The night was uneventful, and when Sniffer awoke the next morning, it was because Tiddles had decided he was getting up. Sniffer had fallen back against the floor and banged his head. “Damn you," he said, looking at the beast with a frown on his face. He was sure the beast laughed at him with the noise it made in its throat. That had woken Dixon up with a start, and he cried out seeing the beast until he remembered the night before.
Sniffer decided it would be easier to travel back via the roads rather than across the country to the factory. The old boy Dixon wasn’t as nimble as Sniffer, and it took them longer than expected. As soon as they had sighted the townhouse and the site gate, Heckles spotted Dixon from the front porch and called out. “Where the hell have you been, the boss is mad, I hope you didn’t crash the damn thing?”
Dixon briefly explained to Heckles what had happened as Sniffer and the beast returned to the factory site.
“The boss is going to blow a gasket.”
“You think I don’t know that,” Dixon replied.
Dixon headed into the townhouse to find Monty and Sniffer, whom John met as he entered the yard. “Did you get the bitch?”
“No, and it isn’t going to be easy either. They have a vehicle.”
“What do you mean they, and where did they get a vehicle from!”
“Right over there," he turned, pointing at the townhouse. "That lad here yesterday doing some work held the old boy up and stole it.”
“Holy shit, Silver is going to go ballistic. He loves his toys more than anything else. So, what about catching them?”
“Well, tracking is going to be a bitch; he will be able to trace the scent a certain amount. When a vehicle is involved, it’s no longer just following a physical scent left on items. I don’t know how they do it, but the beasts can still track to a degree. Are you sure you want me to do this? It will cost a lot, take time and may not be successful?”
At that moment, Silver walked out of the townhouse and stormed over the road to the site. ‘Shit’, thought John, he never came on the site. A guard hurriedly pulled the gate open and strode directly up to Sniffer and John.
“I want the pair of them found and their heads.” He screamed at them both. His face was bright red with anger.
“Sure, boss. The problem is Sniffer says it’s virtually impossible to track people in vehicles and also pricey.” Sniffer nodded in agreement.
“I don’t care how much it costs. That thieving bastard has not just taken one of my vehicles but also taken five stacks from me as a down payment. I want him found, and I want him found now. I don’t care what you do to the slave bitch, but I want him back here in one piece so I can deal with him.” He turned and marched back out of the yard.
“Well, there’s your answer,” John said.
“I will need to get some supplies in town, and then we can head out,” Sniffer replied.
∆∆∆
Tabs woke to the now familiar smell of spiced stew. She rolled over on her side and saw Kyto with a small fire outside the door. She climbed off the bed and walked to the door.
“Good morning. Good job, you’re not a guard.” He chuckled, smiling at her. "You did not even wake when I moved the cupboard!"
“Sorry, I didn’t think I was tired and thought I would be fine.”
“It’s ok, no harm done. You're ready for food. Then we can get back on the road again in a while.”
“Sure,” she said.
She sat beside Kyto by the small fire and subconsciously rested her head against his shoulder. Kyto didn’t react or pull away, and it was only when she suddenly realised what she had done that she jerked upright and turned the colour scarlet. “Sorry”, she blurted out.
Kyto looked at her with a warm smile and did not say a word.
‘Oh my god, what did I just do?' she asked herself.
He finished cooking and handed her a bowl of stew. They sat silently while they ate, listening to the cacophony of sounds the morning light had brought. Above, several Wild Ones flew, cawing and singing to each other; they could also hear the buzz and flittering of various Wild Ones in the bushes and trees overlooking the building they sat in front of. The whole area was overgrown and covered in every shade of green and brown. They knew this area had not seen human habitation for a long time.
An old string of lights ran down in front of the long building front, and its entire length had a vine that wound itself to the far end. As the sun rose, bright-coloured flowers started to open, absorbing the warmth of the sun’s rays and turning their surroundings into a multicoloured abstract picture. It was beautiful, and they could have happily stayed there any other day, but they knew they needed to get back on the road and get as far away as possible from the factory.
After breakfast, while Kyto tidied up, ensuring they were not leaving any signs of them staying there, Tabs got up and decided to walk around the building to find some privacy. Her ankle was so much better; the swelling had virtually gone, and she could also put her boots on fully. She could now walk on it but knew from her display that it still needed more time to heal fully as it was showing as a dark yellow colour. The salve had done an amazing job, and she hoped that she could make it herself one day, although she was not quite sure about finding Spylore urine to use in it.
She peered into all the different rooms as she followed the front of the building but didn’t see anything of interest. Then, she walked up to what used to be a larger building at the end of the row. Its walls had collapsed in most parts, and it had initially been two storeys, but now only the ground floor remained. She went to the entrance and tried the door. It was open, so she walked inside. Most of the ceilings had come down, and the inside was full of broken brickwork and debris. Creepers, vines, grasses, and bushes grew everywhere, and she could vaguely make out where rooms used to be. She thought the plants were probably responsible for making the building collapse the way they grew through every available brickwork gap. She didn’t know anything had been inside this place for a long time and decided it was as good a place as any to go to the toilet, so she got on with her morning business.
Kyto heard a scream. He jumped up and sprinted towards the sound. It was coming from inside the building at the end of the row. He ran over and darted inside. The sight before him made him double over with laughter. Tabs was squatting in the corner of the room with joggers around her ankles, screaming in wide-eyed terror at the Wild One that had decided to visit this morning.
“Kill it, kill it!” she screamed.
The Wild One slowly walked across the room towards where Tabs squatted, and Kyto casually walked up to it and picked it up. “What is it?” Tabs blurted out, trying to cover her modesty as best as possible.
The dinner plate-sized creature kicked its legs frantically in the air where Kyto held it. “It is a Kingroach”. He said, “They are harmless. When I was young, I used to tip them over on their backs and watch them get back upright again.”
He turned and placed the Kingroach onto the ground, and it scurried away back into the foliage on the far side of the room. Kyto suddenly realised that Tabs was still squatting, and Kyto blushed quickly, turning his back to her.
Tabs stood and hastily pulled her joggers up.
“I have never heard of one before.” Tabs said.
“Nanna told me those things are indestructible, and they used to live in all the towns and cities across the world living off food scraps before the Falling, but these days, they live in the wilderness as there is no longer excess food in towns. Apparently, they never used to be that big, but like most things, they have changed. They are harmless, though they won’t do anything to us.”
“Harmless, the thing was huge. I am sure it was going to bite me.”
“No, they live on decomposing and rotting material and feed on the old vine leaves. He was more than likely just wondering who this strange screaming woman was who had disturbed his breakfast.” Kyto chuckled.
Tabs hurried back outside, and Kyto saw her shiver as she passed him.
“Are there more like that? I don't mind Rat’s, but those things look horrible."
“Well, I don’t know all the different Wild Ones, but I have heard rumours about various types. Most are harmless, but there are those you need to watch out for, like the Spylore.”
Tabs returned towards the vehicle, and Kyto followed. “Shall we get going?” he asked.
“Yes.” She stated emphatically, climbing straight into the passenger seat of the vehicle.
Kyto laughed, scooping up their belongings and packing the remaining items in the backpack before dropping them into the back of the vehicle. He climbed in and started the engine. It kicked in immediately, and he slowly steered it back onto the main road.
∆∆∆
Sniffer had been into town and picked up some supplies. If careful, he had enough rations now for at least a week, perhaps even longer. Tiddles was going to have to hunt for his meals. There would be no rat traps on the road. He had mentioned this to him, and Tiddles always seemed happy fending for himself. Sniffer had discovered many new Wild One species due to Tiddles bringing them back. This trip would net him a decent income if he could track them down. Even if they failed, his day rate of 3 stacks would keep them going for a while. He just hoped that Tiddles was up to the task. He had done remote tracking with him and training where decoys had been moved and placed at random locations. He knew that Tiddles was not the same standard as Missy, but he was improving. He should be ok if he didn’t go walkabout chasing down Spylore.
Sniffer returned to the farmhouse in his truck and arrived by the early afternoon. As he pulled up, carrion birds were pecking at the remains of Tiddle's snack from the night before. He hated the carrion birds. They had two heads with sharp beaks and huge talons that they ripped flesh from carcases. It was infrequent that they would attack people, but there had been the odd report it had happened, especially if someone had been injured. The only fear Sniffer had was being injured when he was out on his own. He knew his life would likely be over if something happened to him and he could not return to a township. At least his beast would have a free meal.
He exited the truck's cab and walked to the rear, opening the cage door and letting Tiddles out. He hopped down obediently and nuzzled into his shoulder. He closed the hasp on the cage and told Tiddles the plan. Tiddles would scout ahead as far as he could. Any signs of them, he was to call and don’t go chasing Spylore down. Tiddles tilted his giant head sideways, and then Sniffer made his way to the building. The blanket of the girls was still in the truck with her scent, but he wanted Tiddles to pick up the man’s scent as well. Tiddles followed, and after having sniffed virtually everything in the building, they came back outside. Tiddles then growled at Sniffer as if he were talking and bounded down the track towards the road. Sniffer jumped into the truck and started after him.
The going was painfully slow, and Tiddles lost the scent several times throughout the day, and he kept having to retrace his steps. It was normally either where they could have turned off or the road had crossed over a river or stream. It was okay if the road continued over the river for a while. He would pick it up again quickly after a time, and they would continue, but if a junction was nearby, it could throw him off considerably until he could ensure they continued in the right direction. Sniffer thought that Tiddles was getting annoyed as he kept making low guttural sounds, and if Sniffer did not know better, he thought he was swearing whenever he did have to recheck.
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
The sun was lowering in the sky, and dusk was settling in. Sniffer decided they would stop for the night, so they whistled for Tiddles to return. He came bounding back to the truck with his tongue lolling out of his mouth as if he was smiling. "Ok, boy, let's stop for today. It has not been easy going, and there is no point continuing into the night." Sniffer said.
Tiddles gave a low growl and dropped his head. "Hey, do not worry, we will carry on tomorrow. Anyway, you need to go and find your dinner." Sniffer said.
Tiddles perked up at this, and he turned and streaked into a field near the road.
Sniffer climbed through into the back seats of the truck and grabbed his blankets, some food, and a canteen. He sat back in the driver’s seat, eating some dried meat and fruits. The canteen was full of nectar, not water. He didn’t like water at the best of times. He took a long, deep swig, tipped the driver’s seat back, and settled back, pulling the blankets over him.
Tiddles did not return for about an hour, but when he did, he brought his dinner back with him. Thankfully, it was not a Spylore this time but a type of Wild One resembling an old deer. Sniffer was aware of four different species of Wild One deer, and this one he did not recognise. The wilderness was so vast that he was sure there were hundreds of Wild Ones he was unaware of. This species had black and green stripes for its hide and a strange pointy-looking snout with long cylindrical antlers. It was as large, if not slightly larger, than Tiddles, but it hadn’t stopped him dragging it back to the truck. He dropped it by the side, looking at Sniffer through the truck window with blood dripping from his jaws, and then started to tuck in.
Eventually, Tiddles finished eating, and Sniffer got out and opened the cage for him. He obediently jumped inside and settled down. Sniffer did not lock the cage in case something came to investigate at night. He did not want to worry about letting him out. Sniffer thought about how much he was growing. He possibly had another foot to go in height, maybe taller. He may have to consider investing in a larger truck if he grew much larger. Tiddles had already taken up most of the truck's bed when he lay down. He climbed back into the truck himself and settled back down. Not long after all, Sniffer could hear a deep, contented, rumbling snore from Tiddles that soon put him to sleep.
∆∆∆
The road that Kyto and Tabs had been following continued to wind, following a river through a long valley. The views were stunning. The colours and variations in what could be seen as they travelled were picture-perfect. Even Kyto was amazed by how tranquil it appeared this far out into the wilderness. The roads had been wide in certain areas, then narrowed in others, and everything was deserted, but the journey had become even slower and more challenging to traverse. Everything was in complete disrepair, where flora and fauna had taken back ownership of the land. They could not travel much faster than walking speed most of the time. Bushes, grasses and trees of all varieties had replaced tarmac and asphalt. Bright flowers were abundant everywhere, and many Wild Ones were flying and fleeting glimpses of land-based ones of striking colours, shapes, and sizes.
Kyto was aware from the maps he had seen where other townships were marked, but he still was not sure where exactly or if this was the correct route. If he remembered rightly, he believed there might be a township about a day and a half’s journey if they could keep a decent pace. The pace was so slow that it may take considerably longer, and that was if the road was not impassable. They had not travelled much further when a light flashed on the vehicle. Kyto looked at it and realised it must be related to the fuel, looking at the small symbol of a can.
“It looks like we may have to start hiking soon”, he said, looking at Tabs.
“Why?” she asked.
“I think we are going to run out of fuel.”
“How far are we from that township?”
“Not sure, to be honest, ten miles could be fifty. I have lost track of the distance we have covered.” He looked at the little dial that kept increasing whenever they moved and realised it must be counting how far they had been going. He wished he had been paying attention and guessed its purpose earlier, but he could not guarantee any accuracy as he had no maps to confirm the distance of places. He had been so focused on controlling the vehicle and dodging all the obstacles in the road that he hadn’t looked at everything else on the vehicle. That wasn’t like him, and he chastised himself over his stupidity. He didn’t say anything to Tabs but decided when he could, he would make sure he knew exactly how vehicles worked.
They continued their journey, and after another half an hour, they had only crawled a short distance further down the road when the engine made a spluttering sound and jolted. It cut out, and the vehicle rolled a few more feet before stopping.
“Well, that’s it, how is your ankle feeling?”
“Much better, still not perfect, but I should be able to walk ok.”
They climbed out of the vehicle, and Kyto retrieved his backpack. “Well, we can find somewhere to hold up for the night as it's already late afternoon, and we do not have too much daylight left. It is not as if we are in a rush to get anywhere as I think we have hopefully put enough distance between ourselves and the factory by now.” He said, smiling.
Tabs looked at him, “It is beautiful out here. It reminds me of home in a way. The trees and plants are slightly different, but I remember these scenes in the valley where we grew up.”
“It does feel different out here. I have never been this far into the wilderness before, always staying near the township areas that I knew of.” Kyto said. “It is so untouched. There is no way a vehicle has travelled down this road for a long time.”
They started down the road and hadn’t gone too far when they came across some buildings set back slightly. Looking at their surroundings, you could tell they would have made a perfect home at some point. Looking out across the road and valley at a forest opposite. They approached the buildings, and as they neared, they were both startled by two very large coloured Wild Ones that flew out of some bushes. The Wild Ones started cawing and circling above the buildings. Tabs walked towards the bushes they had risen from as she could hear a shrill chirping sound. She pulled back some branches of the bushes and saw three miniature versions of the two birds flying overhead.
“I have no idea what they are, but I think we found their nest,” she said.
Kyto walked over and peered at the nest. The chicks were a mottled green and the size of his hand. The Wild Ones were not happy with their nest being disturbed. One flew down and landed on the ground a short distance from them. It stood four feet tall and had a very sharp-looking serrated beak. It made a hissing sound and strutted towards them, snapping its beak. Tabs and Kyto backed away from the bush and moved towards the main road. They watched the Wild One warily as it followed them, hissing.
“Let us go and see if there is another place nearby. I do not fancy being pecked by that beak.” Kyto said. They reached the main road, not taking their eyes off the bird, which continued to follow them until its partner called boldly, and it suddenly took off into the air, heading back towards the houses and its nest.
They continued down the main road. There were a few buildings, but they were piles of rubble now, so they kept going until they eventually came upon a small track leading off the main road. Visibly, just down the track, a pair of dilapidated wrought iron gates covered in vines. Kyto walked up and cleared the vines off a sign on the gate post which read, ‘The Branches’.
“Let’s go see what is down here. The sign says it is called The Branches”, he said to Tabs.
They wandered along the remains of a track as it weaved through a wooded area for a half mile or so until it opened into a large clearing. They stopped when they saw a large house across the overgrown grass of the clearing. It appeared as though it had once had a whitewashed facia but now had vines and mosses covering it. Pillars ran along the front of the building with vines thickly blanketing them, holding up a balcony and large ornate arched windows stretching across the first floor. In front of the house was a large single tree in what must have once been a garden or an open field. It was easily over one hundred feet tall and had a huge, thick trunk, and hundreds of twisting branches sprouted from it. “I bet that tree is where this place got its name from,” Kyto said.
“This place looks as good a place as any to stay.” Tabs said.
The house stood in the middle of the large clearing with open but wildly overgrown grasses on all sides. The path leading towards the building swept across its front and continued towards the back. They walked around the path, and it opened into another large field that ran down towards a river at the bottom, and there was a sizeable double-fronted garage and another outbuilding. Woods surrounded it on all sides, and thick woodland across the river followed the valley wall for as far as they could see. There appeared to be no other buildings visible from the property; it appeared isolated, deserted, and peaceful.
They made their way back to the front of the building, and even though the outside was seriously overgrown, and nature had tried claiming the house back with the vines and creepers that virtually covered it and the odd bush sprouting on the porch area, when they looked inside through the windows it seemed relatively untouched.
Kyto walked to the front door, which was locked, and eventually managed to force it open. The front door squealed on its hinges, and although stiff between them, they made a gap large enough to slip inside. Everything was covered in a deep layer of dust and had not been occupied since the Falling. Paintwork was faded and had peeled off the walls in various parts, and the house had the usual abandoned feel that Kyto was used to. The general condition inside, though, was much better than he had expected to find. Only in a couple of places did a vine manage to break through where there were vents in the walls. The walls seemed to have stood up to time well and did not appear damaged, unlike most buildings Kyto had visited on his scavenging trips. The windows all appeared intact as well, which was a rarity. Kyto was always wary of the conditions of buildings, having been in some close calls where walls had virtually crumbled on being touched. This property seemed to have been built to last.
“Let’s check around and ensure nothing else lives here,” Kyto said.
Tabs looked at him, “Again, you try to scare me.”
“Well, we won’t know until we check.” He said, removing his multitool from his vest and opening his knife blade.
They searched the building and found no Wild Ones occupying it of animal or insect form. There were five rooms on the ground floor, two large rooms full of what must have once been plush furnishings, and both had large open fireplaces, a dining room with a long, large table which could seat at least twelve people, a huge kitchen area and a utility area. A broad staircase ran up to the first floor from in front of the main entrance doorway. On inspecting upstairs, they found six rooms, two large bedrooms with bathrooms and fireplaces, two more bedrooms and another separate bathroom. There was also a room that may have been an office once with shelves full of books. On seeing the books, Kyto’s eyes almost popped out of his head, and Tabs had to drag him away to finish searching the house before he got lost there. They went out onto the balcony at the front of the building, and they could see across the clearing to where the track twisted back into the woods. They stood on the balcony for some time, and it was serene, with only the occasional calling or hooting of a Wild One in the woods breaking the silence. Whoever had owned this place at one time had looked after it well, and the remnants of its previous splendour were plain to see.
“This seems as good a place as any to stay for now.” Tabs said, turning to face Kyto.
“It certainly does. I will check back and see what’s there, but I think we can rest up here for a few days until you are fully fit.”
Tabs liked the sound of that idea; her ankle had started to throb after walking, and she was sure it was swelling again as her boot had started to feel tighter. She pulled up her display to check, and her ankle had started to get reddish to it again. She hadn’t wanted to complain about it after all the trouble Kyto had gone to so far. Tabs kept investigating the interior, walking around the various rooms, looking through cupboards and draws. The place was untouched and, apart from mould, general dust, and dirt, had everything and more that a family would need. There were wardrobes and cupboards full of clothes, and looking at the various sizes, a family had once lived here. The kitchen had a huge stove, and there were multiple pieces of equipment and items Tabs did not recognise. This place was going to be heaven to stay at, she thought.
Downstairs, on top of the mantlepiece by one of the fires, there were some old pictures in frames. They must have been of the family that lived here, and although not very clear, she could make out a man and a woman and what she thought must be two daughters, which would support the clothes she had found upstairs. Several pictures seemed to have been taken at various locations that she did not recognise, and in each photo, they were all smiling and looked happy. She wondered what had happened to them and the thought of her own family and how much she missed her mother and sister. She did not even know where they had lived when she was taken in her teens. She only knew the homestead and a couple of miles around it. Her mum used to go into a local town occasionally for supplies, but she stayed home with Crystal most of the time. She was reminiscing, holding one of the pictures, when Kyto walked back in, startling her.
“Come and look what I have found.” He said with a beaming grin. He turned and walked back outside.
When Tabs reached the back door, Kyto was entering the small outbuilding, and she followed him inside. There was some form of machinery that Tabs had no idea what they did. Kyto had dropped his backpack and taken his tool wrap out, unrolling it.
“What is it?”
“An oil boiler and generator, if I can get them working, we should be able to get power for the house. There is a buried oil tank behind the building, and it is still full. Not sure how good the oil will be, but hopefully, I can get them working.”
“Wow, having lights will make this place much nicer at night-time.”
“Not just lights, the boiler may also provide heating and hot water.”
Tabs watched Kyto as he went to work on the machines.
He started to strip various parts from the machinery and clean them, continually muttering to himself as he worked and then reassembling them.
As the light was starting to fade, “I think you should stop for the night,” Tabs said.
Kyto turned and looked at her, realising for the first time that it was getting dark. He had been entranced by what he was doing. Tabs had been interested in asking him about various items while he worked, and he had enthusiastically explained to her what each element did.
“Yeah, probably best.”
“Let us go and make it secure for tonight.” Tabs replied.
Kyto repacked his tools, placing them back in his backpack, and they returned to the house.
Kyto had opened the rear door from the inside and pushed it open after unbolting it so it was easily closed again. The front door took a little effort, and they forced it back closed between them. There was a hasp on the inside, which they placed across it. Although it could not be locked fully, it seemed secure enough.
They returned to the rear room and cleared off one of the old sofas. The material was ruined, but it still felt comfortable to sit on. Kyto then checked the chimney to see if he could light a fire. He looked up at it but could not see any visible light.
“I don’t think we can use the fire as the chimney looks blocked.” He said. “Fruit tonight, and we can cook in the morning and maybe sort the chimney and fireplace out.”
He handed Tabs a pack of the dried fruit, and they sat chatting about how lucky they were to find this place untouched. Tabs told Kyto about all the clothes and other items she had found. They both settled on the sofa for the night and shared the blanket, chatting and planning for the next day while watching the sunset over the field at the back of the property until moonlight was their only light source. It had been an exhausting day, and it did not take them both long to fall asleep.