Chapter 2
It's been 3 years since massive earthquakes hit simultaneously all around the world. Lasting hours as the Earth devoured itself. Major cities have been reduced to nothing but rubble. Parts of the world taken away by the oceans. Valleys where mountains once stood. Mountains where valleys once were. The world had changed, as if it were a rubix cube, and someone had mixed everything up. The lucky ones, were the ones in the air when it happened. And that was just the first day.
Those fortunate enough to live through the apocalypse were not.. Since then, creatures began emerging. Things spawned from nightmares, things that I have seen myself, others I heard from wanderers like me. Stories of undead haunting ruined cities, werewolves in the deep forest. Giant spiders with face of Death. Sentient and sometimes man eating plants. Ghost who openly taunt the living. And if you were really unlucky, the bones of the dead would sprout up from cursed ground at night.
Needless to say, people were forced to flee into the wilderness, and face the horrors of the wild. Safer to travel by day, but treading lightly is always sound advice, you never know when you will run into a evil plants. Water sources had to be treated with caution, lest you find something other than fish.
Months have passed. Desserts and swamps have traded spaces. The forest were now the ones you heard from fairy tales made real, bringing both blessings and horrors, meant only for the brave, strong and clever. And the vegetation only seemed to be growing larger everyday, reclaiming what was taken.
After the first year it seemed hopeless, billions were lost, meeting people became rare encounters. Wanderers would share advice, maps, and trade by the campfire. Safety in numbers, especially at dusk. People would leave just as easily leave as they came once the sun would rise.
By the second year, groups who became tired of wandering tried their best at building settlements. Some were successful, others not so fortunate. Most settlements keep to their group and are reluctant to welcome Wanderers. Others welcomed them as valiant and brave guests, willing to trade and learn of their travels.
As settlements grew so did their need for the people. Hunting and gathering was a high risk in the new world, and soon, those who kept wandering were seen as modern mercenaries. Those who heard their calling became merchants, others hunters.
That's what I am, more of a wanderer than a hunter really, but I was in desperate situation. So I deciced to help this ranch in exchange for supplies to survive. They were also desperate and offered a large reward for something as simple as exterminating boar. So I agreed.
As I walk this this forest I'm feeling a sense of regret. As my adrenaline fades I begin to feel my body ache. That strange pink light seemed to have healed some damage from the fight, but my head wound is still open, and I'm losing blood...
I hope I make it the ranch before I faint...
Left, right, left, just keep walking. Come on almost there, the forest is opening up. Found the tree I marked, good, not too far now. Feeling light headed...
Blacking out...
I sit up and find myself on a bed. Rancher is there to greet me, not really the person I want to see right now.
Pushing me back, forcing me to lay down.
"You were in a bad shape Wanderer. Fixed your head wound up best we could. Cleaned you up. had to throw away your shirt and pants though, ripped up pretty bad"
Look around, see my coat hanging, look under the blanket, body looks cleaned, feels embarrassing
"How long was I out?"
"A few hours after dusk. You got back just as the sun was setting, daughter spotted you just as you walked out of the forest and fell over"
Blacked out, don't remember walking out, good, my body kept going, head pounding
"She's not the one who washed me is she?"
"Nope, wife helped with that, it ain't nothing she's ever seen before, so don't worry."
Need to press
"Why didn't you tell me the whole truth?"
Stay calm, head hurting enough as it is, see what he has to say
"What did you see?"
Daughter walks in with a tray, looks to her dad. I smell meat. First time I see her, bit younger than I, red hair, pale skin, different skin tone from her parents, hair too, must have be adopted
"For the stranger. Mom made me bring it"
He nods, she brings the tray next to me, just the smell gets the my mouth watering. She walks out.
"Looks like you get to sample some of that chicken we'll give when the jobs done"
I sit up, forgot about the goat
"Jobs done, why didn't you give me the whole truth?"
"Didn't think you'd believe me or try if I told you how big they were"
Eyes looked honest enough, I grab the tray, guess he didn't know
"Did you cook that goat out there?"
Definitely didn't see the riders
"No, something else was out there, something new, they cooked it, boars were just it's ride."
His eyes open wide "People?"
"Didn't say that, it's something new, look human from distance"
take a bite of the chicken, a bit tough, juicy, I miss salt
"but they're tall, lanky, too strong for how skinny they are"
I try the sweet potatoes, hate sweet potatoes, but not these
"dark scaly skin, red glowing eyes, wore hoods, didnt see what they looked like under"
he looks pale, better reassure him
"There were only two, pretty dumb, slow, easy to kill, just surprised me"
point to the back of my head
"hence"
Finish off the potatoes, guess I like sweet potatoes nowl, makes me feel better
"Definitely new, they grunt, snarl. And that's not the crazy part"
Finish of the chicken
"They go off like a smoke bomb when when killed"
Doesn't know how to react, gets up, takes my plate and tray, out of the room, take the chance to scratch my scrotum, been bothering me for a while, walks back in with a bundle
"So I put up the goat to dry, figured jerky will help you out. New shirt and pants, coat seemed fine. Meet by the stables when you wake, for now, sleep."
Good advice, lay back and worry about it later, close my eyes...
End Chapter