Village of steel

Chapter One

Chapter One: Arrival

When the transition happened I had been outside the house warming over a log fire to keep the December winter chill away. It is my belief that having seen the transition happening directly had staved off the diminishing of my consciousness. The transitions itself had been rather instant so there had been little to really notice except for the fact that there was a thicker and larger forest where there had previously been none and a mountain range off in the distance where yet again there had been none. There had been a strange tingling sensation, as if I had numbed my entire body and it was just waking. Though the sensation did not last long, it left an impression of a static field around me, though with time it too dissipated.

Inside the house everyone who had attended the new year's party was laid out on the ground or on the chairs they had been sitting on completely unconscious. The party had been held in the three car garage, without the cars it was a perfect party space, one that could be easily cleaned up and less things could be broken. I proceeded to move those who had fallen on the cold concrete floor of the garage to inside the house where at least the carpeted flooring was considerably warmer.

After making sure no one was left in uncomfortable positions where they might wake with sore muscles or a cold I moved on to study my surroundings.

It seemed that a circular space with a two hundred yard radius had been transferred over to wherever here was. This space included the cars within it. I rushed over to my own truck, while I got it cheap thanks to the people my father knows I still bought it with my own money.From it I procured two items, a machete and a sword. The machete had a scabbard that allowed me to sheath it on my waist by my belt but the two hand and a half bastard sword I had to carry in hand. The machete was part of my camping gear I kept inside and the sword was a gift from one of my father's many clients who collected them. SInce I didn't own a gun I kept the sword in my truck in the stead of a bat.

With a lack of guns the blades would have to do.

Feeling a little more secure with some steel in hand I scanned again for clues, for anything that might tell me what was going on. I circled the edge of the house looking around for something, anything. When it was clear that everything inside the circle was as it should have been I moved on to getting some gear to explore away from the house.

I took three cans of white spray paint from my uncle's garage and some other supplies in a backpack acquired from my cousin's room before I started making my way deep into the forest marking trees in a way that would allow me to follow my own marks back to the house. The forest was thick with tall and wide trees blanketed by fallen leaves and foliage that thrived in the light deprived forest floor.

After an hour of hiking the forest I had discovered two things, a predator and a river with a strong current. Caught between the rushing water and what appeared to be some sort of feline boar that was three feet high, six feet long from head to rear, and bulky like a bull, I decided to take my chances with the bull boar slash cat thing.

It had suddenly appeared behind me as I observed the water studying it for fish and deciding whether it could serve as a source of clean water. It had made almost no sound in its steps but it snarled to announce its presence. The creature was cautious in its approach, pacing in front of me, clearly it did not know what to make of me. Was I prey? Maybe a rival predator? While It made up its mind I decided to divest myself of the gear that would weigh me down.

As it still made no movement towards me I slowly drew my machete and switched it over to my dominant hand as I slid the scabbard off the sword and weilded it with my right. If it charged it wouldn't know how to approach me giving me a small sliver of hope that I could at least surprise it and convince it I was not worth taking down.

It suddenly stopped, this was it, it had made up its mind.

It charged with a growling snort.

The adrenaline in my body started to kick in, even before this beast I remained calm of mind even as my body prepared for the fight of its life. When the animal reached a distance too close to dodge I threw the machete like a spear at its eyes. This action twisted my body forward, I used this momentum for my second move.

This feline boar lost sight for just an instant as it closed its eyes and used its skull and thick fur to brush off the thrown blade. In that instant it lost its chance to react to what I did next, using my already existing forward momentum I lunged further forward using both hands on the hilt of my sword to thrust with all my might. The blade sunk into the neck of the beast between the shoulder bone and its neck muscles entering deep into its chest cavity.

It's momentum overtook mine and we both fell back, the creature reacted more out of pain as we tumbled allowing me to keep it from clawing at me. With the lethal blow dealt it would be my job now to survive the next few moments long enough for it to succumb.

That moment did not come, at least not from my hands. The struggle had driven us to a six foot fall off that would drop us into the middle of the raging river. With its final struggles the beast flung both of us over the edge before I could redirect its struggles.

I held onto the sword, unwilling to lose it to the beast.

The animal died within the water but still I held on, taking breath whenever my head surfaced waiting for the moment of opportunity that would allow my escape. The rapids eventually led to a shallower portion, though the strength of the river did not diminish, my footing was sure enough to dig into the river bed and brace against its power. The march as slow going as I dragged both myself and the carcass to the river's edge and its rocky sandy shore.

"Woo!" I laughed as I recovered my breath. "That was a close call!"

My muscles ached and I was far too exhausted to move, there was no telling how long I had been inside the river but it had been a good long while. Enough time had passed that I could still feel the burn with every twitch of my body. After a time though I breathed deeply and talked myself up, there was work to get done and a long walk to take.

Using the laces of my shoes I hung the cat pig from a sturdy branch from its back legs, my wet and useless headphones were cut into two strands and used to replace my shoe laces. I always carried a box cutter in my pocket due to the work I did with my dad. Using that small blade I skinned and gutted the animal using the sword to open the ribcage and lop off the head.

The guts I buried along with the head and skin.

The gash created by the blade of my sword unbalanced the pork I now carried on my back making my walk awkward as I lugged the meat using the laces to carry it. The weight of the pig was going to tire me out, but there was no way I was about to leave this kill behind. Following the river back I could only hope that my markings were visible enough from the river's edge. Thankfully I had emerged on the right side of the river and would not have to cross it.