Just Common

The Tellin

  So we had that Buffalo steak, few fried tatters an some cornbread. That was our meal, little whisky after. Mike, talked a little about himself. He came from Ohio's, City of Himyar, ta be exact. Where he was, made a Keeper, he trained with his Ma on the basics of N.O. One, or No One as Mike sometimes puts it. Befer I go any further on what Mike told me, let's get a few thins, straight those a ya that don't knows bouts Lectricity.

Ya see, Folks, lectricity is what made those thins light up, ta see by, an worked that door. How that all works, well I am not certain, so I can not explain it. Just know some places, have pumps fer water that works, off what they call solar or the sun folks. Like I said, do not know the hows and whys of it. Just Rangers are told about this durin trainin. Guess a lot us Rangers stumble on thins like that.

Some may think, I am just makin a tall tale on this. Folks, I gots no imagination at all. Why would I tell ya bout lectricty ifin I made it up, don't ya think I'd be able ta tell how it worked! Ifin I did make it up! Nough on that, hell now I gots myself all worked up! Lost my darn train a thought! Oh yeah!

What Mike was a tellin me, folks Mike was married at one time, well, she passed on he does have a daughter. Mike tell me she in Himyar, learnin about, this N.O. One thin. Don't know yet what that is. He ain't gots that far. She is due back here, might soon. He figures not more than a week, the Keepers sent word on that.

So far, what I know this place had some real smart people workin here, seems they all worked ta keep this No One thin down an out. Fer ya ta know, I will give ya touch a background on this, Mike told me this first off. Warnin first! This ain't no Tall Tale! This is Mikes words, as he put it, in its simplest way.

This N.O. One, is some kinda supercomputer, a machine, that can think on its own! Folks, a machine that can think! We are not talkin a windmill or watermill! Lan sakes, this machine could think an do! Best way Mike, put it, why it could sew the most intricate thins on clothe or it could cut wood or steel patterns. Folks this N.O. One could stitch up a person's wound!

Folks, the old ones, I mean the old ones from my childhood. Knew of these thins, till the Lands say it was wrong ta know this. They only talked of it, as thins told thum, year's ago. Lan sakes, thousand year ago if not more! We done thins that seem like magic.

Mike, say this really started, early 2000 I still don't quite understand the date thin. He say it was around befer then. Just they got smarter better by then. Mike say by 2040, most jobs were replaced by thins like this N.O. One, what did we do? We had ta purchase a machine ta work fer us! That person paid on time fer this machine, plus a maintenance fee. What was left over, the company paid you.

Only, jobs left were service jobs, waiter sales clerk. Thins that we had ta talk ta. Seems we didn't much care, fer social interaction with a machine. Of course, peoples wages dropped, but the cost went up. Greed folks, companies could produce more, the machine only needed, to shut down fer maintenance. It don't need rest, or food. The owner not the company paid fer maintenance an upgrades. Least ways, that is what Mike say.

Do I believe him? Yes, fer the simple fact he showed me pictures, these weren't drawins folks.
Don't know what they was, they had color they was people an these thins, Mike called it the simplest term would be Robot or maybe Android. They looked like us, but different, no skin just a steel skeleton. Best way ta put it. Folks my mind was just scattered, who would a known?

Mike, say we best take a break, I agreed my mind was awash with wonder, fer lack of a better word.
Maybe some fear also. Mike say think we need some fresh air, that horse a yars needs some. Then he say after, move that horse ta the stable. Stay a spell, Common this old man like some company fer while. Folks, few days won't hurt nothin, might just hear more on what he has ta say.

As we walked what must been twenty minutes, could a been, touch longer. We came ta an elevator, those a ya, ain't seen one. They lift heavy thins up or down, works with weight an counter weight, few gears ta move slowly. Or ya have a pulley an crank system. This one why it worked by lectric motor an weights on cables.

We stopped by the stable ta get Mike's two horses.
My gut felt like it dropped, when we started our way up. I asks Mike how far down are we, felt like I walked at least 60 maybe 70 feet down that ramp.
Mike say ya might close, near 80 feet.

Folks that blame thin stopped, I got just a might worried. Mike say, no worry, it stops just befer the top. It takes a few seconds fer the doors ta open.
What felt like hours, just few minutes though, after thinkin on it. The doors opened, they was a ramp that led ta the outside.

Mike say that, must been a critter outside the doors, they won't open till it's clear. The sun just lit the ramp up, the sun had moved a good two hours west. My didn't feel like no two hours, had passed.
Mike asks how are the Lands? They been more Border Wars an such? The horses took ta eatin we sat in the shade of the doors.

I say, the Lands, well they ain't changed much in a long time. The Borders are still the same from ten maybe 12 year ago. I say of course, ya know depends on those Nobles as what a happen. Ifin they get greedy an want more land. Folks still break the law an such. Far as I know, most Lands still elect they Nobles. I haven't been back ta York in some time ta vote. Thinkin on joinin the Virginia Rangers, spend more time in Virginia an Carolina.

I asks, Mike ya all alone down in that place? Mike smiled say, fer the most part. They is a couple families, that keep the power goin an help fix thins. This underground is huge, Common those two families are a  good days walk away.

Then he adds, once a month someone, rides the train from the power station ta here. Just ta keep it workin. That is only fer emergencies. Last time they came, they stayed about two hours ta visit. We don't see much of each other, can't have us all trapped in the same location.

Then he say, Common ya got lucky an found, one the few doors, that open. They is only 30 out of about 200, that we keep workin. I tell him they is a tube, that has it's  cover bouts half off, near that door I came in. He say, couldn't get in that way, air supply shaft. That has filters an such, after getting down about 100 foot, couldn't get any further.

He say near dark, best head back down. I come up Bouts this time every day. To see the world maybe hunt some. Let the horses walk, Common it's about a two day ride ta the nearest town. Most folks don't come out this way. Plus I avoid thum, don't Need people findin this place. I say found it by dumb luck is all. He say, figured Norm may told ya Bouts it. Nope I say, sure didn't.

Folks, I promised a map of the Wasteland. So I. Gots one all drawn up. Don't mind the bad artistic work.

Well folks, ya see the Wasteland is large. Hardpack is like solid stone, that is red to black in color some tan in it. Loose pebbles are all about. The Dunes are black sand, deep over a knee deep in some places. Confoundin an sickness, compass won't stay fixed it a spin like mad, person even a horse can get ill, stomach an head feels like it is drunk off bad corn whisky. Some roam off an die, others may pass out, an die of thirst or hunger. Most that live near it aren't affected. Strange place that is, ain't been don't want ta either. Well folks might long in the wind here. Guess we best end here a spell, till next time.