Findings

Chapitre 1

Yet, that day, Pieck had sincerely thought the getaway Porco had scheduled would be a loss of time, hence her dragging feet while they were approaching the abandoned barracks of Cayez.

It was a sunny, warm day, a slight breeze was blowing through the tops of the pines which circled and isolated the barracks, and nothing else than those swishing, the lapping from a next-to-be-seen watering place and the birdsongs were to be heard, except, from time to time, some muffled rumble produced by a plane which had taken off from the airport 10km away and was flying over their head, far, far away above them. On the other side of the cracked training pitch sprinkled by tufts and grass she had just reached, with lovely but short-lived surprise Pieck caught sight of a scared deer that quickly fled and disappeared in the woods. A mere glance at the frontages of the abandoned buildings confirmed her she would not find her grail here. There were more ivies than graffitis, and she would get away with no more than the usual shots of nature reasserting itself and so on.

And, to be fair, nature was taking its time there. Pieck, Porco and Reiner had started urbex two years ago and, talking about abandoned places where greenery and animal life had taken power back, she had seen far more impressive examples. Old half-timbered houses where ivy had harmoniously invaded the framework, rafters that had turned into a sanctuary for dozen tit's nests, a mill literally stabbed by an oak that had gone through the roof, even a church where they had found a statue of a saint that hid a beehive, they had wandered such beautiful places where time had done its work, that in comparison, those barracks, its asphalt covered pitch and concrete-made buildings did not seem to promise anything particularly interesting. The barracks seemed to have been abandoned something like fifteen years ago, that was definitely not enough for these kinds of solid constructions where vegetation had more work to do only to go through the thick layer of tarmac and where gutters just slowed down water ingress. And, they were at a military place, so there was not even some decoration, some architectural creativity, some of those fragile and delicate touches of style that disappeared first under rain and could, from time to time, give enough content to an artistic point of view.

Then they would have to search more in details, but Pieck knew what it meant: opening some empty cupboards, finding some boring papers that had belonged to an accountant or so, additionally in an old military complex, which meant she could at best expect, to take an instance, some barbaric posters about discipline and blind faith in the country's fate, etc...

While Pieck was just sweeping the place with a disappointed pout, next to her, it was Porco's turn to get out from the woods.

- Here we are! he exulted, and behind him, some excited voices rose.

- Finally?! Gabi screamed, and she was the first to jump from the woods, quickly followed by Falco and Udo, both slowed down by their heavy backpacks, and Zofia, and the four of them ran toward the buildings.

- Yeah, exploration time! Udo shouted, not even tired after one hour walking across the dense woods.

- Let's find some ghosts to scare the hell out of Falco! Gabi told again.

-Hey?! Me?! I don't believe in ghosts, Gabi! Falco nervously answered.

Pieck adjusted her own camera backpack and walked behind them.

- Remember, don't get inside without us, we need to inspect the state of the buildings first! she yelled at them, and then glanced at Porco who followed her while stretching his selfie stick out. Guess discretion won't be our watchword today...

- Don't worry, Pieck, he answered. I checked and no caretaker here to escape from. This place's totally desert since military service ended.

That only meant the last brigade left only eleven years ago, Pieck mentally objected. They had already run away from janitors taking care of places abandoned for far much longer.