From the void of space, a ship appears. . . with only one purpose-to wipe out all the inhabitants off the face of the planet.
Decades later, a young woman, Alecia, with her memory wiped, wakes up into a world she knows little about-except that it i...
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"Where did you come from?"
The settler led them up the hill entrapped by buildings built from various scraps.
"Well," Aven hesitated, "we've journeyed from the East, I guess."
"Oh, yes." The settler nodded. "I heard stories about the ruins of that city Eleanorah."
"Interesting," said Leah sarcastically. Aven turned to her; she ignored his stare as they followed the settler into the path headed in a large yard, surrounded by multitudinous buildings. In the middle, a group of settlers swarmed around a campfire, the flame flickering on.
"Here're some travelers!" announced the settler. When they reached the gathered group, some of the settlers turned to look at them, unreadable expressions on their faces; some appeared to be suspicious.
"Ah, yes, travelers," said a man among the group. "You know we don't let anyone in here, right?"
The man stood and faced the settler.
Leah chuckled and mumbled to Aven, "He's bald."
Aven hissed at her. "I'm trying to listen."
"What's this?" inquired the bald man when the settler handed him Aven's device. He examined it from top to bottom and twirled it around his fingers.
"It's your payment," Aven said.
"You know what," the bald man handed the device back to the settler and turned to them, "since you mentioned that, you can stay for the night. Follow me."
-
Bald Man led them to a dilapidated building, its door pried open.
"There you are."
He switched the lights on and stepped aside as Aven and Leah entered. It was almost empty and eerily secluded, save from the two beds-adjacent to one another-that stood against the cracked walls.
"You two have a nice night. I'll go get you something to drink."
Briskly, he exited the building and left them in silence, his heavy footsteps trailing behind. Leah squinted as darkness engulfed him, before striding towards the bed.
"What do you think?" She crossed her arms, eyebrows raised. "Should we be cautious?"
Aven leaned against the wall. "Don't worry. Even if they're a threat, I won't let them hurt you."
She chuckled. "You do care about me."
"That's not it!" Her brother scowled. "I need your help on our mission."
"No, I can see through your pride."
Aven smirked at his sister's remark.
Just then, a woman staggered through the doorway, holding a tray of two drinks, muttering 'hello'. Clad in a filthy, soiled clothing, she was as tired as the gloomy night and whistling wind and refused to make eye contact.
