The Long Dark- A Journey Through Frozen Hell

The Ones Before Us

Hours passed as Miho and Vaughn played a game of go fish, listening to the wind howl outside.

"That blizzard isn't going away soon." He said.

"I hope Yukari is okay." Miho said.

"I'm sure your friend is okay." He said.

"So what about Doctor Atwood? What do you know?" Vaughn asked.

"I don't know much, Yukari might know more. She was with Jace before we got separated."

"So supposedly it is shielded against electromagnetic radiation, so everything inside is alright, including electronics?"

"I think so. I'm not sure." Miho said.

Vaughn stayed quiet as he looked at his cards.

"Got any sevens?" Vaugh asked.

"Go fish." Miho replied.

Vaughn began to cough but managed to suppress it.

...

Yukari sat on the couch, bored out of her skull as she listened to the window shaking the small house.

Worry did creep in as she thought about Miho and Vaughn, hoping they'd get back in time.

Yukari did find a map in Vaughn's bedroom as she traced to where she thought the relay would be with the vague directions Jace gave. 15-20 clicks east.

...

About three days later, Miho and Vaughn opened the garage door and moved the sled outside.

Bodega sat in the blanket inside as Miho looked at him.

"Stay here with him. He should be fully healed by tonight, and then we move out. Look around sone more, find any supplies I might have missed." Vaughn said.

"Be safe, Mister Vaughn." Miho said.

Vaughn didn't reply as he looked at his dogs.

"Mush!" He ordered as they ran forward.

Miho watched as Vaughn's sled pulled down the ice road and out of sight.

She turned to Bodega, who was approaching her with a slight limp and leaned down, and petted him between the ears.

She turned her head and stared up at a faint red tower.

...

Vaughn scanned the area, looking around as the dogs pulled.

Eventually, he left Coastal Highway and into a heavily affected region called Desolation Point.

The mountains that once towered the region had collapsed along the road, forcing Vaughn to consider turning back.

Vaughn shook those thoughts out of his head, remembering what he was.

He didn't tell Miho, but he was a professional dog sledding champion. A former Ranger for the Canadian Rangers and a soldier in special forces for the Canadian Army. If anyone was qualified to find these people, it was him.

He took out his map, looking at it to see where he should go to avoid the debris and leave behind the sled.

After some time planning, he made his way through the snow, careful not to fall or lose balance.

He passed some destroyed shacks and wouldn't have paid much mind had he not seen the bodies.

He stopped the sled and looked at the bodies.

Even though they were frozen to the point ice covered every inch of them, they looked fresh, but it was too late. There was no chance to save them as Vaughn bowed his head.