Mankinds last Silhouette

Chapter 4: Inopinatum amicitiae part 2

Personal diary entry four: Holy Republic solstice Calander: 4/8/2062

"As we toddled in our caravan, people screamed and yelled, throwing their voices at us, overwhelming our senses. The cacophony of the crowd was a stark contrast to the haunting silence of the wastelands. The city's beauty, however, was captivating. Buildings of various heights stood proudly, adorned with windows that gleamed under the setting sun. The colors were vibrant, a stark red here, a calming blue there, and even some structures painted in a royal purple. I was reminded of my family's trip to Salt Lake City before the world turned to ashes. Back then, I marveled at the architectural splendor, and now, in this dystopian era, the city before me seemed like a relic of a forgotten time.

Living in the wastelands of Texas most of my life, I had almost forgotten what real structured buildings looked like. The crumbling ruins I had grown accustomed to were nothing like the intact, albeit weathered, buildings here. Yet, my reverie was short-lived. I was quickly snapped out of my daydreaming by the sight of my face plastered on every corner of the road we took. 'WANTED' posters, bearing a grim likeness of my own face, haunted me at every turn. A guard, flanked by titanium-laced androids, patrolled behind us as we cautiously made our way to our designated spot in the city, a large patch of land reserved for the circus.

The soldiers escorted us all the way, their eyes scanning for any sudden movements. The androids, however, intrigued me. They moved with a fluidity that seemed almost human, yet devoid of any visible commands from the soldiers. The last time I was imprisoned in El Paso, I overheard a rather unpleasant head science chief mention that they were decades away from achieving such seamless android automation. Clearly, someone had made a breakthrough, and I hoped it wasn't him.

When we arrived at our designated location, we created a circle with the caravans, tightening the fortification of the circus. The circus master's order to set up camp in this manner was puzzling. We had never done anything like this before, and it made me uneasy. Still, the sight of the circus members going about their tasks with practiced ease brought a sense of normalcy to the chaos around us."

Personal diary entry five: Holy Republic solstice Calander: 4/20/2062

"I had a close encounter with one of the grey knights of the holy church. These knights, with their ostentatious engravings on their armor, always liked to show off their status. The engravings on their chest plates were intricate, telling stories of battles won and foes vanquished. Their arrogance was palpable, and they relished in harassing the common folk, ensuring everyone remembered their place in this fractured society.

I was walking from a black market vendor, clutching a bag filled with antique replacement parts for the festival machine. It was in the back alley of a market shopping center, shrouded in darkness and silence, perfect for a quick kill. The air was thick with moisture, making my joints itch with every movement. The humidity made the knight's armor glisten, the colorful engravings flickering under the dim light. For a moment, our eyes locked, and the world seemed to stand still. The intensity of that moment was unparalleled, and trust me, I have seen a lot in my life.

The knight glanced at the wanted poster plastered on the wall three feet from him. My heart pounded in my chest as I subtly pressed my hand against the concealed hilt of my blade. Before I could make a move, he merely warned me about the notorious Anthony Verdun, a name that sent shivers down the spines of many. I took a shallow sigh of relief, making sure not to appear suspicious. We then walked our separate ways, each silently vowing to forget this encounter ever happened."

Personal diary entry six: Holy Republic solstice Calander: 7/10/2062

"I am really doing a bad job at keeping track of my journaling. It has been about three months since I wrote anything down, but a lot has happened. I was almost caught multiple times while trying to find Constant's father's office. It was worth dodging trigger-happy soldiers and death machines when I finally encountered the address Constants gave me. It made all the near-death experiences worth it.