Sleep.

I forgot the meaning of this word, but Ethan said that to me before closing his eyes some time ago. He seems alright. Doesn't know the deserts as I do, people ain't very nice back home.

Nice people die early.

Wood rolling on dust, hooves clasping on earth. I like the rhythm of travel. Everything seems still when I'm moving. and I like it when it's morning and the sun blinds my eyes, we from Raven prefer the light, though we make a living in the shadows.

I slap Ethan's face to wake him. Not so hard, don't wanna leave a mark for his kids to see, but he's sure to be annoyed now, I would be if he did the same to me. The catch is that I can do it while he can't, and that's good enough reason for me to slap him. Feels like that's how things should be, the relationship between the strong and the weak as dictated by good ol' nature.

The moment Ethan looked me in the eyes confused and decided to say nothing, I got proof of his weakness. If he was strong, he would find a way to get back at me, it's what I would do in his place. If he was strong, he wouldn't need me anyway.

Weak ask for protection. That's all they can do.

- Morning, little Ethan.

- Morning Runeville...

The carriage stops, we're finally there.

I drop out from the back, so damn good to step on flat rock again, the road's been cleared too, didn't pay attention before. Those guys did a good job in this junkyard. Gates are still rusted but the walls are intact.

- Take care of your papers, I'm going in.

I go to the guards and leave Ethan to his own devices. A Ravenborn has no need for papers here. We're special, in a way.

I take off my hood and give a clear view of my left eye.

- Oh, a local. We're seeing fewer of you each passing day, doesn't help much that your people are all thieves and murderers, hehe.

- Jones, that was rude!

- What, you sayin' I'm wrong? Or maybe you don't know how they've got the marks.

- That... Has nothing to do with this.

- Alright, lemme tell you how it works. Every Ravenborn has a golden body part that shows a number. It starts from zero and it keeps going up. What is it for?

- I don’t know... Age maybe?

- Does he look like age X to you? It’s a count for bad things they did. I’m not sure how it works with letters, but that’s what happens when it gets too big to account for. Before you is first class scum.

I stare at this Jones. He is quite cocky for a weakling, but it's always nice to hear they didn’t forget about us. If they had lived in our world before the gates appeared, they would’ve known better.

They have yet to understand the true value of this gift.

- Cool story, bro, now open up, you’ve said enough.

Jones and his little mate exchange a look, and oh I know that look, I’ve seen it countless times. They’re not gonna let me pass, how cute.

- Sorry, we’ve got enough problems in the city already, turn around and start walking, unless you wanna chat with us in the prison.

I look at the other guy.

- So, you not gonna follow the rules?

- I... I agree with him.

- What a pity. It was a cool story, I liked it, really, but now you must –

- Stop!

Oh, Ethan, here we go again. I hope you finish your good deed of the day before I run out of patience.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

He rushes to the guards and starts to whisper. He knows I don’t like secrets between friends, what he doesn’t know is there’s no secret he can hide from me.

- Don’t be foolish, apologize and let him go. You’re dealing with more than you can handle.

- What the fuck are you-

- Shh! The guild has a peace treaty with the citizens, so long as both keep their customs to themselves they can collaborate on a few tasks, that balance is far from perfect but blocking a local’s passage to Raven signifies that the guild has complete control over the city, meaning that Ravenborns are weaker than you and must comply. If you don’t want a group of backstabbing, battle-crazed and power-hungry psychos going wild inside the walls, I advise you to let him go.

The two guards gulp down their saliva and give me passage.

I’ve said it once, but I’ll say it again: Ethan has a way with his words. There was some truth to what he said, but he covered up the big and most important part, which was I could kill them right now and nothing would happen to me here, the leaders of the guild wouldn’t bat an eye.

- Good job Ethan, now you can feel good about yourself. Since the show is over, I’ll see you later.

- Haha, of course, Runeville...

I strode past the duo of apes as they open the doors. The screech is unpleasant, but bad things turn into good things here, something in my blood just makes it so I can’t dislike this place, though at the same time I don’t wanna be here.

I guess it’s in our nature to leave eventually, but we’ll always like it home.

Inside the city is noisy, too many people, it wasn’t like that before. Before, the guild was located outside because they couldn’t afford control over the gates, and no way in hell would merchant caravans pass by Raven. They had to keep constant watch for the threat on the walls.

It seems to me they’ve achieved their goal, I can’t see anyone with a number. Most of us have it on their left eye, over time it proved to be the most effective in this mixed reality we’re living in, but the others ain’t bad either, especially those with numbers on their palms or forehead, they’re probably the only ones who can contest with me.

The city is divided, but I don’t think it will last. They’re way too different from us.

It’s easy to navigate this place, signaling is always present.

I’m supposed to meet Ethan’s kids at the first area, which is exactly where I am. The establishments set into this place initially were inns, and they’re still very popular because of cost and location.

They must be in one of these spots.

I visit a few places until I find something that fits the description Ethan gave me of their caravan. It wasn’t hard, the guild offers many benefits to guys out to explore new gates, which comes with a lot of fanfare.

Place is old, I see some painting going off the wall, and it looks terribly messy, but it’s moderately clean and it doesn’t creak when I walk the stairway, very different from the Sleeping Beauty… Hope that bitch fixes those things, can’t even walk stairs anymore without thinking of how much time is left until her place goes down.

Kinda suspicious, no one held me at the entrance, barged in without saying anything, but they can’t actually hurt me, so I’m okay with this.

Second floor now. Ethan’s kids should be in room 208, the signs are painted on the doors and some of them can't be recognized anymore, but it should be right about… Here.

I’m about to knock at their door, but they do the job for me.

Ethan’s boy looks exactly like him, dull, but I don’t think he’s got his father’s lips for trouble.

- Uhh, hello?

I stare at him.

- Yo, what’s up, where your sis?

Someone else comes out of the room, a young woman, that should be her.

- Who are you talking to?

I blink twice. I think I remember that person, she shouldn’t be here.

Agh, my head hurts like hell. I put my hands on it and try to lessen the pain, but the sounds keep flowing in my brain.

- Are you okay?

Her voice, I’ve heard it before elsewhere. Damn it, why can’t I remember? Nah, if I don’t then it's better it stays here, buried with many others. I wave off the pain, I try to do it, it lessens a little but it’s still here, and that boy is ugly like Ethan but not by that much, they don’t have a lot in common, he doesn’t even look like his father, actually he’s not even human, he’s just a pink beige blurred thingy and the girl is still there looking at me as if everything is fine and dandy.

It’s all blurred and now my eyes hurt.

Everything is black.

Everything is gone.

Everything is dead.

And I’m still in pain.

Fuck, feels like I’m drunk to the clouds, and I don’t remember what happened after I’ve left Sheyla that night. What is happening now I can’t imagine.

Then all goes back to normal and I understand that I understood shit.

- Runeville?

- Damn, Ethan, you’re quick. Were they scared of you, too?

- No… You’ve been standing there for a few minutes; Sarah and Nathan didn’t know what to do and led you inside the infirmary with help from the attendants…

I take a look at the place. Walls should be white, but they're yellow from dirt, guess this place wasn't used in a long time. Heh, what infirmary, this is just a random room they must've used once.

- How many minutes?

- About twenty…

Shit, twenty minutes... At least they haven't put anything on me, bastards shouldn't even know the color of blood. Gotta know what happened back there, mess up again and I'm not waking up anymore.

- Fuck… Whatever then, when are we gonna meet the guys?

- Tomorrow. We got here sooner than I expected…

Ethan fidgets awkwardly. Oh I get it, you didn’t tell them beforehand.

- Hey, is that guy really going to help us? He seems to be out of it.

- Now wait a moment, sis. We didn’t train hard so that dad could send a nobody he found on the streets to monitor us.

- Shut up, you two!

Oh wow, Ethan, you so afraid of me? It’s kinda funny, even though I don’t do my friends any harm.

- I know, I know, it looks like I don’t trust you… But this gate you’re going into, it is very dangerous. Remember my book? Though most of it I’ve changed for the plot, the dangers I’ve portrayed, they’re close to what you’ll face, and that’s because that gate really existed… And it is much similar to the one you’ll venture into. And unlike my story, not everyone gets out alive.

- Then, those who made it through…

- … He’s the sole survivor, Sarah.