The Outskirts: The Sky Raiders (Jace x OC)

Part 42 *

I emerged from the metal tunnel cautiously.
Despite Amanda's assurances, it seemed ridiculous that anything would be fooled by us wearing a plastic skeleton mask and our regular clothes. Ready to dash back to the tube, I advanced cautiously, Jumping Sword in hand.
The tunnel had deposited me on ground level at the edge of the elaborate playground. Skeletons wandered around at random. No horns blew.
The organization they had shown when converging earlier was gone. One skeleton wearing a shabby monk's robe came near enough for me to reach out and touch it. I held still, trying to look more casual than I felt. The skeleton walked right past me.
Mira, Jace, and Twitch, and Cole joined me.
Behind us, Amanda watched from the tunnel, a mask covering her face as well. After they had filled up on hot buttered popcorn and cool lemonade, she had assured them that they could do whatever they wanted, including talk, as long as they kept the masks on.
Mango swooped down and landed on Mira's shoulder.
The cockatiel pecked gently at one of her hairpins. "Don't tell me those masks actually work!" the bird squawked.
"Looks that way," Mira whispered. "We should be able to stroll out of here."
I kept watching the skeletons. Mira's conversation with Mango didn't seem to attract any notice.
"I told Bertram to wait for us past the edge of Brady's Wilderness," Mira said. "Think you could guide us to him?"
"The road winds a lot," Mango said. "If you use your renderings, I might be able to help you catch him before he gets there."
Mira turned to Cole. "What do you think?"
"We don't want to be too conspicuous. It would be bad if moving fast made our masks come off." He said.
"Let's stay on the ground unless we need to dodge a random dinosaur," Twitch said.
Amanda had warned that there was still the chance of getting in the way of a large monster through bad luck. Sometimes skeletons got squished by accident.
"Fine with me" Jace said. "I still can't believe we might survive this. I had every intention of getting away, but it would have been rough."
"We'll just walk," Mira said.
"I'll lead you," the bird said, flying forward.
I walked along, sword in hand, watching the skeletons ignore us. Some skeletons wore the remains of burial wrappings. Some wore filthy military uniforms.
Many wore nothing. Of those that wore nothing, some were more polished and in better repair than others. Most carried some sort of weapon.
The Shaper's Flail followed along behind them, links clinking softly. The skeletons paid it no attention.
We passed many wonders. A three-level carousel rotated to calliope music, ornate statues of horses pumping up and down on their brass poles. A herd of massive Brachiosaurs waded through swampy terrain, tearing long strands of string cheese off white trees. A banana split the height of an office building threw long shadows as chocolate syrup and caramel seeped down creamy slopes.
I didn't feel like talking. Neither did the others, apparently. They just followed Mango and tried to stay out of the paths of the aimless skeletons.
Jace walked next to me, our shoulders occasionally bumping. Honestly, it helped. I didn't feel so alone.
The cockatiel us them well. The only monsters we encountered were skeletons, which roamed in such ridiculous numbers that they were unavoidable. Plastic dinosaurs could occasionally be seen in the distance. I glimpsed far-off flying creatures a couple of times, and once I saw some shambling mounds moving across a remote field. Otherwise the long march was uneventful.
Late in the day, I tore a piece from a glazed doughnut that was larger than a tractor tire.
The others claimed handfuls as well, carefully eating the morsels under their masks.
None of the skeletons showed interest.
As the sun sank, we reconnected with a path and shortly came upon the autocoach, waiting just off the path near a stream. Mask still in place, Mira led the way inside. Cole found his bow where he had left it.
"You kids shouldn't wander off like that," Bertram scolded warmly. "We have places to go.
Still bound for Middlebranch?"
"Yes," Mira said.
"We'll arrive late tomorrow morning," Bertram said. "Off we go."
The autocoach started rolling forward. We took off our masks.
I was exhausted. I could feel my eyelids starting to droop, so I leaned against Jace and promptly fell asleep.