(Rose)
We accepted the invitation of the man, who seed more childish in his surprise and joy at eting us than anything else.
Nightmare and I followed with a mix of caution and curiosity.
Blu and the egg stayed behind and surely hid sowhere clear.
– Holy shit... I can’t believe it. It’s been... Years! Since we last found soone alive.
R – It’s... Quite similar for us. And it’s nice that you speak English.
He spoke in Spanish as well, but none of us are fluent in that language. It’s odd to that my mother tongue survived on another land than my holand.
Nightmare entered a very predatory, cautious, fra of mind. She stood very silent and looking with an uneasy intensity at everything around us as we walked.
Although I’m less biased than her toward my kin, I also want to be warry. It’s not a land I know. But I know I can lean on my sister to insure our safety from nearly anything.
So I can probe more freely.
R – How many are you? Since the white day?
– The what? Oh... We were pretty much settled about a year after. We’re 50 people I think?
The man is in his thirties. He was a young man when the world changed.
– Where are you two from? Friends?
R – England. And she’s... my sister.
He almost stopped for a mont. He looked puzzled. Although so of our facial features are similar, and our height, that’s about it. Then we’re like night and day.
– Man... Europe? How did you co here? Why? How’s shit out-there?
R – We erh... We fled from monsters...
That doesn’t say a lot, but it seems to be enough. He looked grim.
I noticed he had so nasty scars over him. So of them remind of my first weeks in this world.
So others were not dissimilar to the scratches Nightmare got the other day from the monster she killed we notice quietly.
– Monsters... So they’re over there too...
R – Sa shit... Man.
Nightmare noticed my attempt to adapt my speech. Was it that bad?
Before we know it, we reach a road, rather clean, that cuts through the woods.
The man begins to jog away, inviting us to follow quite cheerfully. He genuinely is happy to see.
Nightmare is so tensed I think she forgot to breathe for a while.
R – Are you alright?
N – ... Nervous. Worried maybe...
R – I know. Humans, right?
N – We don’t have to go...
R – Any sign of danger, you’ll know what to do, right?
He’s waiting for us politely a little further while we chat.
Sothing dark reawakens inside Nightmare. I can almost see the shades of her forr self perating through.
If anything goes bad, she will be ready to kill everyone in a blink.
R – Let’s be careful alright? They may not an us any harm.
Nightmare didn’t say it, but I heard her words nonetheless.
That’s only because we look human...
And she may have a point.
Any new encounter is a cara obscura.
A bet on the future.
I want to see... What’s behind.
We want to see... Despite the fears.
We follow him toward his town.
~
We reach a kind of military camp.
We see marks of shells and bullets all over the ground of the clearing that surrounds the walls of this camp. They have cut the forest down over a hundred tres all around, and worked on the stumps so they wouldn’t grow back.
There are watch towers at each corner. It doesn’t look very welcoming or reassuring.
But we see people working outside these walls and the main gates being wide open, without ard guards.
Our young man ran ahead to tell everyone.
A few people co outside to welco us quite warmly, as we reach the worn out gates.
We see marks on the walls and fences that are clearly not man-made attacks. They have to defend themselves against beasts...
The n around us all look different from one another, and rather civilised. Even cheerful.
Their chief jogs with the young man to greet us as we enter the holy ground.
G – Welco to you ladies!
Nightmare is hiding behind . I think the crow makes her panic. I’m nervous too...
Though I can recall my manners, and my civilised charms.
I don’t try to speak yet words that would stay nervously stuck in my throat.
I clear my forehead, stand proud, and smile clearly. I salute and offer my hand to shake to the leading man as I then introduce myself.
I can see surprise in an interesting way in his reaction. He has an honest laugh and shakes my hand rrily.
He has a first na and a surna, but his people call him General. He laughs it off as he never was anything close to it and doesn’t wear anything military looking.
G – Let show you around! We can chat as we go. Rose and...
R – Night. My sister is... more of a wolf.
General seems to understand what I an and leaves her to hide behind in peace, even though she still holds nervously a spear in hand.
So of the n carry guns or rifles, but not everyone.
General and I chat about our origins and the situation in the world.
G – You’re Europeans! Gee! I didn’t think that would be possible. How is the old world doing out there?
R – I’ve never seen a city this lively this back there... It’s pretty much the sa otherwise, I think.
G – We’ll have ti to discuss all that if you’d like to stay, at your convenience. I’d love to hear.
He shows us farms, a hospital mostly empty at the mont but well equipped, garages, warehouses, hotels...
A real city. I almost can’t believe it.
Nightmare nudges to ask sothing.
I know sis, I noticed...
R – General... I noticed there are no won at all around...
He stopped. We looked at each other silently for a second or two. He looked cold and went another way, waving to follow him. He went to show us sothing behind another field.
As I could guess as we approached, it was a graveyard we entered silently.
He kneeled in front of one of the graves for a mont.
G – One after the other. We ca here for the hospital rapidly. It only beca worse as ti went on.
Won died one by one, in pregnancy, abruptly. All of them, without exception.
He stood up and looked at us, weary. He didn’t need to voice his painful question, I nodded negatively.
R – It’s the sa in Europe and middle East...
He looked in the distance, away from us, and pinched the top of his nose, probably trying not to cry.
~
As we returned to the more lively parts of town, his smile slowly returned.
G – I would guarantee your safety if you wish to stay. But I will understand if you feel uncomfortable in this environnt...
We brought him the saddest of news. But he wants to remain human, until the end.
Even Nightmare sohow seems touched by that humanity.
G – I would still love to hear about the old continent.
He says with the corner of a genuine smile. And I would like to hear about the world history of the last century in this part of the world.
After the tour is over, the man leaves us to drink our coffee in what is essentially the outdoor terrace of a restaurant.
The n look at us, sotis gawking, but they behave. So much and so well it feels strange.
Night’ spits the coffee out. First ti she tastes that horror. I drink and appreciate it for her.
N – That’s nasty.
R – Yeah, but I missed it...
We stay there for a little while, looking at the people going back and forth, making the city live its life.
R – How do you feel?
N – Shouldn’t you ask what we’ll do instead?
R – Don’t be like that... How do you feel?
Her spite of panic eases itself a little as I insist.
R – I’m with you...
N – Hm! I should be saying that...
R – ... So?
N – Ah... I’m confused, but fine. I guess we can stay a little while.
I hold her trembling hand and smile.
~
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