The Wilderness Within: A Fanfiction (Draft)

Chapter 29

Several days later we came to a fence with cement posts and barbed wire on top.

"These people know what they're doing," Kami said solemnly. I nodded in agreement.

"This must be the next settlement we've been looking for. It's right where Ivan said it was," I said, "But where's the gate?"

We wandered around the large Stronghold, looking for the gate, and saw lots of buildings inside. We also saw lots of people, and they noticed us too. By the time we finally found the front gate, a huge crowd had gathered.

A few guards stood apart from the rest. "Are you seeking asylum?" One shouted to us.

"Not for long," Kami called back. "We're mostly just passing through. Have you heard of a Deborah Emerson?"

The guards looked to each other, then nodded. They opened the gate to let us in.

"Thank you," I said to them as I slid off Barley's saddle.

We walked inside, holding on to the reins, asking through the crowd for Alex's Gran. Someone came along and offered to take the horses to the stables, which we agreed to.

Someone jumped out of the crowd. "My grandbabies!" Alex, Kami, and I were all trapped in a big hug.

"Gran!" Alex shouted, hugging her even tighter and squeezing the air out of Kami and I trapped inbetween. "You're okay!"

Gran smiled and let us go. "Of course I'm okay. I'm so glad to see you!" She planted a kiss on his forehead, and then on mine and Kami's too, to our surprise. Alex laughed, his eyes tearing up.

She led us around the Stronghold, chatting with us and giving us the grand tour. It was getting dark when she finished and sat us down in a heated mess hall.

"So how long are you staying?" she asked us.

I blinked. Alex frowned, "What do you mean, Gran?"

"I mean, you seem to have gotten pretty used to life outside any fence. And you clearly already have jobs for yourselves. You have to deliver that second letter sometime soon and I had friends around here that probably have letters to send out too. George has quite a job mapping out the new world. And Kami is becoming quite the trader. Not to mention you all can ride horses now. Just last summer you were telling me how terrified you were of those beasts."

Kami and I giggled. Alex gave us a good natured shove.

"Yeah, but I think we can stay for a few days. These two really need a shower."

"Hey!" Kami protested.

We feasted around friends in the mess hall, but soon I found myself outside, staring at the clear night sky. I reached for my pendant, glad to have found some peace in our new world.