Teddy, Kayda, and Kona quickly made their way through the marketplace, passing through the gaps and crevices of the crowd with ease. They swayed through the masses with Kona leading the way, her experience in traversing the lively streets being put to full use. She did not seem bothered in the slightest by the town’s innerworkings, as they ebbed and flowed through various alleyways and streets.They did not know how she was able to detect gaps in the deluge of townsfolk, and found themselves mesmerized by how quickly she could wade through town.
Kona could feel her muscles ache as the stress of the day had begun to weigh on her. Though it was only sometime in the afternoon, she couldn’t help but feel exhausted by it all. The daring encounter she had just had was not helping matters either. She was just happy to have made it out of there alive, however, she knew that such an encounter would not be the last. Whoever wants this kid means business, if they’re already coming across captors not hours after she had first met Kayda. Teddy wasn’t kidding when he said Kayda and him were in some dire straits. Despite this though, she did not doubt her decision to offer them lodgings in the slightest. If things were to ever truly change in The Vale, someone had to make the first step. And, if the people of Needle’s reaction to her and Teddy’s panic was anything to go by, the one to take this step had to be her.
Teddy had a firm, yet somehow gentle grasp of Kayda’s hand, looking back every so often to make doubly sure that he had not lost her in the fray yet again. Every time their eyes met when he looked back, Kayda could feel an intense feeling emanate from him. Whenever their eyes met, he did not say a word and she could only muster a nod to him before he inevitably turned away to ensure he was on the right path. What it was exactly, she could not figure out. It was different from that of disappointment or disdain, which were feelings she was no stranger to facing. Whenever he looked back to her, she did not feel afraid or disappointed in herself, as that was not the message his gaze was sending. She found herself perplexed and stared off into space to ponder what exactly was going through his head. She did not focus on where exactly they were heading, opting to simply follow along and not ask questions as she mulled everything over.
Kona continued to make her way through town, eventually reaching a seemingly residential portion of Needles, with the other two following close in tow. Children played games in front of their homes and ran around with vigor, laughing as they enjoyed their youth. Kayda noticed this and smiled as she saw kids her age running about with no care in the world, tossing rubber balls and swinging makeshift weapons as they found themselves lost in fanciful adventures. She felt the sudden urge to drop everything and join them, but looked to Teddy’s hand, which still had her in its grasp. She didn’t dare bring this up with Teddy, as even though she didn’t believe he was exactly mad, she did not wish to make a fuss over something so trivial. Still, she couldn’t help but look at the children longingly as they turned a corner, her view of them becoming obscured.
As the crowds petered out, the buildings before them seemed even more rundown and haphazardly built than before. Most structures looked like they were days from total collapse, as various wires and cables ran overhead. The binded wires were so tightly wound, they practically created a solid roof over this side of town. This awning of wires and cords created what could have been much needed shade, but instead trapped the incredibly hot billows of technicolor smoke, creating a rainbow greenhouse of sorts. Kona and Kayda coughed as they pushed through the smoke, as Teddy considered feigning coughing for a moment, as he felt left out.
“D-Don’t worry about the smoke! I hear they have lots and lots of vitamins!” Kona said with a smile.
Teddy narrowed his gaze at her, “Is that so?”
“No. It's just what I tell myself so I don’t lay awake at night thinking about how leathery my lungs are! Hey, Ted! You’re a robot, can your scanners tell me what this stuff is made of? Maybe I’m right!”
“Oh, I certainly know what this dastardly concoction consists of. I have actually known for quite a while.”
“Nice, nice! Soo, was I on the money, or what?
“...I hope you’ve at least had an eventful life.”
“Ah, that bad, huh?”
“I would say it would be best to seek professional medical attention, but,” He uses his free hand to gesture around at the living conditions of the town as they walked by.
“Nothing a little lunch can’t solve! Come on, we’re almost there,” Kona laughed as she continued to lead the way.
Kona covered her mouth as she pressed forth, determined to get some much needed rest and get her newfound companions somewhere to settle down. Sweat glazed her face and grew only more exasperated by the fumes of neon smoke and vapor that puffed out of every building they passed. Her exhaustion would only be compounded by the final step before them, literal steps. The trio suddenly stopped their trek as they came across an initially simple flight of stairs. However, as they tilted their heads back more and more, the reality of their situation set in. What at first seemed like a simple couple story climb was soon revealed to be an ascension of around ten stories, give or take. The splinter covered, rotten wooden steps were unevenly spaced, creating a simultaneously steep and narrow climb. Kona brought her hands to her hips and slouched over, sighing in annoyance before looking back up at the steps. Clapping her hands together, she forced a determined smile.
“Come on guys, I got the best seat in the house! You just gotta work for it! Time to get those glutes working! Hup hup hup!” She said with brimming positivity, smiling widely at the both of them.
Without a word, the two of them followed Kona up the steps, who was trying her best to keep them motivated as they climbed up. As Kona ascended higher than them on occasion, she would remain at the same step for a length of time while she waited for them to catch up, jogging in place all the while. Teddy positioned himself behind Kayda, keeping a close eye on her as she struggled to climb the harrowing and treacherous excuse of a staircase. He had his hands at the ready to catch her if she were to fall. Kayda grunted in exhaustion as she climbed, her body growing stiffer as the ground beneath them only got farther and farther away. There were even some periods where she had to ascend a few feet of stairs on all fours, as her legs were much too short to safely step upward.
Finally, with much deliberation, the trio had finally found themselves at the top of the stairs. Their destination seemed to be a circular balcony fixated and wrapped around one of the largest metallic spires in town, as was the actual domicile of the aforementioned balcony. The rest of this spike jutted out from the circular bungalow and pierced the sky, towering over the small valley the town resided in.
Random surfaces of the building and the balcony itself were spray painted a variety of colors, and an attempt at a self portrait of Kona could be seen messily painted on the door. Tattered Christmas lights were carefully wrapped around the length of the circular guard rail, some bulbs struggling to remain lit, while others were forever pitch. Wires and cords lined the siding of most of the small house, and were connected to various contraptions and generators. A major section of the balcony also seemed to be a dedicated outside workspace, as a plethora of devices and projects littered the surprisingly rustic work desk and filled cardboard boxes that surrounded it.
Another section of the overlook had what seemed to be a worn out, tattered camping chair. The fabric was torn in an alarming amount of spaces, as it seemed the seat had only a few sits left in it. The metallic legs of the chair were rusted over, barely supporting the withered seat. Besides this chair seemed to be one of the same exact type and brand, however, this one was in a far better state. It seemed almost perfectly preserved from a time before The Fall, one could assume that it was just put together today. Unlike its counterpart, the fabric of the seat was pristine and solid, yet soft to the touch. Its black colored legs gleaned in the sunlight, as not a trace of rust could be found on the surface of the metal.
Along the last section of the balcony was a long clothesline with nearly identical white tank tops strewn along the length of the wire, with a pair of worn out black jeans breaking up the pattern every so often. A wash bucket with gray water sat underneath the lining of laundry, along with a crate of shoe polish and a set of boots identical to what Kona was wearing.
Kona smiled as she gestured towards everything, excited for others to visit her home. And, judging from her infectious, exuberant happiness, this appeared to be the first time she had guests over in either a long time, or ever.
“Well? You dig it? Ain’t too shabby of a place, if you ask me! I tried to make it cute, I nearly got killed getting those lights. Gotta work with what we got, ya know? Some people might call it spray painted dog poop, I call it home!” Kona said, eagerly opening her door for them.
Kayda looked at her with a sullen expression, panting as she struggled to catch her breath, “M-My feet… Everything hurts. H-How do you climb that everyday…?”
“A whole lotta Mousercise!” She said proudly.
The three of them entered the shack Kona called home with haste. As they entered, they were hit with a sudden wave of cool air blasting their faces. Kayda and Kona sighed in relief, feeling the cold air rush against their cheeks, wiping the layers of sweat away. Teddy wished to sigh as well, feeling left out, but refrained.
Kona scrambled in the dark, as only a few tiny beams of light pierced through the cracks and crevices that covered the surface of the walls. The sounds of her tripping and stumbling over her own belongings could be heard, along with what sounded like glass shattering.
“Don’t worry, mostly everything here is already broken. This is a kinda daily thing for me. One day I’ll find a Clapper, and it’ll change my entire life, I know it.” She said, sifting through the piles of her belongings, “Ah! Here we go!”
With a brief click, the singular, circular room had suddenly become illuminated. A singular, dirty bulb hung above them, the wire to power it swaying from Kona utilizing it. Before them was a sight they were not surprised belonged to Kona. Mechanical parts and components were littered about, as piles of tangled plugs covered nearly the entirety of the floor. Propped up against the spire that acted as the center column was a small television set, not too different from the aged sets that many of the vendors at the marketplace had. Below it was a VCR player that had stood the test of time, seemingly coming out of The Fall with only a few scrapes and scuffs. Stacked atop it was what appeared to be Kona’s personal collection of tapes. Though not too sizable, she seemed to have a good variety in her hands, as the titles consisted of Die Hard, Tremors, Hellraiser, Gremlins, and all three Back to the Futures. However, besides the tapes seemed to be a tape with a cover Kona designed herself. It seemed to be a duplicate tape of Back to the Future Part III, but with an additional I scrawled on with what was likely marker ink. And, besides the trio depicted on the poster, was a crude rendition of Kona, also hastily scribbled on with marker. The colors used were not even accurate to her actual likeness, as her hair was pink, and her tank top blue.
Upon seeing this, Teddy and Kona locked eyes as silence began to permeate every last inch of the room. The awkward stare grew unbearable for both of them, as Kona swiftly kicked the tape further under her TV, her eyes never leaving Teddy.
“You didn’t see anything-”
“Miss Kona, fanfiction is a perfectly normal leisure activity for one to partake in, especially in times such as these, where apt entertainment is most definitely hard to come by-”
“If you say another word, I will give you arcade crane machine claws for arms! I got the parts, mister!” Kona retorted, her face clearly red with embarrassment.
“Heh, duly noted, I will cease any mention of such activities. However, do know that I do not think any less-”
“Crane machine, Ted! Crane Machine!”
“Understood!”
Kona began to shuffle about hastily as she cleared a place for the three of them to sit and relax, still embarrassed by Teddy’s discovery of one of her most secretive hobbies. Though she had a most boisterous and eccentric personality, this particular idiosyncrasy seemed to be a topic most sensitive for her. Had she anticipated guests when she awoke this morning, hiding that would have been her top priority. Her apparent shame of such an activity struck Teddy as odd, as before, Kona did not hesitate to partake in behavior most would consider odd, even in a world as different as this. He would be lying if he said her work did not pique his interest at least a little bit.
He watched Kona as she tore out pages from various notebooks and used them as kindling for a weak fire she had started in a nearby wood burning stove. These tomes seemed to be an extension of her artistic rendition of the proverbial Back to the Future IIII [sic] featuring Kona. His curiosity only continued to pique as he noticed stray pages flutter beside him. He fought the urge to store a page for later, wishing to not violate her privacy, as this seemed like a subject laden with intense emotions and personal importance to her.
Not relenting to his innate sense of curiosity, Teddy kicked a page away from him causing it to glide back to Kona, who quickly noticed and snatched it up. She looked at the page with a glum expression and crumpled it up, but opted to stuff it in her pocket instead of igniting it. As the final page she found was reduced to ash, she smiled and clapped her hands together, turning back to Teddy and Kayda with a forced smile. She sighed and soon, her typical demeanor returned as her genuine peppy attitude began to exude from her once more.
“Now then! Time to take some orders! You guys gotta be starving after kicking that assassin’s ass! I got some weird cans I found if you wanna help me taste, Kayda! You check if it’s safe for later AND you feel full from the nausea. Getting sick is one way to save on food! What do ya feel like, Ted? You strike me as a baked beans kinda guy.” Kona said, rushing to a nearby kitchenette.
“Well, I’m a nothing kind of guy. I do not eat, remember? Offering me precious resources such as food or water would hinder your quality of life, as such vital supplies would be much better utilized feeding you or Kayda for another day,” Teddy said.
“...You don’t like baked beans either, huh? Picky little guy, aren’t ya? Don’t worry Ted, we’ll find something you’ll like to munch on someday!”
Teddy rolled his eyes at her apparent lack of understanding to his refusal. He did not wish to intrude and take from her, as even in her surprisingly homey dwelling, it seemed that food and water were as scarce as they were for other people. He could even count the containers of available water on one hand.
As Kona feverishly attempted to whip up yet another meal for them, Teddy finally turned to face Kayda, who was fidgeting nervously, still unaware of what Teddy was feeling in regards to her sudden disappearance and the incident she inadvertently got caught up in. She looked up at him, but struggled to meet her eyes with his, scared of what he might say. However, Teddy did not say anything, but instead, simply gave her a tight hug. This caught Kayda off guard, as her eyes widened in surprise at the sudden gesture. She couldn’t stop her eyes from welling up ever so slightly before she returned his hug and wrapped her arms around him firmly. Though he was but an automaton whose body was typically cold to the touch, she couldn’t help but feel a tender warmth emanate from him as they hugged. Though, this was likely due in part to the fact that he had been walking around in the sweltering, blistering sunlight all day, but that is not as poetic.
Pulling back, Teddy knelt slightly to reach Kayda’s eye level and rested a hand on her shoulder as he wiped tears from her eyes. She stammered and struggled to piece together an apology to him, tripping over her words incessantly as he looked at her silently.
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“I-I’m sorry, Teddy, I just got distracted and I didn’t mean to make you guys worry about me! Honest! That robot lady could’ve really hurt you and Kona, and I didn’t mean for you guys to be in danger and-”
“Enough, enough. It is okay, Miss Kayda. I do not harbor any ill will towards you or the actions you took. Who am I to punish a child’s innate curiosity? It is a wondrous virtue. However, your well being is of the utmost importance to not only me, but Kona as well.. I must ask, please do not scare us like that again. I promised I would get you home, did I not? Now, perish the thought, how would I do that if you were to find yourself in dire straits? I dread the thought of you getting hurt. For my sake, please stay close by. I do not wish to lose you.” Teddy said softly, his hand still on her shoulder.
Kayda nodded, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes, “I didn’t expect all that to happen… Please don’t be mad at me…”
Teddy chuckled, “Miss Kayda, please do not be daft. How could I be upset at an honest mistake? People learn through error. To make mistakes is to learn. In regards to our assailant, you could not foresee we’d encounter adversaries so soon. And, the town was very exciting to say the least, I cannot blame you for being eager to explore its intricacies. A warning would be appreciated next time, however.”
Kayda could feel a tender warmth in his voice and felt truly calmed by his words. Through his understanding, she was able to start forgiving herself. His words truly calmed her nerves, as she felt the ever present weight on her shoulders begin to lighten ever so slightly. Her admiration of her newfound friend only intensified in that moment, as she had never heard such words be spoken to her before. They instilled a feeling of tranquility that was alien to her, however, despite the unfamiliarity, she welcomed it.
The two of them returned to Kona’s side and examined what she was preparing. Kayda’s nose wrinkled in displeasure, as Teddy tilted his head in confusion at the abomination being concocted before him.. Kona seemed to have a pot of stew much different from that of the stew she had prepared earlier. The key difference being that the previous meal seemed, well, edible. A color neither of them could describe coated the top of the pot with a filmy layer, as a pungent odor not unlike spoiled duck eggs soiled the air.
“May I ask, what exactly is the brew you have before us?” Teddy asked, trying to mask his disgust.
“Oh you know, just a little something something,” Kona said with a smile.
“Frankly, I do not know. Do you mind indulging me and list out the ingredients used to prepare this… lovely dinner?”
“Basic stuff! You got your slimes, your sludges, your goops. All the necessary food groups!” Said Kona, still mixing the concoction as it grew darker in hue.
Sensing their unease, Kona looked closely at the pot and chuckled to herself, knowing full well that what she had made was inedible. She wished to treat them to another home cooked meal, but her attempt was a wasted effort. Many of her ingredients were long spoiled, as she had not shopped for groceries in weeks. She would typically only eat from the various bunkers surrounding Needles or from the food stalls that littered the marketplace downtown. The fact of the matter was, despite having an immense love of cooking for others, she would rarely, if ever cook for herself. She usually ate in the presence of the public while in town, and actually hated eating alone. With this in mind, one could not be surprised by the sour state of her home’s own nutritional offerings. She was hoping that the heat would make the food unspoiled or at least edible, but instead created a new form of torture that would make the CIA envious.
“Gonna be real with you guys, this pot is filled with spoiled stuff that will probably kill us if we ate it. Want some?” Kona said playfully, offering a spoonful of the vile sludge to Kayda.
Kayda giggled and gently batted the spoon away, taking pleasure in Kona’s antics as usual, “No! That stuff looks like robot oil!”
“See, Ted? Looks like you can have some grub after all!”
“The chemical makeup of what you have there is more similar to the composition of mustard gas than anything that would be of operational value to me,” Teddy said with a laugh.
“Ew, I hate mustard. Guess I won’t feel guilty about getting rid of it!” Kona said, smacking the pot to the wood floor below.
The pot hit the metallic floor with a thud as the noxious fluid began to seep out, almost glowing as it sloughed through a grated drain near the kitchenette. Kona pushed the rest of the sludge towards the drain, struggling to force it down as it had already begun to solidify.
“At least you have plumbing all the way up here. It would be rather inconvenient if that were not the case. Is it safe to assume Needles has a dedicated underground plumbing system? If so, that is quite the feat to accomplish considering the condition of the world!” Teddy said, looking over to the drain.
“Nope! I have no idea where that drain goes, it came with the place. I call it the Mystery Drain. I like to think it takes my gunk right where it needs to be,” Kona said proudly.
“Your peculiarity will never cease to astound me, Miss Kona.”
“Oh gosh, don’t make me blush,” Kona chuckled.
As Teddy helped Kona clean the rest of her mess, he looked over to Kayda, who had taken a seat on a tattered bean bag chair covered in stitches and patches. She was preoccupied watching a film on the barely functioning television, marveling as if she had never seen anything like it before. The more he thought of their collective situation, the more he felt he was out of his element. Though Kayda was a daring and brave child, he was still nervous at the prospect of actually getting her home. Now that they had a moment to rest and collect their thoughts, it finally occurred to him that he didn’t even know where Wakefield was. And, considering her means of arriving in The Gulch, he wasn’t so sure Kayda knew how to get home either. From what he’s seen so far, it’s safe to assume the geography of the world as he knew it was completely different and any maps he may have stored internally were pretty much useless. He was determined to deliver on his promise, but the more he thought of it, the more he could feel his entire form tense. Adversaries such as the one they had just encountered were likely going to be commonplace. So many factors of the journey ahead spun around him as he felt his vision blur. He paused, aimlessly scrubbing the floor in the same spot as he got lost deeper and deeper in thought.
Kona took notice of Teddy’s stiff demeanor and nudged his shoulders as she cleaned beside him, “Ted? Ted?”
He blinked as everything came back into focus, “My apologies. I was just ruminating over the ramifications of what we have ahead of us. There’s just so much to parse, I don't even know where to begin making a plan of action.”
“Don’t worry, man. We got this! Where did she say she was from again? Wakefield? We could just map out a route to it for starters!”
“Yes, yes. That would be the logical first step. In my panic, I must have overlooked that.”
“It happens to the best of us! Just remember, you’re not alone in this.”
Teddy tilted his head, “Oh? Am I to believe you're actually accompanying us on the entire journey? I was under the impression that you were simply offering us lodgings while we formulated our next move.”
“Damn straight! It isn’t like I got anything better to do! I’ve wanted an excuse to see the world for a long time!” Kona smiled as she gave a thumbs up and wink.
Teddy feverishly shook her hand, “You cannot begin to comprehend just how grateful I am! Truly!”
“Don’t worry about it! You guys aren’t getting rid of me that easily! And besides, if enough people do the right thing, maybe things really will change one day. Just doing my part!”
He nodded before walking over to a nearby table and took a seat, “You were right when you said it would be best to plan a route to Wakefield. However, another challenge is imposed upon us. My developers did not foresee all of this. So, my understanding of the current geographic makeup of the world is a little… nonexistent.”
“No prob there, buddy,” said Kona as she began to rummage through a nearby cardboard box.
After digging through the packaging, she pulled out a small handheld gaming device equipped with a D-pad and two face buttons. Stickers covered every inch of its plastic shell, some of which gleaned in the light due to their holographic nature. After fiddling with it for a brief moment, she threw it onto the table where Teddy was seated. Upon impact, a large holographic display shot up from the device’s screen and illuminated the room in a greenish glow as information began to populate the projection.
Before them was a map of sorts, detailing the geographic details of not only The Gulch, but the surrounding biomes that made up the region locally known as The Vale. Kona confidently took a seat across from Teddy as Kayda got up from her seat and approached the map, mesmerized by its brilliant glow.
“Alright, folks, it’s time for me to schoolfeed you something fierce. Vale Geography 101!” She said, pacing around the hologram as a wide shot of the map rendered.
[https://i.imgur.com/Q0qULOy.jpg]
The map before them was very different from anything Teddy had on file, as geographical anomalies could be noticed almost right away. A marker in the southeast sector of the map represented the map’s, and by extension, the party’s current location. This section was labeled “The Gulch” by the program.
Kona pointed to the southeast sector, “As you two know, we are currently in The Gulch. Not a whole lot here, if I’m being completely real with you. Just lots and lots of sand. And dried up dead people under that sand. You probably don’t have to imagine why. So not a lot of news there.”
“Yup, I am well aware of its most unsatisfactory conditions by this point.”
“Moving on! Just above that is a little place called The Mire. Not a whole lotta land to even walk on. It’s mostly swamp water made of fruit juice! Don’t live there if you’re diabetic,” Kayda chuckled.
“Duly noted. So, we could expect swampland next. That should be an improvement over this region’s harsh weather conditions.”
“Yeah! I’m tired of being sweaty!” Kayda said, smiling.
“Ehh, I wouldn’t get my hopes up. Swampland means humidity, and if the rumors are true, humidity and rivers of fruit juice aren’t exactly a recipe for good weather. So we’re gonna be sweaty AND sticky!” responded Kona.
Kayda puffed her cheeks up and said glumly, “How fun…”
“Buuuut, a little further north, you leave The Mire and reach some place called The Pines! You’re gonna wish you were sweaty and sticky, because this place apparently reaches sub zero temperatures. And, I’ve heard the trees are so large that sunlight doesn’t even touch the forest floor. Oh yeah, and it’s all forest.”
“Oh wow, we gotta go sweater shopping too before we go, huh? Can I pick mine out?” Kayda said excitedly.
“Of course! Make sure you find something nice and thick. We wouldn’t wanna have those fingers of yours getting frostbit! You would be in agony!” She said in her usual peppy tone.
“And, finally, at the coastline of The Vale, going down the entire length of the previous three regions is The Littoral!” She said, pointing at the landmass's coastline, which was broken up into a long string of islands, “I have literally no idea what’s going on there. That should be it! Any questions? Be advised, I don’t have a lot of answers!”
Teddy nodded, “I believe I only have one. And, it's the main reason we are taking this impromptu lesson. Where would one find Wakefield?”
Kona laughed at herself and blew a raspberry, “Duh! Completely forgot about that tidbit,” she looked over the map for a few minutes before laughing at herself again.
“May I ask as to why you’re having a personal moment of levity?”
“You’re not gonna believe this. I don’t know where Wakefield is.”
“Ah, then we are all in the dark. Good to know,” he said, bringing his hand to his chin as he pondered what to do next.
Kayda tapped on Teddy’s shoulder, “Uhm, I know where it’s at. At least the area around it. I-I mean, I live there after all…”
“Oh yes! The stress of it all hindered my common senses, I suppose. I do apologize, we should’ve asked you sooner, you out of any of us would know. I got it conflated with you not knowing where our current location was in relation to your home.”
“It’s okay. Let me see…” Kayda leaned forward as her eyes darted across the map, “There!”
Kayda pointed at the southernmost section of The Littoral that rested right against the southern border of The Vale. It seemed as close as ever to The Gulch if one were to make a straight shot west. Noticing this, Teddy lit up in excitement, and used the tools on the map’s HUD to calculate the distance between the two locations. As the results tabulated, the three of them eagerly waited with baited breath. After a few moments, the result populated on the info bar at the bottom of the map. Excited, Teddy clapped his hands together in triumph. The distance between Needles and Wakefield, if a straight shot route was used, was no more than a five day walk. The trio rejoiced at this news, as they realized they did not have to traverse The Vale in its entirety. Or so they thought.
Their rejoicing would soon be cut short as Kona took a closer look at the route Teddy had mapped out. Her expression shifted into a nervous smile as she turned to the other two, who were still excitedly discussing the trip ahead and how easy it might just be.
“Alright, you guys are gonna hate me,” she nervously laughed, “Buuuut, we can’t go that way. Unless we feel like dying.”
Teddy turned to her and tilted his head in confusion, “I’m not following. The route is mapped out there clearly, is it not? Is there something we should be wary of? If so, we could minorly adjust it and add two or three days to the journey at the most if we wish to avoid specific dangers.”
“That’s not it. It’s really faint, but do you notice this line running down along the entire Littoral?”
“Hm, that’s the border between The Littoral and the rest of the regions, is it not?”
“Yes… But it’s a little more than that. Penumbra didn’t draw these lines, they’re all based on natural formations.. There’s something there keeping The Littoral separated. I’ve never personally seen it, but peeps around here call it The San Andreas Rift. It’s a big rift in the planet that keeps everyone kinda stuck in The Gulch. It’s physically impossible to go over it if we even had a way to, like with a car that had the best thrusters money could buy. Gravity there is all wonky,” she said, anxiously smiling.
Kayda looked at her in astonishment, “If it’s a big hole, what’s at the bottom of it?”
“Couldn’t tell you, anyone who would know is probably dead,” Kona responded.
Teddy reexamined the map, taking note of the newfound obstacle. He quickly began to draw together a new route that they could take to reach Wakefield. Unfortunately, keeping in mind the entire border of The Littoral was a rift running miles deep into the planet’s surface, there were few options. As his proposed route kept going further and further north, the trio began to grow even more disheartened. Finally, once he reached The Pines, the rift would end and they’d be able to traverse west into the northmost section of The Littoral, where they would then have to travel south to reach Wakefield. Once complete, the route resembled a lowercase “n”.
They all exchanged uneasy glances before Teddy began to tabulate how long it would take to reach their destination. The number counter flashed as it did its calculation, the three of them waited anxiously, knowing full well that they would not like the result. Upon seeing the estimated distance render, they all let out shocked gasps. Teddy approached the screen and began to run some numbers in his head, as the number illustrated only accounted for nonstop traversal.
“Very well. Accounting for sleep, breaks, and anything else that might hinder progression… We are looking at a trip that will take us a little over a month to complete by foot. Unsatisfactory to say the least. But, I believe we can manage to pull it off! We should make haste and prepare for the journey ahead!” Teddy said, trying his best to feign confidence.
“I guess I forgot that agreeing to help you guys and see the world meant I had to… see the world…” said Kona nervously.
“My mom never told me a lot about The Vale… Just said it was dangerous and scary…”
“If The Gulch is anything to go by, the rest of The Vale will not be a leisurely stroll by any stretch of the imagination…” Teddy said quietly.
Kayda and Kona looked at the map, nervous about what the world might have in store for them. Kayda, never having left her home before yesterday, couldn’t help but feel a pit envelop her stomach as the unknown loomed over her. Though Kona was excited, she too had never left her hometown and the surrounding area, and began to feel dread weighing down on her. This sentiment was shared by Teddy as well, as he feared uncertainty the most out of all of them. None of them were equipped for what lurked beyond the “safety” of Needles.
Their thoughts seemed to be in sync, as even though they did not share their concern verbally, they knew it was on each of their minds as dread permeated the room. How were they going to pull this off? What lurked beyond and waited for them in the shadows of what was left of the world? What should they anticipate, and what should they prepare for? This was all information none of them were predisposed to. And, considering the desolate, apocalyptic state of the world, factual information was likely hard to come by.
They all stared at the map, trying to goad themselves into even a false sense of confidence and muster up the will to at least leave Kona’s shack. However, Teddy lit up as an idea suddenly popped into his head. Even though they had no experience with the rest of The Vale, that doesn’t mean no one else did. As they saw before, Needles was brimming with an incredibly diverse populace, some of which had to have lived outside The Gulch at some point. To Teddy, every person was a story brimming with experience and knowledge. Every interaction with a stranger is a learning experience. So, why not utilize someone’s experience to assist them? He excitedly clasped his hands together and stood before the others, his eyes filled with a hopeful gaze.
“Oh! That’s his idea face! He had that same look when we planned how to decapitate that robot. What do ya got cookin, dude? We kinda need a miracle here,” Kona said excitedly.
“I know we were all thinking the same thing. How could we possibly get Miss Kayda home through this presumably treacherous wasteland? I’ll tell you. Prepare yourselves to conduct some job interviews! We need to hire a tour guide.”