(Octavian 28, 59 / 10:23PM)

Somewhere in the Pollux Savanna.

The clouds from above didn’t let the two full moons shine their light from above. Darkness stretched as far as the eye could see, and not even the high-beamed headlights of the brown van could plow through merely a hundred feet in front of them.

Barely seeing the tall yellow grass and long single trees arched at a 135-degree angle, Jack held the steering wheel with his left hand, as his right carried a simple can of Vampire. Shaking the nearly empty can, Jack purposely dropped the can right into the area of his feet, as a couple of cans were already singing and humming its metal song.

The van went over a simple road bump along the single-lane road, the jolt up caused none other than Luke to wake up.

(Luke) H-H-Huh?

His eyes burgers, wanting to close them shut, Luke looked toward Jack as if his eyes were barely open.

Sweat drenched his pale face, his body odor pungent to the core, Luke wasn’t the only one with an everlasting odor hanging around him. Sniffing two times, he wiped away a bit of snot and dried up blood with his right sleeve.

(Luke) How long was I out…?

(Jack) For about a good twelve hours man.

(Luke) Oh … did Hope heal me?

(Jack) She healed you first, then pretty much healed everyone else after. She’s knocked out cold in the back.

His bruises were gone and wept, Luke rotated his body so that he could open the little opening from the middle of the van. Sliding up the little window, he took a glance at everybody else who were all shutting their eyes off from the exhausting escape from the courthouse.

And right in between Benn and Miles, was Hope, leaning onto Benn’s right shoulder as a bit of drool started to creep down onto his jacket.

To the edge of the back van door was Luna, snoring loudly with her mouth wide open for any small creature to crawl into. Checking that the four geeks were also safe and sound, with their wounds healed as well, Luke let out a warm huff.

Closing the metallic sliding window, he checked the right rearview mirror, noticing a car right behind them.

(Luke) That looks like Boris’s car.

(Jack) Yeah. David and Boris are taking turns driving. They aren’t like me in terms of staying up late.

(Luke) That’s because both of them are old.

Now wide awake, Luke looked around his surroundings as the night sky was shrouded in a deafening color of black. The AC unit blowing onto their faces, Jack and Luke stared into the never-ending road. Both of them noticed a sign to the right of the road, the high beams of the headlights flashed out the green and white letters.

“FieldGreen - 20 Miles”

“El Niabea - 150 Miles”

“Haxouburg Border - 300 Miles”

(Luke’s thoughts) Are we going South?

Passing the green and white sign on their right, Luke placed both of his hands on the window. Leaning his head close, he tried to jab the info into his head despite his brain still being squashed by the intricacies from twelve hours prior.

Jack, who noticed an odd behavior coming from Luke, let out a wheezing chuckle from his parched throat.

(Jack) What’s gotten into you, bro?

(Luke) Why are we going South? Also, drink water, your voice is parched.

(Jack) My dude, I can live off with just energy drinks. That’s how I roll.

(Luke) Until you roll down with a layer of kidney stones. Anyway, aren’t we supposed to be in Lagefor?

Jack’s chuckle stopped, as he placed his right hand on the wheel.

Clearing his parched throat, Jack let out several dry coughs as the Vampire intake started to take effect on his throat. Despite his throat feeling like sand, his heart and eyes were relatively normal, with no signs of exhaustion or sleepiness present.

Checking his left rearview mirror, Jack continued to see the low-beam headlights that were in the back of him.

(Jack) When you were out, we escaped from the military complex in the nick of time. Good thing that they didn’t fully fix the iron fence a month prior.

The details of the drive out of the military complex were all but a blur, with the road in front of him starting to darken evermore. Since his high beams were all but blaring onto the empty landscape of the Pollux Savanna, not even the blinding lights were enough to glow the dead yellow grass.

(Jack) In the city, me and Boris made a beeline to the old building. For the ones that were awake, we tried to get everything inside the brown van as well as inside Boris's car, but there was too much stuff…

Luke recalled when he opened the little slide opening that got him a glimpse of the team sleeping peacefully. Remembering that there were many suitcases and boxes right along their feet, Luke nodded at the hearing of that simple report.

Out of nowhere, a patch of dry lightning lit up the sky, the clouds all too high for the lightning to strike.

(Jack) With the agents starting to catch up, we have no choice but to leave almost 75% of our personal belongings at the building. But don’t get me started on clothing, what we have on is pretty much our only line of clothing for now.

Sniffing a couple of times, the unsolicited air inside of the van was enough for both the men’s nostrils to be molested by it.

Scrunching up their faces, Jack continued to drive deep into the savanna night, his eyes slowly lowering down while watching the road fasten. Hearing the crackle of the thunder that came in a five to seven-second delay, both of them weren't in the mood to take in the environment around them.

(Jack) Wanna hear the worst part, we forgot one thing that is essential, and that is money. We pretty much left all the money that Boris had saved up inside the building, and now it’s too late to go back.

A heavy breeze started to crack the brown van that they rode on.

With the yellow dead grass swaying to the North, it resembled a lot like algae on the bottom of a lake trying to withstand the current. Noticing a couple of tumbleweeds starting to roll through the empty road in front of them, flying sticks started to tingle onto the brown van, making slight scratches along the paint.

(Jack) We couldn’t leave anywhere during the day, so we hid in an industrial building and waited until nightfall. Once night hit, that's when we fully hit the road.

(Luke) And where are we going?

Luke ignored the low-pressure storm system that they were heading into, putting his hands on his crotch as he tightened them together. His right eye was covered by his right side bang, and his left red eye shined under the darkness of the van, causing Jack to fully turn around.

And by just making eye contact, Jack gripped the steering wheel tighter with both of his delicate hands.

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(Jack) David recommended that we should drive south, all the way down to Haxouburg. He knows a place where we would be free from the agents and government hands.

(Luke) And where in Haxouburg?

Another crackle of dry lightning lit up the night sky, its purplish light allowing the road in front of them to be seen in just half a second. Driving further and further into the low-pressure system, Jack glanced down at the number of energy drinks that were littered on the ground beneath him.

His heart felt as heavy as a golden anvil.

(Jack) A town eight hours down south, a town called Dodgerock.

______________________________________________________________________________

(Octavian 29, 59 / 4:03AM)

The landscape changed drastically.

Escaping the pitch-black darkness of the Pollux Savanna that nestled the entire south region of Kepputha, the van passed through a sign that said.

“Welcome to Haxouburg!”

Instead of the tall yellow grass or 135-degree angled tall trees, what Jack could see with the naked eye was just pure reddish-orange sand. The tall trees being replaced by pentagroups of short but stuck-together saguaros, made Jack of all people furrowed his brow.

And by just glancing in front of him, laid a colossal mound of just dirt, stone, and rock that reached most buildings in Lagefor.

(Jack’s thoughts) Now this is Haxouburg. Famous for having the largest buttes in the world.

The Shanta desert.

Considered to be the region of the world with the least amount of rainfall, not even the lightning from above gave them cusps of tears. His high beams continued to plow through the darkened night, the presence of reddish devil tumbleweeds that were latched with double-edged spikes caused Jack to slow down on the gas.

By just barely passing the devil tumbleweeds, bits of the road were scratched and peeled off by just the spikes alone.

(Jack) Hey Luke. Luke.

Grabbing the wheel with his left hand, he used his right to tug Luke’s shoulder. Letting off no response, Jack clicked his tongue while continuing to have his eyes on the road.

Tugging Luke’s shoulder again, Luke slightly opened his mouth as he leaned his head next to the window.

(Jack’s thoughts) Prick.

Letting go of Luke’s shoulder, Jack opened the middle way hole that connected communication from the front to the back. Now having his right hand on the stick-shift, Jack raised his voice but not enough for it to be a yell.

(Jack) Hey guys, are any of you awake?

Groans can be heard from the back of the van.

Stretching his arms, Stan allowed his back to receive a multitude of back-pops that startled the barely waking up Fred and Gary. As the three of them all let out a yawn, they looked around the back to see that everyone was still knocked out cold.

Except for one man in front of him, a shark-human that folded both of his arms.

(Stan) Half of us. Me, Fred, Gary, and Benn barely woke up why?

(Jack) We’re going to arrive at Dodgerock in about a couple of hours.

(Stan) That’s good to hear.

Stan noticed that Benn had his eyes traced along the number of crumbs and wrappers lying around the floor. Hunching his back in the process, Benn had his knees hold up his elbows, as he couldn’t even look Stan dead in the eyes.

Putting his hand onto his chin, Stan rubbed it back and forth with his pointer and thumb fingers, tilting his head to the right.

(Stan) Got something on your mind Benn?

Benn remained silent, keeping his lips sealed and his eyes straight onto the suitcase in front of him. Digging his large eyes onto the contents of the fabric, not even the jolted bumps that Jack drove through were enough for him to be released from the spell.

Concluding that Benn wasn’t hearing straight, Stan brought out a simple note card and wrapped it up into a ball. With his right palm, he threw it alongside Benn’s forehead, hitting it dead on as it fell on top of Benn’s nose.

(Benn) Hmm?

(Stan) Sorry, but I was trying to get your attention.

(Benn) What is it?

(Stan) Just wondering, but are you ok? Ever since we started driving South, you’ve been quiet.

(Benn) I’ve always been quiet.

(Stan) Yeah, but this time, you look like you’re trying to distance yourself from us.

Benn looked down onto the floor yet again, his eyes now peering into another bag that was right beside the one that he previously stared at.

Gripping his hands tighter, his fingertips that started to dig deep into his skin also churned. Biting down his lower lip, he let go of his hands while laying them motionless on his side. With another dry lightning crackling in the early morning sky, the van groaned despite the winds not as strong as during the Savanna.

(Benn) My parents were born in Haxouburg.

(Stan) I thought you were raised in Aizzonia.

(Benn) I was.

(Stan) Oh. So what’s the big deal on going back here?

Benn furrowed his brow while straightening his back. Glaring at the elf that wore simple overalls, Benn’s left hand started to crackle slightly.

Since a bit of bone was still recovering from hours prior.

(Benn) During the beast-human skirmishes, most of the fighting took place in Aizzonia and Haxouburg.

(Stan) About almost 30 years ago? My parents told me that Ticia and Kepputha were going through serious riots at that time.

(Benn) But the actual battles took place in those two countries as I said.

Benn let in an intake of air into his pink lungs, rubbing his hands together while his back started to click in pain.

Letting a chunk of air out from his large nostrils, Benn wore that same small frown as he looked at Stan. The ginger brown-haired elf in question started to clear his throat while placing his hand on the back of his head.

(Benn) Do you hold grudges, Stan?

(Stan) Some things more than others.

(Benn) What if a person kills your brother or friend?

(Stan) Then I’ll pay it back with blood no question.

(Benn) No matter who?

(Stan) What are you trying to get at?

Jack’s right ear perked up at the conversation between Stan and Benn taking part in the back. Continuing to drive headfirst into the old road, bits of pebbles began to hit against the poor van.

The walls reverberating against outside forces of just sticks and pebbles, both Stan and Benn continued to not be bothered by mother nature's frustration.

While Gary and Fred watched the convo unfold, their hands clasped together as they mostly kept their eyes on Stan.

(Benn) Haxouburg was the start of the first battles of the skirmishes.

(Stan) So … does that make it the country with the harshest discriminants?

(Benn) Haxouburg also holds the country with the least amount of shark-humans.

(Stan) So then it is one of the most discriminatory countries, of course, beast-humans of any kind wouldn’t want to live—

(Benn) Before the skirmishes, almost all shark-humans lived there.

Stan’s eyes darkened as he looked down onto the van floor.

Not just Stan, but Gary and Fred alike both looked away in unison, their eyes pinned onto anything other than Benn. Not letting a single whimper or voice draw forth from their mouths, even Jack in the front gripped the edges of the steering wheel tightly.

Benn straightened his back, allowing his spine to finally regain itself after hunching down for a couple of minutes. Leaving his hands on his knees, he looked toward Stan’s avoided face.

(Benn) Understand why I argued with Boris back in that industrial building?

(Stan) Damn … you should’ve told him about that fact.

(Benn) But it’s the only country that we could lie low in.

(Gary) Hold on. Stan’s an elf. Wouldn’t Stan also be discriminated against too?

At long last, Gary raised his voice, his vocals louder than both Benn and Stan, causing both the shark-human and elf to jolt up. Not bothering to care that half of them were asleep, Gary continued to clutch his hands together down onto his crotch, lowering his head while keeping eye contact with Benn.

Who now turned his attention onto the chubby tanned man.

Making a much wider frown than before, Benn let out a simple nod.

(Benn) The only country where elves are discriminated against. Even Aizzonia allows elves to walk casually.

(Fred) So Haxouburg isn’t all sunshine and rainbows…

(Gary) You thought it would be some cool place?

(Fred) I thought it would be at least somewhat warm and nice.

(Gary) Not too any type of beast-human, let alone elves.

Stan began to rub his chin while looking down onto the

The four of them let out soft exhales, huffing out whatever air that was trapped inside of their lungs. Not bothering to notice the open slide in the hole that was in the middle between the passenger and the driver, they didn’t account for the fact that Jack would also hear.

Like a jack in the box, Jack rubbed his nose with his pointer finger in a curled position, tracing along from the tip to the center of both his eyes. As more passing devil tumbleweeds casually passed through the blowing reddish sand and dirt, Jack’s eyelids were already darkened, despite his eyes being unable to shut.

(Jack) Do you guys have any cans of Vampires?

Gary and Fred jumped in unison while Stan and Benn jolted up again from the unfortunately loud question.

(Stan) Quiet Jack.

(Jack) Dude, I need some Vampire in my system. Otherwise, I’m going to go insane.

(Gary) Just drive off the road and turn off the car. Go to sleep for all I care.

(Jack) Hey, if I don’t get a—

A tanned beauty ceased her snoring.

In that single instant, silence fell upon the five men who were still wide awake, all wide-eyed as even Jack and Gary kept their mouths puckered up.

Fred pretended to go back to sleep, laying his head on the metal walls that dampened his silver messy hair. Stan and Benn, who leaned their backs against the confines of the van, folded their arms while looking down onto the black metal suitcases that held their personal belongings.

Covering his right eye with his hand, Stan pressed his palm with enough pressure for it to see little waves that glowed in the dark. Keeping his voice down, not even Jack could hear as he tried to perk up his right ear.

(Stan) Do the people there … hold grudges?

Benn then looked up onto the roof of the van, allowing his hands to rest on top of his large thighs. Scrunching up his face, Benn’s nose slightly sniffled as his heels began to soften the metal down below his feet.

(Benn) If you ask any person if they know about Kirk the shark-human, then you’ll know.