Chapter 2

Light shone past the thick, healthy branches, casting long, shadowy fingers out towards the ancient ruins. What was left stood in despair, hidden by the dense forest from anyone and anything which was new to this planet. It was a surprise that Penny had found it in the first place. The columns keeping canopies made of thick stone up were only thing that stood without a crack, with just moss spiralling them like everything else.

As the sun was behind the village now, only just about peeking over the top, the buildings stood like silhouettes, haunting and foreboding. The heat had created a strange illusion in their eyes, making it seem like they were looking through water. Wavy, rays of sun struck down on every exposed bit of stone, sizzling it till it burned almost red with heat.

"See. What did I tell you? How could anyone live here, it simply looks dreadful," Penny said.

"It appears you're right. Can we please leave now?" Dr Smith asked, cowering behind the robot.

"Dr Smith we can't leave," Will turned to the good doctor.

"Why not? Penny has proved her point, and there's nothing much to see here," he protested, but the two young adults were already walking towards the town.

"Come on, Dr Smith," Robot ordered, his claw hand grasping his arm and pulling him along.

"Let go of me, you bubbleheaded boobie! You Ninny! You tinplated fraud!" he yelled angrily, and the two young adults couldn't help but give a silent snicker.

"Come on Robot, you can come with me. Dr Smith can go with Will," Penny turned to the pair, who were still bickering.

"Finally, a child who has some sense," Dr Smith walked over to Will.

"Good riddance," Robot commented, his head bobbing twice again as he rolled over to Penny.

The street was the skeleton of it's original condition, flesh stripped from it long before the Robinsons had arrived, and possibly long before the Robinsons had even left Earth. Weeds grew and strived from the cracks in the strange, stone roads. Buildings were scattered here and there, with only their stone structure remaining. No glass, no doors, nothing. Just stone and an abundance of moss.

There was one which stood out from the rest, mainly because of it's size, but also because of its shape. It looked like a keep, like the ones she'd seen in History about Normans and such. To be honest, Penny hadn't really remembered anything like that, as it wasn't as important anymore. No one really wanted to learn about the past anymore, only about the future.

"My sensors can detect an alien lifeform coming from that concretion structure," Robot called out suddenly.

"Oh Robot, don't be ridiculous. This place must be hundreds of years old, no one will be living here now. Come on, let's go inside," Penny pleaded, taking Robot's claw hand and guiding him.

"I do not think that this is the best idea, Dr Smith was right. We should leave," Robot protested, stopping in his tracks.

"Fine, then I shall go in myself. There is nothing to worry about, and if I find anything I'll tell you," Penny sighed with frustration.

Most of the ceiling to the upper layer of the building hung limply in the stagnant air. Morsels of plaster lay crippled up on the long untrodden floor. The floor itself creaked under her weight, and she was afraid of walking any further at the risk of her life. But she did, and boy, did she begin to regret it…

A blue light, faintly flickering from a nearby room, fought away the daunting shadows. Interested by this sudden discovery, Penny carefully strode forward, wincing at every creak. But nothing happened… She reached the room, peeking through the already, partly opened door. There was something there, and Penny wanted to know what. She ignored Robot, who decided to follow her after all, and walked inside…