Night Rock Cave

Chapter 1

"Isn't she beautiful?" Aner gushed. Lanar wasn't sure what to say to his friend. The she, he was referring to, was a 20-foot travel trailer. Its once pristine white exterior had long since succumbed to the ravages of time. A patch work of grime, rust, and faded paint. The tan and red stripes, which had surely been vibrant in their prime, were now barely discernible, blending seamlessly with the decay that enveloped the surface. Even the wheels looked defeated, deflated and worn, with frayed threads peeking out like whiskers on an old, weathered face.

Lanar ran a hand through his short auburn hair, as he cautiously approached the trailer. "I can't help but wonder if your judgment is askew,” he said, eyeing the precariously rusted stairs with trepidation.

Aner, ever the dramatic, clutched his chest and stumbled back a step or two. "What?" he exclaimed, feigning indignation before nonchalantly shoving his hands into his pockets and strolling over. "I know she’s a bit rough around the edges, but trust me, I’ve done my homework. With a bit of elbow grease, we can turn this old gal into a cozy home. It’s the best bang for our buck, considering our limited funds."

Lanar met his friend’s gaze with doubt, "You're serious?" Sure, Aner had the ability to fix things, but this? This was a whole new level of ambition. Lanar wasn’t convinced his friend had the time or energy to tackle such a massive project, especially with their new job looming on the horizon. "What about moving it or a place that will even let us 'park' it?" Lanar pressed, trying to ground Aner’s lofty plans with a dose of reality. If the outside looked this bad, he shuddered to think what horrors awaited them inside.

"Already ahead of you,” Aner grinned, unfazed by Lanar’s concerns. "I’ve found a spot that’s willing to rent us space to park this beauty.”

"Let me guess, a junkyard?"

"Ha, ha very funny.” Aner retorted, rolling his eyes. “No, it's a trailer park. They said as long as it isn't leaking hazards, they will rent us out a space."

"Well, I suppose that’s something,” Lanar conceded, still not entirely convinced, “But we don't have much time to get this thing set up."

"I know, I know,” Aner assured him, his enthusiasm unwavering. “I've got a pickup scheduled in two days. I'll get done as much as I can during that time."

"I suppose you are expecting my help. You also have stuff to start then, I assume." Lanar sighed.

Aner's face lit up with a broad grin. He spun on his heels and dashed toward their vehicle, calling back over his shoulder, "You won't regret this, I promise." Lanar, still eyeing the decrepit trailer with a mix of apprehension and resignation, wasn’t so sure about that. Shaking his head, he turned and trudged after his friend toward the car. The old sedan, a faded, dark red relic, had seen better days. Its paint was dull with a few chips here and there, its soft angles and boxy frame giving it a dated, yet endearing appearance. But despite its rough exterior, it ran like a champ, and in the end, that was all that mattered.

"This is a far cry from your usual projects,” Lanar remarked as he hefted a box from the trunk. “What’s your plan?”

"It's all about breaking it down into manageable chunks," Aner explained, his confidence unwavering. "I'll focus on the essentials first - the steps, the door, the ladder. If you can work on filling in the gaps on the outside, we can at least get it watertight."

"Alright," Lanar acquiesced, setting the box down in the overgrown grass that surrounded the trailer. He plucked a rod from the box, briefly considering the abundance of grass around them as a potential material. But no, the rods were far more efficient. Each one measured about 16 inches long and three-quarters of an inch in diameter, their varied colors a testament to the recycled materials from which they were forged. Lanar approached the trailer, pressing the end of the rod against the pockmarked wall.