why do you spend so much time around him if you don¡¯t like him?¡± Luke asked.  He wasn¡¯t about to touch her last statement.

    As quickly as she¡¯d gotten worked up, the dream-girl calmed down.  She floated back down to the pavement.

    ¡°Well I didn¡¯t say that, did I?  He¡¯s annoying and grumpy, but if I catch him in a good mood, he tells the best stories ever!¡±

    ¡°Carver?  Really?¡± Luke tried to imagine the taciturn man telling a story and drew a blank.  A story that didn¡¯t have to do with how the Empty overthrew society, at least.

    ¡°Yes!¡±  Excitement entered her voice again.  Her eyes rolled in her head. ¡°He was telling me about a musician who went to the underworld to save his lost love!  It was so romantic!¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about Orpheus?¡± Luke asked.  ¡°Did he tell you how that story ends?¡±

    ¡°No, do you know it?  A herpornith tried to sneak up on Carver while he was sleeping, so he never got to finish.  Does it end with him changing his name? Because it isn¡¯t Orpheus, it¡¯s Arkros.¡±

    That made Luke pause.  But the story she described was too specific to be about anyone other than the Greek hero.  Sandy was more focused than he¡¯d ever seen her. There seemed to be only one thing he could do.  ¡°No, he didn¡¯t change his name. He went down into the realm of Hades, deep beneath the ground where light was only a memory¡­¡±

    He related the story as best he could remember, embellishing what details he couldn¡¯t recall.  Luke didn¡¯t think he was a particularly good storyteller, but he suspected from Sandy¡¯s stillness while he talked that she was hanging on every word.  When he reached the end and told her that Orpheus looked back to see if his wife was with him just a few steps from the exit of the Underworld, losing his only chance to be reunited with her, Sandy actually screamed and floated up a few feet in agitation.

    ¡°What an idiot!  What was he thinking?  All he had to do was look straight forward and he couldn¡¯t even manage that!  Why was she even with him in the first place? She¡¯s probably better off down with Hades!¡±

    Luke laughed, but Sandy went on ranting at the stupidity of Orpheus, flitting above the empty freeway like an anxious hummingbird.  ¡°Hey,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s just a story. It didn¡¯t really happen.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s even worse!  That means that someone made it up and decided that Orpheus was too dumb to follow a single rule.¡±  But she stopped moving around in the air, hovering in one place instead. Out of nowhere, the suit she wore turned into a long red robe, pajama pants, and slippers.  ¡°Ok, I¡¯m done being mad.¡±

    She descended back to the ground, twirling around to let Luke see her entire outfit.  ¡°I think I like this better than the last one. What do you think?

    Nonplussed, Luke nodded, scrambling for something to say.  ¡°Yep. Looks good.¡±

    Sandy beamed at him.  Smiling was the one expression she consistently used correctly, Luke noticed.  The fact that she was so unknowledgeable about facial expressions, yet understood English and different tones of voice was intriguing.  He wondered where she had come from, but remembered her reaction to his last question. Not to mention the fact that she had evaded it rather than offering any kind of real answer.  It seemed he was destined to be kept in the dark no matter where he went.

    ¡°Luke, will you tell me another story?¡± she asked.  ¡°That one was really good up until the end! And Orpheus is a better name than Arkros anyway.¡±

    ¡°Ok¡­¡± Luke said slowly.  ¡°Sure. I have one. I¡¯ll tell you about Jason and the Argonauts, who set sail to search for the Golden Fleece.¡±

    Greek myths worked once, might as well stick with them.  Luke was thankful now for the classics class he took in college.  He had a fairly good memory of the story of Jason, though he panicked when he realized he had forgotten why the hero wanted the Fleece in the first place and told Sandy that he wanted to make his best sheep look good.  She accepted the explanation without argument. There were also a few trials Luke was certain he forgot, so he threw in the Balrog from Lord of the Rings to make up for it. Sandy didn¡¯t enjoy the Argonauts as much as the story of Orpheus, but she was much more satisfied with the happy ending as Luke stopped at Jason¡¯s triumphant return with the Fleece.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Sandy said when he had finished.  ¡°Jason killed a lot more people than Orpheus did.¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Luke agreed.  He had left out the fact that Orpheus was actually one of the Argonauts to forestall the inevitable complaining about the musician.  ¡°Most Greek heroes killed more people than Orpheus, really.¡±

    ¡°How many are there?¡± she demanded.  ¡°I want to hear about all of them!¡± She frowned and bared her teeth.

    ¡°A lot.  How many has Carver told you about?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Sandy said.  ¡°He just tells me stories, he doesn¡¯t say where they come from.  But they¡¯re all good!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure they are,¡± Luke said.  ¡°I could tell you more too, if you want?¡±

    ¡°Yes!  More stories!¡± Sandy shouted.  Then she paused. ¡°Later though.  I have to leave soon.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Ok.  Before you go, I know that you didn¡¯t like it when I asked questions, but there¡¯s one that I really need to know.  Can you help me?

    ¡°Oh, fine,¡± she said.  ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Last time you said you brought me with you,¡± Luke said, his heart pounding.  ¡°Did you mean that you brought me to this world from the place I¡¯m from? How did you do it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s two questions, but I¡¯ll answer both because I¡¯m that nice.  First, yes I brought you with me from that other universe. Which is so cool, by the way!  There were so many looks and people and hairstyles and clothes that I¡¯d never seen before. I could have stayed there twice as long, even without having anyone to talk to.¡±

    ¡°And how you brought me back?¡± Luke prompted.

    ¡°There¡¯s a LOT of people in that place, did you know that?¡± Sandy asked.  Luke nodded impatiently. ¡°I can pass between worlds with just a few dreams.  Consciousness has power, you know? But taking someone else with me is hard.  It took a lot more juice than I was expecting.  I¡¯d say it had to be more than a billion people, easy, that dreamed about this world just to give me the energy to bring someone over.  That¡¯s the last time I do Sarah any favors, believe me. Now I¡¯m really out of time, but I¡¯ll be back soon, I promise! Think of all the stories you know for next time!¡±

    She disappeared, and the highway followed, swallowed by darkness piece by piece.  Luke barely noticed. He was dumbstruck. Over a billion people dreaming of this place just to bring him?  It was unfathomable.  And more than that, there were implications to what she said.  If it had taken so many people to move him between worlds¡­he doubted there were a billion people left alive on this entire planet.

    He was well and truly trapped.

    The last remaining section of the landscape turned black, and Luke fell into true sleep once more.

 1.9

    Waking up wasn¡¯t as bad as his first morning in Crater, but it was far from a pleasant start to the day.  Luke had started coming to terms with the idea that his stay in this world would not be a short one, but it was still a blow for his most promising lead to be shot down so quickly.  He wasn¡¯t about to give up on going home, but he had to admit that without the option of reversing the process that brought him here in the first place, the task had gotten much harder.

    At least the dream hadn¡¯t been entirely negative.  He¡¯d managed to make a good impression on Sandy, and weirdo or not it seemed smart to stay on her good side.  From what she said, it sounded like she had a way of seeing what happened in the real world, even if she couldn¡¯t interact with it.  Luke shivered as he wondered if she was watching him in his room. Maybe someone in town would know more about her capabilities. Carver certainly would, though he doubted that the old man was still hanging around.

    Getting up, Luke marveled at how energized he felt from the night¡¯s rest.  He couldn¡¯t remember how he¡¯d felt after the last time he had a dream with Sandy, so it was impossible to say whether it was from her influence or just the natural effect of a night without nightmares.  Either way, he wasted no time in throwing on a set of clothes and escaping his claustrophobic cabin.

    Outside, the sun had already risen and residents were filtering into the streets to start the day¡¯s business, but Luke noticed there were far fewer of them than he usually saw.  He was a late riser by Crater¡¯s standards, and normally by the time he left the cabin everyone else had already started their work. Now only a few stragglers were visible, though none of them seemed alarmed or were doing anything out of the ordinary.

    Luke frowned, but he didn¡¯t feel prepared to walk up to a stranger to ask what was going on and Naomi wasn¡¯t around.  She had told him in no uncertain terms once he¡¯d established his sleeping habits that she would not be waiting outside his door every day.  The options she gave Luke were either allowing her to wake him up each morning or finding her himself once he was ready. Luke had hastily picked the second choice.  Apart from the fact that he still had trouble getting enough sleep, he was wary of giving his friend enough leeway to pick how to wake him. He thought it unlikely she would be content to gently shake him into consciousness each day.  So he started each morning with a walk to the old hotel where she had a room, but today someone laid a hand on his shoulder to stop him before he was even halfway there.

    Luke turned around to see Angela, the security woman who had brought him in the first night he came to Crater.

    ¡°There you are,¡± she said.  ¡°Come on, change of plans for today.¡±

    ¡°Why?  Did something happen to Naomi?¡±

    ¡°Nah,¡± Angela said, glancing around.  ¡°Well not today anyway. I¡¯m confident that girl got dropped on her head as a kid or something, but there¡¯s nothing specifically the matter.  No, Sarah wanted to have you see something. Come on.¡±

    ¡°Do you know where everyone is?¡± Luke asked as she led him down the street.  ¡°It¡¯s so empty.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, word got around quick, didn¡¯t it?¡± Angela said.  ¡°It¡¯s a Sales Day, follow me and I¡¯ll show you.¡±

    Before Luke could ask her to elaborate, she turned away toward a side street away from the hotel.  He hurried to follow, curious about her vague statement. They took the alley to cut across to another street, one of the main thoroughfares of Crater.  Luke was starting to get a decent grasp on the settlement¡¯s layout, small town that it was. If they followed the road they were on, either direction would take them to the two main exits out of Crater, one towards the dam and the other out into the wilderness away from the canyon.  The realization was enough to give him pause.

    ¡°Wait.  Are we leaving town?¡±  Luke had grown comfortable within the settlement, if not entirely happy, but even the thought of leaving the safety of Crater was enough to cause him some anxiety.

    But the woman shook her head.  ¡°Well, technically, I guess, but we¡¯re not going any further than the dam.  He always shows up pretty close.¡±

    Luke sighed in relief.  The dam was close enough that he wasn¡¯t worried about going out there. Then he frowned at what she said.  ¡°Who¡¯s pretty close?¡±

    Angela said something in response, but Luke didn¡¯t hear her as they turned a corner and he saw where everyone had gone.  They lined the sidewalk all the way down the street, crowded in close. Normally the center of the road would be filled as well, but at the moment it was taken up by a pickup truck rolling through the town.

    In retrospect, Luke felt he shouldn¡¯t have been so surprised to see a functioning vehicle for special occasions.  Carver had used a quad to get him out of the city, and he was fairly certain someone had actually mentioned using trucks to him before.  Still, it was a shock to hear the roar of the engine and watch it move under its own power. The sight alone was oddly nostalgic, for all that it had been less than a month since he had been in a world where cars and trucks were commonplace.

    Curious about the cause of the gathering, he sped up his pace toward the crowd.  Angela followed without comment. Getting closer, Luke saw that many of the people on the sidewalks held something that they placed in the truck as it passed, different items of all shapes and sizes.  Some threw in clothing or blankets, others utensils or books. A few ambitious individuals teamed up to heave a mattress into the pickup, turning it to the side to avoid crushing anything. The most common contributions, he noted, seemed to be anything made of glass.  Bottles, snow globes, mirrors, window panes¡­inevitably, a few items broke when they were placed inside, but no one became too upset when it happened.

    Once goods were piled higher than the truck¡¯s walls, the driver honked the horn and waved his arm out the window.  Everyone backed up to allow him to pass. Luke saw a few disappointed faces by people still holding on to things they had been unable to pass off.  The driver sped up a little¡ªcareful to avoid potholes that might disturb the pile in the back¡ªand headed down the street toward the dam.

    ¡°What was that about?¡±

    ¡°Offerings,¡± Angela said.  ¡°Technically they should have already handed all of that stuff over, but no one misses a chance to show everyone exactly what they¡¯re giving up for Crater.  There¡¯s three or four trucks that¡¯ll probably be going back and forth all day. It¡¯s a huge waste of gas, but I doubt we¡¯d get half the value we do if residents didn¡¯t get the chance to show it off.  It got so disruptive that the Committee started calling it a holiday for nonessential workers.¡±

    ¡°Offerings for what?¡± Luke asked.  He didn¡¯t have the faintest idea what the wide variety of goods could possibly all be going towards.

    ¡°Trade with the Salesman,¡± Angela said as if it were obvious.  ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±

    They followed the trail of the truck towards the dam.  Many of the people who had already loaded up their goods were filtering out of the crowd, though a good number still waited with their offerings in hand.  They passed through the checkpoint that marked the edge of the settlement with no more than a nod from the security team on duty. As they approached the dam, Luke saw that a small team was already unloading the pickup, placing everything on the ground as fast as possible without any kind of sorting or examination.  There was already a pile of similar clutter much larger than what could fit on a single truck nearby as well.

    Standing a little further near the entrance to the dam interior that Carver and Luke had used what felt like an eternity ago was a semicircle of people facing away from him and Angela.  The security woman marched him right up to this group, most of whom glanced toward Luke before turning back to the lone figure that faced them. The boy recognized enough people in the assortment to identify them as the Committee, the council that governed Crater as a whole.  Sarah was at the forefront, offering him a small smile before turning back. Luke didn¡¯t know most of the others, though Anthony¡¯s father, Thomas Aguero, had been pointed out to him before. He oversaw construction and development of Crater, as well as producing a good portion of the settlement¡¯s alcohol as a side project.  Every member of the Committee was in charge of running one aspect or another of the settlement.

    They all stood a fair distance away from the figure they had come to see, as if afraid to get too close.  Upon his first look at the man¡ªor whatever he was¡ªLuke had little trouble figuring out why. The Salesman, for there was no one else he could be, looked human at first glance, but the longer Luke stared, the more incongruities in his form began to stand out.  His proportions were a little too long, his frame a little too gaunt to be that of a natural human. Nevertheless, he wore a spotless navy suit that fit his abnormal physique perfectly. Gloves covered his hands, so that the only place his gray, pallid skin was visible was in his face.  He towered over everyone around him, well over six feet tall. Despite his aberrant appearance, however, his smile lived up to his name. A wide, delighted grin that should have been scary crossed his face, but the expression was so natural and unfeigned that Luke¡¯s discomfort was eased instead.

    ¡°And you must be Luke,¡± he said, though he didn¡¯t extend his hand.  His voice was unnaturally deep for someone so thin.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the boy agreed.  ¡°I¡¯m just here to watch, I think.¡±

    Sarah cut in.  ¡°Right. Our newest resident has been spending his time getting familiar with the peculiarities of our community.  Of course, we couldn¡¯t call his orientation complete without an introduction to one of our most treasured contacts.¡±

    The Salesman laughed, a deep, rich sound.  Luke wondered where he got the lung capacity for it.  It certainly didn¡¯t look like he had room in his chest.

    ¡°Flattery will get you everywhere, Sarah,¡± he said, sounding amused.  ¡°But to resume our discussion¡­¡±

    What followed was the most fast-paced and bewildering negotiation Luke had ever experienced.  Both Sarah, the primary speaker for Crater, and the Salesman barked out types and quantities of goods so quickly Luke had difficulty telling who was offering and who was taking.  The only clue he had for how well it was going came from an occasional nod or grimace from the other Committee members, whose entire focus was on the exchange. The Salesman¡¯s face never so much as twitched during the discussion.

    Luke did pick up a few pieces of information just by the types of goods that were being traded.  As he¡¯d gathered from several sources, it seemed the Salesman¡¯s wares included items that should have been impossible to acquire in a world without factories or refineries.  Various fuels such as diesel, propane, and gasoline were mentioned frequently, along with bullets of different calibers. Glass also came up often, presumably as something that Crater had to offer.  Beyond the items he¡¯d already guessed would be involved in the trade, they moved on to discuss a huge array of goods from cloth to metal to rubber. The negotiation went on at length, until Luke grew bored listening and instead stared out at the lake trapped in the canyon behind the dam.

    He only snapped out of his reverie when he realized that both negotiators had fallen silent.  The Salesman seemed to be musing while Sarah looked at him with her arms crossed.

    ¡°Done, I suppose,¡± the Salesman said finally.  ¡°You drive a hard bargain as always, Sarah. I can respect that.¡±  He held out his hand and the two touched hands in the odd gesture that Luke still hadn¡¯t fully grown accustomed to.  Sarah had a wry look on her face as she did it.

    ¡°We do what we must to survive.  They will likely be dropping off materials for the rest of the day, but I presume anything common may go at the standard rates?¡±  She tilted her head towards him and the Salesman nodded in response. ¡°Good. The drivers will let me know if there¡¯s anything particularly valuable, so if I¡¯m not here when you come back it¡¯s all routine.¡±

    ¡°Lovely.  I do have one more request, however.  May I have a few minutes of time with young Luke, here?¡±

    An instinctive spasm of discomfort shot through Luke at the idea of getting closer to the Salesman¡¯s disturbing form, but neither Sarah nor the rest of the Committee appeared to be alarmed by the idea.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not, as long as he agrees,¡± Sarah said.  ¡°One moment, please.¡± She turned to Luke and steered him a few steps away from the circle, speaking in a low tone.  ¡°I will not force you to participate, but I will promise that despite his atypical appearance, he means you no harm. He has made similar requests in the past.  I rather think he likes the conversation.¡±

    ¡°What is he?¡± Luke asked.  He looked over at the odd being¡¯s humanlike form, technically correct in the broad strokes but disconcerting in the details. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Sarah shrugged.  ¡°I don¡¯t know. What I do know is that we have been dealing with him for nearly a decade without a hint of malice or deception on his part.  That¡¯s a higher recommendation than I could give most humans.¡± She hesitated, but continued on after a moment. ¡°Doing this could also help Crater a great deal.    Any scrap of goodwill he has for us can translate into goods that are sorely needed in one way or another.¡±

    So she wouldn¡¯t force him, but she wasn¡¯t above guilting him.  Luke sighed, but there was only one choice, really. ¡°All right, fine.¡±  He likely would have acquiesced anyway¡ªa potentially extra dimensional being might be able to help him¡ªbut Sarah¡¯s blatant manipulation did little to diminish the ember of resentment that had been burning since the first night he met her.

    He returned to stand in front of the tall being.  ¡°Ok. What did you want to talk about?¡±

    ¡°Wonderful!  Walk with me, if you would.¡±  The Salesman turned towards the twin furrows in the dam.  He took long strides with each step, but moved at a slow pace to allow Luke to keep up without jogging.  He also kept a respectful distance from Luke, allowing him a generous bubble of personal space. Luke guessed that he deliberately acted as non-threatening as possible to offset his unsettling appearance.  ¡°I must confess, I have never had the opportunity to speak to a Tether before. I¡¯m quite curious.¡±

    ¡°Wait, are you saying there¡¯s other Tethers out there?¡± Luke asked.  He had assumed he was the only one, though now that he thought about it he wasn¡¯t sure why that would be the case.  It wasn¡¯t impossible that there were other ways to cross over than the method Sandy had used with him. In fact there would have to be if he had any hope of going back himself..

    The Salesman chuckled.  ¡°Certainly. Though I admit I have no particular knowledge of their numbers or whereabouts.  I have far too much on my plate to keep track of those kinds of details.¡±

    Luke nodded, unsure how to respond.  The man or creature was friendly enough, but the instinctive revulsion Luke felt was even more pronounced up close.  Looking at the Salesman too long made him queasy for no reason he could articulate. It made it a little difficult to focus on what he was saying.  Luke fixed his gaze on his tie rather than any specific feature in an attempt to combat the issue.

    The tall being stopped a few feet in front of the cut in the dam.  Luke noted idly that there was no waterfall; the lake level had fallen below that of the gap.

    ¡°I was wondering if you knew the method by which you entered this world,¡± the Salesman said, looking out on the dam across the furrow.  ¡°Dimensional crossings are something of an interest of mine, and I confess I am at a loss to explain how yours was accomplished.¡±

    ¡°Is that because you¡¯re from another dimension too?¡± Luke asked.  It seemed rather obvious, given his appearance and access to goods that should no longer exist, but it was as good a starting place as any.  If the items he brought came from Luke¡¯s world, maybe it was possible he could take him back. His heart sped up.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve neglected to explain myself to you.  I do have one ironclad rule for anyone I engage in business with.  I don¡¯t deal in information. I will not trade or bargain for knowledge of myself, my wares, my other contacts, or any conditions or hazards I may have encountered on the road.  I regret that it¡¯s the only way I¡¯ve found to be successful over the long term.¡± He did sound sincerely contrite, but Luke frowned at his words.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I should tell you anything either, then.  It sounds like I¡¯d be giving you something for nothing.¡±  He worried that his words would offend the extradimensional being¡ªwhich he was now near-certain was what the Salesman was¡ªbut he seemed unperturbed, still gazing out across the dam.

    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s quite fair.  It would hardly do to hold others to standards I do not adhere to myself.  In fact, I do believe you¡¯ve exposed me as a bit of a hypocrite, even if my question¡¯s only purpose was to assuage my curiosity.  That is not how I prefer to do business. Please allow me to retract the inquiry with my apologies.¡±

    ¡°Uh, that¡¯s ok.  Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±  Luke was a bit taken aback by his absolute inflexibility about trading information.  He¡¯d expected the Salesman to try to negotiate at least a little for what Luke knew, but it seemed he was completely unwilling to share even the most basic facts about himself.  It didn¡¯t bode well for his plan to ask him about returning home.

    The Salesman laughed, apropos of nothing.  ¡°It seems that my stance on the trade of information does make small talk rather difficult, doesn¡¯t it?  Ordinarily the only knowledge I seek is whether an individual has any needs that are not being met in order to offer my services.  As it appears speaking of other matters would be unproductive, is there any way I can help you in that regard?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, unless you have a way to let me trade places with someone back home,¡± Luke said ruefully.  He had no doubt it wouldn¡¯t be that easy, and indeed the Salesman shook his head.

    ¡°Such a feat is well beyond my capabilities,¡± he admitted.  ¡°Even if I were able to do so, I suspect that you would be unable to pay the price.  There may be methods to do what you seek, but,¡± he shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t help you.¡±

    Luke nodded.  It was hard to feel too disappointed; he¡¯d only just come up with the idea after all.  If anything, the fact that the Salesman suggested it might be possible was encouraging.  Whatever he said, Luke was sure he knew far more about the subject than anyone else in Crater.

    After a few more pleasantries, the Salesman indicated that they should return to the Committee.  Once back with the group, he clapped his hands together. ¡°Well, I believe that concludes the business before us today.  With your acquiescence, I will take what¡¯s already been gathered here.¡± He gestured towards the ever-growing pile dropped off by the trucks.  ¡°I shall return tonight for the rest. The shipment will be delivered as usual.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Sarah said.  ¡°It has been a pleasure as always, Sales.  Safe travels.¡± After short farewells from several other Committee members, the Salesman strode over to the pile of what¡ªto Luke¡ªlooked more or less like junk.  The tall figure bent down over the nearest item, a glass bottle, and¡­

    Luke blinked.

    The bottle was gone.  He didn¡¯t pick it up, and unless he was using some kind of sleight of hand he didn¡¯t stow it in a pocket or pack.  No one else seemed to notice; the Committee members were talking amongst themselves, and none of the trucks had returned yet to drop off their haul.

    ¡°Um,¡±  Luke said.  ¡°How did he¡ª¡± Several of the Committee members glared at him, and Sarah held up a finger to forestall him.

    ¡°Please refrain from any questions until he departs.¡±

    Right.  Stymied, Luke returned his attention to the Salesman, determined to see what he was doing to the objects.  But no matter how closely he looked, his efforts were in vain. The tall being would no sooner touch whatever item he was interested in than it would disappear, prompting him to move on to the next.  He did this with everything¡ªglass, clothes, an old dog collar¡ªbut it was when he vanished the mattress that Luke became truly astonished. There was certainly no way he was stuffing that in his back pocket.  Eventually, the boy had to concede that all the Salesman was doing was touching the items he¡¯d bought. Perhaps it was similar to the ability Felix and Felicity had described, though he doubted that the being would bargain for everything here only to erase it from existence.  It was one thing to discuss something like that with Felix, another to see it with his own eyes.

    After the first few minutes, the members of the Committee started drifting away one by one.  Luke was too fascinated by the process he was observing to follow suit. Angela stayed back, but otherwise only Sarah remained with him on the dam.  Finally, after nearly an hour of making objects vanish, the pile was reduced to nothing. The Salesman looked up and gave them one final wave, before he disappeared as well.  There was no fanfare, no light or noise or apparent action on his part; one moment he was there, and gone the next.

    ¡°What the fuck,¡± Luke muttered under his breath.  He must have have spoken louder than he thought because Angela nodded her head in agreement.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it before, but it doesn¡¯t make it any less weird.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Sarah agreed.  ¡°The Salesman has been perhaps the most vital resource available to Crater for years now, but that fact has done little to make his powers or origin any less inscrutable.¡±

    By unspoken agreement the trio started back towards the town.  They didn¡¯t get very far before a truck passed them, loaded up with more bartering goods to drop off at the dam.  Apparently Sarah hadn¡¯t exaggerated when she said that the process would be going on all day.

    ¡°What do you know about him?¡± Luke asked.  ¡°He told about his information rule, but have you managed to find out anything?¡±

    ¡°Very little,¡± Sarah said.  ¡°As you saw, he has the ability to remove objects from the environment and presumably store them elsewhere, as well as vanish himself.  We¡¯ve compared notes with other settlements that he has regular contact with, and he is capable of appearing there far faster than the time it would take to walk.  There¡¯s little evidence to show whether this is by teleportation or some other mechanism.¡±

    It made little difference in the end to Luke¡¯s mind.  The Salesman had disappeared from the dam to go somewhere else.  That was teleportation of one kind or another.

    ¡°Clearly, the most likely explanation is that he hails from another universe.  We have no way to confirm this theory, but it seems a reasonable assumption. This is further supported by the types of goods that he is most eager to trade for.  Most of them were fairly common in the old world, even if production is difficult now. In the past he placed a premium on the barter of any kind of ceramics, particularly processed clay and porcelain.  More recently he has started requesting glass over all else, lowering the value he is willing to provide for clay pieces. Why he wants these specific products and why the requests change over time, we have no idea.

    ¡°As I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen by now, he has access to processed goods that are simply impossible to acquire anywhere else, such as fuel and bullets.  It¡¯s not an exaggeration to state that it would be impossible for Crater to support the population it does without the Salesman¡¯s contributions. In addition, he offers a few materials that we suspect do not originate from Earth at all.  The walls of your log cabin, for example, were bought from him. Everything he offers is available in near-infinite quantities, or at least enough that he has never expressed a shortage of anything we wish to trade for.¡±

    They passed through the checkpoint at the entrance to Crater, Sarah nodding at the security team as she continued her lecture.

    ¡°There are limits to what he can acquire, however.  Anything too technologically advanced or with too many moving parts is apparently beyond his ability to obtain.  Batteries, for example. We¡¯ve had to make do with the few rechargeable batteries we¡¯ve scavenged that are still functional.  I have also been curious for some time now as to how he is able to produce bullets of multiple calibers without access to any kind of guns, but as with everything else he remains close-lipped on the matter.¡±

    Sarah shook her head.  ¡°I can say that over the over the years of interaction with him, I personally have never found him anything other than honest and forthright.  Most of the community leaders had the same reaction upon seeing his appearance that you did, Luke, but I believe it says a great deal about the character he has displayed in his encounters with us that nearly all of them have overcome their initial dislike.  Some in the Committee are quite prejudiced against anything or anyone that originates from another world.¡±

    Luke wondered if that included himself.  Even the idea made him angry, since the Committee had played a large part in bringing him over in the first place.

    Sarah paused for a moment.  ¡°What else¡­to be honest, there is little more information we have about the Salesman.  It does sound foolish now that I say it aloud that we know so little about someone so crucial to our settlement, but between his embargo on information and our own desire not to upset him, we have decided it to be prudent not to force the issue.  It¡¯s possible other settlements may know more, he does trade with any large enough group, but I am not even certain what avenues they would take to pursue such information. Perhaps I should have Sammy reach out¡­¡±

    She seemed to be speaking more to herself by that point, but Angela chimed in.  ¡°He trades with individuals too. I know for sure Dad barters with him pretty regularly for stuff that he doesn¡¯t get from here.¡±

    Sarah looked over her, a trace of annoyance in her expression.  Luke wasn¡¯t sure whether it was from Angela interrupting her musings or the fact that she brought up Carver.  Either way, she didn¡¯t have much more to say on the subject. Luke felt bold after his conversation with the Salesman and asked about another subject he¡¯d wanted to bring up for some time.

    ¡°What about other sources of information?  Like how you found about out nihil and Tethers, could you learn more about the Salesman that way?¡±  He tried to make his tone innocent, but Sarah gave him a piercing look.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s¡­not possible.  I can¡¯t expand on the subject any more than that.¡±

    Luke felt a flash of irritation.  ¡°Even though it has to do with me directly?¡±

    ¡°Even so.  It isn¡¯t just my decision.  There¡¯s a number of factors you aren¡¯t aware of¡­I apologize that I can¡¯t go into any more detail.¡±

    He wanted to push more for her to tell him, but he could tell just by her expression that he wouldn¡¯t get anywhere.  After a few more minutes they reached Sarah¡¯s office. There were residents lined up to the door, prompting her to sigh.

    ¡°Sales days are some of the most tedious.  Everyone feels the need to report their neighbors¡¯ contributions, or lack thereof, to my office personally.  I¡¯ll be listening to pointless arguments well into tomorrow, I expect. I suppose I¡¯d better get to it. Luke, Angela.¡±

    She strode into the building, ignoring the pleas of people in line about whatever issue they had.  Luke saw through the open door that the maze of desks were used as impromptu barriers, herding the crowd into a back-and-forth line.  Two other people were already seated and listening to the residents¡¯ complaints, looking bored.

    Once she was gone, Luke quickly said his goodbyes to Angela as well to wander the streets of Crater alone.  Between the encounter with Sandy and his introduction to the Salesman, he had a lot to think about. Two potential routes for finding a way home, two dead ends.  He didn¡¯t doubt that there were other options he could explore, but unless Sarah had a change of heart and gave him the source of her knowledge¡ªwhich seemed unlikely at best¡ªhe didn¡¯t have the slightest idea where to begin.

    His worst problem was a lack of information.  Crater was a good place, a safe place, but Luke doubted that the majority of residents would know any more about the kinds of forces he needed to find than he did.  They may have been in this world far longer than him, but most of them were perfectly content to stay at home and lead as close to an ordinary life as they could.  Under most circumstances, Luke would have been more than happy to do the same, but ¡®ordinary¡¯ for him meant returning home to live out his life there. What he needed to know just wasn¡¯t possible to learn in the settlement.  Which left only one option, but just the idea of it made Luke break out in a cold sweat. He spent the rest of the day pacing the streets, blind to where he was walking, trying to think of any alternatives. Absent a way to force Sarah or the Committee to tell him where they got their information¡ªwhich could lead to his expulsion from the settlement if he fucked it up¡ªthere was only one option.

    He would have to leave Crater.

 Interlude - Earth

    Reports are still flooding in regarding what is now being called a ¡°mass shared dream-like experience¡± by experts and the ¡°Sleepocalypse¡± on internet forums.  The vision appears to have been experienced around the globe, with accounts reported as far as Portugal, Brazil, Egypt, and possibly beyond. Opinions vary widely regarding the vision¡¯s content, with some fascinated by the supernatural elements on display, while others take a dimmer view.  Joining us now is Mary Vicker, founder and chair of the CRFV, Committee for the Return of Family values to give us her feelings on the subject.

    ¡°Hi John.  This so-called ¡®dream¡¯ was an abomination.  Whether it was natural or caused by some unknown criminal, it has caused incalculable damage that will resound for generations through our country.  My twelve year old twins, like every other sleeping child in America, dreamed of green monsters with bare breasts running through the wilderness. What mother is prepared to have a conversation on the lewd nature of these visions?  What mother should have to? To say nothing of-

    Deb flipped off the TV, unwilling to listen to the inane report on the same topic for the fourth night in a row.  It had been wall to wall coverage ever since the night of the dream, with little new information to show for any of it.  Real life was hardly any better. Almost anyone who had experienced the vision¡ªwhich was more or less anyone asleep by 12:30 on that Sunday night¡ªtalked about nothing else.  Discussions, theories, debates on causes¡­it was exhausting, especially if you didn¡¯t care all that much. Not that Deb wouldn¡¯t have been fascinated under other circumstances, but she had other priorities at the moment.

    Her son was missing.

    And this damn dream meant that getting any help was near impossible.  Everyone was sympathetic, to be sure, but no one had the attention span to focus on her problems with this weirdness going on.  Especially once they knew that she hadn¡¯t seen her son in person for the last two years. The police had been polite, but all of their questions had been pointed, their interest visibly lessening with each answer.

    No, he didn¡¯t live with her.  Yes, he lived in a different city.  Yes, they went long periods without talking.  No, it hadn¡¯t been a week since she had been unable to contact him.  It was infuriating! There might be distance between them, but her son picked up the phone like clockwork every month she called.  Deb knew in her bones that something had happened to her boy, even if no one else did.

    She¡¯d only turned on the news in the first place in some vain hope that they would have a segment about missing persons, maybe get the word out.  It had been a long shot, especially since no one had even contacted her about it, but Deb could feel herself getting increasingly irrational with worry.  Five days since their scheduled call. She hadn¡¯t dared blow up his phone with calls and texts in case there was an explanation and he got annoyed, but her hope faded each day he stayed out of contact.

    The worst part was the waiting.  Going into work, knowing that her routine was important, but unable to do anything useful for her child.  It was frustrating to be in Kansas, so far from anywhere she might make a difference. If she was in Los Angeles¡­

    Deb bolted up on the couch, prompting the cat in her lap to yowl bitterly.  She could do that. She could fly out to LA, find her son. He¡¯d agreed to give her his address so she could send him letters and presents, and she knew the college he attended.  Surely someone there would have some clue as to what happened to him. If nothing else, the police where he actually lived should be informed about his disappearance. And if it turned out he had just turned off his phone and was safe and sound, well¡­at least she¡¯d know,  He couldn¡¯t begrudge a mother¡¯s worry.

    Her mind raced ahead, considering the logistics.  She had plenty of sick days saved up, and it was slow this time of year at the shop anyway.  There would probably be a yoga class and workout that she would miss, but this was more important.  Say three days for the trip and come back on the fourth morning. Flight, hotel, food¡­she could swing it.  It was a lot easier to save up in a household that consisted of one person and one cat. Shit, Melody. The tabby would eat all the food in a day if she just put a big bowl out.  Maybe her neighbors could feed her for a few days. And if not, hell, this was a Kansas suburb. There had to be mice and squirrels around that she could hunt.

    The piercing meow¡ªreally more of a shriek¡ªthat gave the cat her name came as she pawed at the door.  Mechanically, Deb got up to let her out, stepping carefully to avoid the rotund feline. She watched her waddle up to a meticulously cut shrub and take two tries to jump on top, walking away with an air of dignity that dared anyone to suggest her movements were anything less than graceful.

    Maybe relying on the cat¡¯s hunting skills wasn¡¯t the best idea.

    Still, Deb had a plan in place now, and already felt better for it.  She texted her boss that she would be out for a few days and set about buying the plane tickets.

    Technically Deb had a computer¡ªand even a smartphone since her sister in Maine had insisted on buying her one for Christmas¡ªbut she hadn¡¯t ever really gotten comfortable using the internet for anything other than Facebook.  So she booked the flight by phone, pleased that they still had spots available on the plane the next day.

    The rest of the night she spent packing and considering her approach to find her son. Presumably he would have roommates, though she had never met them.  He had refused any money she had offered, and it was hard to imagine a college student making enough to live on their own without support. If they could point her in the direction of her son, great.  If not, they would know what classes he had been taking and give her something to go on.

    More relaxed when she went to bed that night, Deb fell asleep faster than she had in a long time.

    <hr>

    It was a long drive to the airport in Topeka the next day, but at least the place was empty when she got there.  There were friends who could probably have driven her, but Deb couldn¡¯t stand the idea of the small talk she would have to endure if she did so.  Instead, she paid to leave her car in the airport for the next few days while she was in LA. The worker was friendly in a customer service kind of way when Deb went to check in her bag and chatted ceaselessly while putting in her information.

    ¡°Put your bag there, ma¡¯am.  So did you have that dream everyone¡¯s going on about?¡±

    Deb nodded wordlessly, barely listening.

    ¡°Oh yeah, me too of course,¡± the man at the desk said.  ¡°Woke up the next day, thought it was the craziest dream I¡¯ve had in a long time.  Only to find out my whole family had the same one! Crazy. I didn¡¯t even know what any of those people or whatever were in it, but my son said they were elves and dwarves at first, but he wasn¡¯t sure when all those pictures started flashing by.  Something must have caused it, never dreamed anything like that before. Personally, I think it must have been one of those radio waves. There¡¯s so many they use now, there¡¯s gotta be one that can get into your dreams. Ok, here¡¯s your tag.¡±

    Thankfully, the process finished and Deb could leave before she had to respond.  Somehow any talk about that damned dream was starting to anger her, as if the world thought some stupid shared hallucination was more important than the disappearance of her son.  She made her way through security and onto the plane with a minimum of difficulty, her mind already far away in Los Angeles. The flight and layovers blurred together until she finally stepped foot in California, amid the chaos of an airport ten times larger than the one she had come from.

    It was night when she arrived, and Deb considered checking in to her hotel, but the thought of delaying her search for even one night made her stomach clench.  She ordered a taxi and gave him her son¡¯s address.

    The driver wanted to talk about the dream too, but quickly caught the vibe from Deb that she wanted to stay quiet.  She spent the ride looking out the window, marveling at the claustrophobia of the city compared to anywhere in Kansas.  The freeways were closer to parking lots, tall buildings dominated the skyline, and what few stars were visible were filtered through a haze of smog.  Regret wormed through Deb¡¯s heart that she had never been able to see it until now, hadn¡¯t had the slightest idea of what her son¡¯s life entailed. He had made her promise to respect his wishes though, and one of them was not to see him unless he initiated the contact.

    She murmured a quiet prayer for his safety, and that he would understand why she had come if he was still at his home.  After the longest, slowest drive Deb could remember, the driver dropped her off with her pair of bags at the foot of what was obviously an apartment complex aimed at students.  It was all one building with a parking garage on the first floor and no apparent lock or barrier to entry. Despite the late hour, a number of young adults were out on the sidewalk, laughing and heading out to have fun.  It sent a pang through Deb to remember her own college days, even with the worry she felt.

    Shaking off the sudden barrage of memories, she entered and made her way through the complex to find the number he had given her.  Many of the doors she passed were open and people wandered between them freely, laughing and calling out to their friends. The clamor echoed through the hall, creating a friendly, social atmosphere that made Deb¡¯s heart ache.    Before she was really ready, she found herself in front of the apartment labeled with the number she had been sending packages to for the last year. This door was actually closed, and Deb dropped her bags, walked up, took a breath and knocked before she had a chance to second-guess herself.

    A young man opened the door.  His eyes were red and a particularly recognizable scent floated out from within the apartment.  Deb ignored it completely. No judgement. She was not here to judge her son¡¯s lifestyle.

    ¡°Umm¡­can I help you?¡± the young man asked, clearly confused.

    ¡°Hi,¡± Deb said with a smile.  ¡°My name is Deborah Casterley.  I¡¯m looking for my son, Luke. I believe he lives here?¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± the young man said, and paused for an excessive amount of time.  ¡°He¡¯s, uh not¡ª¡±

    ¡°Not here right now!¡±  A girl interrupted, pushing the young man out of the way at the door.  Her eyes looked blessedly clear. ¡°Luke isn¡¯t here. Right, Aggy?¡± she said pointedly to the young man.  ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this, why don¡¯t you go back inside?¡±

    Clearly relieved, the young man¡ªAggy, apparently¡ªwandered back inside the apartment out of sight.  Deb tried to crane her neck to see more of the interior, but the girl narrowed the opening to block the view.  Stymied, Deb gave this new girl a once-over glance. She was Mexican or something, her brown hair dyed with streaks of blonde.  Clearly in for the night, she wore pajamas and thick glasses. A bit pudgy, Deb noted. She smiled at the girl, injected as much friendliness in her tone as she could.

    ¡°Aggy, huh?  Must be a story behind that name.¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± the girl replied, deadpan.  ¡°He¡¯s from Davis.¡±

    Deb¡¯s plastered smile faded a bit.  ¡°So you said Luke¡¯s not here right now?  Do you know if he¡¯ll be back later tonight?¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.  Maybe try calling him?  Sorry I can¡¯t be more help.¡±  She tried to close the door, but Deb stuck her foot in.

    ¡°I did try to call him.  That¡¯s actually why I¡¯m here.  He hasn¡¯t responded to any of my messages and he¡¯s always so punctual, so I¡¯m just checking up on him.  When was the last time you saw him? Do you know where he went?¡±

    The girl hesitated.  ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t think I should tell you any of that.  Luke told us a little bit about you before. If he didn¡¯t call you back, maybe he just doesn¡¯t want to talk to you.¡±

    Deb¡¯s voice grew colder.  ¡°I just want to see my son.  Can you help me with that or do I have to go to the police?¡±

    Instantly, the girl¡¯s eyes turned hard.  ¡°Good luck with that. Weed¡¯s legal now, remember?  Call the cops and all that happens is they find out there¡¯s a crazy woman here trying to force her son to love her.¡±

    She finally managed to slam the door shut in Deb¡¯s face, leaving her alone in the hallway.  She considered pounding on the door, but it probably wouldn¡¯t accomplish anything. The girl¡¯s manner made her think that she was telling the truth that Luke wasn¡¯t there, but she didn¡¯t seem particularly worried as if he was missing, either.  If he wasn¡¯t at home, where was he? With more questions than when she started, Deb left the building and summoned another taxi to take her to the hotel. It was too late now, but she still had one more lead. Hopefully the university would be more helpful in finding her son.  Any information they had was probably confidential, but they wouldn¡¯t refuse a worried mother, surely. Surely.

    <hr>

    ¡°How dare you deny me my rights as a mother!  My son could be abducted, or lost, or dead for all you know, and you won¡¯t even tell me what classes he¡¯s taking?  What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    She knew that the tirade was attracting attention and even felt a little guilty about taking her frustrations out on the attendant behind the desk who was clearly just doing his job, but after the tensions of the last week it felt impossible to just bottle it up and leave empty-handed.  Not that her outburst seemed likely to change that.

    ¡°As I just explained, ma¡¯am, it¡¯s not just school policy, it is federal law that I am unable to furnish any information regarding students to individuals without a release to receive such information.  You¡¯ll have to contact your son and have him sign a release in order for us to be able to give you his class schedule.¡±

    The official kept an air of impeccable calm in the face of Deb¡¯s heated words.  It was like arguing with a particularly well-spoken brick wall. Which only infuriated her further.

    ¡°Bring him here and we would do it in a second!  But you can¡¯t, because no one knows where. He. IS!¡±  The last word made the jump from vehement argument to outright shouting, at which point Deb regained some measure of self-control.  Forcing the man to call campus security would do nothing to help find Luke.

    Before he could respond, she silently turned on her heels and stalked out of the registrar¡¯s office.   Her last lead, up in smoke after half a day of investigation. She tried to conjure up any scrap of memory of her conversations with Luke that might help her, but nothing useful presented itself.  Truthfully, she¡¯d always done most of the talking when he called, desperate to keep him on the line as long as possible. He had mentioned some friends in passing, but all she had were first names to go on, and she¡¯d already seen the kind of reception that would likely wait for her if she did manage to locate any of them.

    She paced through the campus, lost in a haze.  No matter how she approached it, her search for Luke appeared to have hit a dead end.  His friends hated her, the campus wouldn¡¯t talk to her, and in one of the biggest cities in the world there was a near-infinite number of places he might be.  It couldn¡¯t have been more difficult to find him if he was trying to hide from her. For the first time, Deb seriously considered the possibility that that was the case.  He had clearly shared at least some of his feelings about their relationship with the girl at his apartment, already making her wary when Deb came asking around. And despite her indignation at the registrar¡¯s office, Luke had plenty of opportunity to allow her access to his school records.  In her heart of hearts, Deb could guess what his answer would be if he were here and she could ask him directly. She¡¯d always held tight to the desperate belief that he still loved her, even after all that happened. Now the first tendrils of doubt were creeping in, and she wondered if he didn¡¯t want her to be able to find him.

    Unbidden, tears welled up at the corners of her eyes.  She wiped them away to avoid ruining her makeup, but they wouldn¡¯t stop.  Her son was a stranger. She didn¡¯t even know him well enough to know where he would go beyond home and school.  Hell, she couldn¡¯t even say if he had decided to just¡­cut contact. They were half-estranged already, really. Maybe the entire thing had been one enormous overreaction on her part.  Deb thought that she could live with that as long as she knew he was safe. Either way, he probably wouldn¡¯t be happy even if she managed to find him. Flying across the country, antagonizing his friends, yelling at the school¡­a half-hysteric giggle escape as she considered her actions from outside her own perspective.

    ¡°Jesus.¡±

    The familiar voice broke Deb out of her self-pitying reverie, bringing her back to awareness of her surroundings.

    She was walking along a brick path through a perfectly manicured park in the middle of the campus.  Standing nearby, looking at her wide-eyed with a set of books in her arms was the same girl who had shut the apartment door on her the previous night.  Behind her, a disheveled man walked up and down the pavement with a painted sign proclaiming that ¡°The Dreams Foretell the End of All Things¡±, shouting at anyone who got close.

    Suddenly self-conscious, Deb rubbed at her face, but she knew the streaks of mascara must have already been far too visible to hide.

    ¡°I guess you had a rough morning, huh?¡±  Deb bristled at the tone of sympathy from a girl less than half her age, but the tattered shreds of her dignity kept her from displaying it outwardly.

    ¡°The buildings on this campus have some of the most ridiculous architecture I¡¯ve ever seen.  This is a university, not a Roman coliseum.¡± Deb paused as the absurdity of the non-sequitur hit her, then shrugged internally.

    Off to one side, the doomsayer was working himself into a frenzy.  ¡°Those who share in the dream shall share of heaven¡¯s bounty!  Only the wicked are denied the visions of God!¡±

    ¡°Uh huh,¡± the student said, smiling slightly.  She studied Deb, seeming hesitant. After a moment she appeared to come to some kind of decision and exhaled.

    ¡°Look, I really have to get to class right now, but if you come back to my apartment after six tonight, maybe we can talk more.

    ¡°And what exactly do we have to talk about?¡± Deb asked, glaring.  She hadn¡¯t forgotten the girl¡¯s parting words from the previous night.

    ¡°To deny the truth of the dream is to deny your own desire to be saved.  All things come unto those who have faith in the Lord!¡±

    ¡°Well, I figured Luke mostly, but if you¡¯re gonna be a bitch about it we can skip the whole thing.¡±  She shrugged. ¡°Come or don¡¯t, doesn¡¯t make much of a difference to me. I have to go.¡±

    She hurried off, leaving Deb alone with the crier who was still screaming at no one in particular.

    ¡°The deviant are blocked from the eye of God and His visions of truth!  His benediction shall touch neither the masturbator, nor the atheist, nor the homosexual.  Only the deserving shall be saved!¡±

    ¡°Shut the fuck up,¡± Deb muttered before walking to the nearest bathroom.

    <hr>

    For the second time in as many nights, Deb found herself standing outside her son¡¯s apartment door.  This time she felt unaccountably nervous, as though she were a girl standing outside the door to the principal¡¯s office.  Shaking off the feeling, she knocked against the wood.

    The same girl opened the door and allowed Deb to step inside.  She still looked dressed for class, though now she went without socks or shoes.  Deb glanced around the room. It was a fairly typical example of what she expected of a college apartment.  Torn couch in front of a large TV, kitchen that looked like it could use a thorough cleaning, carpet with mysterious stains scattered throughout.  The smell of pot lingered, though the girl was the only person immediately visible and she seemed as sober as the night before.

    ¡°Go ahead and have a seat,¡± she said, following her own advice and plopping down on the couch.

    Deb glanced down and saw stains fresh enough to make her hesitate.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stand, thanks.¡±

    ¡°Whatever makes you happy.  Why are you looking for Luke?¡±

    Deb raised an eyebrow.  ¡°I told you. He¡¯s always very regular about our calls and now its been several days without contact.  I¡¯m worried about him.

    ¡°Ok,¡± the girl said.  ¡°But why are you looking for him?  He said you haven¡¯t seen each other in years.  And that it didn¡¯t go well the last time he left.  What made you drop everything to fly halfway across the country based on a call missed by someone you barely talk to?¡±

    Deb stiffened.  ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s any of your business, but he¡¯s not someone, he¡¯s my son.  And really, I could ask the same of you.  Less than twenty-four hours ago you said I was trying to ¡®force him to love me¡¯ and slammed that door in my face.  Why talk to me now?¡±

    The girl was quiet for a heartbeat.  Then she sighed. ¡°Honestly, because when I saw you today at the park, that wasn¡¯t the face of a batshit crazy mom trying to control her son.  You looked genuinely scared. So I thought I¡¯d at least try to see if you¡¯re doing this for the right reasons. So what are the reasons?  Why are you in Los Angeles?

    Deb stared back.  Anger stirred at the idea that this girl would presume to act as judge for her relationship with her son.  She opened her mouth, unsure what would come out, but before she could speak one of the doors off of the living room opened and hit the wall behind it with a bang.

    Aggy shuffled in the living room, looking around aimlessly.  ¡°Izzy, have you seen LeBong James? I can¡¯t find him anywhere.¡±

    The girl closed her eyes in irritation.  ¡°I don¡¯t know where your fucking bong is, Aggy.  The living room¡¯s mine tonight, get the fuck out of here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going, but I can¡¯t leave until I find LeBong.  Just help me, it¡¯ll be faster.¡±

    ¡°Vete a la mierda,¡± Izzy muttered.  A knock came at the door.

    ¡°What the fuck now?¡± she said.  She got up and cracked it open. Deb looked over but couldn¡¯t see who the girl was speaking to.  From her body language it seemed to be something serious.

    Deb wandered toward the door, more out of desire not to speak to Aggy than anything else.  The visitor was speaking in a low tone.

    ¡°-anything that could help us find him?¡±

    Her heart pounding, Deb shoved her way past Izzy into the opening at the door.  ¡°Excuse me, I couldn¡¯t help but overhear that you¡¯re trying to find someone?¡±

    A woman in a professional suit stood at the threshold, bemused at the sudden addition to the conversation.  ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I was just asking about a previous resident of this apartment. Luke Casterley?¡±

    Izzy finally gave in and opened the door all the way, but Deb glared at her.  ¡°Previous resident?¡±

    The newcomer nodded.  ¡°That¡¯s correct. Are you acquainted with him?  There is a¡­search going on for him, and any information you might have would be helpful.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Deb said excitedly.  ¡°I¡¯m his mother. I¡¯ve been looking for him too!  That¡¯s why I¡¯m here, actually. I¡¯ll help any way I can.¡±

    ¡°I was his roommate for a long time,¡± Izzy said, cutting in.  ¡°I want to help too.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± the woman said.  ¡°In that case, would the two of you mind accompanying me?  We have a location for formal interviews not far from here.¡±

    The two women glanced at each other, but didn¡¯t complain.  Izzy quickly put on a pair of shoes and told Aggy he was on his own.  They left the apartment, walking through the complex and out to the sidewalk in silence until they reached a black SUV parked on the curb.  Deb noticed that it was in a no parking zone, but didn¡¯t seem to have been disturbed. The professional got behind the wheel, and once they were moving, Deb couldn¡¯t contain herself any longer.

    ¡°Do you have any leads on where Luke might be, ma¡¯am?¡±

    The woman glanced back from the driver¡¯s seat, expression unreadable.

    ¡°You can call me Detective Howitz.  There¡¯s nothing concrete on your son yet.  Our department is rather¡­specialized. The investigation is still in the early stages.  As soon as we learn anything, you will be the first to know, Ms. Casterley.¡±

    Deb nodded.  There was silence for several minutes until Howitz cleared her throat.

    ¡°There is one question you might both answer for me now, though.  Ms. Cano, Ms. Casterley¡­tell me, what do you know about the mass dream that occurred last week?¡±

 1.10

    Luke had never used a pickaxe before in his life, so the rusted metal and rotting wood of the tool did not give him warning that the head might fly off of the tool.  Caught off guard, he failed to do anything other than stare in horror when he felt the weight in his hand lighten and saw that he was holding nothing more than a thick stick.  Pointed and heavy, the head had been dulled by the years, but was made of solid metal and still looked more than capable of caving someone¡¯s head in. It flew toward Anthony as if he had a magnet on his forehead, but the boy had excellent reflexes and managed to duck under the wayward implement.

    He started to glare in Luke¡¯s direction, but collapsed in a fit of laughter instead when he saw the other boy¡¯s face.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Luke said hastily, running toward him.  ¡°I don¡¯t even know how that happened! I was¡ª¡±

    Anthony waved him off as he regained control of himself.  ¡°You¡¯re fine. Most of this stuff needs to be reglued anyway.  But you looked so scared¡ª¡± He broke off as another giggle escaped him, the sound oddly contradictory with his large frame.

    Embarrassed, Luke grabbed a spare pickaxe to avoid responding and returned to work.  He regretted it immediately as his whole body screamed in protest. It was only the second day he had been with the builders, and he had yet to develop the strength needed for this type of manual labor.  He had exercised some back home, but it was mostly light running when preparing for a job like this would have required heavy weightlifting. So far the day had been torture, but Luke refused to give up without a proper try, especially with Anthony there.

    Anthony¡ªTony, he reminded himself, he disliked his full name¡ªwas one of the main reasons Luke had chosen this assignment in the first place.  He had jumped around in the month since he met the Salesman, testing out different jobs to find one he liked best. Sarah had suggested it after Naomi finished showing him everything in town.  If Luke had really pushed for it, he might have been able to get away without having a job at all, but that sounded like a nightmare. Sitting around with nothing to do all day while the other residents grew resentful was about the worst scenario he could think of.  But he¡¯d never done most of the jobs in Crater, so he¡¯d started testing the waters before committing.

    Tony, on the other hand, had been working under his father as long as he could remember.  As the Committee member in charge of construction and development, he wanted his son to follow in his footsteps and potentially take his place someday.  Luke had spent a lot of time around Naomi, but had had little opportunity to get to know everyone else who was at the house the night Abby invited him. So while he doubted that construction would be his calling, he took the opportunity to spend more time around Tony.

    Now, however, he was regretting that decision for more reasons than one.  His body ached, he was embarrassed of the flying pickaxe, and it was hot.  There wasn¡¯t a cloud in the sky, but even dry as it was Luke was soaked in sweat.  He glanced over at Tony. The latino boy had chosen to work barechested rather than suffer, but he had much darker skin and was much more fit.  Without easy access to sunscreen, Luke figured he would end up absolutely fried, not to mention look ridiculous if he tried the same thing.  Maybe working in construction wouldn¡¯t be the worst thing if he could end up looking like that.

    Not that it was really an option anyway.  He still planned to leave Crater, at least temporarily.  But he needed to move carefully for fear of anyone finding out his motives.  They were unlikely to take his plan well, considering that people in Crater had been the ones to arrange for him to be brought over in the first place.  He¡¯d already managed the first step, getting permission to go out. After some convincing, Sarah had come around to the idea of his joining the next caravan to go trade with other settlements.  It might not be the most useful journey for accomplishing his goals, but it would give him a better idea of what to expect outside the safety of Crater while staying protected with a larger group.  Exactly when he¡¯d leave was up in the air, as the schedule depended on the arrival of other caravans, the kinds of goods the Committee wanted to acquire, the weather patterns of the area¡­it was a complex system that Luke didn¡¯t understand in the slightest.

    For now, he was content to work with different groups inside the settlement itself.   While construction (a misleading name, since they¡¯d only broken things down during the last two days) was by far the most physically demanding job Luke had tried, Tony was fun to work with.  Better than other people he¡¯d been stuck around, anyway. One of the first assignments he¡¯d attempted was working in the kitchens, but quickly learned that the cooks had absolutely no patience for anyone who couldn¡¯t work fast enough, regardless of how inexperienced they were.

    Luke had also received an offer from Cael to work at Schellings, the proper name of the old world clothing store that Naomi had graffitied.  After long thought, Luke turned him down. He liked the environment of the store, but couldn¡¯t get past the attitude Cael had toward Naomi. She might be a bit wild and occasionally thoughtless, but she was his friend now, and he couldn¡¯t bring himself to work for someone who had treated her so poorly.  Even if that treatment might have been justified.

    Tony shouted to the crew, breaking Luke out of his musing.  ¡°We¡¯ve got a good start here. Let¡¯s go eat.¡± Luke and the other four crew members dropped their tools in relief.  Despite his young age, Tony¡¯s experience and family connection meant that he was in charge of the demolition today. They all started off towards the kitchens, Tony hanging back to talk to Luke.

    ¡°You¡¯re not bad for someone who says they¡¯ve never swung a hammer,¡± he observed.  ¡°If you can get your flying pickaxe under control, you could make a decent builder.¡±

    ¡°I doubt it,¡± Luke said.  ¡°I¡¯ll probably collapse before I get back to my cabin tonight, we¡¯ll have to see.¡±  Tony gave a short laugh.

    ¡°Well, you bitch about it less than the guys who fill in for the regular teams, so you¡¯re okay in my book.  It¡¯ll get easier if you stick with it.¡±

    Luke nodded.  Tony went on before he could say anything.

    ¡°¡®Course, I¡¯ll be gone for a while pretty soon if you do decide to stick with it.  I¡¯m going with the next group of traders to make the rounds with some of the nearby settlements.  I¡¯ll probably be gone a month, at least.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Luke asked, shocked.  ¡°Me too! Sarah already approved it.¡±  Then the rest of what Tony said sank in.  ¡°Wait, a month? I thought it was going to be a week or two tops.¡±

    He thought the other boy seemed less than surprised at the revelation that Luke would be with the caravan too, but maybe it was just his personality to stay unruffled.  In any case, he grinned at Luke¡¯s sudden deflation.

    ¡°Nah, we should be going to some of the closest settlements, but even most of those are at least a week away.  Plus I heard we might be making a trip up to the elves. I think they¡¯re much farther than anywhere else we might go, so that would make it even longer.¡±

    The elves again¡­Luke still had trouble accepting that they were real, but no one else seemed to share his incredulity.  Hell, no one else had even heard of the things before they appeared in reality. Apparently no one had ever written about elves or dwarves in the fiction of this world.  Going up there sounded like a good opportunity, though. Who better to ask about returning home than a group of creatures that had migrated themselves? It gave him hope that this controlled foray out of Crater might be more than a huge waste of time.

    ¡°So do you know when we¡¯re leaving, then?¡±

    Tony snorted.  ¡°No, but feel free to ask Morton if you want to see him absolutely lose his shit.  He hates when people ask him that, not even the traders know ahead of time. I used to hang around them a lot, they complain about it constantly.¡±

    Luke recognized the name as the Committee member who primarily dealt with the logistics of trade with other settlements and population control.  He ensured that Crater¡¯s population didn¡¯t rise too high and kept the various caravans on schedule. Apparently he had a reputation for having a bit of a temper.

    They arrived at the kitchens and ate with the rest of the crew.  All of them were older than Luke and Tony by a good amount, which Luke guessed was why Tony spent more time around him.  Residents around their age in their early twenties were very rare, as they would have had to survive as babies when the Empty arrived.  Still, the others were friendly enough, and lunch passed without incident.

    The rest of the day went smoothly too, if painfully.  Luke was relieved when Tony called for them to stop near sunset.  The house they were demolishing was more or less in pieces, but they also needed to ensure that all of the materials they took off of it were small enough to transport for later use or trade to the Salesman.  It was a long, slow slog to break the stone walls into pieces, one that Luke was more than happy to leave behind. They returned to the kitchens one more time, Tony still poking fun at Luke for losing his pickaxe handle and how slowly he had to move to avoid screaming in pain.

    Halfway through their meal, a woman Luke had never met before came and sat down at their table next to Tony.

    ¡°Thank God you¡¯re here, I didn¡¯t want to have to run all over looking for you.  Morton gave the green light, we¡¯re setting out the day after tomorrow.¡±

    Tony nodded.  ¡°Thanks for the heads up Ella, you know Morton wouldn¡¯t have told us anything till we got our asses kicked out of bed that morning.¡±

    She looked toward Luke speculatively at his inclusion, but turned back to Tony.  ¡°You might be surprised, actually. He wants everyone who¡¯s going to see him, sunset tomorrow.  No idea why. You¡¯d better go, and your friend too if he¡¯s coming with us, or the old man will blow his top.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll be there,¡± Tony said firmly.  ¡°And yeah, this is Luke. He¡¯s coming too.¡± Luke introduced himself to Ella, who it turned out was one of the traders assigned to their caravan.  She stayed for a few more minutes, talking to Tony while Luke stayed quiet next to him. After she left, Luke groaned.

    ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡± Tony asked, glancing at him.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll be back to normal in two days.  I¡¯ll be surprised if I can get out of bed to go to this meeting tomorrow without wanting to die.¡±

    Tony just laughed.

    <hr>

    In the end, he made it to the meeting without contemplating suicide, though that had a lot to do with the fact he was getting away from the cabin.  In the past month Sandy had visited him several times to hear more stories, but on the nights she was absent the nightmares were as strong as ever. He associated them so strongly with the room he slept in that it was impossible for Luke to even look at the gray walls without shuddering.  It had crossed his mind to put up posters or paintings to cover them up, but anything decorative was difficult to come by in Crater.

    With the news that they¡¯d be setting out soon, Tony had the two of them taken off the builder crew.  The lack of a job and his intense soreness led Luke to stay in bed most of the day and read a book that he¡¯d managed to pick up around town.  Near sunset he set off for the meeting, his pain slightly improved. Tony had given him directions to Morton¡¯s office, but even knowing where he was going Luke was the last one to arrive.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Or at least he assumed so.  There were so many people crammed into the building that he couldn¡¯t imagine too many more were coming.  Aside from Tony and Ella, he was surprised to see a few more familiar faces as well. Angela was present with a contingent of security guards, who went along on any caravan trip.  There were more than Luke expected to see however, almost a dozen men and women whose sole job was to provide protection. The real surprise came when he saw Abby and Felicity sitting on the ground together near the back.  Luke hesitated when he saw that Tony was over by the traders, but the two women waved him over and he hurried to join them.

    ¡°You¡¯re both going on the trip?¡± he asked.  ¡°That¡¯s not normal, is it?¡±

    ¡°Not for me,¡± Abby said.  ¡°Liss goes out on them all the time, though.¡±

    The other girl shrugged.  ¡°The traders feel better with an unmaker, even with security.¡±

    Luke still hadn¡¯t seen the girl or her brother ¡®unmake¡¯ anything, but he could see how the ability would reassure someone out beyond the settlement.

    ¡°Honestly,¡± she continued, ¡°I probably won¡¯t even have to do anything, no one¡¯s ever been attacked while I was there.  It¡¯s a bit of a waste of time, but it¡¯s not like I have much else to do anyway.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Luke asked.  ¡°What if you run into something like a Bleeder?  Do the security people just take care of it?¡±

    ¡°Those things are rare, Luke,¡± Abby said.  ¡°It was unbelievably bad luck you ran into one on the way here.  I can probably count on one hand the number of times anyone in Crater¡¯s even seen one, and there¡¯s always a few caravans circulating through the area.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±  Carver had made it sound like he¡¯d tangled with the things before, but then again he was traveling almost constantly from what Luke could tell.  It was reassuring to hear that they weren¡¯t all over the place. ¡°So why are you going, Abby?¡±

    ¡°Medical aid.  With this many people, Sarah told Adriana she wanted someone on hand just in case.  I offered since Tony and Liss were already going.¡±

    Luke had learned that the woman who Sarah had summoned when he had a panic attack his first night in Crater was actually the head doctor for the settlement.  She wasn¡¯t a Committee member, but she was influential nevertheless. Abby worked under her, learning medicine as best it could be done with such limited resources.

    He was about to question them further, but at the front of the room a short man with white hair stepped in front of a desk¡ªthe only furniture in the space¡ªand slammed his fist down on it, causing silence to overtake the room.

    ¡°Quiet!  Since everyone who deigned to show up is already here¡±¡ªhe glared toward Ella for some reason, who shrugged¡ª¡°we might as well start.  This is the biggest caravan we¡¯ve sent out for some time, so we need to¡ªSHUT UP!¡± he roared toward one of the security guards who had been whispering to someone next to her.  Morton¡¯s temper had not been oversold to Luke. The small man¡¯s face was turning a violent shade of red, and he waved a yardstick threateningly in the offender¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Are you done?  Your job is to stay quiet while I talk for the next twenty minutes, or I will shove this stick so far up your ass you¡¯ll be tasting wood for a week.  That goes for everyone in this room, including the Tether in the back, there.¡±

    Luke froze like a deer in headlights as everyone¡¯s attention turned to him.  His mind went absolutely blank under the pressure, but thankfully after a moment Morton kept talking.

    ¡°He¡¯s the reason there¡¯s so many of you going.  Gotta give him a tour of the whole fucking world, but naturally we can¡¯t take any chances with his safety.  So we need a full security team plus one of the weirdo twins and one of Adriana¡¯s girls.¡± He paused, and Felicity and Abby waved awkwardly.  ¡°Oh, and Tom¡¯s kid is going too. Full fucking house.¡± Tony rolled his eyes at the underwhelming introduction, but apparently even he didn¡¯t dare interrupt the man.

    Over the next half hour Morton detailed the routes they¡¯d be using and the settlements they were to visit.  Luke got the sense that the traders in the room were already familiar with the different trails and paths, but he was glad to get a sense of scale for the trip.  They were indeed scheduled to go to the elvish settlement on the last leg of the journey, a fact which caused some low whispering that even Morton tolerated. For a few seconds anyway.

    ¡°Ok, shut your goddamn traps.  I know that they¡¯re posted up in the ass end of nowhere, but that¡¯s the way it shakes out.  I¡¯m putting the whole trip at a month and a half, and if you fuckers are late it¡¯ll throw off my whole schedule.  So help me God, I will keep you out of Crater until you rot if you try to roll back in two months from now. That is not hyperbole, do not test me on this.  Stick to the schedule.¡±

    After a few more general threats to the room at large, Morton called a halt to the meeting.  Everyone started to filter out in the groups they came in, By mutual agreement, Luke, Abby, and Felicity waited for Tony by the door.  He was with the traders, who all laughed as they gathered their things. Luke envied the other boy¡¯s ability to be sociable with nearly anyone he¡¯d seen him with.  He wondered if it came from being the son of a Committee member.

    ¡°Wonder what had Morton in such a good mood,¡± Tony said, joining the three of them as they returned to the streets of Crater.

    ¡°He did make quite a scene, didn¡¯t he?¡± Abby observed with small smile.

    ¡°Yeah, I thought people were exaggerating about him, but that guy¡¯s insane,¡± Luke said, shaking his head.  ¡°How the hell did he end up in charge?¡±

    Tony shrugged.  ¡°The Committee probably wanted a scapegoat for when people have to be kept out of Crater.  It¡¯s not an accident that he ended up in charge of population control. It¡¯s a job that pisses a lot of people off, and Morton has absolutely no problem with that.¡±

    ¡°Plus, he¡¯s actually good at it,¡± Felicity said.  Tony glanced at her, but said nothing. Luke hadn¡¯t seen the two of them interact much, but there had been some tension since the night he met them.  ¡°He maximizes the number of caravans we send out without letting too many people back inside at once.¡±

    ¡°Is there really that many traders that it¡¯s a problem?¡± Luke asked.

    Felicity made a waffling motion with her hand.  ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure, but I think there¡¯s around fifty people out on the trails at any one time.  If a caravan¡¯s delayed and they get back late, sometimes they have to camp outside Crater for a while.  It probably wouldn¡¯t be an issue, but no one wants to push it. The population¡¯s at the limit of everyone¡¯s comfort level as it is.¡±

    By that time, the sun was nearly set, shrouding everything in the cover of dusk.  Abby and Felicity made their goodbyes a few minutes later and turned down a different street, toward the hotel where they both lived.  Tony continued on with Luke, as his dad¡¯s house was closer to the cabin.

    ¡°Sorry that Morton singled you out like that,¡± he said, his face hidden in the low light.  ¡°To be honest, I think I probably had as much to do with the higher security as you. My dad has been pushing for me to go with a caravan for a long time, but I wouldn¡¯t put it past him to lean on Morton for extra guards.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not your fault,¡± Luke said.  ¡°But I hope no one blames me for getting stuck with this assignment.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯d better keep it to themselves if they do,¡± Tony said, a surprising heat in his voice.  ¡°It¡¯s just us once we¡¯re out there, there¡¯s no one else to rely on.¡±

    ¡°What about the other settlements?¡± Luke asked.  ¡°Aren¡¯t they the whole reason we¡¯re going?¡±

    ¡°Sure, but trusting them only goes so far.  We trade with them because it¡¯s beneficial to both of us, but everyone we meet out there has different goals and plans.  None of them want to see Crater grow at the expense of their own home, it¡¯s only natural. That goes double for when we get up to the elves.  They¡¯re not even the same species, the only reason they would offer any support is if it served their own self-interest. If we¡¯re ever going to bring civilization back to what it used to be, Crater folk have to be self-dependent..¡±

    It was a cynical outlook, but some of the points made sense.  Luke thought Tony might be a bit too pessimistic about other people¡¯s motives, but he didn¡¯t want to start an argument.  He had little doubt the other boy would defend his beliefs vehemently if challenged.

    ¡°Have you ever seen an elf?¡± he asked instead.

    Tony shook his head.  ¡°No, this¡¯ll be my first time leaving Crater since we settled here.  That¡¯s part of the reason my dad¡¯s been pushing me to go. Should be interesting to see someone from another world.¡±

    ¡°You have someone from another world right here,¡± Luke said, acting insulted.

    The other boy snorted.  ¡°You don¡¯t count. I don¡¯t even remember you came from somewhere else most of the time, unless you do dumb shit like trying to grab at peoples¡¯ hands.¡±

    ¡°That was one time!¡± Luke protested.  Naomi had gleefully spread the story around after his first day.  ¡°It¡¯s normal in my world!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, your world is full of creeps then.  I don¡¯t need anyone pulling on me with their dirty fingers.¡±

    ¡°We wash our hands!  And it¡¯s not that bad, look.¡±  He took Tony¡¯s arm and positioned his hand into a proper handshake.  He took it and stiffly gripped Luke¡¯s hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I guess,¡± Tony said, but looked uncomfortable.

    ¡°Alright, fine,¡± Luke laughed.   ¡°I guess you people aren¡¯t ready for a civilized greeting yet.¡±

    Tony just shrugged.  Luke frowned and tried to talk to him again, but his whole demeanor had changed.  After several failures to get more than one or two word answers, Tony suddenly stopped at a cross street.

    ¡°It¡¯s faster if I go this way,¡± he said.  ¡°Good night. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, Luke.¡±  He hurried off without waiting for a response.

    Luke walked back alone, wondering what had prompted the sudden change. Had the handshake bothered Tony more than he thought?  Back in the room that he loathed, he climbed into bed and resolved to apologize the next day. Falling asleep was difficult for a different reason than usual that night; Luke spent hours cringing over his actions with Tony.

    <hr>

    They set off early the next day.  All told, the caravan consisted of four wagons loaded with goods, eight horses paired off and harnessed to each wagon, and more than twenty people.  Luke didn¡¯t expect to know anyone going besides his friends and Angela, but there was one more familiar, scowling face among the band of travelers.

    ¡°You¡¯re still here?¡± Luke asked in surprise.  ¡°I thought you left ages ago.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well,¡± Carver said, glaring toward Angela.  She gave him a sunny smile in response. ¡°That was the plan.  Things change.¡± Characteristically, that appeared to be all he had to say on the subject.

    Angela rolled her eyes.  ¡°He¡¯s agreed to grace us with his presence as far as Darkend.  Although I¡¯m starting to wonder why I bothered.¡±

    ¡°Me too,¡± Carver said, his voice surly.  ¡°I could get there in half the time on my own.¡±

    The pair started bickering, while Luke spotted Tony farther from the wagons.  Hurrying over, he saw that Tony was talking to an older man with strong resemblance Luke recognized as his father.

    ¡°You listen to the traders and guards while you¡¯re out there, Tony,¡± his father said.  ¡°You¡¯re not in charge, they are. Mind yourself. We haven¡¯t lost anyone in a carvan in a long time, and you¡¯d better not do anything stupid enough to make you the first.¡±

    ¡°I know, dad,¡± Tony said in a long-suffering tone.  ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± His father wrapped him up in a hug, catching sight of Luke as he broke away.

    ¡°Our resident Tether!¡± he said in a hearty voice.  Luke disliked being introduced that way, but stayed quiet.  ¡°Tony tells me you two have been talking a little bit!¡±

    Luke nodded, and he went on.  ¡°That¡¯s fantastic. I¡¯ve said before it¡¯s a shame he doesn¡¯t get the opportunity to be around many people his age.  It¡¯s just too bad you aren¡¯t a young lady, eh?¡± His tone was playful, but Tony¡¯s expression went flat beside him.

    ¡°He was a good boss when I was with the builders,¡± Luke said.  He didn¡¯t intend to touch the other thing with a ten-foot pole.

    ¡°Yes, and feel free to come back any time,¡± the elder Aguero said.  ¡°We can always use more strong young men with a work ethic.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Luke said awkwardly.  ¡°We¡¯ll see when we get back from the trip.¡±

    ¡°Right. This trip,¡± he said, growing more serious.  ¡°I want to ask you for a favor while you¡¯re out there.  I know we haven¡¯t spoken much, but please. Watch out for my son.¡±  Tony looked embarrassed, but the worry on his father¡¯s face touched Luke.  He was clearly uneasy about his son venturing out, even if it had been his idea.

    ¡°Of course I will,¡± Luke agreed.  ¡°We all will.¡±

    ¡°Good.  Well I wish you boys and everyone else a safe journey.  Maybe you can come on over once everyone¡¯s back safe and sound.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.  Thank you.¡±

    Tony and Luke headed back towards the caravan.  Luke tried to start his rehearsed apology, but the wagons began rolling out of town and they had to hurry or be left behind. A few other people also jogged over to catch up, including Felicity who had been hugging her brother goodbye.  Luke took a deep breath as he walked across the boundary of Crater, back into the world that¡ªhe hoped¡ªhid the secret of how he might find a way home.

 1.11

    Despite the reassurances he¡¯d been given that it was rare for traders to run into danger while traveling to other settlements, Luke found himself continuously scanning the environment while they traveled.  Every field of tall grass, every car piled on the roadside, every sloping hill could be hiding something that wanted to kill them. Just a month in Crater was all it had taken to forget the uncertainty of traveling in this world.  Luke never quite managed to convince himself that they were safe.

    He did have to admit though, that it was much better with the caravan than it had been when he was alone with Carver.  The people were friendlier for one, and more willing to indulge his inquiries. His friends seemed bemused by his paranoia, but humored him nevertheless.  At least Abby and Felicity did; Tony was still acting distant for no reason Luke could discern. After the first couple of days on the road he gave up on trying to talk to the other boy¡ªevery time he did, Tony seemed to look for an excuse to end the conversation as fast as possible.  His demeanor hurt Luke, and after the first couple of days he sought out other people to ask their advice.

    ¡°Honestly, he can be a tool sometimes,¡± Felicity said with a shrug when he asked her.  ¡°He¡¯ll get in these moods where he¡¯s just pissed at the world. I don¡¯t talk to him much, but  it probably doesn¡¯t have anything to do with you.¡± She hadn¡¯t spent very much time talking to anyone, as far as Luke could tell.  Since leaving Crater, Felicity had been sitting in the back of one of the wagons for hours each day, doing nothing but watching the terrain go by.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you two get along?¡± he asked.

    She sighed.  ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d say we don¡¯t get along, but I guess that¡¯s one way to put it.  We¡¯ve been arguing for so long it¡¯s the only way we interact, really. I don¡¯t think either of us has a real problem with the other, or at least I don¡¯t.  Tony hates my job, but he manages to be civil to Felix, so maybe it¡¯s just our personalities.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t like unmaking?¡±

    ¡°No, he¡¯s pretty passionate about taking the world back to what it used to be, and what I do isn¡¯t part of that.  Plus he feels like we never do any real work. I think he picked it up from his dad, he always argues with the other Committee members when they want Felix and I to unmake something.¡±

    Despite the fact that he brought it up, Luke felt uncomfortable talking behind Tony¡¯s back as much as they were.  He changed the subject. ¡°How often do they actually ask you to do it?¡±

    ¡°Not very often.  They¡¯d rather salvage what needs to be gone than have it disappear.  Most days Felix and I spend our time training.¡±

    ¡°Training?  How do you do that?¡±

    She gave him an amused glance.  ¡°By staying quiet and not talking to anyone.¡±  Luke started to apologize, but she waved him off.  ¡°Watch.¡±

    She took a small rock from a pile next to her on the wagon and held it in her palm.  Luke stared for a few moments while she focused closely. He was on the verge of asking if he was missing something when the rock vanished with a small pop.  A smokelike haze wafted around Felicity¡¯s hand where it had been, but it quickly dispersed and there was nothing to suggest the rock had ever existed.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Luke said, impressed.

    Felicity blinked hard and stretched her arms.  ¡°Yep. The great art of unmaking.¡± An undercurrent of sarcasm colored her words.  ¡°Pretty goddamn useless most of the time, but it¡¯s a skill. It fucking wrecks me to do it this much, but it¡¯s not like there¡¯s anything else to do out here.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Luke asked.  He remembered Felix telling him about a ¡®cost¡¯, but Felicity didn¡¯t have any visible scars like what her brother had shown him..

    ¡°There¡¯s always a price.  For me, it¡¯s my blood. Any time I unmake something, some of my cells disappear right along with whatever I¡¯m vanishing.  Felix pays with his skin.¡±

    Luke¡¯s eyebrows rose.  She¡¯d looked pale and tired with dark rings around her eyes since he met her, but he¡¯d thought she was just chronically sick.  To hear that she was doing it to herself made him feel a little ill.

    ¡°Does it hurt?¡±

    Felicity shook her head.  ¡°It does for Felix since the skin has so many nerves in it.  Plus he gets all those gross scars. I just have chronic anemia from losing red blood cells.¡±

    Luke worried that he was annoying her with all of his questions, but what she was saying was fascinating.  ¡°Why does it work differently for you? You can¡¯t do it the other way?¡±

    She shrugged.  ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe it has to do with how we look at things.  You have to focus on what you¡¯re unmaking in a weird way¡­it¡¯s hard to explain.  But neither of us can do it the same way the other can. I can¡¯t start from the outside, and Fel can¡¯t do it from the inside.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Luke asked, frowning.

    She sighed.  ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s tough to explain.  When we unmake something it happens in¡­layers, basically.  When I do it, I have to start from the center. Felix has to start at the outside.  If he¡¯d unmade that rock, you would have seen it get smaller and smaller until it disappeared.¡±

    ¡°That seems so¡­arbitrary.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, we can¡¯t do it any other way.  Trust me, we¡¯ve tried.¡± She sounded annoyed now.  ¡°It¡¯d be nice to be able to choose, but apparently that¡¯s not how it works.  It¡¯s not like we have instructions for how to do it. I¡¯ve only met a handful of people who could unmake, and all of them are stumbling through it the same way as my brother and I.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Luke said.  ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was poorly understood.¡±

    ¡°Well, if I practice enough I might learn something new,¡± she said pointedly.  ¡°Which, again, I have to do without distractions.¡± Luke took the hint and hastily left her to her work

    <hr>

    The caravan followed well-established paths that the traders used every time they left Crater.  For the most part, they stayed on roads that were maintained as carefully as possible, kept intact by all the settlements who used them for trading.  There were stretches where old cars had been hauled to the side of the road to allow room for the wagons, pulled by horses years ago when the trade routes were first getting established.  It looked like a mind-boggling amount of work, but it certainly made their lives easier for this trip.

    Even so, there were a fair number of detours and switchback paths they had to take.  By keeping an eye out for the old rusted signs that marked which roads they were on, Luke realized that the caravan turned off of a major road more than once to take a convoluted trail, only to return to the original road hours or days later.  He guessed that the first settlement they were supposed to reach, Hobble, wasn¡¯t all that far from Crater in a straight line, but the roundabout route they took made the journey a week long.

    ¡°It¡¯s because of the Empty,¡± Ella told him one night around the fire.  Luke mostly stayed with his friends, but the trader woman was friendly and knew a lot about the caravan trails.  ¡°We charted these routes a long time ago to avoid places where there¡¯s a lot of them, or where we don¡¯t know for sure.  It¡¯s not worth it to explore any more than absolutely necessary, even if it would shave a day or two off of a trip.¡±

    From close behind them, Luke heard a snort.  He turned to see Carver passing by with Angela.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that hard to figure out where they are if you have an ounce of common sense.  Just get a map and draw an arrow from the biggest city to the smallest towns. They stopped when they ran out of population centers to destroy.¡±

    Ella frowned at him.  ¡°And what if you miscalculate?  What if they moved later and they¡¯re somewhere you don¡¯t expect?¡±

    Carver shrugged.  ¡°I¡¯m still alive.¡±  That appeared to be the only rebuttal he thought necessary.

    ¡°So are we,¡± Ella retorted.  ¡°We have wagons, Dad. We can¡¯t just run away if we stumble into a nest of Empty.  Traders have responsibilities.  Do you have any idea how much it would set Crater back to lose the goods we have here?¡±

    Luke was taken aback to hear that Ella was also Carver¡¯s daughter.  She was a completely different race than either Angela or Carver. Somewhere in the Middle East, he guessed.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think I have responsibilities?¡± Carver shot back hotly.  ¡°Because I don¡¯t sit on my ass until those idiots want me to do something?¡±

    ¡°I think that I can¡¯t fuck off whenever I want for months at a time without telling anyone.  You know, like my family!  So yeah, you¡¯re right.  You do have responsibilities, you just ignore them.¡±

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough,¡± Angela said, cutting off Carver before he could respond.  ¡°El, he¡¯s been like this for more than a decade. You really think yelling at him will change anything now?¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re taking his side?¡± Ella asked, still glaring towards Carver.

    ¡°¡®Course not,¡± Angela snorted.  ¡°I just know who I can trust to be the adult here.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Ella said after a moment, tossing her hair.  She turned around, no longer acknowledging the man behind her.  Carver glared around at everyone present, including Luke, and stomped away, fuming.

    Angela sighed.  ¡°Sorry about that, Luke.  You spent a few days with him, you know what he¡¯s like.  Imagine growing up with him.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s ok,¡± Luke said.  He admired Ella for standing up to Carver the way she did.  He wasn¡¯t sure he would have the guts to do it with the old roamer staring him down like that.  ¡°He seems pretty stubborn.¡±

    ¡°Oh, he is,¡± she agreed.  ¡°It¡¯s always been his way or the highway.  That was fine growing up, it kept all of us alive, but it¡¯s hard to have a relationship with someone who refuses to compromise.¡±

    ¡°All of us?¡± Luke asked.  ¡°How many of you are there?¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    ¡°Maybe¡­ten or fifteen?¡± Angela said, glancing at Ella.  The other woman shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t think I even know everyone he picked up.  El and I were with him for¡­I don¡¯t even know how long. More than ten years, anyway.  He found both of us pretty soon after everything went to shit.¡±

    ¡°So he runs around saving kids?¡±

    ¡°Well yeah,¡± Ella said.  ¡°Why do you think we still put up with him?  I mean, he saves everyone, but there were a lot of kids whose parents were gone in those days.  Most of them died, but Carver took in anyone he found.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡± It was hard reconciling their words with the picture of Carver in Luke¡¯s head.  He wouldn¡¯t have guessed he had a soft spot for children.

    ¡°The man¡¯s got issues, but he¡¯s a decent parent,¡± Angela said.  ¡°If you¡¯re growing up after the apocalypse, anyway. Most of us didn¡¯t end up too fucked in the head.¡±

    ¡°Remember how much he hated it when we started calling him Dad?¡± Ella said, a reminiscent smile on her face.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s the first argument we ever won.  We wouldn¡¯t have even gotten that if you weren¡¯t as stubborn as he is.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that.  Remember when he refused to let anyone else carry Alex?¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Angela laughed.  ¡°He looked ridiculous going on supply runs with that baby carrier.¡±

    Luke spent the rest of the day listening to stories about growing up with Carver.  He was certain the old man looked over at them a few times, but he never approached.  That night, while sitting around a campfire with his friends, he looked speculatively at the old man, alone by his own fire.  Maybe he wasn¡¯t an asshole as Luke had thought. Or at least not just an asshole.

    <hr>

    Time passed, the drudgery of repetition making it difficult to separate the days.  The wagons rolled on, and Luke followed. His paranoia didn¡¯t lessen, but it did grow dull after so many miles without any sign of a threat.  There were only so many times he could look over at a patch of high-growing grass and wonder what was hiding within before a part of him hoped that it would appear, if only to break up the monotony.

    There was little to do but walk and talk, and while Tony eventually got over whatever issue he¡¯d had with Luke, it still felt a little awkward with him.  Felicity practiced her unmaking for hours each day, and Abby spent a similar amount of time up by the horses that pulled the wagons. Apparently she was the resident vet as well as doctor.  Luke spent some time around Ella and Angela, the only other members of the caravan he felt comfortable with, but he worried about annoying them by hanging around too much.

    As far as he could tell, he was the only one suffering so badly from boredom.  The others found ways to fill the days, or were so used to it that they were unaffected by the tedium.  A common pastime was to hunt wildlife to supplement their stores; the wagons moved so slowly that it was easy to catch back up as long as a trader who knew where they were going went along.  Luke wanted to try it too, but he was virtually the only person with the caravan who lacked some training in how to handle a gun. Without that, he could do little with a hunting team but slow them down.

    Bored and useless as he felt, Luke was relieved when he heard that they would likely reach Hobble the next day.  It would be a change in his routine, and give him a chance to rest from the constant walking.

    ¡°Thank God,¡± he told Ella.  ¡°I hope that we¡ª¡± he cut off as a curious keening sound appeared at the edge of his hearing.  It grew steadily louder until most of the caravan was looking around in confusion. Carver was the first to react.

    ¡°Chromutes!  Get under cover, now!¡±

    In an instant, the caravan turned to chaos.  The fastest to react bolted off of the road, where a number of cars had been pulled off into a haphazard line.  Everyone else took longer, including Luke, who only ran when he realized how panicked everyone else was. He was slow in moving and as he hesitated, looking for an open spot to hide, the keening sound grew louder.  A black cloud appeared on the horizon, moving fast.

    Tony popped up from behind a station wagon, frantically beckoning towards him.  Luke darted in his direction, but the cloud was growing larger. Just before he slid under the car, he glanced over one more time.  The cloud was close enough now that he could make out the individual creatures that made it up. Each one looked like some kind of bird, but much larger and with a swirl of color that didn¡¯t look like any creature Luke had ever seen.  They were still far off, but he saw greens and purples and blues mixed in the coat of each bird like oil reflected in water. He almost hesitated longer to get a better look, but good sense won out and he rolled under the station wagon next to Tony before they got any closer, pushing down the grass that covered his face as he entered.

    The two of them laid there, tense, as the keening grew to a crescendo above them.  Once the creatures were close enough, the uniform sound made by the flock could be distinguished as a cacophony of individual calls, high-pitched and piercing.  Luke was terrified that they caught sight of him before he got under cover, that any moment they would look beneath the car and start tearing into both of them. He didn¡¯t dare move a muscle, even when dirt got into his mouth and made him gag.

    It was probably no more than a minute before the noise started to diminish, but it felt far longer to Luke, every instinct screaming for him to run, to move.  He didn¡¯t relax until the clamor was far off in the distance, almost beyond his hearing.

    He let out a hard breath and turned to Tony, who looked similarly relieved.  They looked at each other for a long moment without speaking. Then Tony leaned over to kiss Luke, who reciprocated after an instant of surprise.  The other boy broke it off as quickly as it started, looking at Luke with wide eyes. Before he could say anything, Tony scrambled out from under the car and returned to the caravan.  Luke laid there a while longer, his thoughts a chaotic jumble. Eventually, he got out from under the car, brushing the dirt and grass off of his clothes before rejoining the others. Felicity, Ella, Tony, and Abby were speaking quietly to each other.  Tony glanced at Luke when he walked up, but looked away quickly and said nothing.

    ¡°I nearly shat myself,¡± Felicity was saying, shaking her head.  ¡°I¡¯ve never actually seen one in person.¡±

    Luke listened, but stayed quiet other than muttered agreement.  His thoughts were quite occupied at the moment.

    ¡°Why are they so dangerous?¡± Abby asked.  I¡¯ve heard the name, but I admit I know little about them.¡±

    ¡°Chromutes are voracious little fuckers,¡± Ella said.   Several others in the caravan turned to listen to her. ¡°They don¡¯t get along with people on general principle, and they¡¯re not afraid of fighting.  It¡¯s not smart to scrap with one if you can avoid it, even if you start getting the better of them they¡¯ll just change shape into something else.¡±

    That was enough to get Luke¡¯s attention.  ¡°What?¡± he asked sharply.

    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Ella nodded.  ¡°We stumbled across a group of them fighting a bear a few years back.  They like to stay as those birds from hell like we just saw, but that time¡­let¡¯s just say they¡¯re capable of doing some freaky shit and leave it at that.¡±  The memory seemed to unsettle her, which unnerved Luke on its own. She¡¯d been fearless whenever he spoke to her so far.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t they take the horses?¡± Abby asked as she calmed the animals.  They¡¯d been spooked by the noise of the flock, but were well-trained and hadn¡¯t tried to run.  ¡°I would have thought they¡¯d eat such easy prey before leaving.¡±

    ¡°There were too many of them.¡± Ella said, sounding grim.  ¡°If they were hunting it wouldn¡¯t have been more than four or five.  With that many? That was a warband.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re that smart?¡±  Luke asked, drawn into the conversation despite himself.  The glimpse he¡¯d gotten of the creatures had suggested a flock of animals.  A warband suggested a higher intellect.

    ¡°Absolutely.  It¡¯s hard to say for sure, but I¡¯d guess they¡¯re on the level of something like a dolphin.  Maybe even sapient. They¡¯re definitely smart enough to investigate a few wagons out in the middle of nowhere.  We¡¯re lucky they were focused on something else or we¡¯d have had a much bigger problem.¡±

    Abby cocked her head.  ¡°What do you think they were after?¡±

    ¡°Chances are some idiot shot one down and let the others escape.  Chromutes go absolutely batshit if they lose one of their own. That¡¯s another reason it¡¯s a bad idea to fight them.  You kill one, the other five¡ªbecause they never go anywhere on their own¡ªrun back to the nest or wherever they come from and bring back a group like the one you just saw.  Unless they¡¯re already far, far away, someone¡¯s day is about to get real fucked up. ¡±

    ¡°Jesus.¡±  As if Luke didn¡¯t have enough to worry about.  Now he¡¯d be keeping an eye on the sky everywhere they went, too.  Plus...he looked over at Tony, but the other boy wouldn¡¯t meet his eyes, turning away.

    After a short discussion amongst themselves, the traders decided that since the chromutes had not been traveling in the direction of either Hobble or Crater, they would press on as normal.  The march resumed with Luke cursing himself for wishing for more excitement. At least he had plenty to think on now.

    Tony¡­in retrospect, Luke felt like an idiot for not figuring it out.  But he¡¯d hardly been looking for romance, and Tony had never seemed gay.

    He regretted the thought as soon as he had it.  People in past had told him that he didn¡¯t act gay, and he always found it offensive, as if his orientation had to determine the way he behaved.  But the thought hadn¡¯t crossed his mind that Tony was interested in men, probably because he wasn¡¯t out. That was the only reason Luke could think of for his reaction, at any rate.  Having figured that much out, Luke had absolutely no idea what to do next. He was far out of his depth, with no one he could ask for advice. His own coming out had been¡­less than ideal, and the absolute last thing he wanted was to be the cause of that for anyone else.

    Hell, he didn¡¯t even know if Crater tolerated homosexuality, conservative as the general consensus was in the community.  There certainly hadn¡¯t been any gay couples walking around that Luke had seen. And that wasn¡¯t even taking his own feelings into consideration!  His only goal at the moment was to get away from this batshit world, and nothing to do with Tony was likely to help him in that regard.

    The more he thought about it, the more it seemed like a bad idea to get involved.  He¡¯d probably only end up making Tony¡ªand maybe everyone in Crater¡ªhate him. Better to just let the whole thing go.

    Which would mean he would basically never talk to Tony again.  Luke didn¡¯t have so many friends that he was ok with the idea of losing one.  Not to mention that all of his other friends were also friends with Tony, which would make it hard to avoid him.  The whole thing was starting to take the shape of the kind of teenage drama Luke was fervently thankful he¡¯d never had experience with.

    On the other side of the coin, he¡¯d already resigned himself to the fact that finding a way out might be a long-term undertaking.  And, if he admitted it to himself, Tony was fun to be around.  And easy to talk to.  And definitely good-looking.  And probably gay and confused about it.  Luke remembered well the feeling of hiding a part of himself from every single person in his life.  Even with the way it had all turned out, he couldn¡¯t imagine having to go back to that. If nothing else, maybe he could help Tony with that confusion.  But then there was the possibility again that his help would only worsen everything. Luke¡¯s thoughts twisted around over and over through the rest of the day and evening, with no firm decision to show for it by the time he went to bed.  Tony still wouldn¡¯t look him in the eye, and the whole situation triggered his anxiety almost as badly as all the monsters.

    He tossed and turned in his bag that night, sleep a long time in coming.  For once, it wasn¡¯t because he was worried about the nightmares.

    <hr>

    With the morning came resolve for Luke.  And a plan. He would let Tony make the first move.  The other boy had taken the initiative to kiss him, he knew where to find him if he wanted to talk about it.  That way he wouldn¡¯t be intervening where his help wasn¡¯t wanted, and his friendship might have a chance to survive.  His decision did little to unclench the pit in his stomach when he caught sight of his friend, but it was the best solution he could think of.

    The atmosphere of the caravan was still subdued when travel resumed.  Caught in his own troubles, Luke hadn¡¯t realized how much the close encounter with the chromutes had shaken the traders.  Even the security team didn¡¯t completely alleviate their fears, and there were a lot more people glancing around the scenery the way Luke did.

    Fortunately, according to the traders most familiar with their route, they were on track to reach Hobble by midday.  The region they were traveling through was getting hilly, and their destination was set right in the center of a valley according to Ella.  Which didn¡¯t make the hills they traversed any easier for Luke to handle. He was gaining strength and stamina, but still had a long way to go to match most of the traders and security team.  He fell well behind the wagons on each incline, exhausted by the time he reached the top. The fact that he couldn¡¯t even keep up with the horses harnessed to a loaded wagon was embarrassing, but there was nothing for it but to keep pressing on.  He looked up while climbing a particularly steep slope to see that everyone else had paused at the top. Worried that the whole caravan was waiting for him, he pushed himself to move faster. A minute or two later he crested the top apologizing to everyone nearby.  The words stuck in his throat when he caught sight of the valley below, realizing the real reason the caravan had stopped.

    Hobble was on fire.

 1.12

    A column of smoke rose up from the far side of the valley, a flickering glow visible beneath it as Hobble¡¯s fields burned.

    Viewed from above, the settlement looked like a fair-sized town; a third of the land within the valley was devoted to urban development, while the remaining acreage had been converted to farmland.  It might have been bigger than Crater by square footage, though that was deceiving as the population was at most a tenth of the size. The fields were on the far side of the valley from the caravan, and from their position it looked like at least a quarter of the land was already aflame.  A soft haze coated everything visible below them, the smoke trapped by the higher elevation all around. Half a dozen men and women were visible perhaps half a mile away, spread out around the road that led toward the town. They were looking inward and had yet to see the new arrivals, but the occasional glint off the sun betrayed the guns in their hands.

    Predictably, Carver was the first to act.

    ¡°Everyone move back down the hill so they don¡¯t see us if they happen to turn around.  Leave a few guards with the wagons and noncombatants, but anyone else with a gun who knows how to use it, we¡¯re going down there.¡±

    Despite the general attitude of contempt for roamers from most of the residents, no one argued with him.  After complying with his orders to move back, the traders, Luke and his friends, and three guards clustered around the wagon.  The rest of the security team moved to Carver, pulling out their weapons.

    ¡°What if they¡¯re with Hobble?¡± A man asked as he inspected his gun.  A lot of the attacking group looked pale, with taut, worried expressions.  They may have had marksman training, but as far as Luke knew, no one in Crater had been involved in a firefight for years.

    ¡°They¡¯re not,¡± Carver responded grimly.  ¡°They¡¯re waiting to catch anyone who runs out of town.  There¡¯s probably teams like this posted at all the roads out of Hobble.  Whatever they want, they¡¯re making sure no one escapes to spread the story.¡±

    The atmosphere turned even more tense in the wake of his pronouncement.  Carver looked around at the group of ten or so with him and nodded.

    ¡°All right.  There¡¯s no cover between the top of the hill and that first group down there, so we¡¯re going to have to move quickly and hope like hell they don¡¯t turn around until it¡¯s too late.  You¡ª¡±

    Felicity, hovering around the edge of the conversation, interrupted Carver¡¯s speech.

    ¡°I can get them from the top of the hill.¡±  The old man paused to look at her.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m an unmaker.  I don¡¯t need to get any closer.¡±

    Carver considered her words for a moment and nodded.

    ¡°If you¡¯re confident you can manage it, do it.¡±

    She walked back to the top of the hill and looked down towards the settlement.  Carver stood next to her, watching impassively. Luke couldn¡¯t see what happened next from his vantage point, but after no more than thirty seconds, a single wordless shout floated up from that direction, followed by silence.  He saw Carver look at the girl appraisingly.

    ¡°That was good.  Even if we got them by surprise, my way would have been louder.  How much more can you do today?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªA lot, I think,¡± Felicity said.  ¡°The heart¡¯s hollow.¡± She sounded quiet, and Luke had to strain to hear her words.  Carver looked back and beckoned to the attack team.

    ¡°All right, you¡¯re coming with us then.  No one shoot until you know if someone you see is one of the attackers or if they¡¯re from Hobble.  Keep your voices low and stay together.¡±

    With that, the attack team ran over the top of the hill and vanished from sight. Luke crouched down and closed his eyes, focusing on staying calm.  He didn¡¯t feel close to having a panic attack, but the speed of his heart worried him. The others spoke in low tones, their voices barely registering to his ears.

    ¡°How long are they going to be gone?  Do we wait until they get back?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t say to do anything, we should just stay out of sight.¡±

    ¡°Why are we even here?  We should have left and let Hobble take care of whatever the hell this is.¡±

    ¡°I notice you didn¡¯t have the guts to say that to his face.¡±  That was Ella. Her voice was angry, cutting. ¡°You think we should leave a whole settlement to die?  You heard my Dad. They¡¯re organized and stopping anyone from escaping. This is going to be a slaughter, if it isn¡¯t one already.¡±

    A moment of quiet followed her words.  The last person to speak, someone with a nasally voice Luke didn¡¯t recognize, was the first to respond.

    ¡°Crater folk can only rely themselves, right?  Well that goes two ways. Crater residents are risking their lives down there, using Crater bullets for Hobble¡¯s people.  No offense to Carver, but he¡¯s barely a resident. If he wants to get himself killed for people he doesn¡¯t even know, that¡¯s his prerogative.  The rest of us are here to trade. We should have moved on to somewhere we can do that and get back home in one piece.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re pathetic,¡± Ella sneered.  ¡°If you think¡ª¡±

    Luke did his best to tune out the rest, as the argument was only boosting his anxiety.

    After a few minutes, he felt a hand on his shoulder.  ¡°Hey, are you ok?¡± He glanced up to see Abby looking at him with concern.

    ¡°Fine.¡±  While his heart was still beating fast, none of the other symptoms had come on yet.  He felt under control at the moment.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to be fine,¡± Abby said.  ¡°Crater¡¯s security is the best at what they do.  And there can¡¯t be that many people attacking Hobble.¡±  Her words were confident, but the look in her eyes betrayed her worry.

    ¡°I know.  I¡¯m just not good in situations like this, but we should be safe over here.¡±  Luke gave her an attempt at a smile and stood back up. While he was trying to calm himself, the rest of the caravan had apparently reached a consensus.  No one was arguing, anyway, and Ella was looking around as if daring anyone to complain. Not that it mattered much, Luke figured. Carver and the security team had already left, and it wasn¡¯t as if anyone here was about to go bring them back.

    ¡°How do you think the fire started?¡± he asked Abby, more to occupy himself than out of honest curiosity.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said, shaking her head.  ¡°It looked like it was out in the fields, so someone out there might have been trying to get people¡¯s attention or something¡­it could get bad if this doesn¡¯t get resolved soon.  Putting out fires is hard enough as it is.¡± Neither of them had to say what the result of that would be. Without crops to feed their residents, Hobble would die as surely as if each of them got a bullet to the head.  There was just no other way to feed a few hundred people.

    Luke¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by the crack of a gunshot.  Rather than far off in the valley, the sound was close enough that he instinctively ducked and covered his head.  After a few moments, his ears ringing, Luke turned toward the direction he thought the sound came from to see half a dozen strangers all pointing guns toward the twelve or so people still with the wagons.  They were five men and one woman, with no real similarities between their appearance or clothing except for the fact that every article they wore was old and tattered, some of it looking like it should have been tossed long ago.  One of them stepped forward, a younger man with one of the sleeves on his shirt torn off.

    ¡°Freeze, all of you!¡± he roared, firing his handgun in the air to punctuate his words.  The horses pawed at the ground in discomfort, but none panicked or started running. Out of the corner of his eye, Luke saw two of the security guards still with the caravan draw their own guns.  Another of the attackers pushed Sleeveless¡¯ hand down and trained his weapon on the pair of armed security. The rest of the attacking group followed suit.

    ¡°There ain¡¯t no reason for things to turn deadly,¡± the man by Sleeveless said.  He was older, his hair receded far to the back and sides of his head. ¡°Two a you ¡®gainst six of us ain¡¯t good odds.  Put those down and we ain¡¯t gonna hurt ya.¡±

    Before the guards could reply, another close shot rang out, making everyone flinch.  One of the men behind Baldy collapsed and started screaming, throwing curses out in the air.  The other five exploded into motion as the pair of guards opened fire. Two more of the attackers fell in the opening volley, one writhing on the ground while the other went still where he landed.  Those that were still standing fired back, but their aim was poorer and all of their shots went wide of their targets. Everyone without a weapon scattered, running every direction in the chaos.

    Luke tried to bolt himself, but failed to look around and took a path that went right in front of Baldy.  The older man reached out and grabbed his collar, hauling him in front of himself.

    ¡°Put them guns down!¡± he yelled.  He shoved the barrel of his pistol against Luke¡¯s head.  Luke felt like his breath evaporated. He couldn¡¯t breathe, didn¡¯t dare move a muscle.  He squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the final bang.

    Instead, he heard a clatter and a satisfied grunt from the man holding him.  ¡°Good. Your friend too, wherever he¡¯s hidin¡¯. Get out here!¡±

    ¡°Shoot ¡®im, Stu!¡±  Sleeveless yelled. He was one of the ones still moving on the ground.  ¡°They fuckin¡¯ got me! Kill ¡®em!¡±

    ¡°Shut the fuck up,¡± Baldy said dispassionately.  ¡°You made a real fuckin¡¯ group decision when you went out here guns blazing ¡®gainst a group twice our size.  You got off lucky, far as I can tell. And I¡¯m still waiting for you to get the fuck out here before I blow this kid¡¯s brains out.¡±  He yelled the last sentence loud enough to echo around the hill.

    There was a moment of silence in the wake of his words.  Luke opened his eyes in time to see the third security member crawl out from behind one of the wagons.  She looked vaguely familiar, but he had never learned her name.

    ¡°You can¡¯t hurt him,¡± she said, placing her gun on the ground and stepping away.  ¡°He¡¯s a Tether, you¡¯ll fuck up everything.¡±

    ¡°A what?¡± Stu asked.  Luke felt removed from the situation, like it was happening to someone else.  ¡°I don¡¯t care if he¡¯s the king of the fucking Empty, you twitch and he¡¯s gone.  ¡®Melda, go get those guns.¡± The woman in his group stepped forward carefully to collect the weapons, watching the guards for any sign of movement.  Once she was done, the other man behind Stu spoke up.

    ¡°Should we tie ¡®em up, Stu?¡±

    ¡°With what?¡± Stu said, glancing back with contempt.  ¡°You hiding some rope up your asshole? Nah, we got the guns, we¡¯re just gonna have to give them incentive to behave themselves.¡± He held his gun up suggestively.

    With his other hand, he released Luke, who gasped and fell to his knees once the pressure of the barrel against his skull vanished.

    ¡°Any a you know how to bandage a wound?¡± Stu called out.  No one answered, but enough people glanced toward Abby that he pointed at her.

    ¡°Bind up Gil and Kian with some of that cloth in the wagon.  Leave Tommy, he¡¯s dead or will be soon.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t¡ª¡± Abby protested, but Stu interrupted her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care.  If you don¡¯t know how, just tie a knot where it¡¯s bleeding.  Either way, load ¡®em up in the wagon once you¡¯re done.¡±

    Without any other option, she moved to follow his instructions.  She ripped strips off of a length of cloth that had been taken for trade and quickly bound the wounds of the two men.  Several traders helped her clear spaces in the wagons and carry them in. Luke couldn¡¯t tell if she did a good job or not, but neither of the men complained.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    While she bandaged the attackers, Luke focused on keeping himself under control.  The full implications of what had just happened to him were sinking in. Controlling the impending panic attack was difficult.  One of his typical symptoms was a feeling of impending doom, and it was hard to convince himself that he was being irrational when a very real danger was actually present.  But he managed to regulate his breathing, the biggest factor in his episodes, and stave off the episode. He was functioning for the moment, but Luke wasn¡¯t sure how long that would last.

    Once he was able to open his eyes, Luke noted that a few people had escaped in the chaos; there were only eight or nine of them left with the caravan.  Ella in particular was nowhere to be found. Where they might have gone, he had no idea. There was no obvious cover on the road or among the low brush that dominated the landscape, but going into town seemed like a stupid idea.  Shortly after Abby finished her ministrations, several of the traders hopped back in the driver¡¯s seat of the wagons, following Stu¡¯s demands, and started guiding the horses back up the hill.

    It quickly became apparent, if Luke had still harbored any doubts, that Stu was the one in charge of this group of bandits or whatever they were.  The others followed his lead and rarely questioned him, even when he went against what they said. In one way this was a positive development. Stu wasn¡¯t trigger happy and didn¡¯t seem eager to kill anyone, even after they had done the same to one of his own.  On the other hand, the rest of them seemed pretty dumb, but Stu was smart enough to keep control of his prisoners. He had himself and the two walking members of his group fan out into a semicircle behind the wagons, giving the caravan no direction to move but forward.  The pair who had been shot kept a lookout from the back of the wagons to make sure no one snuck up on them.

    They followed the road back into the town without incident.  Stu noticed the bodies at the entrance, but didn¡¯t react other than to frown and kick one over onto its back.  He didn¡¯t seem particularly upset by the casualties, Luke noticed. The bandits didn¡¯t change their formation inside the town itself, but they did appear less sure about which direction to take.  Stu called a halt a few minutes after entering to confer with his comrades out of earshot of the caravan group.

    While they were occupied, Abby sidled up to Luke.

    ¡°How are you holding up?¡± she murmured.  He shrugged, glancing over at their captors to ensure they weren¡¯t looking at him.

    ¡°Managing,¡± he said, staying as quiet as possible.

    ¡°Good,¡± she said.  ¡°If we can find Felicity and the others, they should be able to handle this.  We just need to find an opportunity.¡±

    ¡°I think we might be able to make our own opportunity,¡± Luke said.  The beginnings of a plan were forming in his mind.

    <hr>

    ¡°I need to change his bandage.  It¡¯s too loose, he might bleed out.¡±  Stu narrowed his eyes at Abby¡¯s words.

    ¡°So now you know how to do it?  How¡¯d that change in the last twenty minutes?¡±

    Abby scowled and looked away.  ¡°Turns out I don¡¯t have what it takes to watch someone die because of something I did.¡±  Stu looked at her closely. Watching out of the corner of his eye, Luke marveled at Abby¡¯s acting ability under pressure.  After outlining his idea she had only taken a few moments to center herself and it was like she was a completely different person.

    After a few moments, Stu sighed.  ¡°Fine. Not like you can do much damage with a piece of cloth, anyway.¡±

    Abby walked halfway back to the cart before turning around again.  ¡°Can I have someone help me? It¡¯s hard to tie it with one person and you have him looking out.¡±

    ¡°Whatever, just hurry up,¡± Stu said.  He kept the wagons moving in one direction.  They seemed to be heading toward the fields that were on fire, though why that might be Luke couldn¡¯t fathom.

    ¡°Great.  Luke, can you come over here?¡± Abby asked.  He followed her to the wagon where Sleeveless was still watching over the side.  Several of the caravan members, including Tony, frowned over at them, but were too wary of the attackers to speak.

    Sleeveless glared at them when they came over, but his expression quickly changed when Abby told him what she¡¯d said to Stu.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna die?¡± he asked, a tremor in his voice.  Luke blinked at the one-eighty in his demeanor, but was thankful for it.  It was a good sign that the man was so gullible.

    ¡°Not if I can help it,¡± Abby said firmly.  ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Gil,¡± he said, closing his eyes.  ¡°Oh, God, I already feel woozy. It really hurts.¡±

    ¡°Stay with me, Gil,¡± Abby said with an admirable attempt at a worried tone.  ¡°Let me take a look here.¡±

    She peeled off the blood-stained rag on his leg used as a bandage before¡ªwhich was quite tight¡ªand hissed at the wound beneath.  It looked bad to Luke¡¯s inexperienced eyes, and he wondered if their hasty plan might not have a bit of truth to it.

    ¡°Fuck.  I wasn¡¯t sure before, but I think it might have nicked an artery,¡± Abby said.

    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Gil asked, panicked.  ¡°You can fix it, right?¡±

    ¡°Maybe if I was a full doctor¡ªbut no.  I can slow it down, but you¡¯ll keep losing blood if we don¡¯t get you to someone who knows more than me.¡±  Now Luke thought she might be overdoing the anguish in her voice for someone who¡¯d threatened to shoot her less than an hour ago, but it seemed to work for Gil.

    ¡°Wait, but we can get to someone in time right?  You can slow it down, we can find someone?¡±

    ¡°What about Adriana?¡± Luke asked Abby.  ¡°She went with the other group, right?¡±

    Her eyes widened.  ¡°Yes. She¡¯d definitely know what to do.¡±  She turned to Gil, a glint of hope visible in his eyes.

    ¡°If we ask Stu, would he make a detour so we can find the doctor in our group?¡±  Luke held his breath. This was the important moment. The whole plan hinged on the fact that Stu hadn¡¯t seemed to care whether anyone in his group lived or died, but if it turned out he and Gil were actually cousins or something the whole thing was fucked.

    But after a moment of intense thought, Gil¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°I don¡¯t think so. That guy¡¯s cold-blooded, he doesn¡¯t give two shits about anyone.  There¡¯s no way he¡¯d slow down to take care of me.¡±

    ¡°We have to do something,¡± Abby said.  ¡°I might not be a full doctor, but I won¡¯t let a patient of mine die without a fight.¡±

    ¡°Is there any way we can sneak away?¡± Luke asked, trying to inject the proper note of concern in his voice.

    ¡°Not on that leg,¡± Abby said, shaking her head.  ¡°We¡¯d never make it. We need the wagon.¡±

    Gil¡¯s look turned shifty.  ¡°You promise you¡¯ll get me help?  When they both nodded, he exhaled hard and spat to the side.  ¡°Fuck it. Crater ain¡¯t worth this. We¡¯re gonna have to get him out of the way.¡±

    Both Luke and Abby stiffened at the settlement¡¯s name, but quickly moved past it.  There was no time to explore what he meant.

    ¡°You¡¯re right.  What if we¡­¡±

    Luke and Abby quickly prodded Gil as best they could into thinking he came up with the plan they¡¯d decided on.   After settling the details, Abby finished rewrapping the new bandage and left the wagon with Luke. The pair moved as quickly as they could while remaining discreet to tell a few essential people their roles in the plan.  Once everything was in place, Luke met Gil¡¯s eyes and nodded.

    ¡°Enemies!  Attacking from the front!  Come quick!¡± he yelled loudly.  No sooner had he spoken the words than all three wagons came to a halt, one of the drivers giving a knowing glance behind him.  The three able-bodied gun holders rushed to the front of the caravan, scanning the terrain ahead of them for the threat. After a few moments, Stu turned around in confusion.

    ¡°Gil, what the hell are you¡ª¡± his words cut off as a gunshot ripped through his body.  Droplets of blood flew through the air, splattering his two companions. Before he even fell a second shot hit the man on his right, leaving only the woman uninjured.  She ducked behind the nearest wagon as the bullet intended for her went wide, ricocheting off a brick building further down.

    Kaisel, the security guard they had entrusted with Gil¡¯s gun, cursed when she saw the third shot miss.  She was the best shot among the three guards still with the wagon, and had been the one who¡¯d shot the bandits from under the wagon earlier.

    Luke glanced over to the third wagon, relieved to see its driver triumphantly holding up the other injured man¡¯s gun.  They¡¯d had to trust the element of surprise and the disadvantage of the bandits¡¯ wounds to allow the traders to wrest away the weapons, tactic that worked out better than Luke could have hoped.  Which left the woman hiding behind the wagon as the only loose end. He was officially out of his depth with this kind of situation¡ªfor the whole thing, truthfully, but his nerves were shot to hell by this point.  He let Kaisel and Abby take the lead.

    ¡°Might as well come on out,¡± the large woman said loudly.  She looked like she could have beaten the bandits unconscious even without a gun.  ¡°You¡¯re the only one left.¡± Over by the two recently fallen, the other pair of security guards were reclaiming their own weapons as well as the attackers, keeping a careful eye on the wagon.  Luke couldn¡¯t see if either of the wounded were still breathing. He wasn¡¯t even sure where they had been shot.

    ¡°Shit, man!¡± Gil yelled, ignoring or unaware of the tense situation by the other wagon.  ¡°I thought you said you were just gonna sideline him, that man¡¯s dead as hell!¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Gil,¡± Abby said through clenched teeth, her eyes on Kaisel.  ¡°We¡¯re dealing with something here.¡± The turncoat blinked at her change in tone, but thankfully remained quiet.

    After a few more tense moments, the woman surrendered peacefully, sliding her gun out on the ground once she heard the other two guards cock their weapons.  She came out with her hands up, and the trained security force was quick to cover her. Luke sighed in relief, and Abby nodded at him.

    ¡°You did a good job, Luke.  That was a great plan.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± he said.  ¡°It was lucky everything went as well as it did.  We should figure out what to do with them before we celebrate, though.¡±  He gestured toward their former captors, now prisoners themselves.

    Abby walked over toward Stu and his fallen companion, feeling for their pulse.  She didn¡¯t seem to be in any particular hurry as she did so.

    ¡°I guess even Gil can call it every once in a while.  Stu¡¯s dead, and the other guy won¡¯t be far behind him.  I doubt I could help him even if I had the inclination.¡±

    Luke wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about that.  The plan had been his, even if he wasn¡¯t the one to fire the gun, and he hadn¡¯t thought it had been a lie when he told Gil they only planned to incapacitate Stu.  But Kaisel had been the one risking herself, and had to use her own judgement. Luke put it aside to sort through his feelings later.

    ¡°So what do we do with the ones who are still alive?¡± he asked.  One of the drivers grinned.

    ¡°Well, unlike these idiots we do have some rope tucked away somewhere.  I say we truss them up and stick ¡®em in the back to sort out later.¡±

    Kaisel and the other security members agreed, and before long all three prisoners had their hands tied behind their back.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Gil shouted.  ¡°Why¡¯m I gettin¡¯ tied up!  You¡¯re gonna find that doctor before I die, right?¡±  Abby glanced at him contemptuously.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine.  It was a through-and-through, didn¡¯t hit anything major.  You won¡¯t be walking for a while but as long as it doesn¡¯t get infected you¡¯ll survive.¡±

    ¡°You lied to me?¡± Gil said in a low voice.

    ¡°Yeah, you were ready to kill us back on that hill.  It¡¯s not something that¡¯s gonna keep me up at night.¡±

    He said nothing in response.  That struck Luke as ominous, but he was distracted when Tony came up to Abby and himself.

    ¡°Was I the only one who wasn¡¯t in on what was happening?¡± he demanded.  He looked angry, enough that he didn¡¯t seem embarrassed by Luke¡¯s presence.  ¡°Everyone else was ready for something, but I didn¡¯t make the cut?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that, Tony,¡± Abby said when it was clear Luke wasn¡¯t going to say anything.  ¡°Everything happened so fast, we barely had enough time to tell who we did. We had to focus on the people essential to the plan .¡±

    Luke knew her words were a mistake as soon as she said them, and sure enough Tony¡¯s face turned red with outrage.  ¡°Glad to know I¡¯m useless.¡± Before either of them could say anything, he turned and stalked away. Abby watched him leave.

    ¡°That¡¯s always been a sore spot for him.  Feeling important for whatever¡¯s happening.¡± She shook her head to clear her thoughts.  ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him later. We have to keep going right now.¡±

    Luke nodded in agreement.  While they were reclaiming the caravan, a few gunshots had gone off.  They¡¯d stopped now; Luke wasn¡¯t sure if that was a good sign or not. The smoke seemed to be thicker too, though it was hard to tell if that was because the fire was spreading or if they were just closer.

    The rest of the caravan minus Tony huddled together, discussing their next move.

    ¡°We should go find the others.  It¡¯s obvious we¡¯re not safe without them, there might be more patrols out there.¡±  That was Kaisel, whose words were greeted with several nods. Her role in their freedom had apparently garnered a lot of respect in their small group.

    ¡°No, we should find somewhere to hide!¡± a small trader said.  He was one of the drivers, someone Luke didn¡¯t know. ¡°They¡¯re bound to be in the thick of the fighting, who knows what¡¯s going on over there?¡±

    ¡°Where the hell are we going to hide six horses and three wagons?¡± another trader demanded.  ¡°We don¡¯t have to walk right up to them, but we should at least hole up somewhere nearby so they can help us.¡±

    There was general agreement to this sentiment, and a plan was quickly formed to move carefully in the general direction of the gunshots.

    They walked quietly through the town streets, listening for any sign of battle. After a short time, the gunshots returned in an odd pattern.  It would stay quiet for three or four seconds, then several shots would ring out in close succession, making a few people jump without fail. Luke was too exhausted to wonder about the odd sequence.  For all he knew, that was how every gunfight usually sounded. He wished he could ride in one of the wagons, but even with their hands tied, he didn¡¯t feel comfortable sharing space with the captives.  Abby walked beside him, similarly subdued. She kept glancing over at Tony, a worried expression on her face. Luke couldn¡¯t think of anything to reassure her, so he stayed quiet.

    Soon, the echo of gunfire sounded close enough to be around the corner.  Kaisel called a halt to the caravan and suggested they move forward without the wagons for a short distance.  After a quick argument, everyone agreed and they turned down a street in the direction of the reports.

    It didn¡¯t take long for them to find what they were looking for.  The road terminated in a wide open parking lot that held a large supermarket.  Gunshots echoed from inside the building. While they watched, Carver, Felicity, and two of the guards from the strike team burst out of the entrance of the building.  They were looking behind them, Carver and the guards holding up their guns.

    ¡°Get away!  Run!¡± Felicity yelled, waving her arms at their group.  Luke was confused for a moment, but her alarm made sense when a black metallic form followed them out of the market, ripping off the door as if it was made of cardboard.

    That was enough to cause a panic attack.

 1.13

    Felicity had never killed anyone before.

    She had killed animals.  There was precious little to do while traveling with a caravan, and hunting was a common pastime.  Admittedly much of the thrill was lost when you could remove a rabbit¡¯s heart with a glance, but it had been a way to supplement their diet with fresh meat.  And she had prepared for the possibility that it would be necessary to do the same to a human. In Crater a few years back, scavengers had hauled back the husks of slain Empty they¡¯d run into, indistinguishable from humans once they were brought down.  She and Felix had spent long hours dissecting the corpses, learning their anatomy until it was burned into their minds, knowledge that could be called up in an instant. It hadn¡¯t really been necessary for Felix to do it, but he¡¯d known how much she hated the task.  Even then, she hadn¡¯t liked the implications of what she was learning.

    She glanced at the bodies by Hobble¡¯s entrance as she passed.  Each of them had a large caved-in section in their chest where their heart had suddenly disappeared.  A few of the security guards, people she had grown up with, were giving her nervous looks out of the corner of their eye.  They had probably never considered how quick and easy it was for her to murder someone. No one said anything, and after a cursory search of the bodies Carver told them to keep moving.

    She glanced at the old man who had so quickly formed and taken command of their little strike team.  He knew what he was doing, which was apparently enough for everyone else, including her, to follow his lead.  Felicity still wasn¡¯t sure why she¡¯d spoken up when he had laid out the plan of attack. He¡¯d been laying out the risks of their attack and she¡¯d found herself speaking. A few short words, and six people had died at her hands.

    There was little time to reflect on her actions.  Carver motioned for them to move further into town, where more bandits could be waiting around every corner.  Everyone was armed except for Felicity, who had little need for weapons anyway. In the absence of any other information to go on, they opted to move through town toward the fields where the fire was, searching for any residents along the way.  Fifteen tense minutes of silence passed before sounds of an argument floated through the deserted streets from a few blocks away.

    The strike team crept up to the source of the voices, which were more than loud enough to cover their movements.  They found another patrol of six bandits, all bickering and oblivious to their presence until they had nearly a dozen guns trained directly on them.  Outnumbered and taken by surprise, five of the bandits surrendered immediately. The sixth tried to go for his weapon, and was riddled with holes before he even touched the grip. Droplets of blood covered the horrified faces of his companions.  A few of the strike team members had similar looks. Felicity wasn¡¯t the only one unused to taking human lives.

    Carver, unburdened by such misgivings, wasted no time questioning the captives in a brutally simple fashion.

    ¡°What are you doing in Hobble?¡± he asked the first bandit in line, laying the barrel of his gun against the side of his head.

    For a few moments the young man remained quiet, his companions staring in horror.

    ¡°You have five seconds,¡± Carver said in a flat voice, utterly devoid of emotion.  ¡°Five¡­four¡­three¡ª¡±

    He cracked.  ¡°Someone hired us!  Just get that thing away from me.  They hired everyone they could find outside a settlement. We¡¯re supposed to round up everyone in Hobble.  Not kill ¡®em! We¡¯re just supposed to get them all in one place. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gonna happen after that.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s they?¡± Carver asked, his tone unchanged.  ¡°Why do they want them?¡±

    The young man glanced at his companions, who glared back toward him.  His shoulders slumped and the fight seemed to go out of him as he eyed Carver¡¯s gun.

    ¡°It was Crater.  Some guy from Crater said if we do it, everyone gets a place there.  I don¡¯t know why.¡±

    A susurration spread through the security team as they shuffled around and exchanged perplexed looks.  Felicity felt the same way. It didn¡¯t make any sense that anyone from Crater would order an attack on Hobble, but if the kid¡ªhe was probably only a few years younger than Felicity, but it was hard to think of him any other way¡ªwas lying he had to be the best actor alive.

    The old man shot a glance backward to quell any movement before returning his attention to the captive.  He shifted his line of questioning from the bandits¡¯ motives to pursue information about their location and number.  One of the other captives started to say something when the talkative young man spoke, but a vicious hit by Carver with his pistol grip was enough to silence any further disturbances.  Felicity felt uncomfortable with how the interrogation was proceeding, but didn¡¯t say anything. According to their informant, there were only about thirty or forty attackers, few of whom had known each other before they were contacted by the person who¡¯d hired them.  The plan was to set a fire in the fields to draw out the majority of the residents, with a few groups patrolling the town and the surrounding roads to grab any stragglers they missed. It was a neat strategy, and allowed the bandits to round up most of the larger population of Hobble without issue due to their superior firepower.

    ¡°There¡¯s another question for you,¡± Carver said, crouching down next to the young man who¡¯d done all the talking.  He still held his gun, but wasn¡¯t pointing it toward the kid. After his initial resistance, the boy had proven more than amiable to answering any question they asked.  ¡°Where¡¯d all the hardware come from? Seems like you¡¯re all armed, forty guns aren¡¯t easy to come by these days.¡±

    Crater had a good supply of guns after years of scavenging and careful care of the weapons, but beyond their borders they were much rarer.  Felicity doubted Hobble had more than ten firearms in the whole settlement, and they had been around for a long time.

    ¡°He gave them to us.  The guy that gave us the job,¡± the kid said.  ¡°That was the only thing that convinced a lot of us that he was really from Crater.  Everyone knows they hoard guns like no one else.¡±

    Carver nodded.  Finished with his questions, he stepped away from the kid.  The security team huddled around him with one guard still training his weapon on the prisoners.  The old man kept his voice low as he spoke.

    ¡°Before we talk about anything else, way I see it we got two options.  We got nothing to tie them with, nothing to keep them in one place right now.  I¡¯m not leaving them here to give them the chance to sneak up behind us later, so either we leave someone here to watch them, or we put a bullet in every one of them here and now.¡±

    Even before he was finished speaking, his daughter Angela was shaking her head.  Felicity didn¡¯t know her that well, but felt a rush of gratitude toward her.

    ¡°We¡¯re not killing them, Dad.  They surrendered and they¡¯re not armed.¡±

    Her father shrugged.  ¡°Don¡¯t see how that makes one bit of difference, but it¡¯s your call.  Rest of you feel the same way?¡±

    There were a few hesitant nods.  A couple of them might have had an inclination in the other direction, but no one spoke up.  Felicity felt relieved. It was different, and she wasn¡¯t sure what she would have done if the decision had gone the other way.

    ¡°All right then.  Pick out who¡¯s staying behind and let¡¯s keep moving.¡±

    It turned out that more than a few people wanted to ¡°volunteer¡± for the job that took them out of the line of fire.  Crater¡¯s security might have been better trained than the bandits attacking Hobble, but taking on a force that outnumbered them three to one or more was still a dangerous task.  Under Carver¡¯s withering glare, they withdrew their names one by one until a woman Felicity didn¡¯t know was finally chosen for the job. She guided the captives off to a more defensible position at gunpoint.

    Felicity considered volunteering herself, but her talents would be of more use with the rest of the security team.  As much as the idea of engaging in a firefight with the bandits turned her stomach in knots, the security team would have a better chance if she was there.  Wasn¡¯t that the reason she had come in the first place?

    Carver had them move out quickly after that, irritated at the delay.  They resumed their quiet march through town toward the crop fields behind the settlement.  The smoke in the air was gradually thickening, forcing Felicity to swallow a cough every few seconds from her irritated throat.  She wished they could stop for some water..

    After their encounter, the strike team¡¯s nerves were wound even tighter while they maneuvered through the streets of the settlement.  Everyone except Felicity had their guns out, their eyes scanning their surroundings for signs of enemies. The smallest sound triggered an immediate search for its source, and they stayed as quiet as possible themselves to avoid alerting the bandits.  At least until one of the security guards at the back spoke up and caused half a dozen of their group to twitch in his direction.

    ¡°Can someone tell me why we¡¯re still fighting?¡±

    Towards the front, Carver stopped where he was and turned toward the older man¡ª- not much younger than the roamer himself¡ªand looked at him incredulously.

    ¡°You want to repeat that a little louder?¡± he hissed in an acidic tone.

    The offending guard shrugged.  ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything when we thought they were killing everyone here, but they¡¯re just rounding them up.  You want us to go out there and get killed when we don¡¯t even know why they¡¯re attacking?¡± No one else spoke, but Felicity saw a few uncertain expressions.  Most of the group weren¡¯t rejecting him outright, anyway.

    Carver sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.  ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Simmons,¡± the man replied.  He had an enormous white moustache that hid almost his entire mouth.  It was difficult to discern his expression, but he met Carver¡¯s angry gaze steadily.

    ¡°Simmons, this is probably the worst time I could conceive of to do this, but what the hell.  You are everything wrong with Crater. Reluctant to take the smallest risk, unwilling to stick your neck out for anyone outside of your tribe¡ªexcuse me, settlement.  Exactly what do you think is going to happen to these people once they¡¯re captured? You think they burned their fields and they¡¯re going to send them off with a wave and a smile?  If you can walk away from this after knowing what¡¯s happening and still sleep at night, then fuck you. I don¡¯t want you watching my back anyway. Do any of you have to stones to get into a fight you don¡¯t have a personal stake in, or am I going to have to go out there on my own?¡±

    After a silent discussion that was conveyed mostly through exchanged expressions, about half of the guards moved over by Simmons.  The rest, including Felicity and Angela, stayed with Carver. Felicity was a little surprised though, she had expected more to want to leave.  Carver hadn¡¯t been wrong to say that it was typical of Crater¡¯s residents to stay out of situations that didn¡¯t explicitly involve them. She herself didn¡¯t leave for the same reason she hadn¡¯t tried to stay back with the prisoners: something inside her wouldn¡¯t let others fight a battle while she stayed safe on the sidelines.

    ¡°Fine, then,¡± Carver said.  He turned away.

    ¡°How about this,¡± Angela spoke up suddenly.  ¡°If you won¡¯t fight for strangers, what about for everyone who¡¯s still going?  I¡¯ve known most of you for years, and I know it¡¯s the same for everyone else. Are you gonna watch while we walk into danger without backup?¡±

    Now the group around Simmons looked a little more hesitant, and even the man himself deflated a little.  ¡°That¡¯s asking a lot, Ang. None of us have a personal stake in this. Why don¡¯t we all head back¡ª¡±

    ¡°Not gonna happen, Sim.  I know I can¡¯t sit back and let this happen.  I¡¯m guessing everyone else over here feels the same way.¡±

    ¡°Let them go, Ang,¡± Carver said, shooting a contemptuous glance towards Simmons.  ¡°We don¡¯t need ¡®em.¡±

    ¡°Stop being so goddamn stubborn, Dad.  You want to take on thirty of them¡ªor more¡ªwith six people?  You like those odds?¡± She got right up into Carver¡¯s face, ignoring his scowl.  Felicity was glad someone was doing it.  Something about his temperament had prevented her from going against the old man herself.

    Whether Simmons and his faction would have agreed to go, they never knew, because before he could speak loud footsteps became audible echoing through the street.  Their argument forgotten, the entire team raised their weapons toward the noise, several of them breaking off to move to a flanking position.

    The source of the noise appeared quickly, but it wasn¡¯t another group of bandits.

    Four of the traders from the caravan, including Ella, were running down the street, abruptly halting when they turned the corner and saw the strike team.

    ¡°Thank God we found you,¡± Ella said, panting.  ¡°A patrol found the caravan. They took everyone.  We managed to get away, I don¡¯t know where they are now.¡±

    Angela glanced over at Simmons.  ¡°Enough of a personal stake, you think?¡±

    <hr>

    It didn¡¯t take long for Simmons and his people to agree to continue with the raid.  It might have been possible to find the caravan somewhere in the town, but there was no guarantee they would get to them before their group was brought to the fields where they were holding the rest of Hobble.  Eventually the entire team was moving again, with the four traders in the center of the formation, armed with the guns taken from the bandit patrol. Felicity felt nervous, but kept her thoughts positive. Outnumbered they might be, but between the element of surprise and the superior training of Crater¡¯s security personnel, she was confident that they could handle the ragtag bandit group.  She reassured herself with the thought that Carver had yet to display anything but the utmost confidence.

    The team came to a halt when they reached a large supermarket sprawled across a sizeable parking lot.  Behind it, urban development gave way to fields of crops, spread out far into the distance. A flickering glow below coupled with the dark smoke rising from that direction gave away the presence of the fire they¡¯d seen from the hilltop.  There was no sign yet of any activity from the bandits, but they were likely operating further in. Felicity wondered how they were keeping control of the fire.

    After Carver laid out the plan of their attack, the strike team separated into several groups.  The traders were given the option to stay back, but every one of them elected to join the attack.  Felicity was put with Carver and three others she didn¡¯t know. They had the most dangerous job, but Felicity¡¯s ability was essential for their task.  Everyone else left first, staying low and moving further into the field. While they waited for the other groups to get into position, several gunshots rang out from back in town.  Felicity looked back, but there was nothing visible and it was too late to see what was happening. Once a few more minutes had passed, the five of them marched out much more obviously than the others had.

    The bandits¡¯ location was the first part of the plan that went wrong. They were set up much closer to town than their captive had told them, their movements hidden by the shifting smoke surrounding the valley.  Carver cursed when he saw them, halting their trudge through the field of low-growing crops with a raised hand.

    ¡°Plan hasn¡¯t changed,¡± he said in a low voice.  ¡°There¡¯s a good chance the others will have seen them too.  If they didn¡¯t, this¡¯ll get a bit dicier. Look as confident as you can.  Felicity, you¡¯re gonna have to drop them as fast as you can.¡±

    The girl nodded, her heart thumping in her chest.  It was one thing to march into a camp swarming with armed enemies, but now she wasn¡¯t even sure if they had any backup.  There was a real chance they could all die in the next five minutes. And she had volunteered herself for this!

    Before she could conjure up any further doubts, she strode forward, trying her best to walk as though she had no worries in the world.  Dust from the field mixed with the acrid smoke in her mouth, creating a bitter taste that nearly made her gag. As they neared the source of the soot it grew thicker, making it difficult to open her eyes without tearing up.  Felicity wasn¡¯t confident she was projecting the aura that Carver wanted, but it was the best she could do under the circumstances.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Even closer to the bandits¡¯ camp, it was clear that they were already in some disarray.  People were running back and forth, bellowing orders that Felicity couldn¡¯t make out. The glow of the fire swallowed the background of the landscape, and the crackle was audible even through the chaos of the camp.  The flames were much closer than Felicity felt was safe for any kind of base; something had clearly gone wrong for the bandits.

    They were practically on top of them before anyone even took notice of their presence.  Several held buckets of water while they ran, making Felicity suspicious that they had lost control of the conflagration.

    Still, one of them eventually took notice of the armed strangers strolling into their camp.  ¡°Hey! Who the fuck are you?¡±

    ¡°Where are your prisoners?¡± Carver asked in a commanding voice.  His tone was one of absolute authority, and he gave no indication that he was demanding answers from a group of armed enemies.

    ¡°I said, who the fuck are you?¡± the bandit yelled, unholstering a pistol.  Several others turned at his loud voice, bringing up their own weapons toward the interlopers.

    Carver glanced at Felicity who took that as her signal.  She closed her eyes, visualizing the heart that beat at the center of their questioner¡¯s chest.  Blood flowed through the chambers as they expanded and contracted, growing and shrinking in an unending cycle that kept him alive only so long as the fragile sequence was maintained without interruption.  She solidified the mental image, adding detail until it was as clear as if he had opened his chest for her to look inside. The fluid of her image was moving too fast, was too intangible for her to grasp, but the heart itself¡­  it started in what she thought of as the deepest fibers, near the center of the septum that separated the two halves of the heart. She saw the tissue fold in on itself into nothing, and felt a resonance within her own body that she could neither control nor prevent.  It took perhaps five seconds. Once it was done, the man writhed upon the ground, clutching at his ruined chest for an organ that was no longer there. Felicity forced herself to look, to see the results of what she had done to yet another human being.

    But she looked for a moment too long.  The other bandits yelled at each other upon seeing their fallen comrade, calling reinforcements and brandishing their weapons uncertainly toward the intruders.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Carver yelled.  ¡°We could do this to all of you in a moment!  Lay your weapons down!¡± Watching the bandits carefully, he turned to Felicity, barely moving his lips.  ¡°Hurry up. One won¡¯t be enough.¡±

    Startled out her reverie, Felicity hurried to comply.  She ended the lives of two more men and one woman over the next half-minute.  They collapsed one after another, with no time for more than a single scream. An uncomfortable fuzzing that signalled the unmaking of her own blood cells deep within her body.

    The rest of the bandits stopped in their tracks at the sight of their fellows¡¯ fates.  Unmaking was not a common ability, and Felicity could only hope that none of them had encountered it before.  They were much less likely to be cowed into submission if they knew the limits of what she could do.

    Fortunately, none of them seemed to realize what they were seeing.  They reacted with alarm and panic, exactly as Carver had predicted. The disorganization of the camp helped as well; rather than the group of twenty that they had expected to intercept them, there were only ten or twelve bandits that were focused on the strike team.  The rest were still trying to do something with the fire.

    ¡°What the fuck is this?¡± Someone yelled.  ¡°Are you doing this? What¡¯d you do to them?¡±

    ¡°Shut up,¡± Carver roared.  ¡°Take us to the prisoners now!¡±

    One of them was brave enough to raise his weapon in defiance, staring at them across the camp.  A shot rang out and Felicity flinched, knowing she didn¡¯t have time to take him down. But when she looked, he was on the ground anyway, screaming and holding his leg.  Felicity¡¯s heart rose as she looked to the side and saw four or five figures laying among the planted crops. At least one of the other teams had managed to find the right position.

    This sign of an entirely new group of attackers was too much for the bandits.  Several of them held up their hands, while others threw their weapons on the ground.  The other three security people with Felicity and Carver kept their weapons trained as he walked over to the nearest person, a woman who had thrown her gun down more out of disgust than fear.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask one more time,¡± he growled.  ¡°Where are Hobble¡¯s people?¡±

    The woman sneered.  ¡°All around, are you blind?¡±  She gestured wildly at all the people  running around the camp. Many of them were marching back and forth to the fire, carrying shovels or water.  Now that she took a closer look, Felicity thought there were quite a few more of them than the number of bandits they¡¯d been told about.  For the first time Carver seemed speechless.

    ¡°You released them,¡± he said slowly, ¡°to help fight the fire that you started?¡±

    The woman shrugged insolently.  ¡°It was either that or burn. We ain¡¯t leavin¡¯ till we get our payment.¡±

    Carver closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, absently kicking the woman¡¯s gun away as he did so.  ¡°You might take the prize for the stupidest bunch of assholes I ever met. You think none of your people might get pushed into the fire when no one¡¯s looking?¡±

    A vicious smile suddenly crossed the woman¡¯s face.  ¡°I ain¡¯t worried about that much. Y¡¯see¡ª¡±

    Her words were cut off as she spun around in a spray of blood while yet another gunshot rang out.

    ¡°You shot me, you stupid bastards!¡± she screamed, clutching her shoulder in agony.  ¡°What the fuck?¡±

    Carver had already ducked low to the ground, looking out toward the direction of the fire with his gun held up.  After a few moments of her ears ringing, Felicity realized he¡¯d identified the direction the shot had come from. It wasn¡¯t anywhere their people were supposed to be.

    More shots echoed all around as everyone¡ªbandits, residents, and caravaners¡ªducked away from the imprecise gunfire.  Felicity thought the group covering them from outside the camp might have been firing back, but it was impossible to tell if they were having any success.  She couldn¡¯t even see who was attacking them.

    An odd rhythm of thumps vibrated through the dirt where she laid prone.  A series of five or six thuds rattled in quick succession, followed by a few seconds of silence.  Then the tremor started again, gradually strengthening as the cycle repeated itself. At first Felicity paid it little attention, instead focusing on the sporadic gunshots that still rang through the camp.  She didn¡¯t see anyone who had been hit after the initial woman, a testament to the poor aim of the attackers. As the vibrations grew more pronounced, she crawled over to Carver through the dirt.

    By the time she got to him the tremors were actually audible, quick thumps that came from the same direction as the gunshots.   Carver¡¯s face was white¡ªfor the first time, he looked concerned. He ignored Felicity as he rose to one knee, staying low as he peered in the direction of the fire.

    ¡°Fuck.¡±  That one word had more worry in it than he¡¯d displayed in the entire battle up to that point.  He sprang to his feet, heedless of the shots, and started running back the way they came.

    ¡°Cryptsil coming!  MOVE!¡±

    Felicity was confused, but anything that worried Carver that much was worth taking seriously.  She followed, glancing back long enough to get a look at a single figure framed by the glow of the encroaching fire.  From a distance, it didn¡¯t appear any different from an ordinary person. But it was moving in an odd pattern that matched the rhythm of the vibrations, sprinting for a few seconds before pausing in place for an equal amount of time.  The other pair of guards also followed Carver¡¯s lead and retreated back toward town. The bandits stayed where they were, apparently unworried. Felicity couldn¡¯t see any more than that while she focused on her own flight.

    The four of them were running full tilt behind Carver, back in the direction of the supermarket.  Every so often Felicity glanced behind her, alarmed to see the figure chasing them¡ªand keeping up, despite stopping every few seconds.  It was fast enough while in motion that they still couldn¡¯t outpace it. Worse, it didn¡¯t seem to get tired. Carver¡¯s age started to show after a minute of a full sprint as he began to lose ground.  Not that the rest of their group was doing much better¡ªrunning through the dirt and plants was tiring, and they wouldn¡¯t be able to make it much further.

    One of the guards paused to take a shot while they ran.  The bullet must have gone wide because the figure chasing them didn¡¯t so much as miss a step.  The guard turned to run again, but tripped over one of the low-growing plants and sprawled in the dirt.  Everyone else was too far ahead to help him up, but it still looked like he had enough of a lead to scramble up and get away from the thing chasing them.  Until it paused for a few beats longer than its standard rhythm and leapt twenty feet to slam down on the guard.  Felicity kept going without looking back, but the blood pounding in her ears couldn¡¯t drown out the crunching noise it made.

    They managed to make it back across the field to the parking lot with the supermarket, but Felicity was exhausted.  She doubted the others were in much better shape, and the cryptsil was still after them.

    ¡°Inside,¡± Carver panted.  He didn¡¯t look like he was about to collapse, but a half-mile sprint wasn¡¯t easy on anyone.  The old man gestured to the large building without slowing down. One of the guards threw open a door on the back, pushing Felicity and the others inside.  She risked a glance back to see that they¡¯d gained some ground on the cryptsil, but it was close enough for her to get her first good look at the thing.

    At a glance, it could have been mistaken for a person in a painted suit of armor.  It was the right size and shape for a bulky human, and its ¡°skin¡± had a metallic sheen, but there were no gaps or folds in its form.  Its body was smooth and completely black but for the flecks of blood around its feet and legs. Its face was featureless¡ªit had neither eyes, nor a nose, nor a mouth.  It was as if a black mask was covering it, but it didn¡¯t seem to have any difficulty maneuvering around its surroundings. Whatever it was made of, it was heavy.  The deep imprints left by its steps and the effortless way it crushed the guard were enough evidence of that.  It had taken an even longer pause after its gruesome jump, but it was on the move again and catching up fast.

    Felicity stepped inside the building just as the last guard in their group closed the door behind her.  She looked around the large, dark building. The only light came from windows high near the ceiling, and while it was enough to see by, the entire place was still very dim.  Carver motioned for them to move deeper in the building without speaking. The pounding footsteps were still audible, returned to their normal rhythm after the earlier interruption.  They moved between the high rows that had once held incalculable amounts of food, now converted into storage shelves. There were textiles, tools, cords of wood¡ªeverything the people of Hobble owned was probably stored within these walls.

    ¡°Its skin is like metal,¡± Carver said once he¡¯d regained his breath.  ¡°Bullets might get through, but you¡¯d have to hit it in the same place more than once.  It can punch strong enough to get through a stone wall, but it¡¯ll deform its body if it does.  The smallest crack in its armor and it¡¯ll die.¡±

    ¡°So what do we do?¡± one of the guards asked, sounding panicked.

    ¡°Shoot it as much as you can.  And pray,¡± Carver responded shortly.  ¡°Felicity, you have to make a hole. Deep as you can, at least ten feet.  Keep a thin layer on top so it looks normal.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯ll try,¡± she said.  That much mass would be the most she¡¯d unmade since she and Felix made the furrows in the dam, and they¡¯d been laid up for weeks after that trying to recover.  But their situation was desperate. ¡°It has to be outside though. There¡¯s too many variables with the foundation of buildings.¡±

    ¡°Fine.  Stay near the door.  Roland, go with her. Find us as soon as you¡¯re done.¡±

    The last guard nodded, his face pale.  At some point while they¡¯d talked, the character of the footsteps had changed.  Instead of the muted thump of feet on dirt, an echoing crack sounded every few seconds.  The cryptsil was inside the building with them.

    Felicity and her escort hurried toward the front entrance of the building while Carver and his companion¡ªwho looked like his hands might be shaking too badly to fire his gun¡ª turned back in the direction of the monster.  She heard Carver mutter as they left.

    ¡°Turning is hard for it.  Takes it almost an entire cycle to do a one-eighty, buys us time.  Get around the sides as much as you can.¡±

    Gunshots started echoing soon after, usually in the dead space between the cryptsil¡¯s footsteps.  Felicity hoped the two of them could use the cover of the shelves to stay out of the monster¡¯s way.   She and Roland made it to the front door out into the lot as quickly as they could. The guard posted up near the threshold, looking inward while Felicity started on her task.

    It was slow going, but luckily the soil¡¯s composition wasn¡¯t too far from Crater¡¯s.  She felt the telltale loss of blood cells in her own body, even as there was no appreciable difference on the surface.  Without the concrete topping of the parking lot, there was no way she could have left a layer on top as Carver had asked, but with it there the only issue would be making the hole too wide so it caved in.

    She forced herself to ignore the gunfire and pounding and yelling coming from inside the building. The dirt beneath the concrete was the only thing that mattered.  She closed her eyes and painted a picture of the soil within her mind. Everything else ceased. She reached deep, guessing intuitively where each layer began and ended.  Soil composition had been another subject of study for her and Felix in their efforts to expand their repertoire of unmaking. Rocks and clay and decomposed organisms all mixed together in different amounts, and Felicity could see them well enough to unmake it all.

    Finally, her task was done.  The hole was as deep as she could make it before it reached a layer that she didn¡¯t understand.  She felt drained in a way that usually didn¡¯t hit her until well after her unmaking. Between the exhausting run earlier and the sudden loss of a good portion of her oxygen-carrying blood cells, her actions carried a heavy cost.

    But at the moment that wasn¡¯t important.  She looked over at her guard¡ªRoland, Carver had called him¡ªand nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯s as good as I can make it,¡± she said.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he replied.  ¡°Mark where it is and let¡¯s go.¡±  They marked where the spot was with a chunk of nearby rock.  The concrete cover seemed sturdy enough, though she had little doubt it would collapse under the weight of the cryptsil.

    The pair went back inside, moving cautiously toward the source of the noises that still rang out.  They caught sight of the other guard first, his back to the wall of one of the shelves. The moment the pounding ceased, he turned the corner into a row they couldn¡¯t see, firing three times before leaping away in their direction.  More shots rang out simultaneously from the other direction. Felicity was impressed by the guard¡¯s bravery in exposing himself to the cryptsil. She¡¯d underestimated him.

    Unfortunately, his actions caught the attention of the creature.  Rather than chasing him, it used its explosive power to slam into the shelf, knocking it and everything it held to the ground.  This particular shelf was used to store tools. Large hammers, pickaxes, saws, and other heavy objects rained down. The guard barely escaped getting brained by a sledgehammer as he ran toward Felicity and Roland.

    ¡°Thank God,¡± he said.  I don¡¯t know how much longer we can keep this up.  It¡¯s smart, starting to change how it pauses so we don¡¯t know how long of a window we have.¡±

    His words were punctuated by a crash as the thing slammed down in another aisle, breaking the tiles from the sound.  Carver caught sight of them but didn¡¯t slow down as he ran their direction.

    ¡°Move!¡± he yelled.  A large pickaxe was slotted between two straps of his pack that bounced around as he ran.  The four bolted back the way they¡¯d come, Carver and his companion noticeably slower than the other two.  They¡¯d had little time to regain their breath. Behind them, the rhythmic footsteps started up again as the cryptsil honed in their position.  It didn¡¯t have any trouble discerning the direction they¡¯d gone, dashing a faint hope Felicity had held. Even so, the four of them managed to burst out of the supermarket into the sunlight, narrowly avoiding the hole as Felicity pointed at its location.

    Another group had arrived during their absence.  Everyone they¡¯d been told had been taken captive was in the parking lot, frowning toward the noise echoing from the supermarket.

    ¡°Get away!  Run!¡± Felicity yelled, frantically gesturing for them to escape.  Most got the message, especially when the cryptsil emerged from the building, ripping a door off its hinges on the way out.   A few stuck around behind her, but she had no more time to focus on anything but the creature. Its body was now riddled with dents across the chest and face, but none of it seemed to slow the thing down.  It continued its inexorable march, falling back into its familiar pattern of movement and stillness. Felicity held her breath as it closed in on them, hoping it would walk right over the hollowed concrete, but the cryptsil stopped while still a good distance away.  It froze for longer than normal, indistinguishable from a metal statue.

    ¡°It¡¯s gonna jump,¡± Carver yelled.  ¡°Back up now!¡±

    They hastened to follow the order, but contrary to his own statement, Carver ran up right next to the rock that marked where the hole was.  Felicity gasped, but the material held. In the next second, the cryptsil acted as Carver had predicted and launched itself forward as it had before.  It went for the nearest target, aiming to crush Carver under its heel. The old man tried to jump out of the way, but after all the exertion his reflexes were just a fraction too slow.  The cryptsil stomped down on his foot even as the ground collapsed underneath him, dropping him down in the hole. The old man had managed to get most of his body out of the way and crawled back from the hole, leaving his pack where it was, while the other two stepped over him and fired their weapons down into the pit.

    Felicity moved to help Carver, dragging him farther away.  His foot was a mangled mess; it made her stomach turn just to glance toward it.  The old man¡¯s teeth were gritted, and he grunted every time Felicity had to pull him.

    Finally, the two guards¡¯ magazines were emptied.  There was no sound from the hole, and Felicity dared to hope that they had finally punched through the cryptsil¡¯s armor.  Ten seconds passed in silence, then twenty. Just as Felicity opened her mouth to speak, a dark shaped flew out of the pit.  Roland and the other one had backed up far enough that they weren¡¯t touched, but the creature looked no more than inconvenienced by the heavy dents on the top of its head.  It landed in a crouched position and froze again. No one moved; to Felicity, the entire scene appeared suspended in a tableau of horror.

    The stillness was broken when someone bolted toward the creature from behind her.  She saw Tony duck down to take the pickaxe that had fallen with Carver¡¯s pack, ripping it out of the loop that held it.  He charged up to the creature and smashed the sharp point into its head, aiming for the center of the dents caused by the hail of bullets.  It bounced off without punching through. Undeterred, he swung down on it a second time, bringing all the power he could bear. A crater formed on the crown of the cryptsil¡¯s head, but it was still whole.  On the third swing, the creature started moving again. Its hand shot out toward Tony, but the pickaxe was already coming down. It started rising to its feet at the same time, meeting the axe as it arced down.  This time, the battered material that made up the cryptsil¡¯s armor couldn¡¯t maintain its integrity any longer. The pickaxe punched through, making a small gap on the top of its head.

    The thing went berserk, leaping ten feet in the air the same instant the hole was made.  The pickaxe was ripped out of Tony¡¯s arm, and the hand that had reached for him caught him under the chin, sending him sprawling to the ground.  He was still conscious though, and scrambled back as far from the cryptsil as he could. It didn¡¯t seem to have any further interest in him, however; when it landed it moved in no particular direction, running and jumping at random.  There was no longer any pattern of motion and stillness¡ªit only moved, and faster than Felicity would have believed possible. They gave it wide berth, watching the erratic movements of the creature gradually slow until finally it came to a halt and moved no more.

    Felicity let out a breath and collapsed on the ground next to Carver.

 1.14

    Luke was surprised that no one gave him a hard time after the battle.  He¡¯d hated himself for slipping behind a building and hyperventilating at the same time Tony marched up and killed the black armor of death, but no one else even seemed to have noticed.  They even praised him for coming up with the idea that had freed the traders from the bandits. But Abby had been far more crucial to their success with her ability to act under pressure.  When it came to actually doing something in a crisis, Luke was usually worse than useless.

    So went the spiral of his thoughts in the aftermath of the fight.  It was clear by now that he had a pattern of shutting down during dangerous situations¡ªwhich cropped up with alarming frequency in this world.  Sooner or later, a panic attack would hit him at the wrong time and he or someone else would die because of his inaction. The obvious solution was to avoid danger, but he hadn¡¯t exactly been seeking it out since he¡¯d been dropped here.  He spent a few hours wandering, thinking about his issue, but came to no conclusions. Eventually he returned to the rest of the caravan. There were bigger problems to focus on than his own concerns anyway.

    While Carver and Felicity had been fending off the cryptsil¡ªas Luke learned was the creature¡¯s name¡ªthe rest of the security force had been mopping up the bandits by their base camp.  They hadn¡¯t rushed off to help fight the terrifying creature, but they had managed to defeat a group almost three times their size, so no one questioned their bravery. Though between the chaos of the fire and the aid of Hobble¡¯s residents once the threat of the cryptsil was out of the way, it didn¡¯t sound like an impossible task.  Only one woman had been hit by the bandits,¡ªshot in the leg¡ªand according to Abby she would recover fine if she refrained from walking, so the only casualty of the day¡¯s fighting from Crater was the security guard who¡¯d been jumped on by the cryptsil.

    Nobody was happy about the loss, but there had been little time to dwell on it at first.  The first priority had been to get the fire under control, which was eventually managed by digging deep trenches through the middle of the fields and allowing the flames to burn themselves out.  All told, Hobble lost about two thirds of their cropland, a crippling blow to the settlement. But that was an issue for the people of Hobble to solve, and no one in the caravan had been privy to their discussions about it.  The two groups did come together to agree that the caravan would stay in the valley for at least a night or two, as they would have if Hobble hadn¡¯t been attacked anyway. No one felt like traveling after the day they¡¯d been through, and the security force was still the best equipped of anyone to watch over the prisoners.

    When they¡¯d seen the way the fight was going, almost a dozen bandits had surrendered, joining Gil and his friends.  A few more stragglers had been picked up in the town and the roads around it, leaving nearly twenty surly captives that no one really wanted to deal with.  No one had openly suggested the most expedient solution yet, but it was only a matter of time. They hadn¡¯t actually killed anyone so far as it could be determined, but the fire they started had the potential to be a death sentence anyway.  For the time being, they¡¯d been tied up and thrown into one of the buildings with a few armed guards watching over them.

    It was early dusk by the time Luke returned to the others, and he quickly joined several others from the caravan in some kind of conference room.  They were having another round of discussions with the mayor of Hobble and other prominent people from the settlement. Others from the caravan were doing most of the talking, but Luke had been curious and no one had stopped him from following them inside.

    ¡°We can¡¯t give away the foodstuffs we brought for trade, unfortunately,¡± Ella was saying.  She was the primary spokeswoman for the traders, as far as Luke could tell. At least, none of the others had said anything yet.  ¡°Our Committee would never authorize us to trade something for nothing, even in circumstances like these. What we have wouldn¡¯t be enough to support so many people for any length of time, anyway.¡±

    The mayor nodded gravely.  She was a short, pale woman with stringy blond hair.  She seemed unhappy at the news, but didn¡¯t push the issue.  ¡°We¡¯d all be much worse off if it wasn¡¯t for you. It was astounding how easy it was for such a small group to take control of our settlement.  We have so few guns here¡­and that¡¯s before that cryptsil even entered the equation. I have little doubt that thing could have killed every man, woman, and child in this valley.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re dangerous, but they¡¯re rare, too,¡± Simmons said.  He had been one of the security guards with the strike team, and had taken quick command in the aftermath.  ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of one working with humans. Do you have any idea how they managed to tame it?¡±

    The woman glanced at the people with her and shook her head.  ¡°I¡¯ve never even seen one before today. Maybe it was the same place they got all those guns.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Simmons said. ¡°There¡¯s been a few of them now who swear up and down they were hired and equipped by someone from Crater.  I think we can all agree that¡¯s obviously bullshit?¡±

    One of the men behind the mayor scowled, but she herself nodded.  ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have made any sense for Crater to do so even without your group¡¯s intervention.  It doesn¡¯t make sense for anyone to have set this up, quite frankly. Especially given the amount of resources it must taken to set it in motion, I can¡¯t begin to guess at their motives.  Perhaps it has to do with the orders they had to leave everyone alive.¡±

    There was general agreement around the room.  Though few of the bandits had held anything back when questioned, they¡¯d been kept in the dark almost as much as their targets.  None of them had a clue about who¡¯d hired them beyond their insistence that it was a man from Crater. Beyond a generic description of a tall blond man with blue eyes, there had been no consistency in their characterization of the figure.  Without more details to go on, it was impossible to try to identify the perpetrator.

    The meeting ended soon after, once it was established that the caravan would leave the next day and could do precious little to aid the settlement.  Simmons spoke in a low voice once their group left the building.

    ¡°Bastards.  We lose one of our own saving their sorry asses and they have the balls to ask us for a handout?  We should¡¯ve left and let them sort out their own damn problems.¡±

    ¡°Really?  I had no idea you felt that way, Sim,¡± Ella said drily.  ¡°Try telling us a little more often.¡± A few of the traders laughed.  The older guard had wasted no time in spreading his opinions regarding the involvement of the caravan in the attack on Hobble.  Or how he felt about Carver for spearheading the effort.

    ¡°Yeah, well, this is important,¡± he said in a heated tone.  ¡°If Carver hadn¡¯t stuck his nose into this mess, Venker would still be alive.¡±  Ella quirked an eyebrow.

    ¡°Right, we all remember when you argued against coming into Hobble.  Oh wait, no one said a goddamn word when my dad started issuing orders.  Maybe the time to say something was before everything went down.¡± She stepped up close to the mustached man, staring him down.  ¡°And don¡¯t fucking stand there and pretend like he didn¡¯t pay the price for what happened.¡±

    Simmons was taller than her by four or five inches, but he backed up first and turned away without a word.  Ella stalked off by herself, and after a moment of hesitation, Luke followed. He still felt less than comfortable with most of the caravan.  Once they were removed from the confrontation, Ella¡¯s demeanor altered dramatically. She kept on a tough face around Simmons and the others, but now she looked anxious and worried.  Neither of them spoke, but Luke knew she was concerned about her dad.

    They returned to the outskirts of town where the caravan had set up camp.  Ella headed straight for a small building that Abby had commandeered as her triage center.  There wasn¡¯t a huge number of wounded, but all of them had been placed under the young woman¡¯s care.  Angela was assisting her, as most of the security team had been trained in basic first aid.

    Abby was speaking quietly to the blond woman when Luke and Ella entered.  Other than Carver, mattresses had been dragged in for the lone guard who had taken a bullet in the fighting, as well as three or four Hobble residents and several bandits who were injured in one way or another.  A few people, including Simmons, had questioned if the last group even warranted treatment of their wounds, but under Abby¡¯s calm direction they¡¯d been placed in the triage house with the rest.

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that,¡± Angela said in a low but forceful voice as they walked up.  ¡°There has to be another way.¡±

    ¡°Twenty years ago, maybe,¡± Abby replied.  She spoke in a compassionate tone, while Angela had a look of anguish on her face with no sign of her normal exuberance.  ¡°But honestly, even then I doubt they¡¯d have been able to do much. Everything below the ankle is in splinters. Right here and now, with the tools I have available, there¡¯s only one option.¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about Dad?¡± Ella asked, matching the volume of the other two.  She glanced toward his bed, where the old man¡¯s eyes were closed, his expression twisted in a grimace of pain.

    ¡°There¡¯s very little I can do for him,¡± Abby confirmed, rubbing her eyes.  ¡°But if something doesn¡¯t change, that foot will be gangrenous by this time tomorrow.  It was damaged too badly.¡± She looked tired. It was hard to believe that everything had been normal that morning, just a few short hours ago.  ¡°The only option is to amputate.¡±

    A short silence followed her words.  Ella ran a hand through her hair, and Angela looked like she was about to cry.  Luke felt like he was intruding on a private moment, and was about to slip away when Ella spoke.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the only option then why are we talking about this over here?  He¡¯s not gonna thank us for keeping it from him.¡± She wrapped an arm around Angela¡¯s shoulders and guided her toward their father¡¯s bed.  Abby stayed next to Luke as they watched the scene play out.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never done an amputation before,¡± she said suddenly.  ¡°I learned the theory of it and I even saw Adriana do one once, but this will be entirely new for me.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°Maybe don¡¯t tell them that,¡± Luke said, watching the family talk.  Carver¡¯s foot was bandaged and under the sheet, but he¡¯d seen it in the aftermath of the cryptsil fight.  He had absolutely no difficulty believing that its removal was necessary.

    ¡°I have no intention to,¡± she said.  ¡°I don¡¯t know how well he¡¯ll recover either, even if everything goes perfectly.  He¡¯s not a young man.¡± She shook her head as if clearing her thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t be offloading my doubts onto you.  I should check on the others. It¡¯s going to be a long night.¡±

    She walked over to another patient across the room as Carver barked out a short laugh.

    ¡°No shit,¡± he said, loud enough for Luke to hear.  ¡°Have you seen it? It¡¯s obviously got to come off.¡±  Angela said something softly, but he cut her off in a loud voice.  ¡°When have I ever taught you to shy away from what¡¯s got to be done?  If this has to happen, it¡¯s happening right now. What the fuck do I get by waiting for it?¡±  He was shouting by the end, and Ella put a hand on his arm. Luke left the triage house as they tried to soothe their father.  He felt a little sick. Carver had never seemed anything other than invincible in the short time he¡¯d known the old man. It was wrong somehow, seeing him that vulnerable.  He couldn¡¯t imagine how much worse it was for his daughters.

    Unsure of what to do, Luke drifted around the camp for a time.  Night was falling, and while some few sat alone, somber, most of the caravan had started celebrating with an impromptu feast, breaking out what little alcohol they had access to.  Tony was prominent among them, as everyone took their turn to praise him for the way he¡¯d finished off the monster. Luke wanted to talk to him, but couldn¡¯t bring himself to join the jovial atmosphere around the bonfire they were making.  He felt it was in poor taste to break out their food stores when the people of Hobble were now wondering whether they¡¯d starve next winter, but no one by the fire seemed to share his reservations.

    Luke saw that Felicity was one of those who had abstained from the festivities, and was laying on the ground staring at the sky a little way away from the main group.  She was unusually reserved as he approached, staying quiet and staring up while he sat next to her. The first stars had only begun to come out, twinkling in the purple light of the fading dusk.

    ¡°They¡¯re having fun over there,¡± he said, more to break the silence than anything else.

    ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be a ¡®wake¡¯ for Venkman, the guy who died,¡± Felicity said.  ¡°I was with them for a while, but there¡¯s a weird energy over there. I think a lot of them are celebrating the fact that it wasn¡¯t them more than anything else.¡±

    Luke wasn¡¯t sure what to say to that.  He laid next to Felicity to look up as she was.  Already a multitude of sparkling lights were visible in the sky.

    ¡°There¡¯s so many more stars out here,¡± he said.

    ¡°Compared to what?¡± she asked.

    ¡°My world.  Or at least the part where I live.  After I left home I always stayed in the city, so the light pollution was really bad.¡±

    ¡°Pollution.¡±  Felicity snorted.  ¡°It¡¯s amazing how the only problems in the old world were caused by people.  Too many people driving cars and they thought it would be the fall of civilization.  Guess they miscalculated on that one, huh?¡±

    ¡°Well, actually it¡¯s mostly corporations that contribute to climate change by¡ªyou know what?  It doesn¡¯t matter. I guess you¡¯re right. Get enough people together and they cause problems all by themselves.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.  Not so much anymore, though.  Humans aren¡¯t gonna be why the world ends.  Hell, it¡¯s not even just the world that¡¯s in trouble.  You know what the biggest problem is now?¡± Her voice had an odd quality to it that Luke couldn¡¯t identify.

    ¡°No, what?¡±

    Felicity gestured up toward the sky.  ¡°That. Have you ever looked up at the sky since coming here?  Like really looked, not just glancing at it.¡±

    ¡°Not really.  I never really stargazed that much.¡±

    ¡°Well try it now.  Just for a few minutes, look up and really see the universe.¡±

    Her tone brooked no argument, so Luke humored her.  She was in an odd mood. He stared at the sky, looking around at all the different stars.  Gradually, so slowly he couldn¡¯t even tell when it happened, he noticed a peculiarity. At first all he saw were points of light and the darkness between them.  But not all the darkness was the same. If he really concentrated, Luke could see pinpricks, points so small they were nearly nonexistent, where there was nothing.  They weren¡¯t black, though that was what his mind tricked him into seeing unless he looked closely. They were an absence, as if reality had infinitesimal tears where existence just¡­ceased.  Once he knew to look for them the holes were all over the sky. There were dozens, hundreds of places where there was nothing.  There was a wrongness about it, and Luke felt himself start to hyperventilate a little.

    ¡°What the fuck is that?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Those are stars,¡± Felicity said tonelessly.  ¡°Or at least the places where they used to be.  There¡¯s fewer of them every year. They¡¯re just gone, swallowed by nihil.¡±

    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Luke breathed.  It was one thing to hear about a force that could rip a hole in the universe, another to see it with his own eyes.

    ¡°That is the problem the world faces now,¡± she said.  ¡°And not just the world. All you have to do is look at what¡¯s already happened and extrapolate.  Sooner or later, nihil will swallow up the universe, destroying everything, down to the last atom.  You being here might slow it down, but it won¡¯t stop.  That¡­absence that you see is the fate of the universe.¡±  She paused, hesitant, and went on. ¡°And some of it is inside me.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°How else could I possibly be able to do what I can do?  Every law in the universe says that it¡¯s impossible to destroy matter, but that¡¯s exactly what unmaking is.  It¡¯s nihil, just on a smaller scale.¡±

    Luke searched for something to say, but she went on in a torrent of words, a dam bursting somewhere inside of her.

    ¡°And I can¡¯t help but wonder if I¡±m not contributing to the death of the universe every time I erase something from existence.  Maybe it doesn¡¯t matter that much if it¡¯s just some rocks or whatever, but I killed eleven people today. Eleven fewer beings that nihil has to swallow.  I feel like I-I betrayed something, and I don¡¯t even really know what.¡± She laughed without mirth. ¡°I destroyed them more completely than anyone in the history of the universe.  And what were they really doing? They didn¡¯t kill anyone. I killed more people today than all of the bandits combined. Everything that happened today was so¡­pointless.¡±

    She didn¡¯t seem like she expected Luke to respond, but he tried anyway.  ¡°I¡¯ve never killed anyone myself before. But I think what you¡¯re feeling is natural for anyone who¡¯s had to do it.  It¡¯s not any worse because of the way it happened. Dead is dead, whether it¡¯s from a bullet to the head or because your heart suddenly vanished.  You¡¯re not any worse than anyone who¡¯s ever killed another person, for what that¡¯s worth. And you¡¯re better than a lot of them. It wasn¡¯t pointless, you did it for a reason.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.  I hope so.¡±

    ¡°The bandits might not have killed anyone today, but there¡¯s no way anything good was going to happen to the people here.  They could have been tortured a week from now if we hadn¡¯t been here. One way or another, you helped save the lives of everyone in this settlement.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Felicity said, but her voice sounded a little lighter.  ¡°Either way, it was a pretty shitty day.¡±

    Luke nodded in agreement.  They laid in silence for a time, looking up at the stars.  Luke tried to focus on the twinkling lights rather than the points of silent absence.

    ¡°I wish Felix was here,¡± Felicity said after a while.  There was nothing Luke could say to that. He stayed quiet.

    <hr>

    Luke awoke to shouting from somewhere close by.  He ripped himself out of his sleeping bag and flew to his feet, scanning the room for the threat.  Nothing was visible but other sleeping forms scattered around the floor. The caravan had taken a few buildings as their own, but without enough mattresses, most of them were still in bags on the floor.  After the initial moments of confusion, Luke realized the voices he heard were coming from outside the door. The tones were angry, but not panicked, and it sounded more like an argument than a call for alarm.  He sat back down for a moment, closing his eyes to try to rein in his wild pulse. A few other people were stirring from the noise, but no one else had reacted the way he did. Shaking his head, he walked outside to see what was happening.

    The sun was already filtering through the morning mist, giving an odd glowing quality to the light within the valley.  Four or five people were clustered together at a nearby building, the source of the shouting he had heard. He recognized Kaisel, one of the guards who had been taken captive with them, but the others were unfamiliar.  He assumed they were from Hobble, but all of them looked furious as they got in Kaisel¡¯s face.

    ¡°How could you possibly be this stupid?¡± one of them asked in a loud voice.  ¡°Surely you¡¯ve been on guard duty before. All you have to do is sit and watch and not fall asleep.  Is that so hard for you?¡±

    Kaisel, a large German woman, didn¡¯t appear the least bit intimidated by her accuser¡¯s anger.  ¡°It happened. What else is there to say? They are gone, but they are without weapons, without food.  It is unlikely they will be a further threat to anyone.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the point!¡± yelled another.  ¡°Those people burned our fields and rounded us up like cattle, and now they¡¯ve escaped.  They should have paid for what they did!¡±  Kaisel just shrugged, which served only to enrage them further.

    Luke had no desire to get in the middle of that, so he walked the other way as quickly as he could.  He stayed as far as he could from the building where the prisoners had been held, but a furor spread quickly through the camp when it got out that the captives had escaped.  Luke did wonder how it happened. They¡¯d been crammed into a few cells in a small jail in town, so even if Kaisel had fallen asleep they shouldn¡¯t have been able to escape without a key.  They were at least able to verify that the prisoners didn¡¯t steal anything when they left, likely because they were afraid of attracting attention.

    The attitude of Hobble toward the caravan soured significantly once word got out, and they prepared to leave that day rather than stay another night.  There was little to pack up aside from personal belongings, and the wagons were ready to go at the edge of town before noon. Room had been made in the back of one of the wagons for Carver and the wounded guard, but Luke had no chance to look in on them before they left.   A fair crowd had assembled to watch them leave, and while several people scattered throughout looked cheerful and waved as they rolled out of the valley, many more had flat expressions while they watched the caravan. It was a far colder farewell than Luke had expected for the people who had saved their settlement.  The only explanation he could think was the loss of the prisoners, but he couldn¡¯t understand how it caused such a dramatic shift in their attitudes so quickly.

    The fog had cleared away by the time they reached the top of the hill overlooking Hobble, giving Luke a clear view of the settlement when he looked behind one last time.  The fields were off to the right from his position, more than half again the size of the town itself. Huges swathes of land were dead and black, like some festering disease that had invaded the valley.  Even from where he was, he could see the where they¡¯d digged holes to cut off the path of the fire. If they managed to ration enough food for the short term, it would still be a long time before those fields were as productive as they¡¯d been a week before.  Luke turned away and followed the caravan away from Hobble.

 1.15

    They weren¡¯t on the road long before Luke found himself pining for the monotony of the journey prior to their arrival in Hobble.  Tension permeated the air of the caravan in a way that it never had before. No one forgot that one of their number had died in the fighting, even when it often went unmentioned.  From what Luke could pick up, it had been a long time since anyone had been lost while out trading with other settlements. There had been some talk about cutting their trip short to return to Crater, but a majority vote led to a decision to continue on.  For such a comparatively large community, deaths were rare in the settlement, and no one was excited to return with the news that they were the first.

    The caravan had changed in other ways, too.  A rift had formed, creating discord where there had been none before.  Simmons and the others who followed him were angry about the way they had been involved in the events in Crater, arguing that they had no reason to intervene in another settlement¡¯s problems.  Carver bore the brunt of their animosity for the way he¡¯d led them to straight into the center of the events. Their resentment only grew worse in the days following the attack as they talked amongst themselves and grew more certain of who was at fault for everything that had happened.  A number of others defended the old roamer, most prominently his two daughters. The rest of the caravan had no stake in the growing antagonism between the groups, but still had to bear the constant squabbles and arguments between them.

    Luke fell into this last category himself, but he did feel a general dislike for Simmons, as well as sympathy for the old man and what had happened to him.  Ella and Angela spent hours in the wagon with him each day, worried about his condition. Two days after they left Crater, Luke managed to catch Abby during a quiet moment to ask her about it.

    ¡°It¡¯s infected,¡± she told him bluntly while they sat in the back of one of the wagons.  It was a different one than where Carver stayed, used by Abby while she took a break from caring for him.  ¡°Not too bad yet, but if it gets worse there¡¯s not much I can do out here.¡±

    ¡°How did it happen?¡± Luke asked.  She shrugged wearily.

    ¡°Who knows?  It could have been the night of the amputation.  I boiled the tools, but the building I used was far from a sterile facility.  I still believe amputation was the correct decision, but depending on how bad it gets he might die anyway.  It¡¯s all up to how well his body can fight it off, and he¡¯s at an age where that starts to get difficult.¡±

    Luke couldn¡¯t even imagine the tough old bastard dying.  ¡°So if you can¡¯t help him, what are you doing over there all the time?¡±

    Abby shrugged.  ¡°Changing his bandages, cleaning his wound, making sure he gets fed.  Anything I can do to keep him more comfortable, really. He¡¯d never admit it, but he¡¯s in a lot of pain.  I try to keep him distracted with Ella and Angela.¡±

    ¡°Fuck,¡± Luke breathed, leaning back against the wagon wall.  One of the wheels fell into a pothole, jostling the cart and slamming his head into the wood.  ¡°Fuck!¡± he said again, more forcefully. Abby gave a short laugh.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not a comfortable ride in here.  Imagine doing it with a freshly lost foot.¡±

    Luke winced at the thought.  ¡°I¡¯d probably be screaming the whole trip.  Even getting stuck by a needle scares me, that sounds like a nightmare.¡±

    Abby gave him a strange look.  ¡°What?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± she said.  ¡°I forget occasionally that you¡¯re from another universe.  Nobody gets needle injections anymore. I don¡¯t even know if I¡¯ve ever had one.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±  There were so many things he didn¡¯t think about that didn¡¯t exist in this world.  A bout of homesickness struck him without warning.

    ¡°Well, this will probably make Simmons happy when he hears about it,¡± he said to change the subject.  Abby frowned.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure of that.  He¡¯s already asked me about Carver¡¯s condition a few times, and he sounds quite eager for him to recover.  I can¡¯t imagine why, considering how busy he¡¯s been painting the man as the scourge of humanity, but it¡¯s an interesting development.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s weird.¡±  Luke tried to imagine why Simmons would want Carver to get better.  None of the possibilities seemed like good ones. ¡°At least he¡¯s probably not poisoning him or something.¡±

    Abby laughed harder this time.  ¡°Oh believe me, he wouldn¡¯t dare.  Ella would slit his throat if he did something like that.  Have you noticed he never argues to her face?¡±

    Luke shook his head.  Arguments tended to erupt around both of them, so he had tried to stay away as much as he could.

    They were both quiet for a moment, watching the scenery pass beyond the wagon before Abby spoke again.

    ¡°I¡¯d better get back, Roz¡¯s bandage will need to be changed.  Her wound is more manageable, but she¡¯ll still need regular care.  Bye, Luke.¡±

    She left the wagon, and he followed soon after.  Despite the rough ride, anyone who spent too long in the limited space tended to get glared at by everyone else.  As far as Luke could tell, even with the increased tensions in the caravan no one actively disliked him, and he preferred to try to keep it that way.

    Nevertheless, he felt compelled to intervene a few hours later when he heard a screaming match break out.  He shied away from the confrontation at first, but when he saw that it was Felicity and Tony yelling at each other, he hurried over.

    ¡°I¡¯m not your goddamn maid, asshole!¡±  Felicity shouted. ¡°It¡¯s not my job to fetch you lunch because you swung a pickaxe a few times!!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying it¡¯s easier for you,¡± Tony said, his volume matching hers.  ¡°We all saw how quick you were at wiping out those bandits in the attack. Why not use it to make yourself useful now?¡±

    Luke stepped up, ready to pull them apart, but Abby appeared first as if by magic.  She murmured quietly to Felicity before speaking to Luke.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you take Tony away?  I¡¯ll walk with Felicity and both of them can calm down until they can act like adults.¡± Her last words were spoken with pointed emphasis to the pair in question, both of whom scowled.  Luke moved to follow her instructions, pulling Tony away from the argument. Others were already staring at them, and neither spoke until they had moved off the road to walk parallel to the caravan.

    ¡°She can be a real bitch sometimes,¡± Tony said, still frowning.  ¡°All I said was¡ª¡± he broke off as he seemed to realize who he was speaking to.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Luke said quickly.  He could already see the beginnings of panic in the other boy¡¯s eyes, but this was the first time they¡¯d been alone together since the kiss.  ¡°Can we talk?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the best time,¡± Tony said, averting his eyes.  Luke resisted the urge to ask what could possibly make it a bad time, speaking as directly as he could instead.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t told anyone what happened.  And I won¡¯t if you don¡¯t want me to. But I hate having to avoid you all the time.¡±  His heart was pounding, but it felt like the right decision to start the conversation.  His commitment to his earlier decision to let Tony come to him had waned with the passing of days as it became clear that he had no inclination to seek Luke out.

    Tony glanced back toward the wagons one more time, then sighed and led Luke farther off the road, away from anyone who might overhear their conversation.

    ¡°It was an accident,¡± he said, looking at Luke as if daring him to disagree.  ¡°I was worried that the chromutes were going to find us, and relieved when they disappeared and it just¡­happened.  It didn¡¯t mean anything.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Luke said.  ¡°I get that. But if you want to talk about it, I¡¯m here.  That wasn¡¯t my first time kissing another guy. If you want to pretend it never happened, that¡¯s ok too.  But I don¡¯t want to never talk to you again.¡±

    ¡°Wait, it wasn¡¯t?¡± Tony asked, his eyes widening.

    ¡°No,¡± Luke said, amused by his shock.  He tried to hide his reaction; his gut said that it was a very bad time to be laughing.  ¡°I¡¯m gay, Tony.¡±

    ¡°Wait, really?  But I thought¡ªI don¡¯t know, that you just went along with it.  I didn¡¯t think¡ªyou¡¯re gay?¡±

    Now Luke did have to bite his lip to hold in his laughter.  He hoped Tony didn¡¯t notice. ¡°Yep. I came out two years ago in my world.  I¡¯ve only been in one real relationship since then, but I¡¯ve never had to hide who I was.  It¡¯s a really good feeling. Freeing.¡±

    ¡°And people just¡­do that where you come from?¡± Tony spoke as if it was a completely foreign idea.

    ¡°Yeah.  There¡¯s a lot of places where it¡¯s still not ok to be openly gay, but where I live people mostly just accept it.  It¡¯s not like that here?¡±

    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know,¡± Tony said.  His voice was quiet, without a trace of bravado.  ¡°No one ever talks about it in Crater. I¡¯ve only ever read about it in books.  I¡¯ve never met someone who was actually¡­¡± He trailed off and stared at Luke. Luke started to get a bad feeling.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s best if this stays between us for now, then,¡± he said.  ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s mostly accepted, but bad stuff still happens to gay people in my world.  I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the same here.¡±

    Tony was already shaking his head.  ¡°I¡¯d never tell anyone, don¡¯t worry.¡±  He glanced over toward the caravan. ¡°We should go back, but¡­do you think we could talk about this more later?  I have to think.¡±

    ¡°Sure.  Anytime.¡±

    Tony reached out hesitantly and touched Luke¡¯s shoulder.  Then he walked back toward the caravan, shouting out to a guard with his usual confidence.  Luke started back himself, only to realize that he never found out what Tony had been arguing about with Felicity.

    <hr>

    ¡°The bastard wanted me to hunt food for him and his friends!  Like his time is so much more valuable than mine!¡±

    Felicity was still heated when Luke sat with her and Abby that evening.

    ¡°And the way he brought up what happened at Hobble, like it wasn¡¯t a big deal¡ª¡± she broke off, shaking her head.  ¡°He can be such an asshole sometimes.  Killing that cryptsil swelled his head to about twice the size.  I wonder if it hurts to have it shoved so far up his ass.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Luke said, looking over to the fire where Tony sat laughing with Simmons and the other guards he hung around.  ¡°Everyone has a reason for how they act.¡±

    Both Abby and Felicity looked at him strangely.  ¡°Like what?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Luke said hastily.  ¡°I¡¯m just saying, there¡¯s always another point of view.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s quite an enlightened view,¡± Abby said, smiling.  ¡°But I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be here all night if you try to convince Liss of that.¡±

    Sometimes someone¡¯s just a dick,¡± the other girl shrugged.  ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter what their excuse is, the end result¡¯s the same.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and I could point out more than a few times when you were that ¡®someone¡¯,¡±  Abby responded. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t kill you to have a little more empathy for others.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Felicity said.  ¡°But what does the hero of Hobble over there have to worry about?¡±

    ¡°I have a question,¡± Luke breaking in before Abby could respond.  ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about what you said earlier, Abby. About how this universe is so different from mine, like with the needles.  And I realized there¡¯s still a lot of things that I don¡¯t understand about this world.¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Like what?¡± Abby asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, a lot of social stuff,¡± Luke said.  He hoped his reasoning was convincing enough. ¡°Like if someone¡¯s gay, for example.  It probably varies between settlements, but how is that handled in Crater?¡±

    The two women frowned at each other.  ¡°I don¡¯t know if anyone¡¯s gay in Crater,¡± Felicity said slowly.  ¡°Nobody I know, for sure.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not really an issue,¡± Abby said.  ¡°No one I know of has come in to talk to Adriana or anyone else on the medical team about it, and people talk to us about everything.  I don¡¯t think there is anyone like that, at least in the settlement.¡±

    Luke nodded, but he figured in a town of Crater¡¯s size, statistics virtually guaranteed there were least a few homosexuals, even if they kept it to themselves.  ¡°But what do you think would happen if someone showed up who was gay? It¡¯s just such a big issue in my world, it¡¯s hard to wrap my head around the idea that it doesn¡¯t happen here.¡±

    ¡°Nothing, I would assume,¡±  Abby said with a shrug. ¡°It just isn¡¯t something we deal with.  Is it really that prominent in your world?¡±

    ¡°Definitely,¡± Luke said.  ¡°More in the last ten years or so, but it¡¯s always been something people fight about.¡±

    He tried to explain the argument revolving around homosexuality and the gay rights movement, but when he got to pride parades both women looked at him like he was from another planet.

    ¡°The things you people have time for,¡± Felicity said, shaking her head.

    ¡°Well it¡¯s a huge part of their identity for some people,¡± Luke objected, feeling defensive.  ¡°It¡¯s an opportunity to express themselves, so they don¡¯t have to hide who they are from anybody.¡±

    ¡°I think she meant that the resources for such an endeavor would need to be allocated far differently here,¡± Abby said diplomatically.  ¡°In any case, the debate you describe sounds like it centers primarily around religion. That might be why it¡¯s such a non-issue in Crater.  Very few people adhere to the formal faiths that were common in the old world.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Luke asked, surprised.  ¡°But there¡¯s so many old people there.  They have to have been Catholic or whatever, right?¡±

    ¡°It turns out that the end of the world can do a lot to shake people¡¯s belief.¡± Abby said.  ¡°And anyone who still believes tends to join settlements where they can be among others like them.  Crater has acquired a reputation for its lack of religious feeling, so it¡¯s become something of a self-fulfilling prophecy.  That is something that a few people have talked to Adriana about, feeling ostracized because of their religion.¡±

    Luke was surprised.  Religion was so pervasive in his own world that he expected to be the same here.  The fact that it was sparse in Crater was potentially a good sign for the general view on homosexuality, but he wasn¡¯t holding out much hope, considering how little Abby and Felicity knew about it.  It wasn¡¯t much longer before he bid his friends good night and pulled out his sleeping bag. Luke fell asleep listening to the sound of Tony and the security people with him laughing around a fire late into the night.

    ***

    There was one more person Luke wanted to speak to after his conversation with Tony, but Abby was with him almost all the time, and he didn¡¯t find an opportunity for several more days.

    ¡°He¡¯s getting worse,¡± she told him when he asked about Carver.  ¡°He has a fever, and he¡¯s barely able to sit up in the wagon. I don¡¯t know what to do other than try to get to Darkend sooner, but even there I¡¯m not sure they¡¯ll be able to do much for him.¡±

    She hovered around the old man for most of the day while they traveled, and Luke had to wait for an opportunity when she took one of her rare breaks.  He didn¡¯t want her to be around when he brought up the same topics that he¡¯d spoken about with her. Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t seem like there was ever a time when at least one of Carver¡¯s daughters weren¡¯t with him, so he resigned himself to Angela¡¯s presence when he went to see the old man.  Her smile looked forced, but her greeting was friendly nonetheless.

    ¡°Hey, Dad, Luke¡¯s come to say hi.¡±

    The roamer gripped the edge of the wagon to pull himself up, a task that took a few moments.  He looked¡­frail. Far more so than Luke had ever seen him before. His face was deathly pale, and he¡¯d lost weight in the few days since they left Hobble.  Every stray bump caused a grimace of pain to cross his face. Bandages were still wrapped around his foot, though it looked like Abby had resorted to tearing some of the cloth for trading to ensure that his entire stump was covered.

    ¡°What do you want, kid?¡± he asked.  Even his voice sounded weaker, though he still managed the tone of exasperation Luke had come to expect.

    He hesitated before answering.  ¡°How are you doing over here?¡±

    ¡°I lost a foot and apparently I¡¯m dying, judging by how often she¡¯s back here,¡± he said, jamming a thumb toward Angela.  ¡°Now what do you want?¡±

    ¡°Dad!¡± Angela said forcefully.  ¡°You¡¯re not dying. Don¡¯t be dramatic.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel like living, I can tell you that.  But you came over here for something, spit it out.¡±

    ¡°I...had a question, and you¡¯re the only one here who¡¯s not really from Crater.¡±

    He snorted, a sound that turned into a racking, painful cough.  He took a moment to catch his breath before speaking. ¡°You don¡¯t know how I feel about answering questions by now?¡±  Despite his words, he gestured impatiently for Luke to continue.

    ¡°I was wondering if you knew how people in Crater, and other places I guess, would react to finding out someone was gay?¡±  He was going about his question in a less circumspect way than he had with Felicity and Abby, but he doubted Carver would answer unless he was as direct as possible.

    ¡°What, you¡¯re a poof?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Dad!¡± Angela said sharply.  Luke felt like he¡¯d been slapped.

    ¡°What?  Doesn¡¯t make any difference to me.  Stick your genitals wherever you want, I couldn¡¯t care less.¡±  He sighed, and his face tightened in pain when the wagon jostled him around.  ¡°Look, it depends on where you go. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if there¡¯s somewhere out east where they¡¯re open about it.  People tend to cluster around others like them. In Ark, you¡¯d probably be stoned on the spot if they found out. They¡¯re Old Testament over there.  Crater, far as I know, they just don¡¯t talk about it. Out of sight, out of mind.¡±

    Angela glanced at him askance, and Carver looked a little surprised himself at the length of his speech.  ¡°Fuck, I¡¯m getting old,¡± he muttered.

    His words more or less confirmed what Luke had suspected about Crater.  It sounded like they had some kind of don¡¯t ask, don¡¯t tell policy which was¡­less than ideal.  It could have been worse, but it was a far cry from the acceptance he¡¯d found in the old world.  It also went a long way toward explaining why Tony was so confused.

    Having gotten the answer he wanted and still embarrassed by Carver¡¯s earlier comment, Luke moved to leave, but was surprised when the old man held up his hand.

    ¡°Wait.¡±

    Luke paused midway through the act of jumping out of the back to look back at the old man.

    ¡°There¡¯s something you need to know,¡± he said.  Even with his infirmity, there was a gravitas to his words, as if what he was saying was a matter of life-or-death.  Luke returned to his place in the wagon.

    ¡°I just learned that Langrendi, the elvish settlement, is the last stop on this trip,¡± he said.

    ¡°Dad,¡± Angela said in a warning tone.  Luke was impressed with how much mileage she could get out of that one word.  Carver waved her off.

    ¡°You¡¯re not bad in a fight if you can get over this thing where you shut down,¡± he went on.  ¡°You¡¯re a quick thinker and that¡¯s the most important thing. Everything else can be taught.¡±

    Angela looked torn, but she didn¡¯t interrupt her father.

    ¡°There might be trade between elves and humans now, but they weren¡¯t always so friendly toward us.  It used to mean a battle every time we ran into each other¡ªdwarves, orcs, all of ¡®em. And believe me, someday it¡¯ll be that way again.¡±  He made the effort to reach over and grab Luke¡¯s arm. His grip was still strong despite his illness, and a feverish light blazed in his eyes.

    ¡°You can¡¯t trust them.  And in a one-on-one fight, any of them have a physical advantage over us.  So we have to be smarter.¡±

    ¡°Dad, enough!¡± Angela said, finally stepping in to take his hand away from Luke.  ¡°No one wants to hear this.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t fucking matter,¡± Carver snarled.  ¡°This world doesn¡¯t reward you for burying your head in the sand and ignoring the truth.  Be prepared or be dead. I¡¯ll tell the same thing to every damn human I can get in earshot.¡±  He turned back to Luke. ¡°Elves are faster, much better reflexes than any human. But they tend to react the same way every time.  Fake a few shots, then fire where they¡¯re going to be. Dwarves have hard skin, even harder than a cryptsil. But a bullet¡ªor a hammer¡¯s even better¡ªcan still bruise or tear their insides without ever breaking the skin.  Aim for the head if you can, the brain¡¯s the best target. And orcs are big and strong, but two in the head and two in the chest and they go down easy enough. Just make sure you don¡¯t let them close in on you.¡±

    He spoke quickly, with the cadence of a rehearsed speech.  Luke was shocked by the brutality of his words. Angela was uncomfortable, but short of physically intervening with her handicapped father, there was little she could do to stop him.  Carver spoke again, saving Luke from the necessity of finding something to say.

    ¡°I expect you won¡¯t take me seriously right now¡ªhell, you¡¯ve never even seen the things.  But just keep it in mind. When they do start stirring shit up,¡ªand they will¡ªhumans will lose if we have to learn all of this over again.  And that can¡¯t happen.¡±  He spoke in an entreating tone that Luke had never heard before.  Carver believed what he was saying, that the elves and other creatures with them were a threat to humanity.

    And then Luke realized something else.  Carver truly thought he was going to die.  He wouldn¡¯t speak with such urgency otherwise, fight so hard to make sure that Luke of all people knew what he wanted to tell him.  Even the thought of an orc charging him was enough to make his legs go wobbly. Not to mention he didn¡¯t even know how to use a gun.  But the old man was probably telling the same thing to everyone he could find.

    But now it seemed he was done talking.  He looked tired in the wake of his outburst, and he allowed himself to fall back, propped up by some blankets Angela had laid out for him.  She leaped off the wagon with Luke and spoke to him away from her father.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that,¡± she said, shaking her head.  ¡°He¡¯s always had a thing about the elves. He was pissed when he found out we¡¯re going up there.¡±

    ¡°Why does he hate them so much?¡± Luke asked.

    She hesitated.  ¡°It¡¯s a long story.  He wasn¡¯t wrong when he said that we weren¡¯t always on such good terms with them as we are now.  There was fighting for a long time, and he was pretty heavily involved in it. He¡¯s never been very good at letting go of old grudges.¡±

    ¡°I guess I learned something, if nothing else,¡± Luke said.  ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯ll ever be useful, but now I know it.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry too much,¡± Angela said with a wry smile.  ¡°The elves are probably one of Dad¡¯s worst blind spots, and that¡¯s saying a hell of a lot.  It¡¯s been years since there¡¯s been any conflict, and I doubt that¡¯ll change any time soon. It got pretty bad on both sides.¡±

    Luke nodded, and she returned to the wagon to watch over her father.  He spent the rest of the day alone, pondering on everything that had happened.  There were implications to his conversation with Carver that were interesting, but Tony still occupied most of his thoughts.  He went to bed that night resolving to speak with him again the next day.

    <hr>

    ¡°I need to talk to you.¡±

    Luke didn¡¯t even jump at the ethereal voice that came from behind him.  The moment he¡¯d looked around and seen the empty lot where they¡¯d fought the cryptsil, he knew Sandy was around somewhere.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been a while,¡± he said, turning around.  ¡°I thought of a few more stories you might like.¡± His smile fell as he took in Sandy¡¯s appearance.  She looked worried, and while he¡¯d tried to teach her proper facial expressions with some success, he wouldn¡¯t have thought much of itt without the all-black funeral dress she wore, a better indication of her state of mind.

    ¡°Is Carver going to die?¡± she asked, sounding close to tears.  ¡°I try to talk to him every night but he won¡¯t let me in his dreams, and I looked at him during the day and his foot¡¯s gone!  And he doesn¡¯t move, and he looks like he¡¯s in pain all the time, and he¡¯s pale, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± Luke said gently, pulling her into a hug.  She was floating in agitation, so his arms were wrapped around her waist, but she clutched at his shoulders anyway.  ¡°It¡¯s gonna be ok. He¡¯s been sick, but he¡¯s getting better. His foot might be gone, but he¡¯s not going to die.¡±

    ¡°You promise?¡± she asked, sounding more like a little girl than ever before.  She was very insightful in some ways, but in others she reminded Luke of nothing so much as an eight year old girl.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, trying his best to sound upbeat.  He did believe what he was saying. Carver might have been sick, but the strength he¡¯d shown made Luke think that he would eventually recover, even if the man himself thought otherwise.

    ¡°Then why won¡¯t he talk to me?¡± Sandy whined.  ¡°Does he not like me anymore?¡± Luke tried to disengage from the hug, but the floating girl kept holding on.

    ¡°Maybe he just doesn¡¯t want to see you when he¡¯s like this,¡± Luke suggested.  ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll let you in again once he feels better.¡± He was intensely curious how Carver managed to keep the dream girl out of his head, but it was not the right time to ask.  Sandy was truly distraught, and he was a little surprised that she thought that highly of the roamer.

    ¡°Ok.  I believe you.  He¡¯ll be fine. Everything¡¯s going to be fine.¡±  She was muttering to herself and flying higher and higher.

    ¡°Uh, Sandy?¡± Luke said to bring her back down.  She gave him a furious look, which he hoped didn¡¯t signal her actual reaction.  ¡°Since you¡¯re here, do you want to hear a story? I have a good one.¡± He thought it might cheer her up, and he spent a lot of time thinking up the stories he wanted to tell her.  Mostly he tried to stick to Greek and other mythological tales, but some creative liberties were always necessary.

    ¡°All right,¡± she said, returning to the ground.  Her dress changed to another black skirt, but it was more goth rather than funeral attire.  She sat on the ground, hugging her legs as she waited for him to start.

    ¡°Ok.  There was once a man named Daedalus, who worked for a king named, uh¡ªPalpatine¡­¡±

    The story of Icarus and Daedalus mashed up with Star Wars was a big hit with Sandy.  The first draft had included Sharknado, but Luke had rejected that premise. He had his artistic integrity.  At the end of the night, Sandy asked him for reassurance one more time.

    ¡°He¡¯s really going to be ok?  I¡¯ve never seen him look like that before.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll be fine.  Carver¡¯s the toughest person I know.  He won¡¯t let something like this do him in.¡±

    ¡°Ok.  You better be right.¡±

    With that, the familiar darkness overtook Luke once more.

    <hr>

    He saw Abby when he went to get breakfast.  She looked more exhausted than he¡¯d ever seen her, with dark rings around her eyes.

    ¡°Unless a miracle happens in the next few days, Carver¡¯s going to die,¡± she said by way of greeting.

    ¡°Shit.¡±

 1.16

    Abby expected an argument to get the caravan moving faster.  Simmons was getting worse by the day as he gathered more influence within the caravan, and she doubted he would care to expend any effort to save Carver¡¯s life.  But she pushed the feeling down deep when she went to speak to him, permitting only the concern of an advocate for her patient to blossom within her conscious mind.  As a result, she felt little surprise when he quickly agreed to her proposal.

    ¡°You¡¯re certain he¡¯ll die if we don¡¯t get to Darkend?¡±  He swallowed a piece of jerky while awaiting her response.  Abby only nodded. Exhaustion was a physical process that wasn¡¯t so easy to dismiss when inconvenient, and caring for Carver had taken its toll.  The desire to curl up in the back of a wagon, however, was something that could be pushed down.  At least up to a point.

    ¡°Then we have to move as fast as we can!¡±  Simmons said enthusiastically. ¡°I may disagree with the man, but we certainly can¡¯t allow him to die if we can prevent it!¡±  Most of the toadies around him hastened to agree, but Tony¡ªwho had been spending more and more time around the mustached man¡ªfrowned at him thoughtfully.  Abby made a mental note to speak to him about his choice in friends when she had more time¡ªa thought that grew like a bubble in a cauldron, rising to the top for only a moment before bursting and falling back beneath the surface.

    Most of her attention was still devoted to the matter at hand.  ¡°Good. I already told the drivers that we have to speed up. We¡¯ll go as soon as you¡¯re done eating.¡±  If she wore no mask, Abby would have hated the necessity of such a political process to save a man¡¯s life, but in her current state the emotion barely registered.  Similarly, only a brief flash of annoyance flitted through her when Angela and Ella came over to bombard her with questions. They already knew the answers, of course, but she patiently went over every aspect of their father¡¯s condition anyway.  When she wore her caretaker mask she only allowed herself the thoughts and emotions that were suitable for such a situation. None of the feelings were manufactured¡ªshe couldn¡¯t force on a mask that would change who she was¡ªbut everything that didn¡¯t fit within her role was pushed down to her subconscious.  It was only once Ella and Angela left, and Abby was alone, that the mask dropped and the unwanted feelings surfaced.

    Foremost in her mind, as it had been for days, was the wish that Adriana was there.  Abby was out of her depth caring for Carver, and she worried that everyone she interacted with knew it.  Someone better than her might have been able to prevent his infection before it started. She had no business cutting off someone¡¯s foot.  It was incredible that no one had even tried to stop her when she had proclaimed it necessary. Instead, Ella and Angela¡ªgrown women, both of whom she¡¯d known for years¡ªlooked to her for answers.  It was astounding.

    But there was no one else, so she carried on as best she could.  The drivers called out the start of the morning¡¯s journey, and Abby sighed and jogged back toward the wagon Carver was kept in.  He was unconscious, but she fell back into her healer persona anyway. It was impossible to imagine caring for him without it. She replaced the lukewarm cloth wrapped around his head, never thinking that it was a poor alternative for a cold compress.  There was no consideration that any comfort she could provide was comparable to a drop against the tidal wave of his constant, unending pain.

    She was forced to tear a piece of cloth¡ªsilk, maybe¡ªthat had been meant for trade in order to give Carver a fresh bandage.  One of the traders had complained about the loss, but Ella had taken care of that particular problem. The shouting provided a good outlet for her negative emotions.

    A brief glow of satisfaction smoldered within her when she saw that the wagons were moving faster than the day before, like a reward for a job accomplished.  Then she glanced down at the sick old man, and her mask slipped. The severity of his condition crashed down on her. Even in his sleep he was breathing heavily, and the sweat was shining on his forehead.  He¡¯d been unconscious for more than half of the previous day, and when he did awake, his eyes had been glassy and dull. Abby had no idea what resources they had access to in Darkend, but saving him would take a miracle.

    After a moment her mask fell back into place and the turmoil of her thoughts ceased.  It stayed in place for the rest of the day, which she remembered later only as a haze of tiredness.  Roz was capable of changing her own bandages by now, so Carver was her full-time and only responsibility.  She did her best to not only care for him, but to create jobs for Ella and Angela to aid her. It was Adriana¡¯s voice that reminded her that making friends and family feel useful, if possible, was a worthwhile endeavor.  Although he didn¡¯t improve, Carver also failed to worsen by the day¡¯s end when Abby had to collapse into a bag, unable to even keep up the pretense that she was still capable of caring for him without rest. Her sleep was¡ªthankfully¡ªwithout dreams.

    Abby, without a mask,  felt a little more optimistic when she awoke the next morning.  A night¡¯s sleep did much to improve her outlook, as did a quick meal of a leftover deer some of the guards had hunted the previous day.  Her spirits were buoyed as she returned to the back of the wagon where Carver stayed.

    They would have plummeted immediately when she was met by Ella at his bedside, had the mask of the healer not already been in place.

    ¡°I think he¡¯s worse,¡± the trader said, glancing toward her father.  ¡°He was talking in his sleep last night and thrashing around, even with his leg.¡±

    Abby saw that the old man did look paler than he had the previous day, and he was sweating through his sheets.  She could feel the heat radiating from his wound even through the bandage. Gravely, she looked at Ella.

    ¡°What do you think the chances are that we make it to Darkend today?¡±

    The trader woman looked around at their surroundings.  The climate had been getting gradually drier over the past few days, and the terrain was starting to resemble a legitimate desert.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said.  ¡°At the rate we¡¯re going¡­it¡¯ll either be tonight or sometime tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°It had better be tonight.  Once he¡¯s started going downhill like this, it¡¯s hard to stop.¡±  Preserving hope was important, but there was also a time to speak frankly.  If anything, she was still overselling his chances.

    They informed the traders driving the wagons, who promised to squeeze all the speed they could out of the horses.  The healer¡¯s persona permitted a vague worry for the health of the horses, but Carver was her primary charge. At least they had a map of water sources in the area.

    The pace of travel proved to be more contentious than it had the previous day.  Abby wanted to move even faster than before, and while both horses and people were theoretically capable of such a prolonged trot, complaints started flowing in stea.  It wasn¡¯t even half an hour into the day¡¯s travel when the wagon came to a halt. Mentally rewiring herself into her advocate persona, Abby hopped out of the back and walked around to the front to see a number of people clustered around the driver.

    ¡°We can¡¯t keep going like this,¡± one of the traders was complaining.  She noted he was one of the larger people in the caravan, his bald head already soaked in sweat.  He wasn¡¯t fat, precisely, but he was certainly heavier than the average resident. ¡°You might get to sit up there with the horses, but the rest of us are running behind you.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s dying,¡± Ella said, baring her teeth at the man who spoke.  ¡°I¡¯ll trade places with any one of you if it¡¯ll get you to shut up, but if it was your dad back in that wagon I bet you¡¯d find a way to keep running.¡±

    ¡°My dad was never responsible for the death of a resident,¡± a guard said loudly.  ¡°Maybe he¡¯s not worth the effort.¡± Ella stalked toward the man who spoke, but Angela laid a hand on her shoulder.

    Abby opened her mouth to speak, but someone else beat her to it.  ¡°There¡¯s no need for so much hostility! We¡¯re all from Crater here, surely we can find a solution.¡±  Simmons put his arm across the chest of the guard glaring toward Ella, speaking in a reasonable tone. Suspicion was part of an advocate¡¯s makeup, but Abby listened to what he had to say.

    ¡°What about this?  If it¡¯s so urgent to get Carver to the nearest settlement, we send his wagon ahead with just a few guards.  Everyone else can follow at a slower pace and we¡¯ll meet up at Darkend.¡±

    Ella stared at the mustached man she¡¯d clashed with so often over the last few days.  Angela whispered something in her ear. With a sigh, she nodded at him.

    ¡°Perfect!¡± he said, clapping his hands.  ¡°Does anyone else have an objection?¡± No one spoke.

    ¡°Then I would be pleased to accompany the wagon myself,¡± he went on.  ¡°I don¡¯t want any man¡¯s death on my conscience when it might have been possible to prevent it.¡±

    His complete reversal in attitude was concerning, but the idea was a good one and Abby could think of no good reason to prevent him from accompanying them.  He wouldn¡¯t step anywhere near Carver, though. The healer mask in particular would brook no threats to her patient.

    ¡°Ang and I are going too,¡± Ella said, looking around as if anyone might think of saying otherwise.  Abby and the wagon driver rounded out the group, and they left the others behind soon after.

    There was barely enough space for Carver and two other people in the wagon bed with all the other trading goods inside.  Abby stayed by his side for the entire day, while Ella and Angela switched off every few hours. No one ever offered Simmons a place in the wagon, a fact that didn¡¯t seem to bother him as he ran alongside the trotting horses, in good shape for his age.  Occasionally the people on foot would fall behind the wagon, but the horses needed frequent breaks and they were always able to catch back up.

    Carver himself floated in and out of consciousness several times.  Even when he was awake, he¡¯d often speak in nonsensical ravings, a development that nearly brought Angela to tears when she saw it.  The old man¡¯s loss of lucidity was a further sign of his deterioration, but Abby had long since exhausted all the possibilities she had access to for reversing his condition.  There was little for her to do but feed him and water him, keep him clean, and try to bring his fever down. The day was unconscionably slow in passing, and Abby still didn¡¯t know if they would make it to Darkend that night.  Asking Ella would be counterproductive, as it would do nothing to increase their pace and might add to her worry.

    As dusk overtook the day, bathing the landscape in a lurid red glow, the driver stopped the wagon to rest and water the horses.  The environment was all low-growing shrubs and dry, baked ground, but they¡¯d stopped at a few streams during the day and weren¡¯t in any danger of dehydration.

    ¡°I think we¡¯ll make it,¡± Ella said, a catch audible in her voice that Abby had never heard before.  ¡°If we keep going a little after dark, we can get to Darkend tonight.¡±

    Abby nodded in response.  Seeing her father raving had shaken the woman more than she thought.

    ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll be able to help him if we get there in time?¡±

    The question was obvious, but not one that either of Carver¡¯s daughters had asked before.  Likely because they were dreading the answer. Abby factored that into her response.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± she hedged.  ¡°If they have access to any kind of antibiotics, it could help him.  If they don¡¯t¡­it¡¯s hard to say.¡± Not a lie, but perhaps more optimistic than the truth of the situation.

    Ella nodded, squeezing her eyes shut.  ¡°It¡¯s a big settlement. They have to have something to help him.¡±  She was speaking to herself more than Abby.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    They pressed on at an even harsher pace after resting.  The moon was high and near-full in the sky, allowing them to continue even after night fell.  No one asked to halt for any longer than necessary for the horses, but a bubble-thought led Abby to wonder how long it would be before the runners were too worn out to continue.

    She never found out, as they reached Darkend only an hour into their night travel.

    Wooden walls surrounded the boundaries of the town, tall makeshift barriers that were big, but didn¡¯t look like they¡¯d been made with any particular skill or expertise.  A pit surrounded the outside of the walls except for a single break where it looked like a gate could rise to allow entry. Peering down, Abby saw that pointed stakes lined the bottom, sharp enough to gut anyone unlucky enough to fall in.  Any view of the settlement itself was obscured by the walls, and no one intercepted them or seemed to notice their arrival.

    Predictably, Angela was the first one to get over her hesitation and call out.

    ¡°Hey!  We need help!  Is anyone there?¡±

    There was silence for a moment, then a head popped up over the top of the wall.  The incongruity of the sight made Abby frown. There had to be walkways up against the other side of the barriers, they were far too high for anyone to see over any other way.

    ¡°Ah, hold on,¡± the woman on top shouted back.  ¡°Give me a second.¡±

    The caravan group waited in silence as the woman disappeared back below the wall.  After a awkwardly long wait, the squealing sound of rusted metal echoed from within the settlement and the gate began to rise.  After the excruciatingly slow mechanism was raised high enough for a person to pass under, the ear-piercing sound finally ceased and a trio of people made their way out from inside the settlement.

    In the lead was an older woman with short cut gray hair and lines over her face with a no-nonsense expression.  Behind her was the brunette girl who had peeked over at them, glancing around and looking unsure of herself. She wasn¡¯t much older than Abby herself, maybe somewhere in her mid-twenties.  On the other side of the older woman was a sleepy looking man who barely seemed to know what was going on. He didn¡¯t offer their group more than a quick glance, anyway, and only yawned in acknowledgement of the strangers.  All three did carry handguns holstered at their side, and Abby noticed Simmons¡¯s hand drift toward his own hip.

    ¡°All right, who¡¯re you lot then?¡± the gray-haired woman asked.  She had a british accent, and out of the three was the only one who held herself with any semblance of authority.  Simmons stepped out in front before anyone else could speak. Officially, the traders were supposed to make any contact with people outside the settlement, but while Ella gritted her teeth, she apparently wasn¡¯t inclined to push the issue at the moment.

    ¡°Pleased to meet you.  My name is Percival Simmons, and we are an advance group of traders hailing from Crater.  We have¡ª¡±

    Instantly, all three of the people facing them stiffened and looked more alert, the young woman actually putting her hand on the butt of her gun.  Abby frowned. She wore her advocate mask and wasn¡¯t inclined toward bewilderment, but their reaction was excessive. Relations were tense between Darkend and Crater, but the two settlements still engaged in regular trade.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to leave,¡± the woman in charge said.  ¡°We¡¯re not interested in trading at the moment.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡±  Ella cried.  ¡°We have someone who¡¯s sick!  We need your help, he¡¯ll die on the road!¡±

    The woman hesitated, but shook her head.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We can¡¯t let anyone in¡ª¡±

    ¡°Can you get Carrie?  Or Arthur?¡± Ella asked desperately.  ¡°I¡¯ve traded with both of them before, they know me.¡±

    ¡°They can¡¯t overrule this right now.  No one¡¯s coming into the settlement.¡± There was a hint of sympathy in her voice, but both of her companion¡¯s hands still hovered near their guns.  ¡°You¡¯ll have to go elsewhere.¡±

    ¡°Surely there¡¯s some way we can¡ª¡± Simmons started, but Angela spoke over him.

    ¡°Alex!  Get Alex!¡±  she said loudly.  ¡°It¡¯s his dad who¡¯s sick, he can vouch for us.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just not pos¡ªhis father?¡±  The gray-haired woman stopped short.  ¡°Your sick man is Ernest Carver?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±  Ella shouted.  ¡°Look, he¡¯s right here.¡±

    The Darkend woman glanced in the back of the wagon, then turned back to the two younger people with her.

    ¡°Wait with them here.  I have to go talk to some people.  You all just stay here a minute.¡± Her companions nodded and she jogged off through the gate back into the settlement.  An uncomfortable silence took hold between the two groups.

    ¡°We¡¯re not here to do anything,¡± Angela finally said.  ¡°I just want to find help for my dad.¡± The two guards were at least not poised to pull out their guns anymore, but they were still tense in the presence of the Crater residents.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing personal,¡± the young woman said.  Her voice was high-pitched, perhaps scared. ¡°We have orders that no one from Crater¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Millie,¡± the other  guard said. He was leaning against Darkend¡¯s wall now, but his eyes scanned their group every few seconds.

    ¡°What?  They seem like nice people,¡± Millie said.  Her companion rolled his eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all great,¡± he said, addressing the Crater group.  ¡°But let¡¯s wait for Sandra to get back before we start getting all buddy-buddy.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±  Ella demanded from behind the wagon.  She had gone back to sit next to her father, but now stood up to look down at the two who were with them.  ¡°I¡¯ve been here half a dozen times before and it was never like this.  Why do you hate Crater all of a sudden?¡±

    The man against the wall shrugged.  ¡°You¡¯d have to ask the folks inside.  That¡¯s above my pay grade.¡± He looked meaningfully toward his partner, who nodded hastily.

    No one said much after that until the gray-haired woman returned.  She carried a long surfboard with her along with several loops of rope.

    ¡°All right.  We¡¯ll take him.  They¡¯re going to treat him inside the settlement, but no one else other than whoever¡¯s been taking care of him can come in.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit,¡± Simmons said.  ¡°We¡¯re not going to stand out here and¡ª-¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Ella said.  ¡°Just hurry, please.¡± Simmons looked furious, but the three Darkend guards moved quickly to transfer Carver onto the surfboard and tie him to it with the rope.  Abby disapproved of their rough handling, but at least they were efficient. It wasn¡¯t long before they were hauling the old man through the gate while she followed close behind.

    Once inside, the older woman left the other two to carry their cargo while she laboriously lowered the gate using a nearby turncrank.  From the inside, Abby could see the system of walkways that spanned the length of the wall. Ladders were raised at regular intervals to allow access to a ledge high enough to give a view over the structure.  Behind them, wooden supports bore the weight of the ledge and reinforced the wall. The gate itself was connected to the turn crank by some kind of pulley system. It was an interesting piece of construction, but Abby quickly put it out of her mind in favor of her patient.

    After the gate was back in place, sealing Abby off inside the town, they walked on in silence save for the occasional grunt by one of the guards.  The settlement itself was fairly similar to Crater and Hobble, made up of repurposed buildings from the old world, but unlike the bustling streets of Crater, there was not another soul in sight.  The eerie quiet would have been unnerving had she not still been wearing her advocate mask, but with it on the feeling was relegated to a remote corner of her mind.

    They reached a large building that looked like it might have once been some kind of government center judging by the large bronze seal inlaid on the door that reflected the light of the moon.  One of the guards moved to prop open the door, and Abby was momentarily shocked to see actual functioning fluorescent lights buzzing within. Three or four people inside turned their heads toward the new arrivals and ushered them through a door in the back once they saw the unconscious man they were carrying.  Abby moved to follow, but stopped short when she got a good look around the first room. All around the walls were shelves stocked to the brim with medical supplies. Gauze, bandages, and tools were all present in quantities rivaling Crater¡¯s own stores, but they were newer and looked more professional than anything Abby had ever seen.  Rather than pieces of cloth torn and boiled to be repurposed into bandages, the goods on the shelves actually looked like they¡¯d been designed for medical purposes. It was easily the highest quality medical station Abby had seen in her entire life.

    Her astonishment was interrupted when one of the people who¡¯d been inside, a woman in her mid-forties with a haggard look about her, started questioning her about Carver¡¯s condition.

    ¡°How long since the infection took hold?¡±

    ¡°Where did all of this come from?¡±  Abby asked. ¡°You can¡¯t have scavenged all of this.¡±

    ¡°We have a man who looks like he¡¯s clinging to life over there,¡± the woman said, jabbing her thumb at the door they had taken Carver through.  ¡°I¡¯m not wasting time on pleasantries. How long has he been sick?¡±

    Nodding, Abby took a moment to reorient herself into her professional persona.  ¡°Four or five days. He¡¯s declined quickly within the last two.¡±

    She answered a series of rapid-fire questions about Carver¡¯s amputation and the aftermath, but stopped short when she glanced over at the wall again to see someone tipping a liquid from a large jar into a cup with a straw.

    ¡°Is that some kind of antibiotic?¡±

    ¡°Focus,¡± the woman said sternly.

    ¡°But there¡¯s so much of it!¡±  Abby said, unable to contain herself.  ¡°Why would you even harvest that much? It¡¯ll go bad within a few months.¡±

    ¡°We know what we¡¯re doing here,¡± her questioner said.  ¡°Do you want to save that man¡¯s life or not?¡±

    Tearing her eyes away from the shelves, Abby struggled to put her mask back on.  She shut out any thoughts but those that were absolutely necessary to save Carver.  Once the woman was finished with her questions, she called the guard back over.

    ¡°We¡¯re done here.  She can go.¡±

    Reeling from what she¡¯d seen, Abby didn¡¯t protest when the trio who had brought her guided her out of the medical building back toward the gate.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother waiting around,¡± the gray-haired woman told her on the way.  ¡°Tell your friends to move on. He¡¯ll have to find you when he gets better.  If he even wants to.¡±

    Her odd words barely registered to Abby, whose mind was still back at the supply shelves that she¡¯d seen.  She had always thought¡ªand been told¡ªCrater had the best medical facilities in existence since the old world fell, but the materials in Darkend blew their own supplies right out of the water.  It didn¡¯t make sense a settlement a fifth the size of Crater could possibly assemble such impressive stores. Some of what she saw hadn¡¯t been manufactured in twenty years!

    There were only a few anchors that tied Abby to who she was as a person, regardless of the mask she wore moment to moment.  Foremost among those anchors was the belief that Crater was the best humanity held to offer, that it offered the greatest chance to restore civilization to what it once had been.  Seeing her home so casually surpassed within her own field shook her to her core.

    Her mind raced through a circular pattern of thoughts over and over without the regulating presence of a persona until the gate was open again and she returned to the wagon.  Once the others began questioning her, Abby had no choice but to force the healer¡¯s mask back on.

    ¡°Do you think they can help?  Does he have a chance?¡± Ella spoke with urgency while Angela stood next to her.

    ¡°I believe your father¡¯s chances are as good here as they would be in Crater itself.  Perhaps better.¡± Both women let out a sigh of relief, tension visibly draining from their frames.  Apparently they¡¯d been more cognizant of the precariousness of Carver¡¯s situation than Abby had thought.  Maybe her own expressed worry had exacerbated their own fears. She debated whether to caution them that his recovery was still not certain, but Simmons spoke first from the side.

    ¡°So how do we get him back then if they won¡¯t let us in?  We just wait out here until he¡¯s better?¡±

    Abby looked over to the man, distaste filtering through her imperfect mask.  She had little doubt that his aid had only been offered because he saw some kind of profit in his actions.

    ¡°No, the guards will not permit us to stay beyond their walls.  We will have to move on, and trust that Carver will seek us out on his own when he recovers.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unacceptable,¡± Simmons nearly shouted, then caught himself and moderated his tone.  ¡°There has to be some kind of compromise to be had. Surely you won¡¯t leave without seeing your father recovered?¡±

    Ella and Angela glanced at each other.  ¡°How long will it be before he improves, do you think?¡± Angela asked Abby.

    ¡°In the best scenario, several days,¡± she said.  ¡°Possibly weeks. It¡¯s difficult to say. He will be quite weak for some time after the fever breaks either way.¡±

    ¡°The caravan can¡¯t wait that long,¡± Ella said.  ¡°Especially since this is the second settlement where we won¡¯t get any trading done.  Maybe we can check in on the way back, but¡­he¡¯ll be staying in Darkend for a long time anyway.¡±

    ¡°Yes, hopefully he¡¯ll have recovered enough to join us on the return journey,¡±  Simmons said. ¡°I suppose there¡¯s no other option.¡± He turned back to the wagon.  ¡°I hope the guards won¡¯t begrudge us one night outside their walls while we wait for the rest of the caravan.  I, for one, am quite exhausted after our journey today.¡±

    Abby narrowed her eyes at his back while he pulled a sleeping bag from the wagon.  Now that her stewardship of Carver was at an end, she had changed masks almost without realizing it after speaking with Ella and Angela.  Suspicion came much more naturally when she acted as a guardian. A thought struck her, but it was neither the time nor the place to voice it.  She convinced the others to move away from the walls over Simmon¡¯s objections, and before long they were all laying in their sleeping bags. Once again, Abby¡¯s thoughts drifted freely in the mist between sleep and wakefulness.  But time and again they returned to the wall of supplies she had seen in Darkend and their superiority to anything found in Crater. The memory agitated her on a visceral level, and yet she could do nothing to push the image away.  Her last thought was a wish that she could manage to keep her mask on even while she slept.

 1.17

    Though he still worried for Abby and Carver, Luke had to admit he enjoyed traveling while the caravan was split up.  The heat of the desert was still stifling, but with Simmons, Carver, Ella, and Angela all gone much of the tension that had been so prominent since Hobble had vanished.  Without their most impassioned members stoking the flames, the factions found it easy enough to be civil toward one another. For the most part, they¡¯d all known each other for years after all.  Luke was grateful, as the arguments and infighting had made the journey much more miserable than it had been when boredom was the worst he faced.

    It also meant that spent less time with the court that Simmons had formed out of his faction.  With him gone, the other boy stayed with Luke for most of the day. It wasn¡¯t hard to tell that something was on his mind, but it took several hours for Tony to work up his courage to talk about it.  After going back and forth between the caravan, he finally approached Luke once more.

    ¡°Hey.  How¡¯s it going?¡±  Tony looked tense, glancing all around to make sure no one was looking at them.

    ¡°Fine, I guess.  I¡¯m worried about Carver.  I hope Abby and the others make it in time.¡±

    Tony shrugged.  ¡°Yeah. But if they don¡¯t, maybe it¡¯s karma for him getting us involved in all that stuff in the first place.¡±

    Luke wanted to defend Carver, but he didn¡¯t relish the idea of an argument with Tony while their friendship was still so fragile.  He also wanted him to spit out whatever was on his mind.

    ¡°Is there something you wanted to talk about?¡±

    Tony glanced around again, a hunted look in his eyes.  He answered in a loud voice. ¡°Sure, I can teach you how to shoot.  But we probably won¡¯t even fire the gun today, I¡¯ll just show you the stance and grip.¡±

    His acting was atrocious.  The tone of voice alone would have made Luke instantly suspicious if he hadn¡¯t known what was going on, and he spoke far too loud for it to sound natural.  But while Tony¡¯s words garnered a few odd glances, no one seemed particularly interested in what they were doing. The two of them stopped to let the rest of the caravan pass them by, only walking again once they were well out of earshot of anyone who might try to listen.

    ¡°That didn¡¯t even make sense,¡±  Luke said, trying not to laugh. ¡°If anyone looks back, we¡¯re just walking.  Neither of us even have a gun.¡±

    ¡°I had to say something!¡±  Tony said defensively. ¡°People would start asking about it if we just walked off.¡±

    ¡°I think you made it more obvious, if anything,¡± Luke responded.  ¡°But I don¡¯t think anyone cares. Is it ok to talk now?¡±

    ¡°I guess,¡± Tony grumbled.  His eyes were still glued to the caravan in front of them, watching for any sign of interest.

    Luke waited, but the other boy didn¡¯t appear to be in any rush to say anything beyond that.  He sighed internally.

    ¡°So you said you had to think about some stuff yesterday?¡± he prompted.

    ¡°Yeah.  I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m still thinking it through.¡±

    ¡°Is there something specific¡ª¡± Luke started, but Tony cut him off.

    ¡°I think I might be gay!¡± he burst out, then immediately looked around as if waiting for someone to jump out at him.

    It took a monumental effort not to laugh out loud at the look on his face, but Luke escaped with a sound he hoped could pass as a cough.  He wasn¡¯t sure how successful the effort was, as Tony gave him a hurt look in response.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious.  I¡¯ve thought about it before, but I always thought gay people¡­disappeared, I guess.  Like they only existed in the old world. I thought I just had to be stronger or something.  But after you said you were¡­I don¡¯t know. It makes more sense why I¡¯ve never really liked girls like that.¡±

    The last vestiges of Luke¡¯s humor faded as he marshaled his thoughts.  This was an important moment, and his words could do irreparable damage if he wasn¡¯t careful.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t have anything to do with how strong you are. You can¡¯t change who you¡¯re attracted to.  A lot of people tried in my world, and one way or another it never ends well.¡±

    ¡°But what do I do now?¡± Tony asked, a plaintive note in his voice.  Luke marveled at how he could swing a pickaxe at a monster capable of ripping him in half, but talking about his sexuality ground his confidence into nothing.  He looked scared, hanging on Luke¡¯s every word.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything.  You¡¯re the same person you¡¯ve always been, now you just know a little more about yourself.¡±  Tony didn¡¯t look reassured, so Luke relented and went on. ¡°If you want my advice, you should take some time to process and then think about telling the people in your life.  Trust me, it¡¯s not easy to live while keeping something like this a secret from the people you care about.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Tony said slowly.  ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t accept it?¡±

    ¡°Then you keep living your life.  It sucks, but it¡¯s better than pretending to be someone you aren¡¯t.  Believe me, I know.¡±

    He looked over at Luke.  ¡°You know?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±  Luke took a deep breath.  ¡°My mom¡­I told her I was gay when I graduated high school.  We lived in a really conservative area¡ªsomewhere it¡¯s frowned upon to be anything other than what they say is ¡®normal¡¯.  More than frowned upon, sometimes. When I told her, she asked how I could do this to her.  Like I¡¯d chosen to be gay just to spite her.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m afraid of with my dad,¡± Tony whispered.  He looked down at the ground, quiet. When he looked up, his eyes were red.  ¡°I don¡¯t know if I could handle it if he said that to me.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you how he¡¯ll react,¡± Luke said.  He wanted to put an arm around Tony, but conscious of the caravan ahead of them, he refrained.  ¡°But I didn¡¯t finish my story. My mom didn¡¯t handle it well in the moment, but then later, after I moved out, she started trying to talk to me again.  She apologized for what she said. Our relationship still isn¡¯t great, but it¡¯s better than it was. If you give your dad a chance, he might surprise you.¡±

    Tony nodded and fought back the tears that threatened to fall.  ¡°I have to think about it,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Thanks. Give me a few minutes and let¡¯s go back.¡±

    Luke nodded and looked out toward the landscape while his friend composed himself.

    <hr>

    They caught up to the wagon that had taken Carver ahead the next day, and while Tony gravitated back toward Simmons, Luke learned what had happened from Abby.  He was relieved that the old man was being cared for, but Simmons¡¯s reaction perplexed him. His insistence that all he cared about was making sure the roamer was all right went against everything he had been saying since Hobble.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to have to hurry on to Ark now and hope they have a lot for trade,¡± Ella said that night.  She and Angela sat around the fire with Abby, joined by Luke and Felicity. The two women were in much higher spirits now that they knew their father was being cared for.  Ella had already turned her mind back to the logistics of their journey. ¡°We only have two stops left, Ark and Langrendi, so we have to try to offload as much stuff as we can.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Luke asked.

    Ella nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll skirt around the desert now that we¡¯ve hit Darkend, head north toward Ark, then out east to Langrendi.¡±

    ¡°Wow, so we¡¯ll be with the elves in a week or so, then.¡±

    ¡°Yep.  You¡¯ll have to watch what you say around them.  I¡¯ll remind the whole caravan when we get close, but they can get pretty touchy about some stuff.

    ¡°Like what?¡± Felicity asked.  Though she had traveled more than him or Abby, they would all be seeing the elves for the first time.

    ¡°I¡¯d say the main thing is to not mention Carver or anything about him,¡± Angela said.  ¡°Definitely don¡¯t mention that we¡¯re related to him.  I don¡¯t think we¡¯d be in any danger, but we wouldn¡¯t be winning any popularity contests after that.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s not just him that doesn¡¯t like them?¡±

    ¡°Oh no,¡± Angela shook her head emphatically.  ¡°He¡¯s basically the boogeyman up there. They¡¯re not fans.¡±

    ¡°What did he do?¡± Luke asked.  ¡°Why do they hate each other so much?¡±

    Angela cocked her head.  ¡°Can¡¯t you guess? He killed them.  A lot of them.¡±

    There was silence for a moment afterward.  ¡°Oh,¡± Luke said. He did feel dumb for not realizing it sooner.

    ¡°I guess we can tell you the whole story,¡± she said, glancing at Ella.  ¡°You guys probably know it already, right?¡±

    Abby nodded, but Felicity frowned.  ¡°At least some of it. I don¡¯t think I ever got told the whole thing.¡±

    ¡°Well, it started when all of them got here,¡ªelves, orcs, and dwarves¡ªprobably seven or eight years ago now.  Within the first few months, they kidnapped some humans and kept them in their settlement. As you can imagine, no one in the area was too happy about that.¡±

    ¡°Why?  Why take humans?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± Angela said.  ¡°They never gave an explanation, and once the fighting was over no one ever asked, as far as I know.  But they did take them, a group of ten or so from a settlement called Smithton.¡± She shook her head. ¡°It was a shitty place to start with, they all suck there.  But anyway, that abduction sparked a lot of conflict between the elves and humans. Crater wasn¡¯t involved too much since we¡¯re so far away, but a lot of the smaller ones around here were.¡±

    She hesitated, and Ella picked up the story.  ¡°They were slaughtered. It was mostly orcs and dwarves doing the fighting at that point, and all that stuff Dad told you, Luke, about how strong and tough they are is true.  They were probably killing three or four humans for every one of their own they lost. Humans had numbers on them, but at the rate they were going, they were still on track to lose.  And Dad turned that around.¡± There was a touch of pride in her voice as she spoke. ¡°He developed new ways to fight them, all that stuff he was telling you. All of a sudden, the settlements around here were winning battles instead of dying off.  The elves started taking to the field themselves, and he killed them too. I think that¡¯s what really shook them.

    ¡°Not long after that, this orc went around to different settlements, staying way back and shouting in broken English about how they wanted peace.  No one wanted to do that while they were winning, of course, but they started running away any time they encountered humans, and over time the conflict more or less petered out.  A couple years later someone from a settlement that didn¡¯t fight with them got bold enough to walk up to Langrendi to try to trade and brought us to where we are today.¡±

    She stopped to take a drink out of a waterskin.

    ¡°Was Carver really that important in the fighting?¡± Felicity asked,  ¡°or are you trying to hype him up?¡± Ella glared at her.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°You were there for the cryptsil.  Imagine if he was about ten years younger when he took it on.  It never would have made it out of the field.¡± She spoke forcefully, and Felicity held up her hands.

    ¡°Whoa, sorry.  Didn¡¯t mean to talk shit on him, I was just asking.  Were you two still with him during all of that?

    ¡°Nah,¡± Angela said.  Ella still looked a bit annoyed.  ¡°We¡¯d both decided to stay in Crater about a year before that with Ander and Winnie.  But I¡¯ve heard the stories from people at the settlements out here more than enough to piece it together, believe me.  Ella¡¯s probably heard it even more, she gets out more than I do.¡±

    Ella shrugged and took another swig from her waterskin as if it were a bottle.  There was still a little alcohol around the caravan, but it was strictly rationed and no one was breaking it out without a special occasion.

    ¡°So what¡¯s Ark like, then?¡±  Luke asked. ¡°We¡¯re going there first anyway, right?¡±

    ¡°Ark¡­¡± Angela said.  She glanced at Ella again, who snorted and laughed.  ¡°You¡¯re gonna have to see that one for yourself. It¡¯s too good to spoil.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re¡­devout, I¡¯ll give them that,¡± Ella said.

    Luke wondered what she could possibly mean, but no matter how he and Felicity pushed, the sisters wouldn¡¯t budge on revealing the details.   They insisted that they would have to wait to see for themselves.

    <hr>

    The next three days of travel were the best Luke had experienced since leaving Crater.  They soon left the barren desert behind for more temperate grassland, a landscape with more greenery than anywhere they¡¯d been so far.  Blankets of verdant moss and half-grown trees had sprouted from the wrecks that dotted the roadside, while the greenery a little farther off offered a rich environment well-suited for the hunting that supplemented their food stores and occupied the time of so many in their group.

    Luke was still never a part of the excursions himself, of course, but the outlet was enough to defuse much of the tensions that he had worried would resurface upon the return of Simmons and the others.  It helped that the mustached man was much less provocative than he had been; he made a few reconciliatory comments toward Ella and Angela and refrained from insulting their father further, a development that confused more than a few within his own faction and made Luke wonder if perhaps he hadn¡¯t misjudged the man.

    Tony still spent an odd amount of time with the guard and his group, but he no longer avoided Luke either.  They didn¡¯t speak every day, and the other boy didn¡¯t bring up the subject of his orientation again, but it was enough for Luke that there was no longer a weird distance between them.  He did at times feel alternately relieved and disappointed that Tony had never shown any specific interest in him; after the kiss early in their journey, he hadn¡¯t displayed any further sign of romantic feelings toward Luke.

    Nevertheless, the days passed much more quickly than before, and it wasn¡¯t long before Luke found himself outside Ark¡¯s walls.  For the first time since starting their journey, the wagons had been forced to leave paved roads, following a dirt path up to the settlement.  Luke felt a touch of nervousness standing before a settlement about which the only thing he knew was that it was highly religious, but he reassured himself by thinking that it couldn¡¯t possibly be worse than Hobble.  The traders, it seemed, had a different sort of worry; they looked visibly relieved when a guard met them and allowed them entry into the settlement. No one had been reluctant to voice their worry that their first two stops hadn¡¯t resulted in any kind of trade.

    The walls of Ark looked much sturdier than the cobbled-together structure that Luke had glimpsed at Darkend.  They were made of actual brick and mortar, materials that couldn¡¯t have been easy to come by. Three sides of the settlement were covered, while a river winding away protected the fourth.  The gate looked less professional, a simple iron fence with wheels on the end. Everyone in the caravan along with the three wagons came through, while the guard raced off to inform others of their arrival.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t notice anything weird about that guy,¡± Luke said to Angela in a low tone while they waited.  ¡°What were you talking about the other night?¡±

    ¡°Oh just you wait,¡± she grinned.  ¡°Give it a minute.¡±

    A group of seven returned with the guard to greet them, all older men wearing beards with a fair amount of gray.  One stepped forward to speak to them. He was a bald black man, even older than the rest, and relied on a gnarled length of wood to support him as he walked.

    ¡°Step forward, and let all of you be welcomed as guests within our Ark.¡±  Despite his frail frame, his voice still carried a strong note of authority.  He also spoke with a light accent that sounded African to Luke.

    The traders arranged themselves into a line across the width of the street on which they stood.  Everyone else unaccustomed to the settlement looked confused, but after a few meaningful looks from those more familiar with Ark¡¯s customs, they filled in the line.  Luke watched as the old men moved to one end of the line and leaned in to each caravan member for a moment before stepping down to the next person in line. It took a few seconds before he realized what was happening.  Each person in line received a kiss on the cheek from each old man, and was required to give a kiss in turn before they moved on to the next person. Several of the security team in particular looked uncomfortable at the proceedings.  Luke guessed that those were the ones who had never been to Ark before, since he shared much of their feelings. When it was his turn he looked around, but there was no option except to quickly touch his lips to the beard covering the face of the man in front of him.  And then to repeat the action six more times.

    No one refused and risked offending their hosts, but several people¡ªincluding Tony¡ªlooked a little disgusted at the ceremony when it was over.  Luke saw at least one guard covertly picking at his tongue for stray hairs. But the men who greeted them were beaming, and the same one who¡¯d spoken before spread his arms wide.

    ¡°Welcome again, honored guests.  I am Kiango, and my companions are the Stewards of Ark.  We have much to discuss and many deals to make, but I suspect that none of it will not wait until tomorrow.  For now, let us take your horses and wagons to our stable and allow us to feed and water you after your long journey.¡±

    His short speech was greeted with much more enthusiasm, and while the drivers were taken by the guard who had let them in to drop off the wagons, everyone else followed the old men in another direction.  It was still early afternoon, and the walk gave Luke his first good look at the inside of the settlement.

    Unlike Darkend, Hobble, and Crater, which were located in old world towns and used repurposed buildings, Ark looked like it had been constructed from scratch.  Some few buildings were made of the same type of brick as the wall¡ªwith no foundation¡ªbut most were built with some kind of adobe or clay. Nearly all of them, no matter the building material, were quite small, much more cramped than any old world home would have been.

    Having been built from scratch, the urban planning of the settlement was also far more haphazard than anywhere else they¡¯d been so far.  There was one main dirt path that the old men were leading them down, but outside of that space it seemed that buildings had been erected without regard for any kind of overall design.  Some were facing entirely different directions than others, and each had been placed to garner as much space between their neighbors as possible, regardless of whether that might inconvenience others.

    Still, the amount of work it took to build what Luke couldn¡¯t help thinking of as a shantytown must have been enormous.  If nothing else, he couldn¡¯t fault the work ethic of Ark¡¯s people. They passed a few people going about what looked like their daily chores¡ªcarrying buckets down toward the river, hanging clothes on lines, slathering some kind of clear substance on the walls of their homes¡ªbut far more waited for them when they reached a small clearing near the river.  Three long rows of tables had been set up, and twenty or so Ark residents were talking and laughing amongst themselves. There were even a few children running around by some sheets that had been spread out on the ground nearby.

    ¡°Sit!  Rest, recover yourselves,¡± the spokesman said.  ¡°Food is being prepared now, it shall be brought out shortly.¡±

    The caravan members complied, though a few waited for the veteran traders to do so first.  There was less hesitation when the food started to arrive soon after, however. Deer, roasted carrots and other vegetables, fish, and even wine made for a meal that rivaled anything Luke had had in Crater.  It had to be a strain on Ark¡¯s resources to host so large a group, but no one made any mention of the hardship, only urging their group to eat more of the feast.

    The hospitality far surpassed anything Luke expected.  A few hours later, he¡¯d almost forgotten Ark¡¯s odd reputation and the strange greeting they¡¯d had upon entering.  Though he did little to try to speak to any of the residents, preferring to stay with Felicity instead.

    ¡°This stuff¡¯s great,¡± she said, grabbing at yet another piece of meat.  ¡°Tons of iron too. I¡¯m still trying to recover from everything at Hobble.¡±  Her complexion had improved in the weeks since the fight, but there were still noticeable rings under her eyes.

    ¡°Yeah, I just wish I knew what their deal is,¡± Luke said in a low voice.  He couldn¡¯t get Ella and Angela¡¯s laughter out of his mind, and he still worried what might happen if someone from Ark found out he was gay.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so ungrateful,¡±  Felicity scoffed. ¡°That kissing thing was kind of weird, but it¡¯s not any worse than that hand grab stuff you did with Naomi.¡±

    ¡°Is anyone ever going to let that go?¡± Luke complained.

    ¡°Nah.  But I bet if you talk to some of them, you¡¯d find out that they¡¯re not that bad,¡± she said.  ¡°Here, look.¡±

    She stood up and held up her hand toward an Ark man circling the crowded tables.

    ¡°Hey, are you looking for a seat?  I¡¯m leaving anyway.¡±

    Luke tried to covertly shake his head, but it was too late.  The man had already made a beeline for them.

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re too kind, madam,¡± he said with a slight bow.  His eyes crinkled as he smiled at her. ¡°I pray I offer no offense, but I must ask.  Has your time of the month already arrived?¡±

    ¡°WHAT?¡± Felicity asked, outraged.

    ¡°I apologize,¡± he said hurriedly.  ¡°Our faith does not permit us to share a seat with such a person without it first being cleansed.¡±

    ¡°So you think I¡¯m unclean?¡± she asked standing up and glaring at him

    Luke snorted into his cup and schooled his face into an innocent look as Felicity turned back to him.  Before the uncomfortable-looking man could say anything, Ella appeared next to them as if from nowhere.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you move on, friend?¡±  she said. She pulled Felicity out of his face.  ¡°Seems like there¡¯s a bit of culture clash going on here.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes of course,¡± he said with an apologetic frown.  ¡°I am sorry once again for any offense I caused. It¡¯s easy to forget how different our ways are from outsiders.¡±  He left quickly, while Felicity stared at his back, a look of disbelief still on her face.

    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± she asked, turning to Ella.

    ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re weird,¡± the trader responded, speaking in a low tone.  ¡°But they¡¯re mostly friendly, and we really need to trade with them, so I¡¯d appreciate it if you could just let this go.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Felicity said, tossing her hair.  ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect to get interrogated about my period today.¡±

    Luke gave her a meaningful look, which she didn¡¯t deign to notice.

    ¡°Neither did I, my first time,¡± Ella said, smiling with amusement.  ¡°If it¡¯s any consolation, I guarantee you just ruined that guy¡¯s day.  Hospitality¡¯s a huge thing with these people, he¡¯s probably going to take it pretty hard that he insulted a guest.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, I have to find somewhere to pee.  Make sure everyone knows this spot¡¯s tainted when they pass by.  Maybe we should shout it out for the whole settlement, don¡¯t want anyone dirtying themselves by sitting in this perfectly clean, blood-free spot.¡±  Felicity kept grumbling as she walked down toward the river. She hadn¡¯t bothered keeping her voice down, and a few more residents were looking over in her direction.

    Ella sighed, still standing.  ¡°That girl¡¯s going to get in a fight before we leave this place, I can feel it in my bones.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I could see it happening,¡± Luke said, keeping his voice low.

    ¡°We really don¡¯t have the luxury of pissing off an entire settlement.  We need to trade with these people.¡±  She sighed again as she caught sight of a guard getting red in the face as he argued with someone from Ark.  ¡°Can you keep an eye on her when she gets back? This is the last time we bring so many new people here at once.¡±

    She hurried off to defuse the brewing situation.  Luke returned to the remains of his food until Felicity sat down next to him.  She still looked disgruntled at her earlier encounter.

    ¡°I take back everything I said before,¡± she said, folding her arms.  ¡°They¡¯re weird here. How long are we staying again?¡±

    ¡°Just one day, I think,¡± Luke said.  ¡°And you want to say that a little louder?  I don¡¯t think they could hear you at the far table.  Ella already looks like she¡¯s gonna have an ulcer.¡±

    Felicity snorted.  ¡°Maybe she should have warned us what we were walking into.  It¡¯s not like she didn¡¯t know what to expect.¡±

    ¡°Is it that hard not to be a dick, though?¡± Luke said.  ¡°Yeah, that guy was pretty insulting, but he obviously wasn¡¯t doing it on purpose.  Getting in his face about it isn¡¯t gonna make him rethink his whole religion.¡±

    She gave him a strange look.  ¡°Yeah, but he should know not to do that.  Is stuff like this super common in your world or something?¡±

    Luke shifted uncomfortably.  Felicity was still not making any effort to control her volume, and a few people from Ark were looking over interestedly after her last comment.  One man in particular was staring at him with a slight frown on his face.

    ¡°Not really,¡± he said quietly, hoping she would follow suit.  ¡°I mean, you always hear about crazy religious people, but I never met any in person.  But you always have to find some way to get along with people who are different than you.  They¡¯re just a bit more different than usual here.¡±

    Fortunately, she finally seemed to realize his discomfort and lowered her tone.  ¡°I guess. But you¡¯d think they¡¯d have some idea of how to act around people who aren¡¯t like them.¡±

    Still feeling like people all around were watching him, Luke was reluctant to stay on the same subject.  ¡°Maybe. But at least the food¡¯s good, right?¡± He took a big bite out of whatever meat was on his plate, and did his best to steer the conversation away from the odd nature of their hosts.  A pit had formed in his stomach, and no matter how he tried he couldn¡¯t shake a feeling of dread that crept over him. He was relieved when Ella stomped over to their table and told them to follow her, despite the deep scowl on her features.

    ¡°Come on.  We¡¯re done here,¡± she said, walking off with a trail of the caravaners following behind her.  Luke and Felicity joined them, leaving the Ark residents behind. The farther they got from the tables, the better Luke began to feel.

    But he still couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that somewhere, someone was watching him.

 1.18

    Ella was not happy when the caravan met in the sleeping quarters that had been given over for their use in Ark.

    ¡°Are you all fucking children? Because I¡¯m sure as hell not your mom, and that¡¯s all I was doing today. I couldn¡¯t get through five goddamn minutes without one of you arguing with the other kids.¡±

    ¡°They complained I was drinking too much wine,¡± someone called out, a slight slur audible in his voice. ¡°How am I supposed to react to that?¡±

    ¡°You nod and smile because you¡¯re a fucking alcoholic and they¡¯re pointing out the obvious, Rudy. Besides, I know damn well that you tried to take an entire bottle for yourself.¡±

    She rounded on a contingent of veteran traders off to one side. ¡°And where were all of you? You know how weird Ark can get, why was I the only one putting out fires? It¡¯s not just my ass on the line if we get back and Morton finds out we have all the same stuff we left with. A little backup would have been nice.¡±

    Several of them had the grace to look ashamed, but Ella kept glaring toward the group in general. Angela walked up to her and whispered something in her ear.

    ¡°Fine,¡± she said, tossing her hair. ¡°That¡¯s it. Try not to kill anyone before the negotiations tomorrow.¡± She left the building quickly, Angela close behind her. No one spoke much once she was gone, though some low muttering was audible.

    Luke quickly claimed a space for his sleeping bag well away from everyone else. It was only around dusk, but he knew from experience that if he didn¡¯t establish his place early, he¡¯d be sleeping in the moldiest corner of the building. He sat for a while after that, reflecting Ella¡¯s words. The trip had been far more perilous than the general run of Crater¡¯s caravans, but so far they had virtually nothing to show for it. He knew part of her anger stemmed from their failure to trade anything so far, as she had repeatedly reminded them. As the most senior trader in the caravan, she apparently felt the brunt of that failure landed on her own back.

    Not that Luke was any closer to accomplishing his personal goal for joining the caravan. He wasn¡¯t sure what he had been expecting, but he had yet to trip over any information that might lead to him returning home. Unless he learned something significant at the elvish settlement, it was starting to look like the entire trip might be a dangerous, pointless waste of time. He wasn¡¯t even sure what he had thought he might find with the caravan. The longer he ruminated on his failure, the stupider he started to feel.

    ¡°Hey. Are you busy?¡±

    Luke looked up to see Tony standing above him with a bucket. He took a moment to rein in his initial inclination to snap at the other boy.

    ¡°Not really, I guess. Why?¡±

    ¡°We need some more water. Want to go with me to the river?¡±

    Luke hesitated. He remembered the feeling of trepidation that had washed over him at the meal, but it had passed almost as soon as they¡¯d left the Ark folk behind. It felt like getting out of the crowded quarters might do some good for his mood.

    ¡°Sure,¡± he said, only to have a bucket thrust into his hands. Tony grinned and held up the second bucket that had been concealed inside the first.

    ¡°Good. I don¡¯t want to have to carry both of them.¡±

    They left the brick building that housed the caravan and started toward the river at Ark¡¯s edge.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised a hero like you actually has to fetch water himself,¡± Luke said. Many of the guards were still treating Tony with respect and even deference after his attack on the cryptsil.

    ¡°Oh, you know,¡± Tony said with a modest shrug. ¡°It¡¯s important to stay connected to the little folk. I was just like you, once upon a time.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it,¡± Luke said with mock seriousness. ¡°Your time¡¯s too valuable for this kind of thing. Shouldn¡¯t you be out there strangling monsters with your bare hands or something?.¡±

    ¡°Nah, slaying monsters is more of a morning activity,¡± Tony replied lightly. ¡°It¡¯s important to have some me time, you know?¡±

    Luke started to respond, but Tony stopped short. Luke turned to look at him and saw him staring at a figure behind them. He held a torch in one hand¡ªan actual open-flame torch¡ªbut wore a hood that hung low over his face and concealed his features. The feeling Luke had had at the tables returned, and he recalled the long looks he¡¯d gotten from a few of the Ark residents.

    ¡°Hey! Who are you?¡± Tony called. The figure didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°What the fuck is he doing?¡± Luke asked in a lower tone. ¡°He¡¯s just standing there.¡±

    Before Tony could reply, the man spoke.

    ¡°You are Luke. The one from another world.¡±

    ¡°Shit,¡± Luke breathed. It wasn¡¯t phrased as a question, and nothing about his demeanor suggested the man was friendly. Luke looked more closely and saw a crowbar clutched in the man¡¯s other hand. Glancing around, he saw another figure in the direction they had been walking, this one visible only as a silhouette in the light of the torch. Luke couldn¡¯t think of any reason for them to position themselves like that unless it was an ambush. The river was still a few hundred feet away, and the nearest building was a fair distance behind them. ¡°Tony, we should run.¡±

    ¡°Fuck that,¡± Tony said. ¡°This asshole can¡ª¡±

    Luke saw a blur of motion out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to see a third person running quickly toward the two of them.

    ¡°TONY!¡± Luke shouted. The other boy turned just in time to duck under something the man swung toward him. He tackled the figure, taking both of them to the ground.

    The other two started moving in closer, moving unhurriedly. Luke saw Tony¡¯s bucket and a baseball bat on the ground, forgotten by the pair as they struggled in the dirt. He dropped his own bucket and grabbed the bat, but hesitated, unsure whether to focus on one of the assailants closing in or to try and help Tony.  He waited too long. While he was turned toward the first attacker, something smashed into his upper back, sending him sprawling into the ground. Groaning, he turned to see the third man holding a heavy oaken cane, stepping toward him. Luke desperately groped for the handle of the bat he¡¯d dropped, lifting it up just as the cane was swung down toward his head. He managed to block the blow by holding both ends of the bat, but it sent a jarring shiver up his arm that only worsened the pain in his shoulders.

    The hooded man threw his torch to the ground and reached down to grab Luke¡¯s hair from behind his head. He writhed around, but couldn¡¯t get a good angle to swing the bat, and the other man swung the cane again before he could break free. A sharp pain in his hand forced Luke to drop the bat, and he yelled out a desperate, wordless cry. The man with the cane held him still while the first man fished a rag out from a pocket. He wrapped it around Luke¡¯s mouth, muffling his shouts, and tied it roughly in place. Together, they grabbed Luke¡¯s arms and legs and lifted him up despite his best efforts to break free. Luke started to panic as he flailed around ineffectually, but after only four or five steps, the pressure around his legs disappeared and the cane man gave a surprised shout. The hooded man growled from above him and dropped Luke to the ground, sending another jolt of searing pain through his shoulders. He looked up to see Tony swinging the baseball bat at the cane man, who¡¯d dropped his own weapon and was leaping backwards to avoid the blows.

    The irregular flames of the torch on the ground threw odd shadows about the combatants¡¯ faces, giving Tony a wild look as he swung at the assailant. The hooded man stalked toward him while the boy was focused on the other man, his crowbar raised. Luke forced himself to stand despite the shooting pain in his shoulders. He clawed at the gag around his mouth to try to warn Tony, but it was too tight to get off in time. Without any other option, he charged the hooded man, tackling him at the legs. In the few moments of initial surprise, he grabbed at the crowbar the man held, trying to rip out of his grip. He succeeded in taking it, but at the same time the hooded man punched him in the head, throwing stars all across his vision. The gag still covered his mouth, making Luke feel like he was suffocating as he tried and failed to breathe deeply. He kept ahold of the weapon, but too slow to stand before the hooded man managed to get up. Against every instinct he had, Luke stayed immobile while his attacker reached toward the weapon he held. At the last moment, he swung with every bit of strength he could muster, sinking the curved claw head into the upper arm of the hooded man. He screamed and stumbled back, blood streaming from the wound..

    Luke stood to see his opponent holding his arm with his other hand, looking toward him. The hood had fallen during the fight, revealing a middle-aged man, and while his face was still half in shadow from the torchlight, Luke could make out a snarl on the man¡¯s face as he stared at him. The boy backed away warily while assessing the rest of the fight. Over to the side, Tony was still battling the other assailant. Somehow his opponent had managed to pick his cane back up, and now both were swinging at the other in some weird mockery of a sword duel. A quick glance behind him told Luke that the third attacker was motionless on the ground. He hoped he¡¯d remain that way for the foreseeable future.

    Now that he¡¯d lost control of his weapon, the hooded man didn¡¯t seem as eager to close in on Luke. The boy considered running, but without the ability to breathe freely through his mouth, he wasn¡¯t confident of his chances. While the two of them stared at each other, Luke worked one hand around the piece of cloth tied to his mouth. Careful to keep an eye on the man in front of him in case he made a move, Luke worked the gag out of his mouth, pulling it down around his neck. Trying his best not to choke from the dryness of his mouth, Luke took a few more moments to catch his breath. Then he started shouting as loudly as he could.

    ¡°Help! We¡¯re being attacked! Someone help!¡±

    The hooded man cursed and looked over at his partner. ¡°Adam, run!¡± He bolted off back toward Ark without waiting. After a few moments, the other man saw his companion¡¯s flight and disengaged from Tony, moving to run himself. Tony started to chase him, but Luke called out.

    ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t go after them.¡±

    Tony looked back, a wild look in his eye. Smeared blood covered his face, though Luke couldn¡¯t tell if it was his own or someone else¡¯s. ¡°Why? We can take them!¡±

    Still trying to catch his breath, Luke took a moment to reply. ¡°What if there¡¯s more of them? What if the whole damn settlement wants to kill us? We have to be careful.¡±

    Slowly, Luke saw his words sink in for Tony. He calmed down, and threw the baseball bat down in disgust. ¡°I knew these fuckers were¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hello? Is someone out here? I heard shouting.¡±

    Both of them tensed up as an unfamiliar voice called out from the direction of the settlement. It was a woman¡¯s voice, not someone from the caravan. Luke glanced backward. The torch was still lit, and the glow clearly illuminated the still body of the third attacker on the ground close by. His face was a mess of blood.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± he said, thinking furiously. His mouth was still dry, and his shoulders hurt like hell. Tony looked over at him, clearly at a loss for what to do. The voice had come from close by, there was no time to move or extinguish the torch.

    The speaker appeared as a walking black figure, much slimmer than the silhouettes of the men who attacked them. After a few moments she came close enough for the light of the torch to illuminate her features. She was a middle-aged, dark haired woman with a look of concern on her face.

    ¡°Did something happen?¡± she asked as she approached. ¡°I heard¡ªOh no!¡± She ran over to the fallen figure, kneeling over him. After a moment she turned to Luke and Tony, in time for them to see the change in her expression from worry to fear.

    ¡°We were attacked,¡± Luke said quickly. He could think of nothing to tell her but the truth. ¡°That guy and two others came at us. The other two ran away, but he got knocked out.¡± He hoped so, anyway. Luke prayed he wasn¡¯t dead. The woman relaxed a little, but not very much.

    ¡°I recognize him. This is Margaret¡¯s husband, Robert. If you two stay here, I¡¯ll go get help, and we can¡­figure out everything that happened.¡±

    Luke glanced at Tony. The doubt was clear in her voice, but she wasn¡¯t openly accusing them of anything. He¡¯d rather not have this woman telling the story to the other residents and maybe turning them against him and Tony, but he couldn¡¯t think of a way to stop her other than physical force. Tony shrugged back at him. Luke quickly came to a decision

    ¡°Ok. Go find someone,¡± Luke said. Better to be as open as possible if this turned bad. They had the truth on their side, hopefully that would be enough.

    The woman walked off hurriedly, relief clear in her bearing. Once she was out of sight, Luke turned to Tony, but caught sight of his hands for the first time since the end of the battle. They looked like they¡¯d been painted red. He glanced back again at the fallen form of their attacker. Even beneath the blood, it was obvious he¡¯d been beaten badly. It looked brutal.

    ¡°Jesus, what did you do to that guy?¡± Luke asked, his eyes wide.

    ¡°I made sure he wasn¡¯t gonna get up to help his buddies any time soon,¡± Tony said. He didn¡¯t sound at all remorseful.

    Luke shook his head, trying to think of how to handle the situation.

    ¡°One of us should stay here, but the caravan needs to know what happened. Can you go get Ella? And maybe Angela, too. They both know these people, hopefully they can help.¡±

    Tony nodded, but hesitated before leaving. ¡°This wasn¡¯t a random attack, Luke. They knew your name and had a gag ready. What did they want?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Luke said, shuddering as he thought of how close they¡¯d been to abducting him.. ¡°But we can try to figure that out later.¡± Tony nodded once more and ran off toward the caravan, leaving Luke alone with his unconscious assailant.

    A few minutes after he left, Luke realized that his heart wasn¡¯t beating any faster than he¡¯d expect given the situation. As far as he could remember, it was the first time he¡¯d been in a dangerous situation without a panic attack threatening to overwhelm him. He didn¡¯t know what the difference was, but he was grateful that he was able to think clearly. He had little doubt it would be necessary before long.

    <hr>

    The Ark people got there first, but not by much. The dark-haired woman who had been there before returned with three of the bald, bearded men¡ªStewards, they had called themselves¡ªwho had greeted the caravan upon their arrival at Ark, including Kiango, the African man who had been Ark¡¯s spokesperson. There was also a large, barrel-chested man that stayed quiet, who Luke guessed was there more for protection than anything else. One of the Stewards took the burning torch in the dirt and knelt by the fallen figure, feeling at his neck. Kiango wandered around the scene with his own torch, occasionally peering at something in the dirt, while the last bearded man turned toward Luke

    ¡°Where¡¯s your friend?¡± Luke¡¯s heart fell at his aggressive tone.

    ¡°Hey!¡± someone called out before he could respond. They turned to see more figures approaching, holding a modern flashlight rather than the torch that the Ark folk had brought.

    Tony had returned with Ella and Angela as Luke had said, but someone else was with him as well. Simmons brought up the rear of the party, and had been the one to shout out as they walked up. Luke hoped he stayed under control. He¡¯d seen the mustached guard condescend to non-Crater folk before, and that was probably about the last thing that this situation needed.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Ella demanded as they walked up. Simmons closed his mouth, looking irritated.

    ¡°My name is Bartholomew, and my companions are Arnold and Kiango,¡± one of the bald men said smoothly. ¡°One of our people has been injured. We are here to learn the facts of the matter.¡±

    ¡°As I hear it, the fact of the matter is that some of your boys jumped ours,¡± Ella said. She glanced at the unconscious man on the ground. ¡°They did what they had to do to defend themselves.¡±

    ¡°You think this was¡ª-¡± Arnold started angrily, stalking over toward them, but Bartholomew held up a hand.

    ¡°Of course, if Robert and any accomplices he may have had initiated the unpleasantness tonight, we will offer our most sincere apologies for their actions, but that has yet to be established.¡± He spoke in an oily voice that reminded Luke of a politician, an image reinforced by his vague words.

    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Simmons said in a low tone, shooting a glance to forestall Tony from his own angry diatribe. ¡°You want to think very carefully before you accuse one of our people like that.¡±

    Ella massaged her temples, but she didn¡¯t contradict him. Bartholomew smiled.

    ¡°I am not¡ª-¡± he started, but Kiango, returning to the group, interrupted him.

    ¡°Perhaps we should let them explain the entire story before coming to any conclusions,¡± he said mildly. Bartholomew nodded irritably.

    ¡°Fine. What happened?¡±

    Tony told most of the story, with occasional interjections by Luke to give his own viewpoint. Kiango watched with a sharp gaze while they spoke.

    ¡°May I have a word with the two of you?¡± he said once they had finished, looking at Bartholomew and Arnold.

    The pair looked exasperated, but walked off a few feet to converse quietly with the dark-skinned man.

    In their absence, Ella looked over Luke.

    ¡°You alright?¡± she asked. ¡°Tony gave me the quick version, I¡¯m impressed you two managed to fight them off.¡±

    ¡°It was mostly Tony,¡± Luke said quickly. ¡°I think they were after me, if it wasn¡¯t for him they would have already dragged me off somewhere.¡± He shivered at the thought of what might have happened to him if the assailants had succeeded.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t have taken three guys by myself,¡± Tony chimed in. ¡°You kicked ass out there.¡±

    Luke flashed him a quick smile. ¡°Yeah, well, I¡¯m glad you were there. Now I just hope they can find the other two.¡±

    Simmons frowned and started to say something, but the three Stewards returned from their conference.

    ¡°Luke, Tony, is there anything you can tell me about why you might have been targeted? I very much doubt this was a random attack.¡± Kiango spoke in a much gentler voice than the other two had, and Luke blinked at the sudden change.

    He and Tony exchanged a glance. ¡°When they first surrounded us, they asked if I was the one from another world,¡± Luke said finally. His words caused a stir from the Ark folk, though Kiango remained focused on the two of them.

    ¡°I see. And do either of you remember anything that might help us identify the other men who attacked you?¡± Behind Kiango, Bartholomew and Arnold wore dour looks.

    ¡°One of them said the name ¡®Adam¡¯,¡± Luke said. ¡°And I got the other with his crowbar. He has a gash on his right arm.¡± He¡¯d prepared the answer after thinking while Tony had gone to get Ella and Angela.

    The old man nodded and looked back toward his companions. ¡°I think that should suffice for tonight. A team is on the way to take Robert to the infirmary, and I believe you¡¯ve given us a starting point to continue the search.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Tony asked, surprised. ¡°What changed?¡± Ella glared at him, but the old man just sighed.

    ¡°After looking through the scene, certain details jumped out at me. Such as the fact that there are two buckets, but three weapons lying on the ground. That suggests three attackers and one or two people that they fought, which dovetails quite neatly with your version of events. I am also unfortunately familiar with the temperament of the man lying on the ground, and have little trouble believing that he was the aggressor in this situation¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re investigating the other assailants tonight,¡± Angela said, ¡°would you have any objection if I went along?¡±

    Kiango turned to look at her. ¡°Not at all. As it turns out, there was a man who sprang to my mind immediately when the name Adam was spoken, and I suspect we will be paying him a visit shortly.¡±

    After a quick discussion with the other folk from Ark, they started back in the direction of the main settlement, joined by Angela. Only Kiango stayed back. He called out as Luke was about to leave as well.

    ¡°Young man. May I ask you to speak with you for a moment?¡±

    Tony had already gone ahead, and Luke hesitated. He looked to Ella, who nodded. ¡°Ok, sure,¡± he said.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± He followed the old man a little ways away, but well within sight of Ella, who remained where she was.

    ¡°I wanted to apologize for the behavior of my fellow Stewards. There is a natural tendency to side with those who are familiar to us, but such an easy path often leads us astray. Your friend may be overly forceful with the use of his fists, but it is clear to me he did not initiate this conflict.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s ok,¡± Luke said. ¡°I¡¯m glad you figured it out. But why did they attack us? Everyone reacted when they found out I was from a different world, why was that?

    Kiango let out a heaving sigh. His intense gaze softened, and he looked worn out and tired. ¡°In answer to your question, let me tell you a story. There was a man who survived the end of the world, and in the aftermath began questioning everything he thought he knew, as many of us did in those days. One of the issues he pondered was how a benevolent God could allow a terror such as the Empty to fall upon mankind. Unlike many of those who lost their faith when faced with that very question, this man came to the conclusion that he had been chosen. That the Lord had picked him to create a haven for His true believers to be safe from the terrors that had been brought to our world.¡± The ancient man sighed once more. The flicker of the torch he held deepened the shadows cast by the lines in his face, making him look even older than his true age..

    ¡°He fell victim to the oldest sin in all of history. Hubris. But people followed him, and under this man¡¯s leadership they built a settlement from nothing, eschewing architecture built with the superior techniques in the old world to raise their buildings from scratch, structures little better than mud huts. And they believed such a place could serve as an Ark for this new world. I am sure you can see where the story is going.¡±

    ¡°Are you the man who thought he was chosen?¡±

    ¡°What? No! I am no less a sinner than any among us, but I pray I have better sense than that. No, that man died, and in his wake his followers realized his folly. I arrived here during that period when the folk here turned to a council of Stewards to guide them rather than a charismatic madman. We walked back to what I hope is the path of God, though sometimes I do wonder.¡±

    The ancient man shook his head. ¡°All of that was a long-winded way of saying that the folk here have a long history of odd beliefs, and one that runs deep through some parts of the settlement is a belief that anything to do with nihil and other universes is a new form of the occult practices warned of in the Bible.¡±

    Luke missed a step, quickly catching himself. ¡°So they think I¡¯m a witch?¡±

    ¡°More or less. It¡¯s nonsense, in my opinion, but one of the tenets of our settlement is that each resident is permitted their own interpretation of the Scriptures, save where it becomes clear they are doing the work of the Devil.¡± His voice turned grim. ¡°What happened to you and your friend is unambiguously such an instance. This will not go unpunished, believe me.¡±

    Luke heard a bit of the brimstone preachers he¡¯d listened to growing up in the old man¡¯s voice and shivered. Then something occurred to him.

    ¡°How do you know about nihil? And that other universes exist for that matter. It¡¯s common knowledge in Crater, but I don¡¯t know where it came from.¡±

    For the first time that night, Kiango sounded surprised. ¡°You mean they didn¡¯t tell you the origin of their knowledge?¡±

    ¡°No, the leaders in Crater keep it to themselves.¡±

    Kiango walked in silence for a moment. ¡°I cannot speak about this right now. I apologize, but it¡¯s something I must think about. We will discuss this again before you leave, I swear to you.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t an outright no, but Luke was still disappointed. He¡¯d hoped for something more concrete.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time we both returned to our people. Sleep well, Luke, and we will speak again soon.¡±

    Kiango left quickly. He looked disturbed, but Luke had no opportunity to question him further. Without any better option, he returned with Ella to the building set aside for Crater folk. Even with her there, he kept a wary eye on every shadow he saw on the way back. Luke spent a long time in his sleeping bag that night, wondering why Kiango had been so upset by his request for information.

 1.19

    Luke was shaken awake at dawn by an exhausted Angela.  Tony stood next to her, looking sleepy and annoyed. Angela had awoken them both to let them know what had happened once she¡¯d left with the Ark folk.

    The ¡®Adam¡¯ Luke had heard a reference to was assumed by the Stewards to be Adam Forrester, a resident with too quick a temper and too great a fondness for drink to be well-regarded by his peers.  He had denied the accusations at first, but after a few hours had broken down and admitted his part in the attack. The Stewards, enraged by the actions of their people once they were presented with proof, had taken the name of the hooded man and tried to imprison him, but apparently he had been tipped off.  They found his home empty, and a horse taken from the stable. There was no hint as to where he had gone, and without any further leads the Stewards had elected not to chase him any further.

    ¡°Apparently the likely punishment is banishment anyway,¡± Angela told them.  Luke struggled to comprehend her words through the haze of tiredness. ¡°His friends will probably join him before long, at least once that guy with a slab of meat for a face recovers.¡±

    Luke shivered as he remembered the hooded man¡¯s expression while they¡¯d looked at each other at the end of the fight.  He hoped he never crossed paths with him again. Still, at least the perpetrators had been found and the settlement hadn¡¯t blamed him and Tony.  He resolved to thank Kiango the next time he saw the old man, despite his frustrating vagueness the previous night.

    ¡°Where are they holding Adam?¡± Tony asked.  Angela snorted.

    ¡°They¡¯ve got some real high-tech facilities here.  He¡¯s chained around a tree near the center of town.¡±

    Once Angela had stumbled off to get some sleep, Tony turned to Luke.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go see the bastard,¡± he said.  Luke frowned at him.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°To find out what they wanted with you!  You don¡¯t want to know why they tried to drag you off?¡±

    Luke already had an idea from his conversation with Kiango and had little inclination to learn the details, but there was no putting Tony off of the idea.  Together they crept out of the building to avoid waking anyone and headed in the direction Angela had mentioned.

    She hadn¡¯t lied when she said it was in the middle of town.  A large oak tree stood tall in a clearing free of any buildings and off the main path of the settlement.  A man was curled up at its base, a chain wrapped around the trunk and cuffed to his ankle.

    ¡°Wake up,¡± Tony said, kicking at the fetal figure.  It wasn¡¯t a strong blow, but Luke still winced at his action.  The Stewards already thought Tony was excessive in the force he used.  Maybe he should have fought harder not to come.

    The man looked up blearily, and the moment Luke saw his face he recognized the man that Tony had faced in an impromptu swordfight.  He had a wide, distinctive nose and brown hair cut short enough to see his scalp. It was the same man who had worked with his friend to try and drag Luke off, and suddenly it was hard to fault Tony for kicking him.  Luke¡¯s breath came in heavy and his pulse sped up, but he controlled himself. If he didn¡¯t go into a panic attack during the actual fight, there was no way in hell he would while facing the man who had done it while he was chained up.

    ¡°Wha¡¯ do you want?¡± Adam said, squinting at them.  There was no sign of recognition in his eyes.

    ¡°What we want,¡± Tony said squatting down next to him, ¡°is to know why you¡¯re such a piece of shit.¡±

    ¡°What are you¡ª¡± Realization dawned in his face.  ¡°Look, it was all Johnny¡¯s idea. He told us we should just keep a lookout, see if he,¡± he gestured toward Luke, ¡°went off by himself.  I didn¡¯t actually think we¡¯d end up doing anything!¡±

    ¡°Why do you even care?¡± Tony demanded, brushing off his excuses.  ¡°Why does it matter if he¡¯s from another world?¡± Luke stayed quiet beside him, but he was listening intently for the man¡¯s answer.

    ¡°It¡¯s a sin,¡± he said after a slight hesitation.  ¡°Man was meant to stay in the place appointed to him by God.  The Empty are His answer to this crime against Him.¡±

    ¡°So God¡¯s an asshole, then?¡±  Tony said disdainfully. ¡°He didn¡¯t even choose to come here!  Why would you attack him for that?¡± Adam¡¯s eyes widened at the blasphemy.

    Tony stood and went to kick him again, but Luke put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.  He crouched next to the sitting figure, looking him in the eye.

    ¡°What I don¡¯t understand,¡± Luke said, ¡°is why carry me off?  Why not just beat the shit out of me right there? You might even have been able to pull it off if you¡¯d hit me straight away instead of gagging me and trying to drag me away.  So why go through that extra effort?¡±

    Adam looked around desperately to avoid his gaze.  Then his expression turned shifty and he looked back at the two of them.  ¡°If I tell you, will you tell the Stewards it was all Johnny¡¯s idea? Get them to let me off easy?¡±

    Luke exchanged a glance with Tony and shrugged.  He doubted it would change much even if they shouted out Adam¡¯s innocence to the whole settlement.  The look in Kiango¡¯s eyes when he¡¯d talked of their sins was still burned into Luke¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Sure,¡± he said.  ¡°I¡¯ll tell them.¡±

    Adam¡¯s shoulders slumped.  ¡°Alright. If it was just us, we probably wouldn¡¯t have done anything.  It¡¯s a sin to cross between worlds, but you¡¯re still a guest and all that.  But there was a day, before any of you even arrived, when Johnny took me and Robert out of Ark to meet someone.¡±

    Luke gestured impatiently and he went on.  ¡°They told us they were looking for someone from another universe.  Any human who had crossed between worlds. They wouldn¡¯t say why, but they offered to pay real well for it.  Johnny knew Robert and I felt the same way as him about that kind of stuff, so we made a pact that we¡¯d go through with it if we ever had the opportunity.  I swear, I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d ever actually do anything! Who really expects to meet someone like that?¡±

    His last words struck Luke as another attempt to shift the blame off of himself, but the rest of Adam¡¯s story worried him.  Who would be seeking someone from another world?

    ¡°What did ¡®they¡¯ look like?¡± Tony asked while Luke mused.  ¡°You said ¡®someone¡¯ earlier. Did you recognize them?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know who they were,¡± Adam said.  ¡°No idea what they look like, either.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?  Were they wearing a mask or something?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.  I can¡¯t remember their face at all.¡±  Adam didn¡¯t sound at all troubled by this lapse in recollection.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Tony said impatiently.  ¡°Was it a man or a woman?¡±

    ¡°No idea.¡±

    Tony looked close to strangling the man, but Luke asked another question.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that strike you as odd, Adam?  That you can¡¯t remember anything about them?¡±

    ¡°Not really.  I barely remember what happened.  The entire thing is a blur except for the deal they offered.¡±

    Tony and Luke looked at each other again.  Luke gestured for them to step away from the prisoner.

    ¡°What the fuck is he on about?¡± Tony asked in a low voice.  ¡°Is he trying to pretend he¡¯s insane or something?¡±

    ¡°Maybe, but this seems like a pretty shitty way to go about it.¡±

    ¡°Well, what if he¡¯s trying to hold back whoever made the deal with him?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t have to tell us anything about them in the first place,¡± Luke pointed out.  ¡°He could have just said they wanted to hold me for ransom or something.¡±

    ¡°Carver told me something when he first found me that really stuck with me.  He said

    ¡°So what, you think he¡¯s telling the truth?¡±  Tony sounded disbelieving.¡®there¡¯s more unbelievable shit in this world than you can imagine¡¯.  Is it really so hard to think that it¡¯s possible something out there could have messed with this guy¡¯s memory somehow?¡±

    Tony shook his head.  ¡°Fuck me. If that¡¯s true, you know that means there¡¯s someone¡ªor something¡ªout there with some weird-ass powers that wants you, right?  What if it tries this again?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±  Luke was scared now.  Fighting bigoted humans was one thing, but this was something else entirely.  If it could make someone forget what it looked like, what else was it capable of?

    As if he didn¡¯t have enough to worry about.

    ¡°Should we tell the others at the caravan?  They might know something about what could do this.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.  We should at least tell Ella.¡±  The pair left the man chained to the tree, ignoring his plaintive cries to remember their deal.

    ***

    ¡°So he told you he was hired by some mysterious entity that he can¡¯t remember to kidnap a world-jumper for some purpose he also doesn¡¯t know?¡±  Ella sounded skeptical, and Luke couldn¡¯t blame her.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t see him, Ella,¡± Tony said.  ¡°He really thought it was totally normal that he couldn¡¯t remember anything about them.¡±  Initially he¡¯d wanted to go to Simmons first, but Luke had convinced him that Ella and Angela were more likely to know about odd beings after being raised by Carver.  He didn¡¯t mention the fact that he still didn¡¯t completely trust the guard. They¡¯d have to have a talk about him sometime, but it wasn¡¯t the right time.

    ¡°All right,¡± Ella said, pinching the bridge of her nose.  ¡°Let¡¯s say he¡¯s telling the truth. How was he getting paid?  What was the currency?¡±

    Luke looked down.  ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said.  ¡°We didn¡¯t ask.¡±

    ¡°Right.  I think Ang and I might have a talk with him ourselves.  If he is telling the truth¡­fuck.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not great,¡± Luke said.

    ¡°Ideally, we would send you back to Crater,¡± Ella said.  A jolt of fear ran through Luke. ¡°But that would mean traveling with a smaller group, less protection.  I don¡¯t think it would be a good idea to risk it.¡± She ran a hand through her hair. ¡°We might have to take the whole caravan back early.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°No!¡± Luke almost shouted.  He glanced around the room where some people were still asleep.  He was relieved that he hadn¡¯t caused anyone to stir. ¡°We can¡¯t do that.¡±

    Even with the threat, Luke hated the idea of going back.  Since the beginning, he had thought that his best chance at finding a way home was to talk to the elves, and if he got sent back to Crater, he might never have the chance again.

    Ella was looking at him oddly.  ¡°Um¡­we can¡¯t go back without trading anything,¡± Luke said quickly.  ¡°We still haven¡¯t actually done what we came for, right?¡±

    Ella sighed.  ¡°That¡¯s not my main concern.  But¡­if we turned back now, it would still take almost a week to get to Crater.  Langrendi only adds about three or four days onto the trip.¡± She gave Luke a piercing look.  ¡°If you¡¯re ok with it, we can continue on. No one outside of the caravan knows where we¡¯re going anyway, so it shouldn¡¯t matter which direction we travel.  But we¡¯ll have to be extra vigilant. You two spend a lot of time together, so you¡¯ll have to keep an eye out in particular, Tony.¡±

    Tony spoke quickly.  ¡°We¡¯ll all keep him safe.¡±  He didn¡¯t meet Luke¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Uh huh.¡±  Ella looked at  him skeptically.  ¡°Do me a favor and keep this to yourself until we leave Ark.  I don¡¯t know how the people here would react, but we already know some of them are touchy about other worlds.  With the way this trip¡¯s been going they¡¯ll see this as a sign you¡¯re the Antichrist or something.¡±

    Luke and Tony agreed to keep it to themselves for the time being.  The others started waking up soon after. Luke had thought before that living after the apocalypse did not lend itself to rising late, but he had hoped that he would have time to lay down for a while before everyone else got up.  Though that plan had likely been foiled by the new information he¡¯d gotten anyway.

    Instead, he went to get breakfast and did his best to act like nothing was out of the ordinary.  It was going to be a long day.

    ***

    For the first time, the traders who had been brought with the caravan to work as negotiators had a chance to do their jobs.  They entered a room with their counterparts from Ark to work out a deal, and the rest of the caravan was left more or less to their own devices.  Luke and Tony agreed that while they¡¯d gotten away with it once, it was probably best not to wander around the settlement now that the residents had all woken up.  Hopefully Adam¡¯s confession had blunted any ill will the Ark folk might have for them, but neither wanted to rely on that assumption. Fortunately, there was no shortage of people within the caravan who wanted to know the story of what happened the previous night.  Luke let Tony tell the story (and embellish it greatly) while he shrugged off most of the compliments he received. Sometime after midday Abby pulled him off away from the rest of the caravan.

    ¡°Are you ok?¡± she asked.  ¡°I know that you have trouble in dangerous situations sometimes, and I wanted to let you know that I¡¯m here if there¡¯s anything you want to talk about.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Luke said.  It was touching that Abby cared enough to talk to him about it, but he still felt good.  As far as the battle went, anyway. ¡°I think I might finally be getting past it. There¡¯s only so many times you can almost die and still freak out about it, right?¡±

    Abby gave him a long look.  ¡°Not really. That isn¡¯t how people work, usually.  If it is getting better for you, that¡¯s great. But you shouldn¡¯t try to force yourself to act like it¡¯s not a big deal.¡±

    Luke shrugged.  ¡°I¡¯m really not.  At least I didn¡¯t last night.  I just¡­didn¡¯t panic.¡±

    ¡°All right, then.¡±  Abby seemed content to let it go at that, for which Luke was relieved.  If his problem with panic attacks was getting better, then he wasn¡¯t very interested in delving into the reasons behind it.  The results alone were good enough.

    Ella returned in high spirits that evening.  ¡°We¡¯re not getting tossed out of Crater!¡± she shouted to the room.  No one was as excited as her at the success, but there was a general cheer around the room anyway.  Luke listened to her rehash the negotiation later that night.

    ¡°We guilted the hell out of them.  I don¡¯t think we would have done half as well if Luke and Tony hadn¡¯t gotten jumped like they did.  You did good, boys.¡± She raised her waterskin toward them in a toast. The trader woman had suggested breaking out some of their precious stash of spirits, but had been overruled by almost everyone else.

    ¡°So are we leaving tomorrow, then?¡± Luke asked when he finally found a moment to talk to her.

    ¡°Yep.  Some of their people and ours are exchanging goods right now, and we¡¯ll take off in the morning.  Don¡¯t want to overstay our welcome.¡±

    Luke nodded, and wandered away once there was a break in the conversation.  He was ready to leave Ark behind, but Kiango still owed him some answers before they did so.  But without any idea where the old man might live, and still leery of wandering the settlement on his own, Luke didn¡¯t have the slightest clue how to go about finding him.  He wandered outside the caravan building to consider the problem.

    Realistically, he had no reliable way of locating the old man without raising the suspicions of other people in the caravan.  He had promised they would talk, but he¡¯d also been very hesitant to reveal anything that might be of any use. Luke paced around the building, nervous that he would have to leave yet another settlement without learning anything that would help him.  Living in Crater and traveling with the caravan hadn¡¯t been all bad, but the dangers he had seen only reinforced Luke¡¯s desire to get back to his own world.

    His fears turned out to be for naught when, near sunset, the same man who had accompanied the Stewards to the scene of the fight the previous night approached the caravan base.  Luke was passing by the front of the building, in time for the man to give him a long look.

    ¡°You¡¯re Luke, right?  The one who was¡­targeted last night?¡±

    In the chaos of the previous evening, Luke had taken little notice of the man save for his size.  He had a bushy black beard, but unlike the Stewards he had a full head of hair to match. His eyes darted all around while he spoke, never actually landing on Luke for more than a second.  Luke couldn¡¯t tell if he was nervous or if it was just a tic, but either way it was unsettling.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡°Good, that makes my job easier.  Come with me, Kiango wants to talk to you.¡±

    Alarm bells went off inside of Luke¡¯s head.  There was no guarantee that Kiango had actually sent the man, and Luke was wary of wandering off with what was essentially a stranger.  What if he felt the same way as the three men last night? If he hadn¡¯t been looking for a way to find the old man, he would never have agreed to go.  As it was, Luke thought he was likely being paranoid. The chance that he¡¯d come up with the exact excuse Luke was waiting for seemed low. He took a breath and followed the man away from the caravan.

    It only took a few minutes before he started to regret his decision.  After introducing himself as ¡®Zachary¡¯, the big man was content to stay silent.  Despite the reassurances he continued to tell himself, Luke couldn¡¯t help looking all around while they walked, searching for any hint of an ambush.  His failure to find anyone following them did little to ease his suspicion. If anything, he grew more paranoid the longer they walked, gradually becoming more certain that he was being led into a trap.

    The fear crescendoed when Zachary knocked on a nondescript brick building.  Luke tensed, worried that he would have accomplices ready to finish the job the men last night started.  Instead, the familiar lined face of Kiango appeared at the entrance, beckoning Luke to enter.

    ¡°Thank you, my friend,¡± he said to Zachary.  ¡°I will impose once more to ask you to wait and escort our young friend back once our conversation is finished.  It won¡¯t be long, I assure you.¡±

    Zachary shrugged his shoulders, glancing around the area, and sat down on a log set outside Kiango¡¯s home.  Luke moved to follow Kiango within, closing the door behind them.

    The interior of Kiango¡¯s home was modest, with few of the comforts that Luke had come to expect in most homes even in this world.  The floor was earthen, hard-packed dirt that ensured nothing within stayed completely clean. There was a mattress in one corner, barely large enough to fit the shrunken form of the ancient man.  A fireplace built into one wall was the most ostentatious furnishing, a feature that Luke guessed wasn¡¯t standard in most of the Ark houses. A fire was already burning within, and a metal board set above the flames held a kettle from which steam was already rising.

    ¡°Would you care for a cup of tea?¡± Kiango asked, reaching into a short cupboard beside his bed.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Luke said after a moment of hesitation, prompting the old man to smile and withdraw two mugs from within.

    ¡°I apologize for taking so long to reach out to you,¡± Kiango said while he went about pouring the tea.  ¡°The negotiations with your group took much of my energy today, and the implications of what you told me are troubling.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡± Luke asked.  ¡°What¡¯s so bad about what I said?¡±

    Kiango sighed and handed Luke a cup of hot tea, gesturing for Luke to sit on the mattress while he himself used the top of the cupboard as a chair.  Luke felt awkward about taking the more comfortable seat from a man who was probably four times his ages, but could see no polite way to decline.

    ¡°I fear that, in your ignorance, you inadvertently revealed information that your settlement would likely rather keep private.  I needed time to consider what I might do with this information, as well as whether I should tell you what I know of the subject.¡±

    Luke felt a touch of nervousness at Kiango¡¯s words.  He hoped he hadn¡¯t done anything that would hurt Crater.  ¡°What did you decide?¡±

    Kiango took a sip of his tea.  ¡°I came to the conclusion that I still know too little to act on what you have told me.  It is lucky that I was the one you informed rather than anyone who has a prejudice against worlds beyond this one, or we may have been forced to cut all ties with your settlement.¡±

    Luke¡¯s stomach dropped.  He wasn¡¯t sure how often Ark was in contact with Crater, but he was certain that losing the possibility to trade with them would not have been looked upon with any favor.  He took a quick gulp of his tea and scalded his tongue. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because it suggests our settlements have both had contact with the same being.  I mentioned to you last night that I came to Ark soon after the prophet died. Not long after I got here, someone else arrived as well.  He called himself Smokey.¡±

    Luke blinked.  ¡°Like the bear?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what he said.¡±  Kiango shrugged. ¡°Stupid name, I know, but the man himself was quite knowledgeable.  Everything I and others in Ark know about nihil and other universes comes from him.¡±

    ¡°Who was he?  Or what?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kiango said, raising his hands.  ¡°He looked human, but I rather doubt it, personally.  Something about the way he talked¡­it¡¯s hard to describe.  At any rate, he came and told us what we know, but many were suspicious of his motives.  He knew too much about the Empty, and some of the residents started whispering that he was an agent of the Devil.  Then he came saying that he wanted to make some kind of deal, and that pushed the sentiment against him over the edge.  He was run out of town without ever giving us the details of what he was offering.¡±

    ¡°How do you know it was this same¡­person who told the Committee in Crater?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know definitively,¡± Kiango said, shrugging.  ¡°But it¡¯s an easy leap to make. I know he went to other settlements in the area, and there¡¯s no other way I can think of for them to have gotten the same information.¡±

    It sounded rather flimsy to Luke¡ªwhat if they had heard it second-hand from another settlement?¡ªbut for his purposes it didn¡¯t really matter.  If this Smokey knew about nihil, he might know how to move between universes.

    ¡°Do you know where he is now?¡±

    Kiango looked at him, furrowing his brow.  It was an odd question, but Luke wasn¡¯t too worried.  Even if the old man figured out the motivation behind it, the Committee were really the only ones who could hamper his efforts.

    ¡°I have no idea,¡± Kiango finally said.  ¡°He never came back, and while I have spoken with others who stated he came to them in their own settlements, that was years ago.  I don¡¯t have the slightest idea where he might be now.¡±

    In other words, a dead end.  Frustrated, Luke gulped down the rest of his lukewarm tea and stood up.

    ¡°Thanks for telling me.  I should probably be heading back to the caravan soon, though.¡±

    ¡°Very well.¡±  Kiango looked amused at his sudden departure.  ¡°However, a word of warning before you go. Your question suggests that you intend to seek this being out, yes?¡±  Luke started to deny the statement, but Kiango held up a hand.

    ¡°Well allow me to caution you anyway.  There¡¯s little I enjoy more these days than handing out unsolicited advice.¡±  There was a twinkle of humor in his eye, which quickly faded as he grew more serious.  ¡°If you do ever happen to encounter Smokey, be careful. I only interacted with him for a short time, but I don¡¯t believe that he thinks as we do.  Some of the things he said¡­suggested a worldview far removed from a human¡¯s perspective. I may not subscribe to my fellow residents¡¯ views on beings from alternate worlds, but I cannot say that I was sorry to see him go.  Don¡¯t let your guard down around him.¡±

    His words were sufficiently vague and sinister to unsettle Luke, but he was also irritated at the lack of concrete details.  He made his goodbyes and left the old man¡¯s home to return to the caravan base with Zachary. Now that he knew Zachary was truly sent by Kiango, the return trip was less frightening than before, though Luke still found himself glancing twice at every shadow.  When they arrived back at the entrance of the caravan¡¯s building, the big man surprised Luke by speaking for the first time since he¡¯d found him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what happened to you.  I¡¯d ask that you don¡¯t judge our settlement based on the men who attacked you.  Most of the people here are good folk, even if our ways might seem odd to you.¡±

    He held out his hand, which Luke remembered only at the last moment to touch briefly rather than the longer shake he was more accustomed to.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all great,¡± he blurted, unable to think of something to say.  He still wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about Ark as a whole, but he wasn¡¯t about to say that to a man who looked like he could palm his entire skull.

    After watching Zachary walk off toward the village, Luke returned to the building where everyone else was already setting up their sleeping spaces.  He didn¡¯t talk to anyone for the rest of the night. His thoughts alone were more than enough to occupy him.

 1.20

    Despite Luke¡¯s best efforts, the paranoia started to creep back in.  He¡¯d grown more comfortable traveling in the weeks the caravan had spent on the road, but the implications of what he¡¯d learned in Ark sent him spiralling back into the same pattern of watchfulness that he¡¯d fallen into at the beginning of the journey.  Someone out there wanted him specifically, or at least someone like him, and though rationally he knew it was unlikely that they would attack the caravan, he couldn¡¯t shake a feeling of unease.

    No one else in the caravan shared his worries. Their talk with the prisoner apparently hadn¡¯t convinced Ella and Angela that he was telling the truth, and while they informed the rest of the caravan, neither of them seemed to think the threat was very credible.  Everyone else followed their lead, and no one had so much as mentioned it to Luke after leaving Ark.

    The one silver lining was that Tony was hanging around Luke more than Simmons since departing the settlement.  He was evasive when Luke tried to ask why.

    ¡°Simmons can be a real prick sometimes, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± he said.  ¡°Besides, it''s better if I¡¯m nearby if something happens.

    ¡°Glad you¡¯re finally coming around on Simmons,¡± Felicity said.  Along with Abby, it was the first time in a while all of them had been together.  ¡°The man practically radiates smugness. I¡¯m surprised he doesn¡¯t choke when he talks, he¡¯s so busy sucking his own dick.¡±

    Tony coughed up a piece of jerky, pounding his chest to regain his breath while tears appeared in his eyes.

    ¡°Yeah, like that,¡± Felicity said lightly.  ¡°Thanks for the demonstration, Tony.¡±

    ¡°Eat me, Liss,¡± he said, flipping her off.  Luke hoped the banter didn¡¯t escalate into a real argument.  Playing peacekeeper between the two of them could be exhausting; he¡¯d gained a lot of respect for Abby over the course of their trip.

    ¡°He is certainly a piece of work,¡± Abby mused as she stared over toward Simmons.  She didn¡¯t even seem to notice the byplay. ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s worth addressing.¡±

    The others looked at her, confused.  ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Felicity asked.  ¡°He¡¯s an asshole, but that¡¯s not something you can really change.  I don¡¯t think so, at least. Maybe I could cut out parts of his brain, but that would probably be counterproductive, really.¡±

    Tony looked at her askance.  ¡°You know it¡¯s fucking creepy when you start talking like that, right?¡±  She gave him a wicked grin.

    ¡°It¡¯s people like him holding us back,¡± Abby continued, still looking over at the guard¡¯s group.  Tony and Felicity¡¯s words didn¡¯t even seem to register. ¡°But then, he¡¯s not really very good at the nice guy act.  Maybe it¡¯s not worth forcing the issue.¡±

    ¡°Abby?¡±  Luke asked.  ¡°You all right?¡±

    She snapped out of whatever reverie she was in to look over at him.  ¡°Fine,¡± she said, smiling. ¡°Just lost in my thoughts.¡±

    ¡°Can we stop talking about that guy?¡± Felicity asked.  ¡°I¡¯m tired of him.¡±

    ¡°All right,¡± Abby said.  ¡°What about this person who¡¯s looking for Tethers?  You two haven¡¯t said much about what that man who attacked you had to say.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know if he¡¯s looking for Tethers,¡± Luke said.  ¡°All the guy in Ark told us was that they wanted someone from ¡®another world¡¯.  Is anyone who comes here from somewhere else a Tether?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe so,¡± Abby said, furrowing her brow.  ¡°But I can¡¯t say for sure. That may be a good question to ask the Committee.¡±

    ¡°So what do you know, then?¡± Felicity asked impatiently.  ¡°If someone¡¯s gonna be after you, we have to be as prepared as we can.¡±

    Luke appreciated the assumption that they would help defend him, but he couldn¡¯t think of much useful information to tell her.  ¡°All we really know is that they can mess around with memories somehow. Adam didn¡¯t even remember what they looked like, but it didn¡¯t seem to bother him at all.¡±

    Felicity cocked her head.  ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of anything that could do something like that.  Have you guys?¡± She looked around at the other two, both of whom shook their heads.  ¡°Are you sure he wasn¡¯t just fucking with you?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Luke protested.  ¡°There¡¯s no way he was faking it.  Right, Tony?¡±

    Tony looked around awkwardly.  ¡°I mean, I didn¡¯t think so.¡± Luke raised his eyebrows at this tepid endorsement and he went on.  ¡°Look, after what Ella and everyone said¡­I don¡¯t know, man. Don¡¯t you think someone would have heard of something like this before?¡±

    ¡°You just said you¡¯re hanging around in case something happens!¡±

    ¡°I mean, yeah,¡± Tony said defensively.  ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s likely.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good to be vigilant,¡± Abby chimed in.  ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t accept everything you hear without proof, either.  We¡¯ll keep an eye out, but I wouldn¡¯t worry about it too much.¡±

    ¡°If you say so.¡±  Luke was a little frustrated that Tony would turn on him so easily, but hearing everyone¡¯s opinion did make him start to doubt himself.  He¡¯d been assuming that anything was possible in this world, but no one else that had actually lived within it seemed to share that belief.  Perhaps he had been too quick to swallow everything Adam had told him.

    Not that that would make it any easier for him to sleep.  The part of Luke that was scared of what might be looking for him wasn¡¯t the most rational piece of his psyche.  When he set up his sleeping bag that night, it wasn¡¯t logic that spurred him to keep an eye out for every shifting shadow.

    <hr>

    It was a three-day journey from Ark to Langrendi, and Luke¡¯s anticipation started to outweigh his apprehension as they neared the elvish settlement.  Since the onset of the caravan trip he had thought that beings from another world would be the most likely to be able to tell him how to get back to his own, and though he¡¯d found a tenuous lead toward that goal in Ark, he was hoping to find something more actionable in Langrendi.  He was also curious to see the creatures that he¡¯d heard so much about, both in this world and his own. They were some of the first extradimensional beings he¡¯d heard about that weren¡¯t completely horrifying, and he wondered how closely they matched their portrayal from Earth¡¯s fiction.

    There was also a part of him that was simply glad to reach the final leg of their journey, and to soon begin the walk back to Crater.  A lot had happened in the course of their trip, and a deep-set exhaustion was starting to set in that no amount of sleep could remedy. After nearly a month of constant walking and travel rations, he missed the comfort of the settlement.

    He knew that others felt the same way as he did.  At least Tony for certain, as he had been spouting a near-constant stream of complaints since leaving Ark.  While Luke was glad that he no longer spent so much time around Simmons, the other boy was getting on the nerves of both himself and Felicity.  Only Abby seemed immune to his whining, though Luke didn¡¯t have the slightest idea how.

    ¡°The bottom of my shoe¡¯s starting to come off,¡± Tony complained.  ¡°If we have to walk much longer I¡¯m gonna be barefoot.¡±

    ¡°What a fucking tragedy,¡± Felicity snapped.  ¡°I forgot the rest of us have velvet slippers and a personal fucking masseuse to rub us down every night.  Just keep walking, Aguero.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you used to this kind of thing from working with the builders?¡±  Luke asked, redirecting Tony as he opened his mouth furiously. ¡°This is nothing compared to breaking down a house, right?  I should know.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Tony said, still glaring toward Felicity.  ¡°But with them you get breaks and days off. Here we just keep going all day, every day.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Felicity said, opening her eyes wide.  ¡°Are you saying this is hard? Because I thought my brother and I just sat on our asses doing nothing.  We¡¯re out here all the time, so it must be a walk in the park for you, right?¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Tony grumbled.  ¡°Going with the caravans is work.  You don¡¯t have to be such a bitch about it.¡±

    ¡°Can you two not?¡± Luke asked wearily as Felicity opened her mouth.  ¡°We¡¯re so close to the settlement. Can you go an hour or two without fighting each other?¡±

    ¡°History says no,¡± Abby said.  ¡°But feel free to keep trying, Luke.  It¡¯s nice for someone else to make the attempt for once.¡±

    Tony started to respond, but before he could speak a thundering roar echoed around the caravan.  Luke ducked instinctively, but it lasted much longer than any gunshot, and recent experience told him the sounds were different anyway.  He stood back up, embarrassed, but he was far from the only one to have that kind of reaction. Everyone looked around as the sound continued unabated.  It wasn¡¯t deafening, but it was loud enough to reverberate around the plains and make it impossible to identify the direction it was coming from. After ten seconds or so, the roar abated.

    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Tony demanded.  All over the caravan, his question was echoed, and no one had an answer

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Luke said, gazing around the landscape.  They were traveling along more fertile grassland than they¡¯d seen for most of the journey, but the green fields were low enough that nothing should have been able to effectively hide from sight.  ¡°You guys would know better than me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of anything that had a roar like that,¡± Felicity said, shaking her head.  ¡°And I¡¯d really rather keep it that way, to be honest. That sounded terrifying.¡±

    Luke agreed.  But no threat materialized, and after a few minutes the caravan started moving again, only to stop again when a sound became audible once more.  It was different this time, fainter, but it started and stopped with a regular rhythm, growing gradually louder.

    ¡°What the hell is that?¡±  Tony asked. ¡°Wingbeats?¡±

    ¡°One big-ass bird if it is,¡± Felicity said, scanning up above.  Light gray clouds covered the sky, revealing nothing out of the ordinary that Luke could see.  Until an enormous shadow passed over them, sending him toward cover once more.

    ¡°What the fuck,¡± someone said as everyone turned up toward the sky.  Only an outline was visible, the silhouette of something huge hidden above the clouds.  It was indistinct and amorphous, but it quickly passed them by, with two large shapes next to the main body moving in time with the sound they heard.  Everyone in the caravan tracked it, eyes wide, until it was gone without any sign it had ever been there.

    ¡°I¡¯ll say it again,¡± Tony said finally.  ¡°What the fuck was that?¡±

    ¡°Not a bird,¡± Abby said, shaking her head.  ¡°More like a whale with wings.¡±

    ¡°It came from the same direction we¡¯re heading,¡± Luke said.

    Felicity looked over sharply.  ¡°You think it came from Langrendi?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Luke responded.  ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about what¡¯s out here!  But it was bigger than anything from this world, right?.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll find out,¡± Felicity said grimly.  ¡°We¡¯re moving again.¡±

    The caravan continued, though more than a few of the travelers appeared shaken by the flying creature.  Once they were within sight of the elvish settlement, little more than a dot on the horizon, the wagons halted once more

    ¡°Ground rules,¡± Ella said once everyone had circled around.  ¡°It¡¯s been pointed out that we may have not done the best job preparing everyone for their first trip into Ark.¡±  She glanced over at Angela, who shrugged. ¡°So let¡¯s take a quick moment to make sure no one starts another interspecies war.  First off, no one mention the first one. Or Carver, or anything to do with killing elves, orcs, or dwarves. They might take it personally.  Second, don¡¯t talk to the elves. They probably wouldn¡¯t talk back, but if they choose to do so, they can be¡­unpleasant. And that wouldn¡¯t end well for any of us, so let¡¯s just head off the whole thing at the start.  It probably won¡¯t be an issue anyway, orcs do most of the talking.¡±

    She looked around at everyone.  ¡°We probably won¡¯t spend the night inside their settlement, we¡¯ll do our business and get back on the road.  Anyone who¡¯s been there before, anything else?¡±

    A few people shook their heads. ¡°All right.  Easy enough. Let¡¯s get in, trade our shit, and get out.¡±

    The circle started to break up, but one of the guards called out.  ¡°What about that thing in the sky? It came from this direction.¡±

    Angela spoke up in response.  ¡°I know some of the orcs pretty well.  Let me talk to them, it might be a delicate question if it came from here and wasn¡¯t just passing over.¡±

    Most of the caravan accepted that, and they started back toward the settlement soon after.  Luke was a little surprised that Simmons didn¡¯t speak up during the meeting. The guard missed few chances to argue with Ella and Angela that he saw.

    But they made the rest of the brief trip without interruption up until they neared the entrance into Langrendi itself.  If he hadn¡¯t been told beforehand, Luke wouldn¡¯t have glanced twice at the village. Like most settlements, the other races had appropriated an abandoned old world town.  There was little to distinguish it from a thousand other small towns Luke had driven through in his own world, though the large green man that walked out to greet them would have likely attracted some notice.

    He walked in an open, friendly way with no hint of aggression, but his sheer size was still enough to cause some momentary alarm.  He had to be over seven feet tall, perhaps eight, and each of his arms was close to the diameter of Luke¡¯s torso. Luke had little doubt that he could rip him in half, and stared at him so long that it took a few moments to realize that he wasn¡¯t alone.  The other creature was clearly a dwarf; though he wore a well-trimmed goatee rather than the long beard Luke might have expected, he barely topped four feet and looked quite squat. Both wore modern clothes, with the orc sporting what looked like two flannels cut and stitched together, while the dwarf had on a set of jean overalls adjusted for his odd-sized frame.

    ¡°Greetings!¡± the orc rumbled as he approached, smiling.  Luke caught a glimpse of what looked like filed-down fangs in his huge mouth.  ¡°Welcome to Langrendi, friends.¡± He spoke English well, but there was an odd musical quality to his voice, an accent that sounded vaguely familiar to Luke.

    Ella moved to the front of the caravan.  ¡°Greetings!¡± she said, the barest hint of uncertainty present in her voice.  ¡°You are Sasheya?¡±

    ¡°I am she,¡± the enormous being agreed.  Luke felt a jolt of shock. There was absolutely no visual indication that the orc was female.  She indicated the dwarf ¡°And this is Audur. I welcome your return to Langrendi, Ella.¡±

    The horses pawed the ground uncomfortably, and a few guards shifted as well.  Luke understood their feelings. No matter how friendly, a huge green monster was bound to cause some unease.

    ¡°Is there a reason we meet out here rather than inside the settlement?¡±  Ella gestured at the wagons ladened with goods. ¡°We have many goods for trade, would it not be preferable to discuss a deal to our mutual benefit in comfort?¡±

    She spoke more formally than she usually did, Luke noticed.  He wondered whether it was to stay in line with the orc¡¯s own culture or just the natural result of speaking with something that could probably twist her head off like the cap of a tube of toothpaste.  The dwarf had remained quiet so far, but his expression (assuming it was a he) was no less friendly than his companion¡¯s.

    ¡°Unfortunately, matters are¡­tumultuous within Langrendi at the moment.  The Elders would prefer that any business be conducted outside of the settlement itself.¡±  Sasheya looked regretful, and Angela took advantage of the momentary pause to cut in.

    ¡°Can I speak to you in private for a moment?¡±  The green woman nodded, and they walked a few paces off to speak in a low voice.  Most of the caravan started talking amongst themselves, but the dwarf ambled up to a guard near the front.

    ¡°Hey, any chance I can take a look at that?¡± Luke was close enough to hear his words, his voice nearly as deep as the orc¡¯s, and he could hear the same odd accent.  He had definitely heard it before, but couldn¡¯t identify why it was so familiar.

    The dwarf pointed at the gun holstered at the guard¡¯s hip, prompting him to cover the top protectively.  ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna fire it,¡± the short creature griped.  ¡°I just want a quick look. Just a peek!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not giving you my gun,¡± The guard looked bewildered, but turned from the dwarf so his weapon was hidden.

    ¡°Come on!  The Elders turn their nose up at those things, I never get a good look at it.  I¡¯ll throw in a good word with Sasheya, get you some of our best stuff!¡±

    ¡°No!¡± the guard said, annoyed now.  ¡°Back off! No one touches my gun but me.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± The dwarf said in a flat voice.  ¡°What about this wagon? Can I look around the bottom of it?¡±

    ¡°Whatever,¡± the guard said, glancing around.  No one objected now that the dwarf¡¯s attention was on something less lethal.  ¡°Just don¡¯t break anything.¡±

    The dwarf was beneath the nearest wagon before he finished speaking mumbling to himself as he looked at¡­whatever he was looking at.  Luke stared at his feet, the only part of him still visible for a few moments until Angela returned with the orc, the latter with a disturbed look on her face.

    ¡°Audur!¡±  she said, looking around.  ¡°Where are you?¡±

    ¡°Down here!¡± He stuck his head halfway out of the wagon to look up at the orc woman.  ¡°What is it?¡±

    Sasheya replied in another language, not harsh and guttural as Luke would have expected, but with a similar melodious sound as their accents.  They spoke for a few moments while everyone in the caravan stood around watching until Audur leapt up from the wagon and started jogging toward Langrendi without a second glance.

    ¡°All right,¡± Sasheya said once he had left, clapping her hands together.  ¡°Shall we attend to the business for which you have come?¡±

    ¡°Certainly,¡± Ella said, glancing back toward the caravan.  ¡°Fae, can you bring out one of the big blankets? I think it¡¯s in the far wagon.¡±

    Several of the traders went about setting up a place to sit in the middle of the road while Ella, along with a few others, started haggling with the orc woman.

    ¡°Jesus.  I didn¡¯t know they were so big.¡±  Tony was staring at the orc woman, who was still nearly as tall as they were while sitting cross-legged on the sheet that had been set out.

    ¡°Why¡¯d the dwarf run off like that?¡± Luke asked.  No one answered, but Felicity frowned and pointed off in the distance.

    What¡¯s that?¡±  Indistinct figures could be seen moving among the grass of the plains.  No one had an answer for her.

    It seemed Sasheya also noticed the movement after a few moments, because she sighed and apologized to Ella before standing up and walking to the edge of the caravan toward the approaching group.  Gradually, everyone turned to look in that direction. After a short time, they got close enough to be identified as a group of orcs, but these creatures were far different in appearance from Sasheya.

    The most obvious contrast was in their apparel.  As Luke watched the approaching orcs run across the landscape, he saw that none wore any form of clothing on their upper body.  Unlike Sasheya, many of them had large chests that identified them as female, and they were as bare as their male counterparts. Thankfully, all of them wore some kind of kilt or skirt around their waist made of fur or leather, the design unique to each individual.  Black paint covered much of their body, spiraling designs that Luke couldn¡¯t follow without feeling dizzy. Each carried an axe or hatchet of different construction, some or iron or steel while others had a head of stone. As they neared, Luke got a good look at their faces and realized that these orcs did not file down their teeth.  White fangs curved down even while their mouths were closed, lending them a predatory look.

    Sasheya said something in the same tongue she¡¯d spoken to Audur, but her tone and body language was much more harsh while she faced the orcs that stood before her.  Nearly a dozen of them faced her, and several in the back carried animals over their shoulders, dead deer and goats that dripped blood down onto their bodies, smearing red over the black of their paint.

    One of the group of orcs replied to her in a growling voice, ignoring the group of humans at her back.  Sasheya raised a hand to point toward the settlement. The other orc spat on the ground and stomped away, followed by the rest of the tall green beings.

    ¡°I apologize,¡± Sasheya said smoothly.  ¡°Let us resume our discussion.¡±

    Ella looked like she wanted to ask about what happened, but only sighed and returned to the sheet.  It seemed, however, that the negotiations were destined for interruption, as only a few minutes later a pair of people approached, this time from the settlement itself.

    A low murmur went around the caravan when they realized that while one of the figures was quite small, the other was the wrong size to be either an orc or a dwarf.  It would have been easy to mistake the being for a human, at least until it was close enough to see the unearthly grace of its movements.

    For Luke, with his knowledge from his own world, the ears were the most obvious sign.  They were tall and pointed, almost even with the top of its head. It was also far slimmer than any but the most petite human woman, but it walked with a confidence that belied its small frame.  Unlike Sasheya, who had features Luke would have comfortably described as masculine before learning of her gender, there was no obvious sign of whether the approaching elf was male or female. While its size might have suggested a woman, its face was androgynous, and like Sasheya it had no bust to speak of.

    It wore a robe over a simple white shirt.  The robe was a mixture of black, green, and red that had been swirled around to make a pattern similar to tie-dye, the colors faded by the passage of time.  The creature gazed over the caravan as it approached, with no trace of its thoughts visible on its face.

    ¡°I will speak not more than once,¡± it announced.  Its accent was much thicker than that of the orc or dwarf, and it took Luke a moment to decipher its words.  Its voice was beautiful, perfectly matched to the melodic tones of the creatures¡¯ accent. Everyone in the caravan turned and waited for its next words.  Out of the corner of his eye, Luke saw Ella¡¯s head in her hands. Even Sasheya looked a little uneasy.

    ¡°I require one of you to tell of the passage of the journey to this place.  Which among you will have an accurate memory?¡±

    ¡°I can,¡± Luke said before he realized he¡¯d opened his mouth.  ¡°I mean, I will.¡± Tony and Felicity looked at him, eyes wide, and Ella was shaking her head subtly but vigorously.

    ¡°Very good.  Step over here.¡±  Everyone watched silently as Luke stepped over to the elf.  He was startled to realize that he was a little taller than the creature, though it had a bearing that still made it seem like it was looking down upon him.

    ¡°Walk.¡± The single word was enough to convey a tone of casual, even contemptuous command.  Without waiting for a response, the elf strode away from the caravan. Luke looked back long enough to glimpse a resigned look on Ella¡¯s face before following.

    Several paces away, the elf continued to speak without looking at him.  ¡°Tell me of the shape in the clouds.¡±

    Luke took a moment to marshal his thoughts.  ¡°It happened when we were about an hour away from Langrendi.  We heard a roar that¡ª¡±

    ¡°I have no care of the roar,¡± the elf said.  ¡°Speak of the shape. The appearance and direction of travel.¡±

    Luke stopped himself from sighing.  The arrogance the elf had displayed made him think it would not appreciate such an exhibition.  ¡°It was enormous, and moved in time with what looked and sounded like wingbeats. Whatever it was kept traveling in the direction we came from.¡±  He kept his sentences short and to the point, hoping that would earn his questioner¡¯s approval.

    ¡°And that direction is?¡± the elf prompted.

    Luke pointed to the road the caravan had been using.  ¡°That way.¡±

    The elf looked him up and down, slowly.  It wasn¡¯t a pleasant look. Luke felt like he was being weighed and assessed, scrutinized for his smallest flaws.

    ¡°That is no answer.  Does the road curve beyond?  Does it bend, twist, or remain straight forever?  What direction did the dragon travel?¡±

    ¡°Dragon?¡± Luke said incredulously.  ¡°It was a dragon that was flying over us?¡±

    ¡°Answer the question!¡± The elf¡¯s air of haughty calm broke instantly as it shouted at Luke.  ¡°What direction?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Luke replied, heat creeping into his own inflection.  He hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the minutiae of their journey. The traders had determined their route.

    ¡°Then you are useless.¡±  As quickly as it had come, the passion left its voice.  Its aura of cold reserve restored, the elf turned away toward the caravan.

    ¡°So you lost a dragon and don¡¯t know where it went?¡± Luke¡¯s heart was pounding at his confrontational words, but he had to prolong the conversation.  He had questions of his own.

    The elf turned back around, regarding him with a flat gaze.  All emotion had fallen from its beautiful, alien face, and it once again gazed at Luke as if he were an insect, something too far beneath it to merit even anger.  The contrast with the fury it had shown a few moments before was chilling.

    ¡°You cannot comprehend the obstacles faced by the Elders.  Explanations are wasted upon you. I will find one who is aware of the direction you have traveled.¡±

    Luke called out one more time, desperate to find what he had come for.  ¡°How did you come to this world?¡±

    ¡°Magic far beyond your comprehension,¡± came the careless reply.  There was no surprise at the change of subject, or anger at Luke¡¯s presumption.  The elf didn¡¯t even look at him as it walked away, leaving Luke alone to ponder its response.

 1.21

    By the time Luke was back amongst the rest of the caravan, the elf had already pulled Ella away from her discussion with Sasheya.  It seemed that it hadn¡¯t had the patience to ask for another volunteer and had picked its own instead.  Luke could see them speaking out of earshot of everyone else, her body language deferential.

    ¡°Are you all right?¡± Abby asked upon his return.  ¡°We heard some shouting.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I guess it doesn¡¯t take much to rile them up,¡± Luke said.  He almost blurted out what he had learned from the elf, but at the last moment glanced around and changed his words to be more circumspect.  ¡°Did you know they can do magic?¡±

    He heard a snort from somewhere nearby.  Luke looked around and saw nothing, then glanced down to see Audur on one knee.  The dwarf had been fiddling with a wheel on one of the wagons, but looked up at Luke after his last comment.

    ¡°What?¡± Luke asked.

    ¡°Well, they can¡¯t anymore, can they?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Luke asked.  Abby stared at the dwarf interestedly.

    ¡°There isn¡¯t any magic here, is there?  Can¡¯t be done on a plane that isn¡¯t thick with it.  You think the Elders would have stayed here if they had another option?¡±

    Luke furrowed his brow at the dwarf¡¯s words.  He went on in an affable voice, unconcerned with their confusion.  ¡°¡®Course, I like it just fine over here.  Makes it a whole lot easier to create with your hands when magic isn¡¯t mucking up all the what-d¡¯you-call-¡¯ems¡ªphysical laws.  Plus the Elders can¡¯t do whatever they¡ª¡±  Audur cut off abruptly with a guilty look and the air of someone who said something he shouldn¡¯t.

    ¡°So you can¡¯t do magic here?¡± Luke said.  The dwarf¡¯s words were hard to interpret when he spoke fast.  At least he was more intelligible than the elf.

    ¡°Me?¡± Audur laughed, a deep rich sound that garnered glances from others around the caravan.  ¡°Never could.  There¡¯s a few dwarven wizards, but it doesn¡¯t come naturally to us and orcken like it does to the Elders.  That¡¯s what put them in charge back in Heimr.  Hard to stand up to someone who can turn you into a grease stain with a wave of their hands.¡±  He glanced around furtively at the elf after his last words, relieved to see that it was still off with Ella.  Luke got the impression that he didn¡¯t have much of a filter.

    ¡°Then it was a spell that took you to this world?¡±  Abby looked at him quizzically, and he stared at the dwarf to avoid her gaze.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Audur said with another snort.  ¡°The same way it was some fireworks that blew up that city in the Second Global War or whatever you call it.  Doesn¡¯t quite cover the size of the thing, does it?  Devising a method for moving between planes was the greatest undertaking of magic in the history of Heimr.  And look where it got us.¡±

    ¡°The Elders can¡¯t do any magic at all anymore?¡±  Abby asked softly.

    ¡°No.  Until today, we thought there wasn¡¯t a drop of magic on this entire plane.¡±

    ¡°What happened today?¡± Luke asked.

    Audur suddenly looked nervous and glanced around.  ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t know.  I have to go fix a¡­horse.  Excuse me.¡±

    He rushed off, walking quickly back toward Langrendi.  Sasheya looked at him with an eyebrow raised, but was still talking with the other traders while Ella was away.  The elf didn¡¯t even appear to notice him leave.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Abby said.  ¡°I wonder what changed today?¡±

    ¡°I have an idea,¡± Luke replied.  ¡°But wait until we¡¯re away from the settlement.  Seems like a touchy subject for them.¡±

    Abby hummed her agreement.  The afternoon turned slowly to dusk while they waited for the conclusion of the negotiations.  Ella finished her discussion with the elf and returned to finish the negotiation with Sasheya.  There were no more interruptions, and by the time night fell, the traders walked back to the wagons with smiles on their faces.

    A few traders who were known among the residents of Langrendi were permitted into the settlement itself to load up the goods they were taking back to Crater.  The rest of the caravan set up camp nearby.  Luke was impatient to get back on the road, both to start the journey back to Crater and because he wanted to talk about what he had learned.  He went to bed early that night.

    ***

    ¡°It was a WHAT?¡±

    Felicity was far from the only one to utter an exclamation at Ella¡¯s words, but she was the loudest.  The trader shot her a reproachful look, and Felicity held up her hands.

    ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t ready to hear that we passed a fucking dragon when I woke up this morning.  Although, to be fair, that fits what we saw better than any theory I had.  Which might say more about my theories, honestly.¡±

    Luke told Ella what he heard from the elf first thing in the morning, and she in turn insisted on gathering the caravan to inform them of what had passed over them the previous day.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how much this changes,¡± she said to the gathered group, ¡°but it¡¯s good to keep in mind.  We¡¯ll tell the Committee if nothing else.¡±

    Behind her, Angela cleared her throat.  Ella glanced back at her.  ¡°Right.  You all will have to tell the Committee.  Ang and I have been talking.  Now that the trading¡¯s done, we¡¯re thinking that it would be best if we split off from the rest of you on the way back to Crater.¡±

    The silence in the wake of her statement was in sharp contrast to the babble of voices from a moment before.  Luke caught a displeased look on Simmons¡¯s face as he stared at Ella.

    ¡°Going to Darkend would add a good three or four days onto the trip back,¡± she went on.  ¡°That would be enough to put us behind schedule, which isn¡¯t fair to all of you.  But Ang and I aren¡¯t going back without knowing how our dad is.  We¡¯re just not.  So we¡¯ll split off by ourselves and the rest of you won¡¯t get chewed out by Mort.¡±

    There were a few nods, but Simmons called out from the side.

    ¡°How will he get back to Crater, then?¡±

    ¡°He won¡¯t.¡±  Ella cocked her head at the guard.  ¡°There¡¯s no real reason for it.  He was sick of the place before we even left.¡±

    ¡°But that must change now with his¡­disability, yes?  He won¡¯t be able to roam the way he did before.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll worry about it, Simmons,¡± Ella snapped.  ¡°It¡¯s not your concern.¡±

    Simmons frowned deeply, but didn¡¯t reply.  Soon after, the familiar sound of hoof on cement filled the air and the wagons started rolling once again.  Luke trudged on with the rest of the caravan.

    ¡°I wonder why Simmons was so upset,¡± he said idly a few hours later.  Tony had eschewed the mustached guard¡¯s company once again to join him, Abby, and Felicity.

    ¡°I¡¯ll never understand how he feels about Carver,¡± Tony said, shaking his head.  ¡°He hated him so much after Hobble, ranted every day about how he was the reason shit went so bad over there, and then all of sudden he was worried about him.  He kept bothering you, right, Abby?¡±

    ¡°Mm-hm,¡± Abby nodded.  She was tending to one of the horses while they walked, examining its gait while it carried the load of the wagon.

    ¡°That¡¯s when he got all oily, too,¡± Felicity said.  ¡°At least when he was bitching about Carver you knew how he felt.  Now he¡¯s always trying to be everyone¡¯s friend.  It¡¯s creepy.¡±

    ¡°Because he wants everyone¡¯s support back in Crater,¡± Abby said distractedly.  She was crouching awkwardly to look at the horse¡¯s hoof while they were still moving.  ¡°He¡¯s not really being subtle about it.¡±

    ¡°Support for what?¡± Tony asked, baffled.  ¡°I can¡¯t believe you guys are shitting on him for trying to be nicer.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s fine, he¡¯ll just need a better diet once we¡¯re back in Crater.¡± Abby popped up and patted the horse on the neck before turning to Tony.  ¡°And sure, he¡¯s nice enough to try to get Carver executed.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Tony said loudly.  Felicity¡¯s eyes also widened at Abby¡¯s words.

    ¡°Or something equally awful, anyway,¡± she shrugged.  ¡°It¡¯s the only explanation that makes any sense to me.  Do you really believe that his opinion about Carver shifted so dramatically overnight?  He hated the man with a passion, but was so concerned about his condition that he ran ahead with us to Darkend to ensure he would survive.  We know he didn¡¯t care about Carver as a person, and there¡¯s few other possibilities that explain his actions.

    ¡°You¡¯re making a pretty big leap there,¡± Tony protested.  ¡°Why would he care that Carver¡¯s executed?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Abby said.  ¡°That might not be it.  He hates him, but if that was all it was he could have sat back and watched him die of infection.  He really wanted Carver back in Crater for some reason.¡±

    ¡°It sounds flimsy to me,¡± Tony said doubtfully.  ¡°It¡¯s at least possible that he just had a change of heart, right?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Abby said flatly.  ¡°He¡¯s not that good at hiding his emotions.  Believe me, I can tell.¡±

    ¡°Whatever it is, seems like he won¡¯t get his way,¡± Luke said.  ¡°Probably for the best.¡±

    Tony shrugged.  ¡°He can be an asshole, but I think you¡¯re all blowing this way out of proportion.¡±

    ¡°Assholes gotta stick together, huh?¡± Felicity grinned, slapping Tony on the back.  To his credit, he responded only by rolling his eyes.

    ¡°Just keep an eye on him,¡± Abby said.  ¡°He¡¯ll show his true colors sooner or later.¡±

    ***

    Not long before they stopped for the night, Ella and Angela left the caravan.  They loaded up some of the rations, restocked at Langrendi, into a backpack, and took an exit to a different freeway that offered a more direct route to Darkend.

    The caravan seemed emptier without them, Luke reflected as he laid down on the grass just beyond the hard asphalt that night.  He had to admit that other than Ella, he hadn¡¯t done well at getting to know anyone he hadn¡¯t known beforehand.  With two of his friends gone, it was starting to feel like he was surrounded by strangers once again.  At least they were returning to Crater.  The settlement wasn¡¯t home, but even in his own mind, Luke couldn¡¯t pretend that it wouldn¡¯t be good to be back.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    <hr>

    The next few days passed without incident, but this fact did little to induce Luke to lower his guard.  The threat he had learned about still lingered in the back of his mind, and even while he was with his friends he kept one eye open.

    Despite his defense of Simmons, Tony continued to hang around less with his group and more among Luke and the others.  Felicity had cut down on her unmaking practice since leaving Hobble, and while Abby cared for the horses, they took little of her time each day.  Luke, of course, had no demands on his time and nothing to do but walk with the others. The days passed quickly, and Luke started to worry about what would happen when their journey was finished.  Once they were back, everyone would return to their normal duties, and he would again have to find something to occupy himself.  He still had no inkling of a job he wanted to do long term.  Working as a builder sounded unappealing, but so did everything else he could think of.

    He waited until Felicity and Tony left on a hunting trip before trying to ask Abby¡ªthe least judgemental of his friends¡ªfor her advice on the matter, but before he spoke a word, a cry rose from the back of the caravan.

    ¡°What the fuck is that?¡± someone yelled.  Several people looked around with confused expressions, but without any instructions to the contrary the wagons kept rolling.

    Luke fell back to the rear of the procession to try to see what the commotion was about.  A line of guards and traders were staring out at something off to the side of the road while they walked.  Following their gaze, Luke made out movement in the distance, but his brain couldn¡¯t reconcile the odd flowing motion with any kind of living being.  No one seemed overly concerned, merely puzzled about what they saw.  Whatever it was, it quickly became apparent that it was moving toward the caravan faster than they were traveling away.

    As it closed in, Luke started to make out more details of its appearance.  The being¡ªif that was what it was¡ªlooked like a mock-up of a human made out of rope, with thick yellow cords running through the center of each appendage and long extensions splitting off like branches from a tree.  Its appearance was similar to that of the Bleeder in some ways, but its form was made up of far fewer fibers than the other monster.  It was closer to a stick figure with extra extensions than a true outline of a human form.

    The thing¡¯s bizarre movements were evident even when it was off in the distance, and became no less disturbing as it roamed closer.  Each step it took triggered a wavy, undulant motion that traveled from its feet through the top of its ¡°head¡±, a loose collection of cords that formed an approximation of a sphere.  The motion reminded Luke of when he had shaken a jump rope to send waves through it when he was little; it gave the thing a lopsided, top-heavy appearance with every step it took.

    Curiosity turned to alarm as it became clear the thing was moving directly toward them, advancing deceptively quickly through the field beside the road.  Several traders called for the wagons to pick up speed, but no matter how fast they traveled, the cord-thing seemed to match their pace without effort.  After ten minutes of ineffectual flight, the thing was barely thirty feet away from the caravan, still moving with its undulant motions.

    ¡°Fuck this,¡± one of the guards said, unholstering his pistol.  ¡°It looks like a good breeze could knock it down, why are we still running?¡±  He stopped and turned, taking aim at the creature.

    Luke looked back in time to see the creature¡¯s absolute lack of a reaction to the shot.  He guessed that the bullet had gone through without hitting any of the cords that made up its body.

    ¡°Get an axe,¡± he shouted, ¡°Or a knife.  Cut it!.¡±  He looked around, seeing nothing in the vicinity that could be of use.   Abby stared at him, her brow furrowed, but more shots rang out before she could respond.  The guard, not hearing or ignoring Luke had fired again, along with several other armed members of the caravan.  The monster showed no visible response to the gunfire, but in the time they stood still to shoot at it, the thing crossed the distance to stand in front of the foremost guard.

    Surprised, the man tried to scramble away, but the creature was on him before he could move.  The entire caravan watched in horror as the thing twisted, and the largest cord at the back of its torso wrapped around the guard like some grotesque python.

    ¡°What the fuck?  Get it the fuck¡ª¡±  The guard cut off abruptly as the offshoots of the thing¡¯s central cord wound up around his mouth.  His eyes bulged as yellow strings curled into his ears and nose.  The other guards stood around him shouting, but none touched the thing to try to pry it off.  Luke felt sick watching the monster extend itself, pushing more and more of its body into the guard.  He ran toward the nearest wagon, looking for something sharp, but without any idea how the goods were organized, he found nothing of use.

    ¡°Move!¡±  One of the traders finally had the presence of mind to pull out a knife at her belt to try to cut away the monster still wrapped tightly around the guard, but her efforts proved futile.  Whatever she cut off fell to the ground while the rest of the thing kept writhing around the guard¡¯s body.  It was impossible to tell what parts were necessary for the thing to function.  After what felt like hours, the undulating cords finally released the guard, falling still on the ground.  What was left looked like nothing so much as a loose pile of moist, yellow rope.

    The guard started screaming as soon as his mouth was clear, and everyone in the caravan clustered around him, trying to talk all at once.

    ¡°It hurts!¡± he screamed.  Abby knelt down next to him, speaking soothingly, but no matter what she said, he went on screaming.

    ¡°Felicity,¡± Abby said once it was clear that the man was incoherent.  ¡°I need Felicity.¡±

    ¡°She went out to hunt!¡± a trader said, sounding panicked.

    ¡°Then go find her,¡± Abby responded sharply, her eyes on the guard.

    Three or four people darted off, and perhaps fifteen minutes later, returned with the girl in tow.  She stepped up next to Abby, her face white.

    ¡°They told me what happened.  What do you need?¡±

    ¡°Can you take out whatever went inside of him?  There¡¯s nothing I can do here, I don¡¯t even have anything to knock him out.¡±  The guard¡¯s screams had turned to quiet moans, but his expression displayed no less pain.

    Felicity hesitated and looked over at the pile of cords that had been wrapped around the guard before their grisly work was done.  She shook her head.  ¡°No.  I don¡¯t know what that stuff¡¯s made of or where it is inside of him.  I¡¯d have to take out whole chunks of his body at a time.¡±

    ¡°That might be our only option,¡± Abby said grimly.  ¡°It is quite literally the only thing I can think of.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it would work.  I¡¯d have no way of knowing if I¡¯d gotten all of the stuff inside of him.  Or any of it.  I could take out his whole liver or something and leave whatever the fuck that is untouched.¡±

    Abby sighed heavily.  ¡°All right.  Move him to the back of the wagon for now.¡±  A pair of guards moved to follow her orders, but when they turned the affected man toward the field, he cried out.

    ¡°Wait!  Wait!,¡±  He looked out in the direction the monster had come from.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt as much¡­it¡¯s going away!¡±

    He looked up at Abby and started screaming once again.  ¡°No!  It hurts!  I¡­I can¡¯t!  I can¡¯t stand it!¡±  He turned his head back toward the field and whimpered.

    Abby waved for the guards to put him down and dropped to one knee.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt when you look that way?¡±  The guard¡¯s gaze was still fixed far into the distance.  Luke and many of the others watching the spectacle peered in that direction, but nothing out of the ordinary could be seen.

    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t.  I have to keep looking.  I can¡¯t stop.¡±  Luke almost missed the guard¡¯s words from his spot several feet away.  He was speaking quietly, nearly pleading.

    ¡°Ok.  We won¡¯t make you.¡±  Abby turned to the others.  ¡°Keep his sight line clear in that direction.  There¡¯s nothing I can do for him out here.¡±

    A few of the traders quickly cleared a space in one of the wagons the way they had done for Carver, the car now laden with entirely different goods than it had been when they set out.  The afflicted man¡ªLuke heard from someone that his name was Andrew¡ªwas able to walk to the wagon under his own power, so long as he kept looking in the same direction.  The caravan resumed traveling, much subdued.

    ¡°Why the hell does he have to stare out that way?¡± Tony muttered, gazing at the empty field.  ¡°That¡¯s the weirdest thing I¡¯ve ever heard.  You think it¡¯s safe to bring him back to Crater?¡±

    ¡°You think it would be better to leave him to die in the middle of the road?¡± Luke asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.  What if more of those things are growing inside of him?  And what would they even do in Crater that they can¡¯t out here?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea.  But Abby¡¯s the closest thing we have to an expert, and she thinks it¡¯s worth a shot to bring him back.¡±  They¡¯d given their friend a wide berth since the attack, as had nearly everyone else in the caravan.  A couple of brave guards had scooped the remains of the cord-creature into a glass jar with a long stick, and Abby was staring at the contents while sitting in the back of the wagon with Andrew.

    The guard remained relatively quiet for the rest of the day, but he did start screaming again any time he couldn¡¯t look toward whatever he was staring at in the distance.  Abby attempted to sooth him with little effect.  It seemed the only cure to whatever pain Andrew was feeling was to look at something none of the rest of them could see.

    Abby took a brief break when they stopped that night to eat with the other three before returning to her patient.  She still held the jar of what now looked like a pile of what looked like a pile of greyish guts stacked in the jar.  She stared at it continuously while they ate.

    ¡°Is it a good idea to hold on to that stuff?¡± Tony asked.  ¡°What if it comes to life and tries to go inside someone else?¡±

    Abby glanced at him only briefly before returning her gaze to the jar.  ¡°It could have easily done that when it first appeared if that were the case.  This is the only clue I have for what¡¯s afflicting my patient.  It¡¯s a risk I have to take.

    ¡°Only it¡¯s not just you taking the risk, is it?¡±  Tony asked, his voice tense.  ¡°It¡¯s everyone else who has to stay around that stuff.  It¡¯s like holding a bomb that you don¡¯t even know is defused yet.¡±

    Luke put a hand on his friend¡¯s shoulder, but uncharacteristically Felicity broke in to cut the tension.

    ¡°It kind of looks like nervous tissue, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    Abby peered within the jar on the ground.  ¡°Does it?  It¡¯s difficult to tell with it all bunched-up like that.¡±

    Tony looked affronted that he was being ignored, but merely crossed his arms after Luke shook his head at him.

    ¡°I mean, it could be,¡± Felicity said.  ¡°Trust me, I¡¯ve done enough dissections to know what the stuff looks like.  That thick part is about the right size for the spinal cord.¡±

    ¡°It could be,¡± Abby said thoughtfully.  ¡°I assumed it was some kind of extradimensional material, but you might be right.¡±

    ¡°Nerves don¡¯t get up and walk around though,¡± Luke said.  ¡°How would that work?¡±

    ¡°Neither do blood vessels,¡± Abby pointed out, ¡°but you yourself should be able to attest to the fact that such a statement is less than absolute these days.¡±  Luke had to acknowledge that she had a point.

    ¡°However,¡± she went on, ¡°It¡¯s not a certainty.  I can¡¯t tell without taking it out of the jar, and that I am not willing to do.¡±

    ¡°I can check it,¡± Felicity said excitedly.  ¡°Hold on one second.¡±  She closed her eyes for a moment.  The other three looked at her in silence until she opened them once more, grinning widely.

    ¡°Look,¡± she said, pointing at the jar.

    About half of the material that had been inside was gone.

    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t have worked if it was anything else.  That thing we saw was definitely made of nerves.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s disgusting,¡± Tony said, looking at the jar.  ¡°How the fuck does that happen?¡±

    ¡°Good question,¡± Felicity said.  ¡°It¡¯s so similar to a Bleeder.  Is there another world where there¡¯s just parts of people walking around like it¡¯s normal?  Because fuck that.¡±

    Luke was about to agree, but a yell came from a wagon nearby.

    ¡°I have to go.  I have to GO!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s Andrew,¡± Abby said, jumping to her feet.  Luke, Tony, and Felicity followed suit and ran toward the wagon.  They made it in time to see a figure darting away from their fires into the night.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Abby asked, looking toward a bewildered trader holding a strip of jerky.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!  He asked for some food and by the time I came back he was muttering about the pain again.  Then he started yelling and jumped out of the wagon.¡±

    ¡°I bet I can tell you which way he¡¯s going,¡± Luke said, looking into the night.  It was pitch black beyond the range of the light from their camp, but he gazed in the direction Andrew had been staring as if something would pop out from the darkness.

    ¡°We should get all the guards together, start a search for him,¡± Abby said.  Luke shivered.  He didn¡¯t relish the idea of walking out into the night.

    Though the security team with the caravan¡ªmost of whom had known Andrew for years¡ªquickly organized a search, they found little success.  The afflicted guard had a head start on them, and though they had a good idea of what direction he was headed in, finding him in the dark proved to be next to impossible.

    ¡°I think the man is well and truly gone,¡± Simmons said grimly a few hours into the search.  He had remained at the caravan camp to help organize the search, as had anyone who didn¡¯t carry one of the few flashlights they had with them.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you track him or something?,¡± Luke asked.  ¡°He had to leave footprints or something, right?¡±

    The guard looked at him askance.  ¡°In the dark?  You know most of us stay in the settlement, right?  Could you track his footprints?¡±

    Luke shrugged, embarrassed.

    ¡°I doubt we¡¯ll catch up to him now.  He¡¯s too far ahead.¡± he went on.  ¡°I¡¯ll have to start calling them back.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way at all to find him?¡± Abby asked.  Simmons shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.  He was looking east, but there¡¯s a hell of a lot of ground to cover that way.  He¡¯s probably already further than I¡¯m comfortable sending my people at night, and by morning he could be anywhere.  I don¡¯t know how we can get him back.¡±

    Abby nodded slowly.  ¡°Thank you for your efforts.¡±  She turned away from the guard, expressionless.

    Luke left as well after several more guards returned to report that they found nothing.  The image of the nerve monster forcing its way into Andrew¡¯s body stayed with him that night, and long after that.

 1.22

    They stumbled through the gate, exhausted, but relieved.  The dirt of the road was ingrained deep in the travelers¡¯ skin after more than a month¡¯s travel beyond Crater¡¯s borders.  Their feet were sore, their backs ached, but relief was palpable in their steps as they crossed the threshold home.  The wagons were emptier than they had been at the outset, but still carried a respectable variety of goods, the spoils of the journey.  Fewer returned than those who had set off, but those who remained were met by a small crowd that had assembled to see those they had missed.

    Felicity nearly tackled her brother Felix with a hug, returned much more gently by the large man.  Tony¡¯s father was there as well, more reserved in his bearing, but a large smile crossed his face when his son came into sight.  Abby was met by her mentor, Adriana.  She had never spoken of any family that lived in the settlement with her, but their reunion indicated she was far from alone.

    Luke stood awkwardly to one side of the square, knowing that there was no one waiting to greet him.  Then he felt someone punch his shoulder.  He turned to see Naomi grinning at him and resisted the urge to massage the place she¡¯d hit him.

    ¡°You¡¯re still alive!  It wasn¡¯t as bad as you thought out there, right?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± he said, avoiding her gaze.  ¡°I wasn¡¯t that worried about leaving.¡±

    ¡°Yeah right.  You made it sound like you were walking to your own funeral.  I bet it was boring as hell, right?¡±

    ¡°Pretty much.  There was just a bandit attack on one of the settlements, and then someone tried to abduct me.  Oh, and we saw a dragon.  Not too much that was going on.¡±

    ¡°You saw a dragon!  Like a real one?  I didn¡¯t even know they existed!  Why the hell didn¡¯t I go?  You wouldn¡¯t believe how fucking boring it¡¯s been back here.¡±

    ¡°So we¡¯re just gonna gloss over the whole ¡®almost abducted¡¯ thing?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll get to that,¡± she said dismissively.  ¡°But you¡¯re standing right here and a dragon¡¯s not.  You saw something I might never have a chance to in my entire life.  I¡¯m pissed, Casterley.¡±

    She punched him again on the shoulder.  Luke managed not to wince.  ¡°It was just a shadow.  None of us actually got a good look at the thing through the clouds.  You didn¡¯t miss much, really.¡±

    ¡°No one thought to follow it?  How do you even know it was a dragon?¡±

    ¡°Fuck no we didn¡¯t follow it!  No one in the caravan had a death wish.  We found out when the elves let it slip when inLangrendi.¡±

    Luke explained what had happened at their final stop on the journey.  Naomi was interested in the different species there, especially the more feral-looking orcs, but she was still primarily interested in the dragon.

    ¡°I wonder why they wanted to know which way it went so bad.  It could be anywhere by now.¡±

    Luke shrugged.  He would be just as happy never thinking about the dragon again.  A few moments later they were interrupted by someone yelling nearby.  He looked around and eventually caught sight of a small man standing on top of one of the wagons.  Gradually, everyone turned to look at him as he continued to yell.

    ¡°All right!  Everyone shut up!  You made it back, which is great and everything.  More importantly, you¡¯re on time, so kudos for not being complete fuck-ups.  Take the night for yourselves, and we¡¯ll unload everything tomorrow.  It sounds like it was an eventful trip, so I¡¯m sure the Committee¡ª¡± He glanced at Tony¡¯s father, who shrugged, ¡°¡ªwill find some of you to find out what happened, since Ella decided to fuck off and do whatever she wants.  Good job.¡±

    He hopped off the wagon and strode off.  Luke stayed  by the gathering a while longer before leaving to find the bath system.  He¡¯d hated feeling dirty back at home, and while he¡¯d gotten used to it, he still didn¡¯t enjoy it.

    On his way out of the square where the wagons were parked, he saw a woman crying, comforted by a pair of guards next to her.  He heard one of them talking as he passed.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know for sure what happened to him, Em.  He could still be alive.¡±

    The woman cried even harder without responding.  A pit opened up in Luke¡¯s stomach.  It had been less than a week since Andrew disappeared in the night, and already the event had fallen to the back of his mind.  The thought made him remember the other man who had died, near the beginning of the caravan trip in Hobble.  He didn¡¯t even remember the man¡¯s name!  Feeling much worse than when they re-entered Crater, he bathed himself and returned to the cabin he¡¯d been given to sleep in.

    It was only early afternoon by the time he was done, and he wasn¡¯t sure what to do with the rest of the day.  There was no doubt a celebration planned for their return, but his sudden dark mood left him with little desire to seek it out.  Not for the first time, Luke wished he had his PC from home to play video games.  Or even a book.

    He ended up laying in his bed, staring up at the ceiling, letting his thoughts drift freely.  After an indeterminable time staring at the flat gray material, someone knocked at his door.  He expected to see Naomi, ready to pester him more about the dragon, but felt like he shouldn¡¯t have been surprised when he opened the door and saw Sarah.

    ¡°Welcome back, Luke.  I hope you are settling in well.¡±

    ¡°All right,¡± he shrugged.  ¡°It¡¯s nice to be off of the road.  What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Would you mind coming with me for a walk?  There are a few things we need to speak about.¡±

    Luke¡¯s feet ached, but Sarah wasn¡¯t easily put off.  And there was next to no furniture in his cabin and nowhere to sit other than the bed.  As he followed her out, he was surprised to see that the sun was already setting.  He had laid in bed longer than he thought.  Sarah walked down the sidewalk silently for a time.

    ¡°How did you find the trip?¡± she asked eventually.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.  Some of it was all right.  A lot of it was terrifying.¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯ve heard.  I don¡¯t know why this latest expedition was so much more...memorable than most.  Perhaps it was just bad luck.  Or perhaps not.¡±

    ¡°What else could it be?¡±

    She shook her head.  ¡°The Committee had an emergency meeting today to discuss the ramifications of all you encountered on the road.  We came to no conclusions, but some did raise the possibility that it was merely the natural result of changes in the world.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Every year there are reports of new creatures that have never been seen before, by us or any settlement we have contact with.  The¡­thing that affected Andrew is just the latest example, if one of the more horrifying.  The simplest explanation is that a continuous parade of beings are migrating to our world, crowding it with dangerous creatures. If this is in fact the case, as more time passes it will become increasingly difficult to leave the settlement without encountering ever more perilous transplants.¡±

    She stopped walking and turned to Luke, a serious look on her face.  ¡°As of yet this is only a theory, but if there is even a possibility that future caravans will confront similar hardships, it is our responsibility to proceed with as much caution as is feasible.  We think it best if you refrain from joining any more excursions for the foreseeable future.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t too surprising to hear, but Luke was still a little disappointed.  Joining a caravan was the easiest pretense for leaving the settlement, and as terrifying as it had been he would likely need to do so again if he wanted to find a way back home.  Not that he could explain that to Sarah.

    ¡°Makes sense,¡± he said, trying to keep his face neutral.  ¡°I¡¯m not very eager to go back out myself, to be honest.¡±

    ¡°I expected not.¡±  She scanned his face for a moment and resumed walking.  ¡°It¡¯s even more imperative that you remain within the safety of Crater if there is indeed someone targeting you specifically, as you heard in Ark.  Since you were the individual most directly involved in those events, I also wanted to hear your account of what happened.¡±

    Luke recounted the attempted abduction he and Tony fought off as well as the odd testimony of Adam, the prisoner they spoke to the next day.  He left out any mention of Kiango, fearing that it would lead to questions he didn¡¯t want to answer.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Sarah mused when he finished his recollection.  ¡°And you are certain that this man was not lying about his motivations or memory?¡±

    Luke shrugged.  ¡°Tony and I didn¡¯t think so at the time.  Ella and Angela talked to him after we did and seemed less convinced.¡±

    ¡°Right.  I¡¯ll have to try to contact them, though that will be difficult with Darkend¡¯s renewed hostility toward us.  Another headache.¡±  She shook her head again, as if clearing her thoughts.  The woman had always been imperturbable when Luke spoke to her before, but this was the most agitated he had ever seen her.  Though that still wasn¡¯t saying much.

    Sarah stopped at the corner of a cross street.  ¡°Is there anything else you think we need to speak about?¡±

    Luke shook his head.  She had been the one who wanted to talk to him!

    ¡°Then I hope you won¡¯t find it rude if I ask you to return alone.  The work never ends, I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    Luke shrugged, and with a final farewell she turned onto a road that he knew would take her back toward her office.  He watched her go.  Resentment suddenly flared within his chest.  It was always present to some degree when he saw Sarah, the woman most directly responsible for bringing him to this world, but at that moment, as he remembered everything he¡¯d been through on the trip, it felt closer to hate.  He called out at her back before he realized what he was doing.

    ¡°Do you know someone named Smokey?¡±

    She stopped in her tracks and turned back to face him, about ten feet away.

    ¡°Where did you hear that name?¡±  There was an edge to her voice that hadn¡¯t been there before.

    ¡°One of the settlements,¡± Luke said, thinking furiously.  Speaking out had been stupid of him.  ¡°Someone said I should know who he is since I¡¯m from Crater.¡±

    He thought that she relaxed a little, though it was hard to tell.  ¡°He was a resident from a long time ago.  He left, but it was not¡­an amicable parting.  Nothing you need to be concerned with, I assure you.  Please refrain from bringing him up with others, it may raise bad memories for many of the residents.¡±

    Luke nodded, and she turned once more back toward her office.  He started back for his cabin himself, thoughts racing.  Sarah had spoken the lie as easily as if she were pointing out the weather.  If Kiango hadn¡¯t told him otherwise, he never would have suspected a thing.  It made him wonder if anything else he¡¯d been told was a complete fabrication.

    ***

    Luke awoke the next morning, unsure what to do.  No one had told him to go anywhere, and unlike the others he didn¡¯t have a job that he needed to report to.  He supposed that getting food was a good enough place to start, but he barely left the cabin before Naomi found him in the street.

    ¡°Hey!  What are you doing today?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, I was¡ª¡±

    ¡°Great!  Come on, the others are waiting.¡±

    ¡°Waiting for what?¡± His question went unanswered as she pulled him into a jog.  His legs still hadn¡¯t recovered from the journey, but Luke had gotten used to moving with sore feet in the last month.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have work to do today?¡± he asked as Naomi guided him through the streets of Crater.  A few people they passed looked at them curiously, but most of the residents were used to Naomi¡¯s odd behavior, offering only passing glances.

    ¡°Nah.  Blew it off.  This is more important.¡±

    ¡°Is it?  What are we doing, did something happen?¡±  Luke fought to keep his breath even, determined to keep up with the excited girl.¡±

    ¡°More important, more fun, whatever.  We¡¯re taking a day off, Luke, you gotta stop being so nervous all the time¡±

    ¡°Right, because life¡¯s been so easy and carefree for me lately,¡± Luke grumbled, but he asked no more questions until they reached the edge of the settlement.  ¡°Wait, we¡¯re going outside of Crater?¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Barely.  It¡¯s fine, I do it all the time!¡±

    She finally slowed her pace down to a walk, and indeed the guards posted at the threshold didn¡¯t seem to find it amiss that they were leaving the settlement unattended.  One nodded toward Naomi, she waved back carelessly, and they were out.  Luke had imagined it would be harder, somehow, when he wasn¡¯t with a caravan.

    ¡°You said the others are coming too?¡±

    ¡°Sure.  They¡¯re probably already by the cave.¡±

    ¡°What cave?¡±  But Naomi appeared to delight in his confusion, and stayed vague as they made their way toward their mysterious destination.

    Rather than following the road as they had the last time Luke left Crater, they immediately veered off into the brush, curving back around toward the canyon on the other side of the settlement.  Short, prickly plants dug into his legs, and the heat was already starting to make him sweat.  Luke stayed quiet, but he was thoroughly annoyed with his companion by the time they approached the rim of the gorge, the buildings of Crater visible off to their right.

    It was the first time he¡¯d gotten a good look at the canyon since before the caravan trip, and the only time he¡¯d ever seen it from anywhere other than the dam.  He had to admit it was a pretty good view.  The midmorning sun sparkled off the surface of the gently-flowing river, a long, winding landmark that curved off beyond his sightline, firmly entrenched within the borders of the canyon.  Though he couldn¡¯t see it, the sound of water flowing through the gaps in the dam was faintly audible, a crashing sound that he well remembered from his trip through the interior.

    While he gazed out over the water, Naomi peered over the edge like she was searching for something.  She scanned the canyon wall and cocked her head.

    ¡°Where the hell is it?  I thought it was right here.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Luke asked.  Before she could reply, a voice called out.

    ¡°Hey!  This way!¡±  Felicity was farther down the canyon edge away from the settlement, yelling and waving her arms, the other three close behind her.  Naomi waved back and they walked over to meet them.  As they got closer, Luke frowned at his friends¡¯ appearance.

    ¡°I thought you guys would have already made it to the cave by now,¡± Naomi said.

    ¡°Abby thought you might have some trouble finding it,¡± Felix replied, an undercurrent of amusement audible in his voice.

    Naomi looked offended.  ¡°You think I can¡¯t find a stupid cave?  We would have made it eventually.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure, but I¡¯d prefer not to wait the day or two it would take for you to get there,¡± Abby said.  ¡°It¡¯s easier if we all go together.¡±  The group started to turn back away from the settlement.

    ¡°Get where?¡±  Luke asked, exasperated.  ¡°And why are you all dressed like that?  Can someone explain what we¡¯re doing?¡±  Naomi was wearing shorts and a worn t-shirt, typical for her, but everyone else looked like they were going to the beach.  Tony and Felix wore swim shorts, and while Felix had a white sleeveless shirt and backpack on, Tony wore no shirt at all.  Felicity and Abby both had shorts on, but Felicity had a swim top on over a loose shirt.

    ¡°Oh, yeah.  Here.¡±  Tony tossed another set of shorts at Luke.  ¡°I took them from Cael¡¯s place.  He owes my dad.  Hope they fit.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a cave that we go to sometimes,¡± Felix explained.  ¡°We almost never get a day off at the same time, but I guess it¡¯s easier when you just got back from a month long trip.  It¡¯s pretty cool.¡±

    They started walking away, following the path of the canyon.  Luke looked at the shorts he¡¯d been given.  They weren¡¯t his style at all, black with flame designs all over them, but they looked close  enough to his size.  He followed after the others.

    ¡°No one cares that you leave the settlement to go out here?¡± he directed his question toward Felix at the back of the procession.  He knew the large man least out of everyone, but he had an easy manner.  He laughed at Luke¡¯s question.

    ¡°As long as you get your work done, they couldn¡¯t give less of a shit.  You could throw yourself off the edge of the canyon and no one would notice until you didn¡¯t show up at your job.  And even then they¡¯d probably never find you.¡±

    In front of him, Abby frowned.  ¡°That isn¡¯t true.  The Committee sends out search parties the moment they realize someone¡¯s missing.  We¡¯ve both been on them before.¡±

    Felix shrugged.  ¡°Sure, but how long does that last?  It¡¯s a token effort to make it seem like they care and then they give up.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so cynical, Fel,¡± Abby said, shaking her head.  ¡°What if another five people died running into something while they were out looking?  They have to make those kinds of assessments.¡±

    ¡°And they always decide that the answer is to stay as safe as possible,¡± the big man retorted.  ¡°Crater¡¯s going to die a slow death if that¡¯s the way things stay.  The world¡¯s changing, and we¡¯re not.  Look at how this last caravan trip went.  There¡¯s going to be a lot more casualties soon, trust me.¡±

    ¡°Calm down, kid,¡± Felicity said from the front.  ¡°You¡¯re creeping into asshole territory again.¡±

    Felix snorted, losing his intense look.  ¡°You¡¯re two minutes older than me, Liss.  Pretty sure that¡¯s not enough for you to boss me around.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re out here to have fun, Fel.  You remember what fun is?  Here¡¯s a hint¡ªit doesn¡¯t usually involve preaching at everyone in earshot.¡±

    ¡°Fine.  We can walk in silence then.  That¡¯s fun, right?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a pretty wide gap between what you were doing and saying nothing.  I believe that it¡¯s possible to find a happy medium.¡±

    ¡°All right, I get it.¡±  But Felix said nothing after that, and they walked without talking for several minutes until Naomi broke the quiet.

    ¡°So did you guys see anything interesting while you were out with the caravan?¡±

    Luke opened his mouth to answer, but Tony beat him to it.  ¡°Not really.¡±  There was a curtness to his tone that Naomi didn¡¯t seem to hear, or chose to ignore.

    ¡°C¡¯mon.  Everyone was talking about how it was the most dangerous run in years.  And Luke already told me about the dragon.  What else was out there?¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Tony said, his tone harsh, ¡°did you want to hear about the suit of armor that walked around and killed someone, or the bundle of nerves that walked around and probably killed someone?  Or did you want to hear about the guys who were probably in a cult that wanted to abduct Luke and most likely kill him?  It was real fucking romp we had out there, there¡¯s nothing I¡¯d like better than to talk about it all day.¡±

    A brief silence followed his impassioned outburst.

    ¡°He could have just said no,¡± Naomi said in a stage whisper.  Tony was probably close enough to hear, but didn¡¯t respond.  Abby looked back at him, but no one talked until they stopped farther down the edge of the cliff.

    ¡°It¡¯s over here,¡± Felicity said.

    Naomi shook her head.  ¡°Damn, I was way off.¡±  Casually, like she was hopping off the last step of a staircase, she jumped off the edge of the cliff down out of sight.

    ¡°What the hell!¡± Luke said, running over.  No one else was alarmed, and as he looked over the edge he registered that there had been no splash from the water below.  He looked down to see her cheerfully waving from a natural ledge carved into the side of the canyon.  There was a slope a little farther back, but the daredevil girl had chosen to jump down directly instead.  The water of the river was another twenty feet or so below her, but if she fell Luke saw no easy way for her to make her way back up.

    ¡°God,¡± he said shaking his head.  Naomi didn¡¯t seem to realize his concern, but Felix was shaking with laughter when he turned around.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, ¡°she does that.  You just gotta roll with it.¡±

    The rest of the group took the safer route down, and while the ledge was nearly wide enough to support two of them standing beside each other, Luke still thought he wouldn¡¯t have been comfortable jumping.

    ¡°How long are we staying on this thing?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Not too long,¡± Abby replied.  ¡°It isn¡¯t far.¡±

    True to her word, they followed the ledge for less than ten minutes before an opening became visible, a small crevice like a gash in the side of the rock.  It was barely large enough for a person to pass through, and Luke had some trepidation looking at the small space.  He couldn¡¯t make out anything inside¡ªafter a few feet the opening curved away.

    ¡°Well that¡¯s inviting,¡± Luke said, staring at the hole.  Tony sighed next to him.

    ¡°I fucking hate this thing,¡± he muttered, but he entered first wiithout waiting for anyone else to speak, sidling sideways through the opening.  After a moment he vanished as if he¡¯d never been there.

    ¡°Is this really the only way in?¡± Luke asked.  He felt like a wimp, but a picture of getting wedged in the crevice, unable to move, wouldn¡¯t leave his mind.

    ¡°It is.  The first time¡¯s the worst, you just have to go for it.¡±  True to her words, Felicity moved into the gap without hesitation.  Her movements were a little easier than Tony¡¯s with her smaller frame.  Her brother followed after, clapping a hand on his shoulder as he went.

    ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as it looks,¡± he murmured.  ¡°If I can make it through, you definitely can.¡±

    It did reassure Luke to see the large man pass through without any apparent difficulty, but he still didn¡¯t step up to go next.

    ¡°See you on the other side,¡± Naomi said, and disappeared within seconds.

    ¡°She makes look so easy,¡± Luke said, staring at the gap.

    ¡°It is easier once you¡¯re inside,¡± Abby said, the last one remaining outside with him.

    ¡°Do you want to go?¡± he asked, but she shook her head.

    ¡°You can do it.¡±

    He took a deep breath and stood in front of the crevice for far too long.  He¡¯d never had a phobia of enclosed spaces, but he¡¯d never had a reason to enter a hole this small either.  Finally, he stepped forward and turned sideways into the crack, moving deeper into the unforgiving rock.

    His friends had been telling the truth that the space was a little more spacious than it seemed.  While he couldn¡¯t turn to walk straight, there was enough wiggle room that he wasn¡¯t in danger of becoming stuck.  The worst part was when he walked in further than the light reached and could no longer see where he was going.  There was no sound but his own footsteps, and he had nothing more than his forward hand to guide steps.

    After what felt like an eternity, he heard a rushing sound and faint laughter coming from ahead.  A few seconds later, he burst out into the open, able to move freely once more.  A bluish glow suffused the environment, giving enough light to see his surroundings.  His friends stood a few feet in front of the exit hole, looking at the cavern before them.  Luke followed their gazes to the source of the light, taking in the sight for the first time.

    The cavern was long, with a ceiling seven or eight feet tall.  It was more of a wide corridor than open space, but it was still far larger than Luke would have imagined from the crevice he saw on the outside.  The source of the rushing sound was visible, a small river that flowed across the back half of the room.  What took up most of his attention, however, were the light sources that filled the cave.

    Veins of some kind of rock or metal glittered all along the cavern walls, shining brilliantly. They almost looked like natural murals, scintillating patterns outlined in the cave¡¯s walls, whorls and waves and tessellations that flowed as if they¡¯d been drawn on, except that they were embedded in the rock itself.  The whole room was suffused with the blue glow of their aura.

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Luke breathed.  The others turned toward him.  He vaguely registered Abby exiting the crevice behind him.

    ¡°It really is,¡± Felix agreed.  ¡°As far as I know, no one¡¯s ever been here but us.  Naomi found this place, and we¡¯ve never seen anything to suggest anyone else has ever seen it.¡±

    Luke could believe that.  There was something intensely distant about the cave, an air of remoteness that felt like it was in some forgotten corner of the world rather than a stone¡¯s throw from the largest remaining human settlement.

    ¡°How do they glow like that?  They¡¯re so bright.¡±

    He saw the half-lit form of Felicity shrug.  ¡°No idea.  I¡¯ve read about a few glowing rocks, but usually you need a black light to make them light up.  You¡¯d think something like this would be in every geology book out there.  I¡¯m guessing either they¡¯re so rare no one really knows about them, or¡­they¡¯re not native, somehow.¡±

    Luke thought about that for a moment.  ¡°How would rocks migrate from another world?¡±

    Felicity shrugged again.  ¡°Your guess is as good as mine.¡±

    ¡°God, you¡¯re boring,¡± Naomi interjected.  ¡°Who cares?  You want to talk about where the rocks came from, or do you want to dive in the river?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, what?¡± Luke asked, but Naomi had already darted off without waiting for an answer.  With an excited yell she cannonballed into the river and vanished under the surface.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± Luke said loudly.  ¡°What if she hits some rocks under there?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more or less what we said the first time she did it,¡± Abby said from behind him, ¡°but it turns out it actually flows straight back into the canyon.  It was a stupid thing to try, but we¡¯ve all done it since then.¡±

    As if to demonstrate, she followed in Naomi¡¯s footsteps and leapt into the water herself, leaving no trace of her presence on the surface.

    ¡°It¡¯s fun,¡± Felicity said, catching sight of Luke¡¯s stricken expression.  ¡°Just make sure you dive low to get under the rocks and there¡¯s not really much that can go wrong.  You¡¯ll be under for less than thirty seconds.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re all insane,¡± Luke said, watching her perform the same maneuver and disappear.  There was no possible way what they were doing was safe.  Her brother quickly followed, leaving only Tony and Luke alone in the cavern.

    ¡°They¡¯re probably already on their way back in,¡± Tony said.  ¡°We¡¯ve spent whole days doing this before, it¡¯s actually pretty fun when you¡¯re used to it.¡±

    ¡°Right.  Fun.¡±  His voice echoed slightly around the cave, sending his own doubtful words back to him.  Luke flushed slightly as he heard his tone, and again felt like a coward.  He¡¯d done nothing but protest everything they¡¯d done since walking to the canyon.  He contemplated jumping into the river to try to redeem himself, but Tony spoke again before he could move.

    ¡°Luke¡­¡± he paused awkwardly and cleared his throat.  ¡°Before they get back, I wanted to ask you for a favor.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±  Luke turned toward his friend, painfully aware of his sculpted body even in the half-dark of the cavern.  But Tony was choosing his words more carefully than normal, and sounded embarrassed to even bring up what he was talking about.

    ¡°So, I¡¯ve been trying to talk to my dad about¡­how I am, but every time I try the words come out wrong and I can¡¯t think of how to say it.  I don¡¯t want to keep pretending to be someone else around him, but I don¡¯t know what to say.  Can you help me?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±  He could go over a script with him, maybe give him advice on how to frame it¡­

    ¡°Great.¡±  Tony sounded relieved.  ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him, figure out a good day for you to come over.  He likes to get to know anyone I hang out with anyway.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡ª¡±  He wanted Luke there when he came out to his dad?  He instinctively cringed at the thought of being present for such an intimate moment between parent and child.  He started to protest, but caught sight of Tony¡¯s expression in the blue glow of the rock.  The other boy looked relieved.  Luke had never seen him look that vulnerable before.  The objection died in his throat.

    ¡°If you¡¯re sure.¡±

    Tony nodded eagerly, and Luke sighed.  There was no way that could go wrong.  Tony quickly turned toward the river and changed the subject.

    ¡°All right.  You go, I¡¯ll be right behind you.  Just remember to dive low.¡±

    Luke nodded, and started running before he could second guess himself.  He wanted to dive in head-first, as Naomi had done to get as deep as he could before the river met the wall of the cavern.  He burst forward, his heart beating fast, but a thrill running through him he¡¯d rarely known.  He¡¯d have never done this kind of thing back in his world.  All thoughts of what might happen if he hit the unforgiving rock wall fell away, and all that remained was finding the right spot to jump.

    There.

    The moment before he leapt, his foot hit a wet patch on the ground.  He slipped, and instead of diving deep into the quick-flowing river, he belly-flopped onto the surface.  Disoriented, Luke felt himself being carried down the river, faster than he expected.  He tried to turn his body to swim downward, but before he could twist himself downward, his head clipped the lip of the rock at the gap in the wall.  Blue faded to black, and he knew no more.

 1.23

    His whole world was darkness.  Luke floated through an empty void, half-aware, unable to wonder where he was or what had happened.  He had no conception of how much time had passed.  After a second, or an eternity, light crept in.  With nothing to illuminate, there was little to distinguish it from the darkness at first.  Then color faded in, breaking the monotony of his blank existence.  A building became visible, gray walls that stood resolute within the obscurity.  A second structure followed the first, then another, and another, and the leak became a flood as ground, trees, and sky filled in his vision.

    As the void gave way to reality, Luke¡¯s mental faculties followed a similar arc.  He was capable of recognizing that the images filling in before him were that of Crater, though deserted without sign of habitation.  He was able to wonder what had happened to him, though his memory failed to provide any usable answers.  By the time the voice called out to him, Luke was aware that he was not thinking as well as he normally did.  But he was capable of recognizing the voice.

    ¡°You¡¯re in trouble, Luke.¡±  He saw that Sandy wore an uncharacteristically sober expression when he turned to face her.  For once, it seemed to reflect her actual mood.

    ¡°What happened?¡±  He felt groggy, disjointed.  He didn¡¯t think that he normally felt this way when Sandy pulled him into a dream.

    ¡°You hit your head.  I did what I could, but you¡¯re probably gonna have a pretty big headache when you wake up.  But you have bigger issues than that.¡±

    ¡°Why?  What¡¯s going on?¡±  As his thoughts returned to him, he started to feel alarmed at Sandy¡¯s solemnity.  Even her clothes were muted, a white sundress far less whimsical than her usual attire.  ¡°Is it Carver?¡±

    ¡°No, I think he¡¯s fine, it¡¯s not that.  There¡¯s people coming your way.  A lot of people.  With guns.¡±

    Luke put his palm to his head and struggled to think through the fog.  ¡°Coming this way¡­toward Crater?¡±  The elfish girl nodded.  ¡°That can¡¯t be good.  Did you tell anyone else?  Like Sarah?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t talk to a lot of people in Crater, and you¡¯re the only one who¡¯s asleep right now.  Well, unconscious, but close enough.  I don¡¯t know who Sarah is.¡±

    Something seemed off about what she said, but he couldn¡¯t hold the thought long enough to put the pieces together.  Forming complex associations was like trying to grab at water with his hands.  He focused on what she was saying.  ¡°Shit.  How long until they¡¯re here?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.  Time¡¯s hard for me out there.¡±  She rolled her eyes continuously for a few seconds.  ¡°Less than a day for sure.¡±

    ¡°Ok.¡±  Luke struggled to think of something else that might be helpful.  ¡°How many were there?  Did you recognize any of them?¡±

    ¡°A lot.  More than a hundred, I think?  I didn¡¯t see anyone I know.¡±

    ¡°Fuck.  I have to tell people.  Can you wake me up?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.  I¡¯ll do it right now.  You¡¯ll be a little groggy, but if I did everything right it shouldn¡¯t last long.¡±  Even as she spoke the words, darkness crept back in as the landscape disappeared.

    ¡°Luke,¡± she said, and before continuing.  ¡°Don¡¯t die.  Please stay safe.¡±

    Even in his addlement, Luke felt like he should try to comfort her.  ¡°I¡¯m not planning on it.  Thanks for the head up.¡±  He grinned at her, and a weak reflection of the expression on Sandy¡¯s face was the last thing he saw before the darkness overtook him once more.

    <hr>

    Luke awoke in a large room, his head pulsing with pain.  He instinctively touched his forehead and felt a cloth wrapped around it.  Even with the pain, his mind felt clearer and the dream loomed large in his memory.  He sat up, stifling a cry as the pounding intensified, and took a better look at his surroundings.

    At least twenty beds filled the room, though only two or three were occupied beyond his own.  The walls were white, and raised curtains crisscrossed the ceiling.  They looked like they could be lowered to provide privacy for each bed.  He caught sight of Abby at a desk near the door and called out.

    ¡°Abby¡ª¡± He tried to say more, but the pain of speaking stunned him into silence.  Groaning quietly, he saw the girl turn toward him, surprise evident on her face.

    ¡°Luke!  You shouldn¡¯t be awake yet¡ª¡± she hurried over to his bedside.  ¡°You took a pretty bad hit.  I expected you to be unconscious for another day, at least.  You should try to rest.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s time.  People are coming.¡±

    Her eyebrows rose.  ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªhad a dream.¡±  Too late, Luke realized how ridiculous his story would sound to someone who didn¡¯t know about Sandy.  A drumbeat pounded against his skull.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± Abby said soothingly.  ¡°The dream wasn¡¯t real.  You¡¯re in Crater now, you¡¯re safe.¡±

    ¡°No, we¡¯re not.¡±  Luke considered how to convince her that he was telling the truth.  ¡°I remember I hit my head.  On the rock, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Tony dragged you to the canyon and we carried you back,¡± Abby said slowly.  She sounded nonplussed by his urgent tone.

    ¡°Check me for a concussion.  I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have one.¡±

    ¡°Luke, you are almost certainly concussed.  You were hit hard enough that I had to stitch up your wound to staunch the blood.  You might have permanent memory issues from this.¡±

    Luke gently touched the side of his head and felt the ribbed edges of the stitching.  ¡°Just check,¡± he pleaded.  ¡°Can¡¯t you look at my eyes or something?¡±

    Abby sighed  ¡°Follow my finger.¡±  She held up her hand and moved it back and forth in front of Luke¡¯s face.  After a moment she frowned and put down her hand.  ¡°Hold on one moment.¡±

    She walked to her desk on the other side of the room and returned with a lit candle.  She thrust the flame in front of each of Luke¡¯s eyes, frowning deeper as she stared at his pupils.  ¡°What¡¯s the name of this settlement?¡±

    ¡°Crater.¡±

    ¡°And do you remember where you were before you hit your head?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the cave by the river,¡± Luke said clearly.  ¡°Past the crevice with Tony, Naomi, Felix, and Felicity.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Abby said.  ¡°Your memory seems good and you¡¯re more or less clear-headed, with the exception of this dream.  It might not be as bad as I thought, which is a relief, but I you should try to get some rest.¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± Luke said desperately.  ¡°Can you just ask Sarah to come here?  I¡¯ll relax after that.¡±  There a niggling thought in the back of his mind that she had to know about Sandy, whatever the dream girl said.  He couldn¡¯t articulate why.

    Abby closed her eyes for a moment.  ¡°Fine.  I hope she¡¯s not too busy.¡±   She walked over to talk to another clinic staff member nearby.  Luke watched the young man she spoke to nod and leave the building.  Despite the step forward he¡¯d taken, the knot of tension in his chest didn¡¯t loosen at all.

    ¡°All right, Luke.  Will you sit back now?¡±

    Reluctantly, he nodded and laid back in his bed.  Every moment that passed was torture as he imagined a huge group of armed people shooting their way into the setllement.  Realistically, he¡¯d only been awake for a few minutes, but every second felt critical.

    There was little else to do, however, until Sarah arrived and he could explain the situation. With nothing else to occupy him, he turned the problem of Sandy¡¯s words over in his mind until he finally realized why it had been so odd that she didn¡¯t know Sarah. When he¡¯d first come to Crater, Sarah had implied that she had been the one to orchestrate his transport between worlds.  If Sandy had been the one to actually take him, how would she not know who Sarah was?

    It was a question that would be quickly answered, hopefully.  Luke forced himself to wait patiently, telling himself that they had plenty of time before the attackers arrived.  Nevertheless, he felt a burst of relief when the door opened and the young man Abby had sent out returned.  The feeling fell away the moment he saw his face.  The young man¡¯s eyes were wide, his expression scared.  He had returned alone.  Luke knew what was coming next before he spoke.

    ¡°There¡¯s people at the entrance.  An army!  They shot the guards and came through the gate.¡±

    It was already too late.

    Abby glanced at Luke before focusing her attention back on the frightened young man.

    ¡°How many are there, Innes?  How did you get away?¡±  Her voice was steady.  Luke wasn¡¯t sure if she was just that calm or hadn¡¯t fully grasped the situation yet.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.  I only saw a few before I ran for it.  They were pulling people off the street, holding them at gunpoint.  I ran back this way before they saw me.¡±  He looked at Abby.  ¡°They¡¯ll get here before long, though.¡±

    ¡°Some of the patrols will have to realize what¡¯s happening soon,¡± Abby said.  She sounded like she was thinking out loud.  ¡°If we open the armory and get weapons to enough people, maybe we can fight them off.  But¡­¡± she looked over at Luke.

    After a moment she nodded to herself and seemed to come to a decision.  ¡°Innes, can I trust you to look after the people here?  We can¡¯t move them.¡±  Other than Luke, most of the patients scattered in beds around the room were unconscious.

    Though he was ashen-faced, Innes nodded.  ¡°What are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°Luke, can you walk?¡± Abby asked.  He got out of the bed slowly, testing his balance.  Though his headache flared, the pain seemed to be gradually receding.  He didn¡¯t have any problem standing.  ¡°I think so.¡±

    ¡°Good.  I don¡¯t know if they know you¡¯re a Tether, but we can¡¯t take that chance.  We have to get you out of here.¡±

    Luke nodded and Abby turned to Innes.  ¡°If Adriana finds out what¡¯s happening, she¡¯ll come here first.  Just bar the doors and try to hold out until then, hopefully she¡¯ll have a better idea of what to do.¡±

    ¡°Be careful,¡± he replied.  ¡°I didn¡¯t see them shoot anyone once they got in the gates, but that doesn¡¯t mean that they won¡¯t.¡±

    Luke and Abby left the hospital, glancing around the street to see if anyone else was around before stepping out.  The area was deserted, an unusual sight for midmorning.  Luke wondered how fast word would spread that the settlement had been invaded.  Hopefully faster than the invaders could advance.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Abby touched his shoulder and pointed to a cross street.  He nodded and followed her lead.  They crossed a number of streets in quick succession, heading deeper into the settlement, away from the outskirts.  Luke kept his head on a swivel, certain that at any moment he would find the barrel of a gun in his face.

    After a few minutes, they started to see others walking around outside once again.  Apparently they were traveling faster than news of the attack.

    Luke started to ask if they should warn the four or five people out in the open, but as he opened his mouth a gunshot rang out, frighteningly close.  He whipped his head around to see a pair of men standing at the end of the street, one with a gun held up in the air.

    ¡°Nobody move,¡± he shouted.  An older man, perhaps fifty, started to bolt but froze when the attacker leveled his gun and fired again.  It was either a warning shot or he had the worst aim in the world, as the bullet ricocheted off of a stone building a dozen feet to the side.

    ¡°That includes you, old man,¡± the gunman drawled.  He looked like a cowboy without the hat, wearing a flannel shirt, tight jeans, and cowboy boots.  A shock of red hair blew in the wind, unwashed and disheveled..  His partner, dark-skinned and almost half again as tall, loomed over him wordlessly with his own revolver in hand.

    ¡°All right gather up, come together now.¡±  Without lowering his gun, the young man¡ªhe couldn¡¯t have been more than a few years older than Luke¡ªherded the people to the center of the street, including Luke and Abby.  Once there, he glanced around the now empty block.

    ¡°Any of you got any friends who¡¯d like to join this little party?  No?  Guess you wouldn¡¯t tell me if you did, would you?  That¡¯s all right, guess you lot will do for now.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±  A woman asked.  She was clutching at the arm of a man next to her.  Though they were in good shape, both had to be in their seventies, easily.  ¡°What do you want with us?¡±

    ¡°What I want is for you to march down this street so we can join your pals.  Nice Bob and I are just here to make sure you behave.¡±

    ¡°Nice Bob?¡± the man who tried to run looked at the big man, a tremor running through his voice.  The figure glared back at him.

    ¡°Yeah.  He got the name on account of his sparkling personality.  But every nice guy has his breaking point, so I¡¯d still step carefully.

    ¡°He likes the sound of his own voice,¡± Abby murmured.  Red Hair glanced their way and Luke didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°All right, everyone get moving.  Sooner we go, sooner we¡¯ll get there.¡±

    ¡°Get where?¡± the scared man asked.  Red Hair spat.

    ¡°I already told you, with all your friends.  One big party for you Crater folk.¡±

    The last member of their group, a mousy woman in her thirties who looked vaguely familiar to Luke raised an eyebrow.  ¡°You¡¯re rounding us up?  You wouldn¡¯t happen to have been at Hobble, would you?¡±  Her words sparked Luke¡¯s memory.  She was one of the traders who¡¯d been on the caravan trip.  He¡¯d traveled with her for over a month and never even learned her name.

    ¡°Nope.  Never heard of the place,¡± Red Hair said, far too casually.  He gestured forward with his gun.  ¡°I don¡¯t see you lot moving.  Do I gotta shoot a kneecap to get us going?  Nice Bob wouldn¡¯t have a problem dragging you over there.¡±

    Nice Bob grinned and cracked his knuckles.  Reluctantly, the six of them began shuffling forward.  After a few minutes of silence, Abby spoke.

    ¡°Where did you come from?¡±

    Red Hair looked at her incredulously.  ¡°Do you think I¡¯m that stupid?  I¡¯m not gonna start shootin¡¯ my mouth off the second a pretty girl asks a question.  Keep walking.¡±

    Luke saw Abby give a tiny sigh.

    ¡°At least tell us why you¡¯re doing this,¡± the older woman said.

    ¡°We¡¯re doing this ¡®cause you all been making naughty plans,¡± Red Hair said, wagging his finger.  ¡°We ain¡¯t do it now, you¡¯d be doing the same all over in a year¡¯s time.¡±

    ¡°Preposterous,¡± the man who¡¯d tried to run said.  ¡°Crater would never resort to such savagery!  How could you possibly believe such nonsense?¡±

    ¡°Right, y¡¯all are just paragons of virtue up here, never hurt a soul in your lives.¡±

    ¡°Well, for the most part, yes,¡± the same man said.  ¡°I can¡¯t speak for the entire settlement, but most of the people here are good.  We would never attack those beneath us!  Someone has been feeding you lies!¡±

    ¡°Beneath you?¡±  For a moment, his casual air slipped and Red Hair dropped the Southern accent.  ¡°Whoever said anything about anyone being beneath you, old man?  Seems like it might be the other way around at the moment.¡±

    ¡°Kill him, McGee,¡± Nice Bob said, speaking for the first time.  Red Hair stopped to look at his companion.

    ¡°Nah,¡± he said after a long pause.  ¡°You gotta look at the big picture Bob¡ª¡±

    He was cut off as a bullet ripped through his spine, spraying blood through the air and sending him crumpled to the ground.  Everyone took off running, and though Luke saw Nice Bob raise his gun, but he turned a corner before the big man fired.  He ran for several blocks before he realized no one else was around and slowed down, breathing heavily.

    A few moments later, Abby turned a corner and slowed down next to him.

    ¡°Thank God.  I thought I lost you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I just ran out of there.  I don¡¯t even know what happened.¡±

    ¡°I think a patrol found us, but truthfully I¡¯m not sure either.  I don¡¯t believe anyone was eager to stick around.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what happened to anyone else?¡±

    Abby shook her head.  ¡°They could have gone anywhere.  I hope they didn¡¯t get caught again.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that old couple didn¡¯t look like they should be running around too much.¡±

    ¡°Yes, well, they should be fine.  Everyone in Crater still pulls their weight, no matter their age.¡±  There was a note of pride in her voice.

    ¡°Those guys really didn¡¯t like this place though,¡± Luke said.  He felt a chill remembering the casual tone Nice Bob had used to suggest murder.

    Abby looked around.  ¡°We need to keep moving.  They¡¯re probably all over Crater by now, it¡¯ll be a miracle if we don¡¯t stumble into any more of them.¡±

    Luke nodded, and they resumed walking.  Five minutes later, her prediction came true.  Abby cut down an alley toward a major thoroughfare, only to back up quickly and put an arm over Luke when she glanced into the street ahead.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± she said in a low voice.  Luke carefully peeked out to see eight people making their way down the street, four on each side.  Every time they passed a door, they kicked it open and briefly swept through the interior.  A single guard was left near the entrance to watch the street while they were inside.

    ¡°Can we find another way around?¡± Luke asked.

    ¡°Maybe.  We have to cross this street, but if we move farther down we might be able to pass by without attracting notice.¡±  As she spoke, she peered out toward the street and Luke saw her expression darken.  He turned himself to see one of the groups exiting a cabin similar to his own, pushing an elderly couple out the door at gunpoint.  They looked even frailer than the people that Luke and Abby had been caught with before.  One man broke off to lead the couple back down the street, keeping his weapon trained on them the entire way.

    ¡°Where the hell are they taking them?  I don¡¯t understand what they want.¡±  Abby shook her head, glaring toward the people threatening the terrified couple.

    ¡°Me either.  But I think that woman might have been on to something back there?¡±

    Abby glanced at him.  ¡°You think these are the same people who attacked Hobble?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.  There¡¯s more of them from what Innes said, but it seems like a pretty big coincidence for there to be two well-armed groups running around attacking settlements.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.  But that doesn¡¯t help us at the moment.  We should back up and find another cross street.¡±

    Luke nodded his agreement, and they turned away back toward the previous road.  Abby¡¯s eyes lingered on the retreating forms of the gunmen as they left, but she didn¡¯t say anything.  She knew as well as Luke did that they would have little chance against eight armed foes.

    They traveled in the opposite direction that they¡¯d seen the invaders, hoping they were still only near the gate they had come in.  Luke followed Abby¡¯s lead.  He could generally figure out where he was going, but Abby¡¯s knowledge of the side streets and alleys was far superior to his.  He noticed while they traveled that the streets were even emptier than before.  He could count on one hand the number of people they passed by, and several of them already knew about the attack before they warned them of it.  It seemed word was getting around quickly, for which he was grateful.

    Eventually they ran into the same main thoroughfare where they¡¯d caught sight of the attackers, now much farther down the street.  Luke didn¡¯t see anyone when he glanced around the area, and they moved through the open space quickly and without incident.  Once on the other side, Abby led him into a residential area that looked vaguely familiar to Luke.  All of the houses were in some amount of disrepair, and a few had been dismantled entirely.  Weeds grew tall through cracks in the sidewalk, while the height of the yellow grass in the yards made them look like miniature wheat fields.  No one lived there.  Luke glanced at Abby, but the girl seemed confident in where she was headed.

    A few streets later, they walked into a cul-de-sac and his memory of the area crystallized.  Luke saw the house where he¡¯d first met everyone, that first day with Naomi.  The roof was sagging in the back, as if it were about to cave in, and what little paint remained looked like the slightest breeze would carry it off into the sky.  Abby marched up to the door and pulled out a rusty key from under the doormat.  She opened the door after a moment of effort with the lock and they both stepped inside.

    The windows had been long since stripped of their glass, but faded curtains still left the room in semi-darkness.  Luke saw that the bottles were still there.  He vaguely remembered Tony promising to clean them up and smiled.

    Abby turned to him.  ¡°I think it should be safe here, at least for a while.  I doubt they¡¯ll go through every building in town unless they¡¯ve already quashed all resistance.¡±  And then it wouldn¡¯t be safe anywhere.  She paused for a moment before continuing.  ¡°I¡¯ll try to get someone out here when it¡¯s safe to leave.¡±

    Luke opened his mouth, but before he could say anything the door slammed open.  He and Abby both tensed, but when he looked toward the opening he saw Tony running in.

    ¡°Dad!¡± he yelled, stopping short when he saw Luke and Abby inside.  ¡°What the hell?  What are you guys doing here?¡±

    ¡°Presumably the same thing you are,¡± Abby replied.  ¡°You heard about the attack?¡±

    ¡°Obviously.  I was working over by the entrance.  I barely got away before they started shooting.¡±

    ¡°And now you¡¯re looking for your dad?¡± Luke frowned.

    ¡°Yeah.  This was our panic spot to meet up if something ever happened.  If he¡¯s not here¡­¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s most likely with the Committee,¡± Abby finished.  ¡°I¡¯d imagine they¡¯re a high priority target for the invaders.¡±

    Tony¡¯s face twisted into a grimace.  ¡°Fuck.  I gotta find him, then we can figure out a plan to stop these bastards.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Abby asked bluntly.  ¡°By running around a town full of people with guns until you stumble into him?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Tony said.  He paced, looking like a caged animal in the confines of the living room.  ¡°It¡¯s not like sitting here would be any more useful.¡±

    ¡°Of course not.  But walking back out there without a plan is suicide.¡±  Tony stared at her, tense, and she returned his gaze calmly.  Luke broke the strained silence.

    ¡°There have to be people who are fighting back, right?  Didn¡¯t you say something about an armory before?¡±

    Abby glanced at him.  ¡°I suppose, but¡­¡± her eyebrows creased.

    ¡°He¡¯ll be there.¡± Tony¡¯s voice was certain.  ¡°If anyone¡¯s fighting back, they¡¯ll need guns to stand a chance.¡±

    ¡°And if these people were smart, they¡¯d make sure they got over there first,¡± Abby retorted.  ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be difficult to learn where their stored with the number of prisoners they must have.¡±

    Tony shrugged.  ¡°It¡¯s a place to start.¡±

    ¡°A place to start getting shot.¡±  But Abby looked at him and sighed.  ¡°I suppose you¡¯ve already made up your mind.¡±  He nodded firmly.  ¡°Then I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    Tony¡¯s eyes widened at that, but he nodded again.  ¡°I can¡¯t sit back while these fuckers take Crater over.¡±

    ¡°I¡­agree.¡±  She sounded resigned.  ¡°Luke, you should be safe enough here for a time¡ª¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he asked.  ¡°I¡¯m going too.¡±

    ¡°Is that a good idea?¡± she asked.  ¡°You¡¯re not exactly a fighter.¡±

    ¡°I can protect myself,¡± Luke said defensively.  He looked over to Tony, who wouldn¡¯t meet his eyes.

    ¡°I mean, wouldn¡¯t you rather stay where it¡¯s safer?  We could die out there.¡±

    ¡°Would you?¡± Luke retorted.  ¡°I¡¯m not gonna sit here while you guys go do dangerous shit.¡±  He imagined sitting there with nothing to do for hours on end, unsure if anyone was alive or dead¡­anything was better than that.

    ¡°What if you have one of your¡­episodes while we¡¯re out there?¡± Abby asked.  ¡°We probably won¡¯t be able to wait for it to pass.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t had one for a long time,¡± Luke said, averting his own gaze.  ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Tony snapped, losing patience.  ¡°Whatever.  Can we just go?  We don¡¯t have time to stand around arguing all day.¡±

    Luke looked toward Abby, and she nodded reluctantly.  ¡°As long as you can swear you won¡¯t shut down out there.¡±

    ¡°I promise.¡±  Even now, scared of facing armed men without so much as a stick to defend himself, Luke didn¡¯t feel the kind of heart palpitations that indicated one of his attacks.  Maybe being terrified so often had made him immune.

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s get the fuck out of here,¡± Tony said.  ¡°We gotta be fast, they¡¯re probably halfway through the settlement if no one stopped them yet.¡±

    The trio left the ruined home.

 1.24

    The empty streets did little to relieve Luke¡¯s tension.  After the way he and Abby had been so easily taken prisoner by Nice Bob and his friend, he kept a wary eye out for anyone who might be trying to ambush them.  If the armory was far enough, chances were good that they¡¯d run into another group sooner or later..  Unfortunately, Tony didn¡¯t seem to realize this.

    ¡°We gotta get some kind of weapon,¡± he said, hardly bothering to keep his voice down.  ¡°Even an axe or something.  Anything that would let us kill some of these fuckers.¡±  He spoke with a smoldering anger that echoed around the area before them.

    ¡°Keep it down,¡± Luke hissed.  ¡°They could be anywhere around here.¡±

    Tony glanced around the empty street.  ¡°Really?¡± he asked, sarcasm heavy in his voice.  ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°Just because you don¡¯t see anyone doesn¡¯t mean they aren¡¯t present,¡± Abby said softly.  ¡°Luke and I already got taken by surprise once.¡±

    ¡°Yeah well, I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯d be able to tell if one of these idiots was trying to sneak up on us.  You just gotta be perceptive.¡±

    ¡°Right.  If you can hear them over all the shouting you¡¯re doing¡ª¡±

    A nearby noise prompted all three of them to turn their heads.    Footsteps sounded from a side street ahead of them.  Alarmed, Luke looked around wildly for somewhere to hide.  His eyes settled on the building closest to them, and he pointed it out to the others.  Abby nodded, and they crept in that direction as the footsteps grew louder.  Luke¡¯s instincts screamed for him to run, but the footsteps¡ªand voice now, he could hear¡ªwere close enough that his movements might be heard.  They reached the door just as someone came into view down the street. Abby opened the door hurriedly and they dove inside.

    She closed the door most of the way; a slit of sunlight entered the room through the crack.  Luke gestured for her to close it the entire way, but she shook her head and crouched at the threshold, moving her ear to the gap.  Realizing what she intended, Luke moved closer and closed his eyes.  A faint voice floated out from the street.

    ¡°Did you hear something?¡±

    The response was nearly inaudible over the sound of Luke¡¯s pounding heart.

    ¡°Sure.  These buildings are old as hell, there¡¯s probably always something falling or breaking inside of them.¡±

    ¡°Well I guess we¡¯ll be looking through all of them anyway.¡±

    ¡°Are you insane?  That would take all fucking week, I¡¯m not going through every house on the block.¡±

    ¡°Are you insane?  You want to not do the one thing that Graves sent us out here for?

    ¡°Yep.  You could go either way, but I know Graves is crazy.  Like this shit with that vault.  Why do we even need those guns?  It¡¯s overkill, we already got more than enough firepower to blow them away.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a fucking idiot, Gary.  What happens if we leave them there alone and one of the assholes here manages to get in?  We¡¯d be fucking screwed is what would happen.  Use your damn head, man.¡±

    ¡°All right, don¡¯t be a bitch about it,¡± the first voice sulked.  ¡°I¡¯d like to see those fireworks when they go off anyway.  Never seen that much ordinance in my life.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m pretty sure they could have just blown the whole damn settlement up if they wanted.  I wonder why they¡¯re trying so hard to take in everyone alive.

    ¡°Hell yeah they could.  And that¡¯s my point!  Even if there was anyone dumb enough to hide in one of the buildings around here, which there¡¯s not, what¡¯s it matter if they¡¯re down three or four prisoners?  Let¡¯s just get the hell back before they find out where the food¡¯s stashed.¡±

    There was a long pause.  ¡°All right, fine.  If you rat me out I¡¯ll fucking kill you though.  Let¡¯s go.¡±

    The footsteps picked up once more and moved down the street beyond Luke¡¯s hearing.  The other two had clearly heard the conversation as well from the looks on their faces.

    Tony started to speak, but Abby held up a finger again.  She listened carefully at the crack for a few more minutes before nodding and opening the door.

    ¡°I just want to point out that I was completely right and I heard them before they saw us,¡±  Tony said, but he now spoke at a much lower volume.

    ¡°So did we,¡± Luke protested.  Abby ignored them both.

    ¡°It sounds like our problems may be bigger than we thought.¡±

    ¡°You mean how they were talking about blowing something up?¡± Luke asked, turning from Tony.  ¡°The place where they keep the guns?¡±

    ¡°They put them in an old bank vault,¡± Abby explained.  ¡°Solid steel on all sides.  It would have to be a fairly large bomb to blow it open.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what they¡¯ve got from what they said,¡± Luke said.  ¡°But why can¡¯t they just get one of the prisoners to tell them how to get it open?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fairly sure that only the Committee and a few high ranking guards have the combination for the armory.  Either they don¡¯t have anyone who knows or they don¡¯t know who knows.  Which is probably a good sign for your dad at least, Tony.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, I¡¯ll hold off on celebrating until I see him myself,¡± Tony said, all traces of good humor gone.  ¡°These guys are still fucking dead if I can get my hands on a gun.¡±

    Neither Luke nor Abby had much response to that.

    ¡°We still need a destination first,¡± Abby said.  ¡°The armory may not be the best place to go at the moment.

    ¡°It¡¯s up to you two,¡± Luke said.  ¡°You know this place way better than I do.¡±

    ¡°We should still check it out,¡± Tony said decisively.  ¡°Look at their defenses, maybe pick a couple of them off if they wander off alone?¡±

    ¡°Who are you, fucking Batman?¡± Luke asked.  Tony looked at him strangely and shrugged.

    Their course unchanged, they continued down the same street as before.  Tony was quieter, thankfully, but Luke was a little worried about him.  Whenever he glanced over the boy had an ugly look on his face, like he was stewing in his anger.  It wasn¡¯t exactly an ideal time to have a discussion about feelings though, so he left the matter alone.

    They encountered enemy patrols twice more on the way to the armory, narrowly ducking into an alleyway both times before they were seen.  Both of the groups were walking down the street without checking houses, similar to the pair they¡¯d crossed paths with earlier.

    Eventually, Abby whispered to the two behind her.  ¡°It¡¯s only a few streets away now.  Be careful, they could be anywhere around here.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    ¡°Did you hear something?¡± Luke asked, looking around the empty street.

    ¡°No.  You want to stay focused, Luke?  We have a job to do here.¡±  Tony didn¡¯t even look behind him as he spoke.

    ¡°No, really.  I¡¯m pretty sure I heard something.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡±  The call was a little louder this time, and now Tony and Abby reacted to the noise.

    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Tony called in a stage whisper.  Abby walked back the way they¡¯d come toward a side street.

    ¡°Over here,¡± she said a moment later, turning her head back toward the two of them.  ¡°It¡¯s a friend.¡±

    Luke followed her, turning to raise his eyebrows at Tony.  The other boy didn¡¯t react, but walked over to the intersection as well. Turning down the street where Abby had been, Luke craned to see the speaker.

    He found a pair of figures waiting .  After a second the larger of the two stepped forward, giving Luke a good view of his face.  It looked familiar, and after a moment he placed the muscular, red-headed man as a guard from the caravan.  Owen, he thought his name was.

    ¡°Is it just you three?¡± he asked, his voice gruff.  Abby nodded, equally terse.

    The pale guard sighed and glanced at his partner.  She was a Hispanic woman around the same age as Owen perhaps thirty or so.  But after Abby answered Owen¡¯s question, she smiled warmly and spoke to the girl in a familiar tone

    ¡°I¡¯d worried that they dragged you out of your home, ¡®Cilla.¡±

    The girl shook her head.  ¡°They raided the hotel first thing, but I was already on my way to the clinic.  I saw them hauling lines of people away and got the hell away from there.¡±

    ¡°Do this later,¡± Owen said, scanning the road around them.  ¡°We¡¯re too exposed.  Any of you have guns?¡±

    Abby shook her head.  ¡°Do you know somewhere safer?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not far, come on.¡±

    He trotted off, and they followed behind.  True to his word, it was only a few more block before he knocked on the door of a large commercial building.  There was little to differentiate it from every other structure on the street, but the door opened and two more guards met them with raised guns.

    ¡°We found a few more out there,¡± Owen said.  The guards nodded and let their weapons drop.  Stepping inside, Luke saw that the place had probably once been some kind of restaurant, judging by the stripped booths that lined the walls.  Faded carpet covered the floor, and the only light came from a pair of guttering candles in the back that did little to illuminate the front half of the room.  All the windows had been covered with fabric, leaving it dark and sunless within the space.  At least two dozen more residents were sitting inside, a fair number of them guards from what Luke could tell.  He was relieved to see that more carried weapons beyond the two that had been posted by the door.  One man stood up as they entered, a thin beam of sunlight illuminating his face long enough to give Luke a jolt of recognition before the door closed behind them.

    Luke glanced toward Abby, who¡¯s face had gone utterly blank.  After a moment she shook herself and walked forward with Luke and Tony.

    ¡°Good, more people.  Well done, Owen.¡±  Simmons nodded toward the red-headed guard, and Luke recalled that he had been part of the old guard¡¯s clique during the trip.

    ¡°Do any of you have guns?¡± Simmons asked.  He kept his voice low, and Luke responded in the same tone.

    ¡°No.  We were heading for the armory, but these two found us before we got there.¡±

    ¡°Right.  It¡ª¡±

    ¡°Is the Committee here?¡± Tony interrupted.  He was looking around the room, peering into the darkness.

    Simmons shook his head.  ¡°Our best intel places them in Sarah¡¯s office.  At least, I presume so since there¡¯s an entire group of goons surrounding the place.  I¡¯m not certain why they haven¡¯t moved in yet.  We were considering trying to break through, but unless we take the armory it would be tantamount to suicide.  We are outmatched in both manpower and firepower.¡±

    ¡°Sitting around here won¡¯t solve anything,¡± Abby said.  ¡°We overheard a few of them talking amongst themselves and it sounds like they¡¯re planning on blowing up the vault.  That can¡¯t happen.¡±

    ¡°So we heard.  And yet there is quite a difference between sitting around and waiting for the right moment.¡±  Simmons'' tone was sharp, rebuking.  Abby didn¡¯t back down.

    ¡°How did you hear about it?¡±

    ¡°Because we¡¯ve been busy gathering intelligence.¡±  Simmons gestured toward half a dozen people sitting against the wall.  Luke had missed it in the dark before, but looking carefully now he saw that they were bound and gagged.  And that several had blood smeared across their faces.

    ¡°Two different patrols have found us already, but we managed to subdue them without any gunfire.  Their people will realize that their agents consistently disappear from a single location, but we should be able to make our move before that happens.¡±

    Someone else walked up to them from some dark corner of the room.  ¡°Hey guys.¡±

    Luke couldn¡¯t see her face, but he recognized the voice.  ¡°Naomi!  You¡¯re all right!¡±

    ¡°¡®Course,¡± she scoffed.  ¡°Those guys are idiots.  I took down three of them and jumped out the window when they were clearing out the hotel.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Tony stared at her.  ¡°Naomi, you live on the third floor.¡±

    ¡°Fine, I was walking back from the kitchens and ran when I saw what was going on.  Happy?¡±

    ¡°A touching reunion, but perhaps we should remain focused on the task at hand,¡± Simmons broke in.  Luke had forgotten how pompous he could be.

    ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to come up with a solution yourselves, but to keep you apprised of the situation, there is currently a truck laden with explosives on its way to Crater.  If it arrives, they will open the vault and our position will become even more precarious than it already is.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t need to come up with a solution,¡± Naomi said.  ¡°I already have the perfect plan!¡±

    The older guard rounded on her.  ¡°No, girl!  It¡¯s moronic, you¡¯ll be captured and we¡¯ll lose some of the few personnel we still have!¡±

    ¡°Why?  It¡¯s not like they have a uniform, and those guys,¡± Naomi waved at the prisoners, ¡°already said they¡¯re from all different settlements!  It¡¯ll work!¡±

    ¡°I will not send my men out to die or be captured.  If you wish to go, you¡¯re going alone.¡±

    ¡°No she isn¡¯t,¡± Abby said, perfectly calm.  ¡°I¡¯ll go with you, Naomi.  The plan seems sound.¡±  She didn¡¯t look at Simmons, but Luke felt like he could sense her glare.

    ¡°I¡¯m going too,¡± Tony said.  ¡°As long as we¡¯re doing something against these guys.¡±

    Simmons looked at him, wounded.  ¡°You¡¯re smarter than this, Tony.  We¡¯ll get Tom and everyone else out, but going out with these¡­people won¡¯t aid in accomplishing that goal.¡±

    ¡°I think it will.  I¡¯m gonna make these assholes regret coming into this settlement.¡±

    The old guard looked like he was about to argue further, but Abby cut in.

    ¡°Fine, but try to stay quiet and blend in.  Don¡¯t glare at everyone we pass.¡±

    ¡°None of you will be able to blend in,¡± Simmons said, turning to her angrily.  ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about these people.  You¡¯re walking to your deaths.¡±

    ¡°And if we don¡¯t, everyone here will die anyway,¡± Abby shot back.  ¡°It will just be a slower demise.¡±

    Simmons threw up his hands.  ¡°What are you even going to do if you manage to get your hands on this truck?  A vehicle packed with explosives isn¡¯t the most inconspicuous form of transport.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll figure that out on the way,¡± Naomi said.  ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll just drive it into the canyon or something, anything¡¯s fine as long as they can¡¯t use it.¡±

    ¡°Idiotic.¡±  Simmons shook his head.  ¡°Fine, go. Just don¡¯t lead them back here.  In the meantime, we shall think of a real plan to get our town back.¡±

    ¡°All right, then.¡±  Abby turned to Luke.  ¡°Try not to worry too much while we¡¯re gone.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be back before you know it,¡± Naomi chimed in.  Tony nodded.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Luke said.  ¡°I¡¯m going too.¡±

    Abby hesitated.  Naomi spoke before she did.  ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s a great idea, Luke.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± he demanded.  ¡°I¡¯ve done dangerous shit before.¡±  Once again, something in him rejected the idea of being left behind.  Waiting without anything to do would be far worse.

    The other three exchanged glances.  Simmons wore a slight smile, barely visible in the gloom.

    ¡°You get¡ªthis look, sometimes, when you¡¯re nervous,¡± Naomi said hesitantly.  ¡°It might give us away if we have to talk to anyone.¡±

    ¡°If Tony can manage it, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Luke protested.  A look?  He hadn¡¯t even realized it.

    ¡°What the hell is that supposed to mean?¡± Tony said heatedly, but Abby held up her hand and spoke over  him.

    ¡°It¡¯s really better if you stay here.  It¡¯s safer, and I¡¯m sure there will be plenty you can do to help before the day is done.¡±

    A thought occurred to Luke to justify his presence.  ¡°Do any of you even know how to drive?¡±

    Tony, Abby, and Naomi were silent.  Simmons barked a quiet laugh.

    ¡°My dad had me drive a bunch of building stuff through the settlement once,¡± Tony said.

    ¡°How fast were you going?  Because trust me, it takes some practice if you¡¯re not going ten miles an hour.¡±

    ¡°Would you be able to do it?¡±  Abby asked.

    ¡°I drove pretty much every day for two years before I got here.   I think I¡¯d have a better chance than any of you, honestly.¡±

    There was another pause.  ¡°Fine,¡±  Abby said eventually.  ¡°But please try to stay calm while we¡¯re among them.  And do not have a panic attack.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±  It struck him as a singularly useless thing to say, as if he had any control over the episodes, but Luke thought he would be fine regardless.

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s get going then,¡± Naomi said.  ¡°Take it easy, old man.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Simmons said, holding up a hand.  They stopped and turned back to him.  ¡°One second.¡±

    He walked to the candles in the back of the room and spoke to another guard.

    ¡°We need to hurry,¡± Abby said, her eyes locked on his form.  ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this.¡±

    A few moments later, Simmons returned to them, holding something in his hand.

    ¡°If you¡¯re going, you might as well take this.¡±  He held out a gun, a dark gray pistol of some kind.  Not for the first time, Luke regretted never getting into guns in his own world.

    ¡°There are only two bullets in the magazine, so it won¡¯t  be of much aid here,¡± he said as Tony took the weapon.  He looked around, daring someone else to suggest they should take it, and gripped the handle tightly.

    ¡°Be careful out there,¡± Simmons said, and they departed the restaurant.

    Luke blinked when he stepped back out into the sunlight, although he couldn¡¯t have been in the darkness for more than a few minutes.  They strode out to the street after a quick  warning by Abby to walk as if they owned every stone they stepped upon.  Rather than passing by the attackers posted in front of the vault, they chose to take a detour in order to limit the number of people with whom they came into contact.  As a result, they didn¡¯t encounter anyone else until they neared the settlement entrance.  When they did, however, it was like they crossed an invisible threshold.  One block was deserted, abandoned, and the next held a flurry of activity from a dozen different smaller groups.  It was clear these were all invaders; the average age was far below that of Crater and Luke could see a dozen guns or more at a glance.

    Whoever was leading the them did have the foresight to establish a perimeter, however.  As they approached the border of the makeshift camp, Luke saw a group of six or so guards that watched everyone going in or out, though they didn¡¯t stop anyone that he could see.

    They didn¡¯t slow as they approached the checkpoint as that would have only served to make them more conspicuous.  There were a fair number of groups moving through, from several pairs all the way to a squad of a dozen people that trotted out toward the rest of the settlement, and theoretically there was nothing that Luke could see that made their group stand out from any of the others.  That didn¡¯t stop his heart from pounding or his palms from sweating, but he endeavored to school his face into neutrality.  Next to him, Naomi looked more or less at ease and Abby might as well have been walking through an empty meadow for all the concern she showed.  Tony¡¯s hand hovered near the gun in his waistband and his eyes occasionally darted around the area, but Luke hoped his demeanor could pass for paranoia rather than ill-controlled anger.

    The guards barely glanced at them as they passed through.  Once they were on the other side of the checkpoint, Luke released a breath he didn¡¯t realize he¡¯d been holding.  It was lucky that no one had been looking at him closely.

    ¡°There¡¯s so fucking many of them,¡± Tony muttered as they scanned the street.  Luke was forced to agree; there had to be near a hundred just in their area, and who knew how many more patrolling around the settlement.  He suspected that Sandy had underestimated their numbers by a good amount.

    ¡°Shut up,¡± Abby said quietly.  ¡°Don¡¯t talk until we¡¯re out of the settlement.¡±

    They had agreed that their best chance was to intercept the truck bringing the explosives before it got inside of Crater.  Hopefully it hadn¡¯t arrived yet, or all their efforts would be for nothing.

    ¡°Just walk out like we¡¯re supposed to be there,¡± she said, and walked on, following her own advice.

    Near the road that allowed entry into the settlement, Luke saw a group of a different kind.  Ten or twelve men and women sat on the ground with their hands and legs tied with lengths of rope.  Most of them were elderly, and while he didn¡¯t recognize anyone, it was clear that they were prisoners from Crater.  Three or four armed guards stood next to them, hands on their weapons.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t nearly enough to be everyone they¡¯ve captured,¡± he said quietly.

    ¡°Stop,¡± Abby said out of the side of her mouth.  ¡°Don¡¯t look over there.  If one of them recognizes us, we die.¡±

    Luke turned away and saw Tony¡¯s knuckle go white holding the grip of the gun at his side.  Thankfully, no one paid any more attention to them on the way to the gate than they had when they walked in .  Luke wasn¡¯t sure what they were all doing, but it seemed to involve a lot of reports and sorting of guns and other goods.  Men and women barked orders at the various crews, with nothing to differentiate them from the grunts as far as Luke could see.  For all that, it seemed like a fairly organized encampment, with few people hanging around doing nothing.

    The entrance to the settlement was marked by a pair of makeshift guard booths, stone buildings that looked like they¡¯d been built from scratch.  Slits ran through the middle, foot-wide gaps in the masonry that allowed the guards inside to see outside and shoot while still providing cover if necessary.  The gray material traded by the Salesman could be seen lining the walls inside, presumably holding the odd architectural structure together.  The invaders had manned these outposts with their own soldiers, and no one was going in or out.  Cool gazes met them as they approached the checkpoint, and Luke¡¯s hackles raised at the attention.  It was far more difficult to keep his nervousness off his face when he knew he was being studied.

    Abby marched them up to the exit as if nothing was amiss.  She didn¡¯t even acknowledge the guards until one of them called out.

    ¡°Hold on, there.¡±

    He stayed in the structure, speaking to them through the slit while the guard on the other side ambled over from her own booth.  Neither seemed particularly concerned, but they were watching the four of them intently.

    ¡°Why¡¯re you trying to leave?¡± the one in the booth asked.  ¡°Plenty of town left to search, I¡¯m sure.¡±  He was a heavy-set man, one of the few Luke had seen since coming to this world.  Sweat covered his brow, and his beady eyes looked out at them from under bushy eyebrows.

    ¡°We have business outside,¡± Abby said dismissively, and started to walk forward.  The woman grabbed her arm, giving her a more intense stare.  She was short and muscular, with hair swept back into a ponytail.

    ¡°What exactly would that be, then?¡± she asked quietly.  ¡°¡®Cause we got orders to keep everyone inside until every last asshole in this place has been rounded up.¡±  She stared at Abby for a long moment.

    ¡°Ah, maybe we should let ¡®em go, Shar,¡± the fat man said, clearly uncomfortable with the confrontation.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be such a pussy, Evan,¡± she responded without taking her eyes off of Abby.  ¡°We got a job that even you can handle and we¡¯re sure as hell not gonna fuck it up.¡±

    Abby tore her arm out of the woman¡¯s grip with some effort, never breaking her own gaze.

    ¡°Well?¡± the guard asked quietly.  ¡°What¡¯s it gonna be?  I don¡¯t know who the fuck you are, but you aren¡¯t getting out early without a damn good reason.¡±

    Abby hesitated, still not saying anything.  Luke could tell she was racking her brains for an excuse.

    ¡°We¡¯re supposed to go help watch the prisoners,¡± he blurted out and coughed.  The woman, Shar, turned toward him.

    ¡°On whose authority?¡±

    ¡°Graves,¡± Abby spat out quickly.  Luke breathed a sigh of relief.  ¡°You want to go against his word?¡±

    ¡°Graves,¡±  Shar repeated, and made a face as if she were tasting something unpleasant.  ¡°That fucker¡¯s been swinging his dick around since we got here.  He¡¯s got no right to order anyone anywhere, far as I¡¯m concerned.¡±  Luke¡¯s heart sank.

    ¡°Not my goddamn problem,¡± Abby said in a low voice.  ¡°Go take it up with him if you have an issue with it.¡±

    Shar stared at her for a few more seconds¡­and finally averted her gaze, spitting on the ground.

    ¡°Get the hell out of here, sheep-fucker.   I¡¯ll be telling Cynthia about this later.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead and tattle to whoever you want,¡± Abby said.  ¡°Makes no difference to me.¡±

    Shar snarled wordlessly and walked back to her post.  As they passed by the booths, Luke saw Tony turn to give the woman¡¯s back a long, cool gaze.

    They left the settlement in silence, not daring to speak until they made it a fair distance from the entrance.

    ¡°Jesus,¡± Naomi exploded a half-mile or so away.  ¡°I thought she was gonna put a bullet in us right there.¡±

    ¡°I was a touch worried as well,¡± Abby admitted.  ¡°Well done with that excuse, Luke.  How did you know they took everyone out of the settlement?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not that many of them at their encampment, it¡¯s the only thing that makes sense.¡±  He shrugged self-consciously.  ¡°I don¡¯t know many other places you can stash twenty-five hundred people.¡±

    ¡°I wonder where they all are,¡± Naomi said, glancing around.  They were walking down the road, and could see no sign of other people anywhere.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.  We could try to find them once we have the truck, but I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be well-guarded.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s focus on one thing at a time,¡± Naomi said.  ¡°If we don¡¯t stop this truck, we¡¯re fucked anyway.¡±

    The other three nodded, and they kept walking in the direction that they hoped would lead them to the vehicle.

    Perhaps fifteen minutes later, Naomi stopped.  ¡°Do you hear that?¡±

    Luke listened over the sound of the breeze and indeed heard a faint rumbling he recognized as an engine.  The road curved off to the left a half mile down the road and their view was blocked by a rock formation, but the noise was growing steadily louder.

    ¡°Wait, what the hell do we do?¡± Tony asked suddenly.

    ¡°Wave it down, get it to stop,¡± Abby said.  ¡°Then we force the driver out of the cab.  Keep your gun ready.¡±

    He nodded and they waited for the truck to round the corner.

    Luke¡¯s eyes widened when he finally caught sight of it.  The thing was going at least eighty, getting closer to them every second.  He, Abby, and Naomi dove out of the way, but Tony stood with one fist clenched, still waving at the truck with the other hand.

    ¡°Tony, MOVE!¡± Luke yelled, but the other boy didn¡¯t react.

    Perhaps a hundred feet away, the truck finally started to slow down.  The brakes squealed, and it swerved past Tony with less than a foot between them.  Fifty feet down the road, it finally came to a stop.  A tattered blue tarp was tied over the back, but the bed was clearly loaded down with something.  Luke¡¯s eyebrows raised.  There had to be a lot of explosives back there.

    ¡°What the fuck do you want?  I¡¯m almost there.¡±  A voice drifted out from the truck.  The man inside wasn¡¯t getting out, but waiting for them to come to him.  Abby dusted herself off and trod down the road, trailed by the other three.

    ¡°Let me talk to him,¡± she said quietly as they neared the truck.

    Luke and Naomi nodded quickly, but Tony took a little longer to give his assent.  Abby gave him a long look before walking to the driver window.

    The man inside was old, probably nearing Carver¡¯s age.  He had a bushy grey beard but the hair on top of his head was thin and stringy.  He looked at them suspiciously.

    ¡°Why the hell are you out here?  I gotta get this stuff into that shithole ASAP.¡±

    ¡°Graves sent us,¡±  Abby said.  ¡°Apparently he got word there¡¯s something wrong with the explosives.  This girl¡¯s a demo specialist, we¡¯re here to see if any of it¡¯s salvageable.¡±

    She slapped Naomi on the shoulder.  The dark-skinned girl made a show of peering toward the back of the truck bed.

    The driver squinted at her.  ¡°Graves, huh?  How the hell would he know anything?¡±

    Abby shrugged.  ¡°Like he¡¯d tell us that.  You know how it is.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±  He paused for a long moment, staring at each of them in turn.  ¡°Awfully young to be a demo expert.  Most of them I know are the ones who were in the army or some shit back in the day.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve always been interested in stuff that goes boom,¡± Naomi said.  ¡°We gotta hurry up before those assholes try to get smart with us.  I¡¯m gonna take a look back there, ok?¡±

    She walked away from the door casually.

    ¡°Hmm.  Hold on, girl.  You¡¯re Graves¡¯ people, right?  What settlement are you from, again?¡±

    Abby paused a moment before responding.  ¡°This kind of-¡±

    An ear-shattering BANG rang out right next to Luke.  The truck driver fell back in the seat, his brains splattered against the shattered remains of the passenger window.  Luke looked over to see Tony¡¯s hand extended, the revolver held in his grip.

    He looked over at Abby calmly.  ¡°So what was the plan for the truck again?¡±