The portal or whatever, the strange talkative man jumped through, continued to suck in air after he left. So not a one person scroll, I suppose as I walk around the hole into what seems to be nothingness I notice no matter where I stand it is always facing me. How odd I can't see any movement and it looks like its flat as a sheet of paper, so how is it following me as I walk around it. Noticing movement from the corner of my eye, my focus shifts slightly. Even though I didn't really look away the moment my focus changed the portal vanished, interesting.

With a shrug I walk down toward the; well village is a stretch I only see one building standing, while the rest are in ruins. Still watching the person out of the corner of my eye, I can see he possibly she but definitely human trying to get my attention. Since I don't know them and don't entirely trust anything Martin said. Who would listen to a grown man dressed as a mafioso pirate, anyway? Let's just monitor my second 'guest' and see what he/she does. From what I can tell, he/she is on the other side of some invisible barrier that blocks sound. I can see now that my guest is a female unless the native men have breasts, that is. She is knocking a fist in the air and waving energetically, trying to get my attention. I might think she was in trouble if not because I am now close enough to see that her dress looks nearly new. Or at least clean and well kept, not like someone lost or running from an enemy or beast in the woods.

Deciding that she is too suspicious to confront without a weapon I push her to the back of my mind and focus on the building I am heading toward. The closer I get, the less im enthused at what I might find. The ceiling is sagging down and the walls look like sheets of plywood nearly rotted through. Judging that since there is plywood in here in such a strange place, I assume it means there is civilization nearby, or maybe some woodcraft skill I can learn. I of course I base that assumption on things my roommate said about his DnD adventure, 'what if scenarios'. Damn if having to listen to him all those years in college saves my life and I make it out of here. Well, that's assuming im not laying in a coma somewhere. I don't really know what I will do for the guy since his company is probably even wealthier than Dads. Ever since they built their first VR game, people have given up on the old traditional consoles or PC games. In my opinion, they're all nuts. How could anyone want to lie down in a nasty gel substance for weeks at a time exploring make-believe worlds, when 99% of them haven't even left the confines of their cities?

As I approach my destination, I pick up on a few more details like the mailbox standing next to a walkway leading from the dirt path to the swinging door held by a single hinge. The mailbox looked like any you would see back home except made of wood, and the small flag on the side had broken off to lie in some weeds below. Curious, I grab the small wooden knob to peek inside only for the entire thing, post and all, to crumble into splinters at my feet. Well, shit, this doesn't look good for whatever might be in the dilapidated building. Tapping the tip of my foot on the wooden path, it also crumbles into dust and splinters. Martin said this place used to have quite a few residents. Just how long ago was that? Didn't any of the people brought here in recent years even attempt to search the place? This makes the appearance of my observer even more suspicious. I say observer because she is no longer trying to get my attention. Just standing there, arms crossed, scowling in my direction. I think she suspects I know she is there and I am ignoring her.

I deciding to walk beside the wood-path, as a sprained ankle doesn't sound like something I need at the moment. Stepping up to the door, I peek around the edge. All I can see though is a lot of dust, a sagging ceiling, and maybe some collapsed shelves on one wall. Seeing no foot or paw prints in the dust I deem it safe enough to enter placing a palm on the door, I gave a small push causing the entire thing to collapse into splinters. Inside, the sagging ceiling also took this opportunity to fall down, making a cloud of dust billow outwards, blinding me temporarily. After it settles enough to see inside again, I frown at the mess. Over near the woods, the observer is bent over laughing. Forgetting that I am pretending not to notice her, I absentmindedly wave as I step inside.

The inside was an absolute wreck, and the collapsing ceiling also blew out several of the rotting sheets of plywood that made up the outside of the building. Scowling, I walk over to a less destroyed section with a workbench and shelves. On my way over, I kick something metallic that rolled a couple feet along the floor in front of me. Bending over, I pick up what appears to be a metal rod like rebar but without the bumps. The rod is about four feet long so I can use it as a weapon, or at least to poke things to make sure they won't collapse on me. Good thing the floor is dirt I probably won't fall through. Stepping up to the workbench, there are several objects covered in a thick layer of dust. Poking the workbench with the rod, it doesn't collapse immediately. Pressing it harder in several places before I figuring it won't randomly come crashing down on my toes.

The first thing I see appears to be a small plate and an old-fashioned homemade hand crank generator. Wiping dust off the objects, it appears to be exactly what it looked like under the dust is a small metallic plate with a thick copper wire ran into the box of the crank generator. Maybe someone made a heat plate for cooking it's not a bad idea I suppose, but with woods all around a fire seems like the easier solution. Not to mention cranking the handle would be a pain in the ass while cooking. I wonder if it still works? After wiping more dust off the bench around the two items, I see words etched into the table. Charging plate compatible with all android and apple devices. There is no freaking way, right? I don't own either of those devices as there companies merged some fifty years ago or so, but my phone might still work on it. I mean, technically it's both android and apple. I think it's worth a shot. Taking my phone out, I lay it down on the plate and grabbed the crank on the generator. I hope this works if they kidnapped me, I can call for help. As my phone is a satellite phone and its supposed to work anywhere on Earth and the Ming space colonies.

Attempting to spin the crank ended in failure, however, when I was about to take my hand away and start hitting the machine with my metal rod. I might loosen some rusty bearings, I felt a strange tingling sensation in my hand like something was being drained from me. I quickly jerked my hand off the handle and the strange sensation faded. A beep from my phone brought my attention back to the charging plate. No freaking way. Snatching my phone, I see a symbol showing 1% charge blinking on the top right corner of the screen. Holy shit, this thing works, but what's powering it? Remembering that tingling feeling, I stare at my open palm in amazement. Is the power coming from me? Placing my phone back down on the plate, I once more wrap my fingers around the crank handle. A moment later, I can feel the tingles again. This time I don't let go but stare at the charging plate, where a barely visible blue glow had surrounded my phone. Lowering my head to get a closer look, I can see the percentage rising from one to four. The longer I held the crank, the brighter the glow became and the phone charging percent rose faster. However, when it reached 27% my vision blurred slightly. Removing my hand I stood up straight taking a deep breath, "well that felt odd." Focusing inwards on that odd feeling, I could feel whatever it was refilling but at an extremely slow pace. So not something I can just keep using, interesting. Not sure what that says about me, when I don't even have enough juice to charge a cellphone. Holding the power button, the screen turns on, but doesn't load up the normal password screen. Instead, there is a green bar moving across the screen, with 0.01% underneath. Strange time to get an update. This looks like a long one, so I turn the screen off and put it into my pocket. Hopefully, there's enough charge for the update.

Turning to the only shelf still intact, there are three thin books stacked one on the edge. The words on the bindings while distorted from time and probably weather read beginner blacksmith, beginner woodcraft and beginner leather working. Reaching for beginner blacksmith at the top, as soon as I touch it the shelf crumbles away dropping the books to the floor. "Damit," bending over to look under the workbench, all I see is dust and a few scraps of what I assume were the books. There is also what looks like a medieval stone grinding wheel. Or I assume it is a grinding wheel. It is a stone wheel set into a wooden box, but instead of a crank there is a small foot peddle underneath. Well, if it is like everything else here, if I touch it the thing will crumble so ill poke it first. Grabbing my metal rod from the top of the workbench, I lightly stab at the wooden frame. Contrary to my worries, it gave a solid sounding thunk, but to be sure I struck it in a few more places, and got the same result. Strange why is the wood here not crumbling away, is it newer or is it because it's under the workbench? I'll come back to this tool later. I have seen nothing resembling a forge, but I can probably get the end of this rod hot enough to flatten it out. Assuming I can find a hammer and some decent firewood. Failing that, I could grind a point onto this and call it a, well not spear, maybe a fire poker.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Standing back up, I brush the dust and debris off the rest of the objects laying on the workbench. I have a, well what a coincidence, a ball ping hammer, a small sledge hammer or maybe it's a mallet not sure. There are several chisels, a handsaw and a wicked looking, but small curved blade for cutting leather. Picking each up I carefully go over them looking for damage but they seem as if someone bought them at a store and spread dust over top intentionally. I can't find so much as a speck of rust or rot on any piece. These hammers would come in handy inside the tower. Too bad I can't take them, since they didn't drop for me. After I clean a good sized section of the workbench I lay out all the hand tools in a neat row, all the chisels I set from largest to smallest starting from the right side. Then I set the ball ping hammer, next followed by the mallet, as for the saw I set horizontally in the area above the rest. After adjusting the chisels so they each sat at an equal distance apart, I turned my attention to the only thing left to check. The debris pile in the center where the ceiling collapsed.

I began my excavation by pulling all the larger chunks out and neatly stacking them outside the door. While I am going in and out I check on the woman outside the barrier. At first when she saw me watching her she kept motioning me close miming speaking, but I ignored her and kept working. Eventually she gave up and is now leaning against a tree, scowling at me. I can vaguely make out her lips constantly moving. She might just enjoy talking to herself, but often when she don't think im looking I Can see her tilting her head toward the woods like she is listening to someone. After I finished removing the larger pieces, I found myself a semi-durable piece of plywood and began shoveling/shoving the smaller stuff out, piling it on the opposite side as the larger trash. The Anvil I found I dragged over by the workbench. When the room is as clean as I can make it I began looking over the strange circular metal plate in the center of the room. On the side closest to the worktable I found a small indentation, with symbols that reminded me of some old witchcraft tv shows from back in the 21st century. Unfortunately, I saw no handy inscriptions in English this time.

Checking a hunch, I examined the crank for the generator and I am rewarded with finding similar symbols carved on the end. Should I try pushing the indent now or wait? Looking inward I take a minute to locate that strange feeling, no, that's not the right word it's more tangible. Hmm, for now I'll go with energy. After locating it I feel around and it still seems really low somehow, like it's a lake that's dried up from a long drought and is slowly refilling. I suspect that this metal plate may be used to either make a fire or melt metals, and that will probably use more energy than charging a cell phone. Deciding not to try that yet, I crawl under the workbench and drag the grinding wheel out from under it, placing it near the anvil. After a careful inspection, I find those same symbols again but on the foot pedal. Well, let's put crafting aside for now, I don't know enough about this strange energy to risk draining it completely. Looking around once more, all I Can think about is; I could really use a broom right about now. Shaking my head at the ridiculousness of cleaning a collapsing plywood shack, I step outside.

Taking another look around, my eyes drift toward the woman now laying on her side watching me. I nod her way and she holds up two fingers in a peace sign. However, judging by the sneer on her face, it doesn't mean the same thing to her. Choosing to once again ignore her, I turn my attention toward what's left of the village. After contemplating the debris piles I assume were once other buildings, I look back toward the cemetery. Hmm, I saw a tombstone for every year on Earth going back so far the stones had corroded away into gravel. If that's true it's only been one year on Earth since they brought the last person here and another year for the one before that. But judging by the decay, I would say it's been fifty to a hundred years since anyone has been here. Maybe time is different here, like way slower, perhaps? Bah, what a waste of brain power if time was slower, wouldn't that make me slower? It's possible this place uses a different calender that differs vastly from the one im accustomed to. I wonder how long it's been since I left the tower and how long before im dragged back inside? Martin said maybe six hours, but how long is six hours here? Looking toward my watcher; I bet she has answers but there is noway im leaving this place without serious protection and a decent weapon. I am fairly certain she has friends in the woods. She is being way too casual to be alone this close to a strange man. I know im not hulk or anything but I am 6'6" and well built, I have been told I am rather intimidating.

Shrugging, I walk back to the dirt path, turn left toward the closest pile of what I assume was once a house. It didn't take long I only walked twenty feet before stopping at a stone walkway this time. At least I don't have to worry about stepping through this one — I hope. I stared at the pile for a moment, trying to decide what I should do. Well, not like I have anything better till my energy refills, so I grab the nearest piece of debris and begin piling the trash in neat piles sorted by size and type. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the watcher throw up her arms in frustration and stomp into the woods. A few minutes later she returned with a book and sat back down to read. I smirk toward my pile; I guess they're done pretending she is alone, or maybe she believes I think she returned to her camp. It took me three hours to clear this scrap pile. I know because I checked the clock on the top left corner of my phone strangely; it switched to military time. I found nothing overly useful, but I set aside everything metal like cups, utensils and nails. Interestingly, the nails don't show any signs of rust at all there, still shiny like they were just removed from their box.

When I finished the first, I moved onto the second this one only took me two hours, then the third again I finished faster this time barely an hour and a half the whole time keeping track of the energy lake inside me. Looking up at the sky I frown the sun seems to have barely moved if this was Earth I would say maybe two hours in summer. Come to think about it, shouldn't night have fallen by now? Glancing again at my phone I groan it currently read 26:71 Okay so hours are definitely longer and so are days. It would seem I didn't finish these piles as fast as I thought. However, it has still been far over six hours, whatever lets check if my energy refilled yet. By now I have done this enough that checking come fairly naturally. While it does not fill the lake, it is near full. When my babysitter notices I stopped working and am walking back toward the first shack she gets up expectantly, but when I continue ignoring her and step inside she slumped back down.

Hmm, lets think I don't know when I will return to the tower, so melting this rod down to jury rig a spear is probably a bad idea. But maybe sharpening the point will still count as me crafting my own weapon. Leaning down over the grinding wheel, I decide this task is gonna be annoying. This must be a job for short people with a sigh, I step on the pedal and can feel my energy flows into the tool. When the wheel is spinning smoothly I grip the rod and begin rolling the tip along the stone. Sparks start flying all over including my face but after a bit of trial and error I get the position right and once I do the job became easier. After a few more minutes I had to lift my foot as my lake had fallen to an all-time low and I am feeling dizzy, but I know have a very pointy metal rod to stab things with. Hopefully, I won't have to stab my watcher with it. Well, since I don't know when I will head back in, I should try to sleep for a while and restore my strength. With my mind made up I sat with my back against the workbench in the cleanest spot I could find and closed my eyes and as usual when I want to sleep it happens in moments.