The terrain grew hillier the farther out we ventured. Well past the point where we encountered Qrurcean’s small army of dead. Saoirse is confident this direction was the right way. I made notes of every landmark she pointed out. Knowing the landscape would help in future expeditions.

 

“How is this steed able to travel so fast?” Saoirse asked.

 

“Thomas tells me it’s like magic or sorcery,” Aphanea replied.

 

“Yeah, something like that. We call it technology. Kinda like a tool for us to get from one place to the next,” I explained.

 

“Then how do you feed this technology?” Saoirse asked.

 

“We call it fuel. It comes from the ground. Black water that we turn into food for this machine,” I said, trying to explain in the most specific context I could.

 

“This is amazing…,” Saoirse said. “We could reach the tribes today,” she added.

 

“Sounds good to me. I’d rather not be out during the night,” I said.

 

We are having a good time. With no obstructions, I feel relieved at our progress. Ahead, a silhouette comes into view. As we travel closer, it’s clear what I see is a modern building. A group of them, to be exact. ‘Is this another town?’ It’s nowhere near the size of the current Pineford or the original. I slow down the closer we come to the structures. It’s a city, alright; the road is worn and unkempt. Looks like no one has used it in years. The town just sat out in the middle of nowhere. One thing was evident. There was a crumbling wall around the outer perimeter. A makeshift one at that. I’d say the place was half the city of Pineford. The road leads to a half-destroyed front gate of sorts. I stopped the convoy just shy of entering. The sound of Shaw’s voice came over the radio.

 

“What do you think, over?” Shaw said.

 

“Better take a look over,” I said.

 

“Two-man team, right, over,” Shaw said.

 

“Sounds right, copy,” I said.

 

“Stay here… this might take a while,” I said to Aphanea and Saoirse.

 

“What is this place?” Saoirse asked.

 

“Another town like ours. Brookefield,” I stated. The sign hanging on the wall said so.

 

“Have you been here before?” Aphanea asked.

 

“Never heard of the place…,” I whispered.

 

A moment later, Mr. Shaw was standing beside me. He was carrying some serious firepower. An m-four-one-six with a drum magazine and a grenade launcher underneath. He wasn’t playing games. I took the lead and headed past the crumbling entrance. Inside, you could tell the place was razed. Burnt-out buildings stood everywhere, a former shell of what they were. Abandoned cars litter the street ahead. So far, no bodies or remains. From the looks of things, a decade or more could have passed, but the scars remain. The two of us are careful in our movements. Up the street, the town sheriff’s office still stood. Many town center buildings, including the city hall and courthouse, were heavily fortified. This road must be the main street.

 

“Some of these buildings seem to have been reinforced,” Shaw commented.

 

“Let’s check the sheriff’s station. Might find some weapons and ammo,” I said.

 

Once we were close, we set up an entry. The place looked like it was locked up tight.

 

“I’ll check around back, then return if I can’t get in. You find a way in from here,” Shaw said.

 

“Remember to stay cautious,” I said.

 

With that, he’s gone sound on the side of the building. I took a moment to look over at the front of the station. All the windows were boarded up well. They added metal places for extra strength. A defense area surrounded the front. The door was sealed shut, but someone or something did attempt to break in. A lot of spent shell casing litter the ground. I gave the door a closer look. To my surprise, it was unlocked. I pull the double doors open. They’re heavy from being reinforced. Inside was dark, prompting me to use my flashlight on my m-two-four-nine and shoulder. The light casts an ominous scene.

 

Several skeletons dot the floor. They appear to be deputies of this town. A quick examination reveals they are male. A dozen of them were spread all over the front of the station. I finished clearing this front section and moved to the next area. As I move from room to room, I find more bodies. All were male, and most were civilians. I thought back to our town. A vast majority are female at this point. I’ve already come across more than the total population of males in Pineford. The two things I don’t see are women’s and child’s bodies. ‘Did they end up slaves like Saoirse’s tribe?’ That is more than a disturbing thought. I continue my search. A light came from the rear of the station. Shaw lowers his rifle. ‘Looks like he found a way in, too.’ Together we clear more of the station, heading upstairs to the second floor. Again, more bodies of males. There was plenty of ammunition and other arms left behind. The weapons were slightly different from ours, yet similar. Same with the ammo. This is not from my or Shaw’s worlds, as our guns were identical. The town didn’t seem to have merged like ours has, either.

 

It takes well over an hour to clear the entire station. Three floors and a three-level basement with cells. I counted over a hundred remains present. Shaw and I gather what we can in the supply bags abundantly present. With that, we head back to the convoy. Plenty of more buildings to explore and clear, but that will need to be done later. That requires a more prepared search party. I made a row map of the location and distance from our town.

 

Kurt and Rhonda were waiting in front of the convoy when we returned.

 

“What’s the verdict?” Kurt asked.

 

“Ghost town, as far as we can tell. No survivors,” Shaw said.

 

“All we found are male remains. About a hundred were held up at the sheriff’s station. No female or children to speak of,” I explained.

 

“That’s certainly different from us…,” Rhonda said. “What do you make of it?” she added.

 

“I don’t know yet. These people got here in some way. We’ll have to come back later and do a more thorough investigation,” I said.

 

“Well… at least there are supplies we can use here…,” Kurt pointed out.

 

“Better move out. There might be more places like this ahead,” Shaw said.

 

We loaded the supplies into the Humvees and plotted a course around Brookfield. With that, we were back on our way to Saoirse’s people. ‘Maybe they have more information.’ This world is getting weirder and weirder.

____

Hours later and we have yet to find the tribesmen of Saoirse. The landscape changes anew. We’re entering a new region where tall white spires of varying sizes dot the land. Circumference-wise, they are definitely strange yet perfect. Nature doesn’t do that, but they appear natural. The land is barren, with sand dunes and sun-bleached dirt. Nothing like the land of the dead. Saoirse is apprehensive about this area. She might know something about this area.

 

“Saoirse, do you know this region?” I asked.

 

“Yes, I do. It is a dangerous place. So, my people stay away from this land,” Saoirse stated, looking ahead.

 

“Where are your tribesmen? Should we not be closer to their village?” Aphanea asked from the back.

 

“I am afraid my people were compelled to travel through this land. The village should have come into sight long before we reached this place…,” Saoirse said.

 

“We’ll keep heading this way. Don’t worry, Saoirse, we will find them,” I said.

 

A larger structure appears off the horizon. Another spire, but much broader and taller. As we drew closer, the design was a plateau rather than a spire. A round, circular table. A square opening is visible at the base. Looks spacious enough for a highway to run through. Something in the air caught my eye. A red light shot up in the air. ‘Was that a flare?’ I stopped the convoy as another flare shot up. A moment later, a huge truck came out of the square opening. It’s heading right for us. Kathy and Rhonda pull up next to us. Rhonda is in charge of the fifty.

 

“Heads up, a vehicle is on the way. Over,” I said over the radio.

 

I unlock the M-four next to me and check the magazine before laying it on my lap. Saoirse looks at the long gun in my lap, then at me. She sensed I was preparing for the unthinkable. The vehicle pulls up right in front of the convoy. The car looks like it’s seen better days. Three people emerge from the vehicle. Two women and an older man. They know fifty are directed toward them since their hands are up. The older man approaches closer. He’s well into his seventies but is still pretty fit. The two women with him are relatively young. No older than twenty. Both are blonde and quite beautiful. I hear him clearing his throat.

 

“Greetings, my name is Hodge. May I ask where you came from?” the old man shouted.

 

I let the window down and pointed my long gun at him. “Who wants to know?” I questioned.

 

“Well, what I mean is, what world do you come from? Did you come from Brookfield?” Hodge asked.

 

“No, we are not from Brookfield,” I confessed.

 

“I thought so. Those… guns you have there are very unfamiliar. You are probably already aware of the fate of that small town,” Hodge explained.

 

“Yeah, something like that. The place was a ghost town. I assume you are the survivors from there,” I countered.

 

“Indeed, we are. But then, all my brothers and I could get away with were the women and children. It’s been a battle ever since,” Hodge revealed.

 

“That was what we figured. At least you saved who you could. So, what caused all the chaos in your town?” I asked.

 

“Monsters… they ransacked the makeshift barrier we made in haste until it failed. We didn’t last long before my brother and I took the survivors here,” Hodge said.

 

“Father asked them if we could come with them. But unfortunately, we are running out of supplies,” one of the women said.

 

“We won’t last until another group passes this way,” the other woman said.

 

The older man looks tiredly at me as he shoos the two women away. He is assessing whether or not he can trust us. I would, too, if those were my daughters.

 

“Shaw… Kurt… come up here with me, over,” I said over the radio.

 

The sound of two vehicle doors slamming shut echoes as I carefully step out of the Humvee. A few moments later, both men were on either side of me, weapons ready. Kurt touches my shoulder, and the older man, Hodge, eases a bit. Seeing the uniform that he wore. I take his cue and let the sheriff take the lead.

 

“My name’s Sheriff Kurt Orkan of the town of Pineford. This is my friend and colleague Thomas Hawthorne and Adam Shaw,” Kurt said.

 

“Pineford?? I’ve never heard of that town before. What nation are you from again?” Hodge asked.

 

“Pineford is in the northeastern part of the United Territories,” Shaw said.

 

“We’re on a mission to find a tribe of people. They might have come this way sometime recently?” I said.

 

“Will you take us with you?” the young lady said.

 

“I’m sorry, my daughter Charlotte is just concerned about our current dilemma,” Mr. Hodge said.

 

“Lotte is right. We can’t stay here any longer. There’s no food or water. No weapons to fight with. Most of the men are dead or missing. The women and child are defenseless,” the other young lady said.

 

“Georgia, we can’t trust our problems upon strangers,” Mr. Hodge whispered.

 

“Even if we allowed you to come with us. I don’t think we’ll have enough room,” Kurt said.

 

“The Sheriff’s right. We expected to bring back passengers, but we don’t have the space,” Shaw said.

 

“We have adequate transportation. Some of the girls can operate them,” Charlotte revealed.

 

“That doesn’t mean anything. None of you have ever operated a land craft longer than a few kilometers,” Mr. Hodge said.

 

“If you can hold your own. I don’t see an issue,” Shaw said.

 

“About these monsters. Do you know where they come from?” I asked.

 

“Mostly past the point beyond our sanctuary,” Georgia revealed.

 

“They hunt at night and vanish by sunrise. So, it’s a nightly occurrence. But, of course, some nights are worse than others,” Charlotte said.

 

“Nothing like how they attacked that night long ago. The two of you were just babies. Your sisters weren’t even born yet,” Mr. Hodge said.

 

“Shaw and I will scout ahead. We’ll set up camp at your sanctuary for now,” I said.

 

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll get us moving,” Kurt said.

 

The three of us returned to our vehicles. We followed the strange car of theirs back to the towering sanctuary. I saw the claw marks all over the walls of the spire. Those monsters have been attacking for a while now. Human bones were sparsely lying around. We passed through the opening as heavy gates closed behind us. Inside was a small town. Strange-looking white-domed houses were everywhere. Anything not used for shelter was for gardening. I saw a few fields around as we pulled to the town center. Everything looks dried up. This must be what they meant by no food or water. A devastating drought hit this land. As for the people, the ground is dried to the point of cracking. Mr. Hodge was right. Nothing but women and children. I saw a handful of older men barely able to fight, let alone anything else. Aside from them, the only other males were underage kids. A makeshift cemetery is near the town center. The well in the center was bone dry. It was a matter of time before this sanctuary would die. Rhonda drew my attention.

 

“So, what’s the plan, big guy?” Rhonda asked.

 

“You and your dad get these people ready to go. Then Shaw and I must find out where those monsters originated. We can’t risk an attack at night or during the day,” I explained.

 

“And you’re going out there with just the two of you?” Rhonda snapped.

 

“It’s a scouting mission. If we come across anything, we’re bugging out. So, I rather not be out at night,” I said.

 

“Alright, but to make me come out after you to save your ass,” Rhonda countered.

 

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” I said.

 

The deputy left to organize with her dad. Shaw was getting ready to go when Charlotte and Georgia interrupted him. ‘This can’t be good.’

 

“I’m coming with you,” Saoirse said.

 

“That’s not a good idea,” I countered.

 

“I know the area; those girls know the creatures you hunt. Without us, you won’t find your prey,” Saoirse explained.

 

She was correct and from Shaw’s expression. Those two girls were asking to come. I rack my head for a reason to say no, but nothing comes to mind. We could die without their knowledge. I had reservations, but I waved her along. The two Hodge sisters still wore those bohemian-themed maxi dresses. They were barefoot, too. I was having second thoughts about them coming along. It was bluntly obvious neither wore any underwear or undergarments. Their ample breasts and plump rumps jiggle at the slightest motion. The bleach-blonde Belle had a heart-shaped face with hazelnut eyes. Angled eyebrows, high cheekbones, a sharp nose, and soft lips. Beauty seems to be abundant in this sanctuary. The women here were shockingly breathtaking. Shaw notices the visual aesthetics of the many vixens. It was easy to pick out the mother of these ladies. She watched with cautious eyes as Mr. Hodge talked with two other women. My guess is they were his trio of wives. All three are half his age. The age gap between men and women here was vast. None of the mothers seem happy we are here either, probably due to the intimidating nature of either Shaw or myself. Kurt was no different, either. Those graves mark the untimely deaths of this sanctuary’s men.

 

Shaw opens the door, and the Hodge girls get in. Saoirse got in the back, too.

 

“You’re driving,” I said.

 

“Right,” Shaw said, getting in the Humvee.

 

The security chief for the governor revved the engine up and took us out the way we came. The women talked among themselves for a while before things appeared in order. Our destination was off the planned route to an ominous-looking area in the distance. Even from here, it looks different from the surrounding areas. As we drew closer, the spiral structures became less. Replaced with perfect circular pits in the Earth. Deep, almost bottomless pits with a black abyss staring back. Shaw swings around the massive holes. The ground below us seems stable. They were everywhere. ‘My gut tells me we don’t want to know what’s down there.’

 

“Let’s not be around these pits at night,” I stated.

 

No one said anything, and I was beginning to doubt what we would do about this. Charlotte and Georgia look very uncomfortable. We must be getting close to the place they talked about. Saoirse pointed to a structure up ahead. The only unique spiral out of everything I’ve seen so far. I pull out my binoculars. From my observations, this place was five times bigger than anything else. A castle of some sort with many buildings around it. This was a city. Unlike the sanctuary, this was a massive city. The central building towered over the landscape. I counted at least five independent spires connected to the central spiral, like towers in a castle. The curtain wall obscured the ground levels of the city. This was a tiered city. The closer we got; the pits merged into one enormous chasm. The path ahead narrows to the size of a major six-lane highway. At the end of this land bridge was our destination. Shaw stops the Humvee a reasonable distance away from the gigantic gate. Something was being kept inside. It broke out here.