We Are Humans

Chapter 6 The Hunted

Zaine, bandaged and worn, continues down the bushy path leading the others to a destroyed city from the past, flooded with rubble and debris, dreadfully lonely skyscrapers soaring high above them, shielding the light from the sun as it begins to set and shadows begin to crawl across the floor, as they expanded, depriving the area of light. Fe and Cu amazed by the tall structures that surrounded them, continue to follow Zaine with their metallic heads tilted to the sky, examining the buildings and scenery.

Zaine: "It'll be dark soon and we're only halfway there, we should rest here and wait out the night."

Fe: "Agreed, it wouldn't be safe for Axel to travel in the cold night."

Zaine: "That's not the reason, scavengers lurk the streets in hordes at night, so plenty more than the three that followed you this morning. And with an incoming search party from that Primor-whatever, it's best not to be on the move during the night in case they locate us. If we are found it would be easy to split us up in the dark, instead, we should hide among a hard to search area such as this one."

Cu: "But if we're located, a ' hard-to-search ' area wouldn't matter, they can just scan for all metallic beings and sniff us out."

Zaine: "Not when I have a scrambler, they won't be able to scan shit. So they would be forced to search for us the old fashioned way"

Cu: "Oh, impressive but..."

Zaine: "Just shut up, we'll be fine. We should get to high ground so we can see whatever approaches us. So let's make our way to the top of one of these buildings."

Fe: "Do you have more of that animal's milk you gave Axel earlier? It has been approximately 4 hours since he last ate."

Zaine: "yeah but I didn't get it for a damn baby, how do you know he's even hungry, doesn't seem bothered to me"

Axel immediately burst into tears,

Zaine: "Seriously?"

Zaine sighs and reaches into his backpack for a bottle of cow's milk.

Zaine: "Give me, let me feed him this time, this lil sucker isn't drinking more than he needs of my milk!"

R3D: "Breeeeee Ooooooooooop!"

Zaine: " What? It's my milk! Don't judge me!"

Fe giggles as she hands Axel over to Zaine

Zaine: "You know I find it strange that a bot can find something to be funny and react to that. But enough chatter, let's get going. We'll head into the building on the right couple blocks down since it's one of the tallest and has a vantage point to see any incoming machines from all directions"

They all walk around and climb large chunks of rumble as they make their way to the building, eventually arriving at its entrance. Broken windows, vine-infested floors, and an old and clearly stiff revolving door. Zaine approaches the stiff door and nudges it with his shoulder, realizing that the door is glued in place to the floor from the vines and rust.

Zaine: "Fe and Cu come and push this door open since I'm holding Axel"

Cu walks up to the old door and begins to push, barely nudging the door slightly forward.

Zaine: "Aren't you guys at least strong? Geez pathetic"

R3D: "Breeeee Oooop!"

Zaine: "Because I'm holding the child R3D, and maybe you should have some manners too."

R3D: "brreeee oooop"

Fe: "Let me try Cu"

Fe steps to the door and looks down to the vines that are clasped to the frame of the door. She reaches down and pulls the vines up, uprooting the large vines and releasing tons of crawling insects and worms.