Chapter 3: Party at the End of the World

(Tuesday, March 6th, 2018 - Countryside near Villedor, Romania, The Balkans, Europe - 6:14pm...)

Well... Spike wasn't kidding when he mentioned that we didn't have to walk too far because sure enough, the two of us spotted a large, abandoned villa standing proudly behind a tall metal gate that was covered in a sheet of ice. Now, the Pilgrims' Outpost in general? I'm going to be honest, I think the snow and the icicles made it look rather pretty. One also can't help but wonder how it would look at dusk? Hmph, might as well add that to my list of things to imagine. Other than that, I couldn't see much else apart from a straight path leading to the house's double-doors and numerous wooden tables, chairs, benches and a...is that a barbecue grill?!

Wow! I mean—! Yeah, I can see the appeal behind this place. Not bad! Sucks that the grill's frozen solid, though.

"Somebody had a nice crib," Spike unknowingly echoed my thoughts as we approached the front gate.

"Yeah," I agreed in a curious manner. "Who do you think owned this place?"

"My guess?" My acquaintance pondered aloud. "A bunch of rich people," Oh? "Because, uh, when I walked past it earlier, I saw that the back had been spruced up for one of their parties,"

"Ah right," I murmured with a brief but excited smile, whilst he was busy pulling the gate back in order to find some space for us to get by. "Should we expect any other Pilgrims to show up here?" Cue a brief flash of anxiety. If so, can they be trusted?

"Two," He confirmed my suspicions. "And hopefully she's still keeping his *ss in check, considering how easily their tempers flare up," That doesn't help, Spike. Can they be trusted?! "Anyway," Cue him to weave his way through the gap. "Don't worry about that too much," Arrgh! Cryptic as ever.

Holding back a small sigh of annoyance, I tagged along behind him and it was off down the straight path we went ... until we both reached the double-doors, which were unsurprisingly locked from the inside - much to Spike's indifference. "Damn it, locked," He growled. "Alright, I'll try to get through here. You check the other side and take anything we could use,"

"Sure," I responded as I turned a right to head around back ... moments before a new voice suddenly spoke out with slight mirth. "Who goes there?" Oh no! Nononono!

Within seconds, I froze in my tracks and found myself looking up at a man who was leaning forward with his leg propped up on the roof's raised lip. Okay, two questions. Who are you? And why are you here? It didn't help that he had a crossbow resting on his shoulder in a lazy grasp on its' stock. Sure, the business end was pointed skywards but—! But my gut feeling told me that any moment now, he could point it at us and open fire...!

With that in mind, my eyes narrowed as my hand grazed my hatchet's hilt. "We could ask you the same question," Aiden, don't let your voice falter! Don't tell them you're scared!

"Aiden—" Spike grabbed my wrist.

After shrugging his grip off, I turned to face our new acquaintance and raised my voice in order for him to hear what I was saying. "Who are you?" A split second of silence. "Are you a Pilgrim?" What do you think, smart guy? Because I'm pretty sure the answer's yes. I mean, who else would wield a crossbow like that?!

From what I could notice, the guy in question appeared to have seen better days. Looked like he was in his thirties, maybe 35 or 36. American. Dark hair, stubble and blue eyes. Clad in a brown but rugged collared jacket, a blue plaid shirt with a grey t-shirt underneath, dark denim jeans and a pair of black ankle lace-up boots. Wore a dark olive glove on his right hand which was accompanied by a black digital watch snapped around his wrist. It also wasn't hard to miss the silver ring on his left ring finger. Hm? So, this guy's married? That's something you don't see every day in this world.

Whether or not our acquaintance was interested in answering my question, that was a different matter. "I said, who goes there?" He prompted loudly. "Friend or—" As if on cue, a pebble bounced against his skull. "Ow!" And sailed off the side, landing near where Spike and I were standing. What is happening right now?! "The hell was that for, Jade?!" He groaned as he rubbed the back of his head. "You know how many hours I was rehearsing that, right?!"

"Yeah," A Turkish woman scoffed amusedly, as she walked up next to him. "Just be glad Libby and Rahim aren't here to make fun of you," Wait, what?! What did you just say?!

At this point, I could have sworn that my surroundings had slammed to a halt. For a split second, I could hear my heart thumping with a brief surge of hopeful excitement fighting my earlier anxiety - so much so that I briefly remembered cold hospital corridors and the bubbly, warm smile of a little girl holding my hand. Brown hair tied back in a ponytail with bangs framing her freckles. A pink hoodie, a lilac shirt, a pair of blue denim jeans and velcro sneakers. Are you talking about—?! I instantly began resisting the urge to scowl in defeat. No! No! Aiden, don't get your hopes up again. It could just be another girl who has the same name.

Little did I know...

"Hello Spike," The woman, Jade, greeted our mutual friend. Oh! I get what he was saying now. "Please excuse Kyle's idiotic sense of humour," The man next to her shot a mock-offended glare. "Because he wants to know what took you so long,"

"Met up with a friend," Spike replied in a pleased manner, gesturing towards me. "This is Aiden. Good kid," He then shot me a worried look before mouthing: "You can trust them," Are you sure?

Hearing this, she smiled. "And here I was thinking that you might need a lift next time," Cue her to give me a courteous nod which I found myself returning, despite the twinge of alarm against the back of my neck. Ooooor maybe that's just the weather playing tricks on you. Who knows?

In any case, Jade appeared to have seen better days too. She looked like she was also in her thirties, younger than Kyle. Long, black hair tied back in a ponytail that was accompanied by a couple of dreads. Dark eyes. Clad in a beige collared jacket, light burgundy button-up shirt with a brown t-shirt underneath, denim pants and black ankle lace-up boots. She also wore what I assumed was a Turkish necklace around her neck and plus, there was the silver and blue evil eye ring slotted on her right ring finger. Regarding weapons, I could just about see what looked like a revolver and... is that a meat cleaver? Both in a grey holster that had been strapped to her right thigh.

Okay, so... Kyle and Jade? How do you know these people, Spike?

"Naaah," My aforementioned friend said. "Wheels are still good," He then addressed Kyle with a playful "And come to think of it, I'm gonna wait for this weather to go before I smoke your *ss in a fair race, man," Car race, I'm assuming? "What do you say?"

Cue Jade to fold her arms and turn her head to glance at a grinning Kyle who responded: "I think that's a bold dream of yours', Spike. Keep hanging onto it. Now head around back, we left the garage door open for you,"

Once they stepped out of sight, I was left blinking three times to snap myself out of my thoughts. What just happened?!

"You need a minute?"

I scoffed. "No,"

"Hmph, suit yourself," Spike smirked whilst he turned a right and walked off...

Leaving me no choice but to follow.