Story [Issue 32] Remnant - Part 5

[Thekillerpenguin 1,731]

Part 5

Remnant

 

Alex and the stranger traversed the unforgiving landscape. He still had no idea where he was going. "She said it was some base...are they military? No, wait, that's impossible, the military was destroyed. So who are these people?", he thought. "I don't think any of the other families would be behind this...who else have I seen around here?" He stopped in his tracks. "Maybe some other group of people that we haven't met yet?"

 

"Go on, move", said the stranger. "What, did you step on a snail? We don't have all day. Or night, as the case might be." Alex started walking again. "Gah, no use thinking about that."

 

They walked down a rocky slope and into a grove of bushes. The area was illuminated with moonlight. A few old apple trees still stood, the leaves withered and small, but still growing. "This looks like the old orchard I used to go to as a kid", Alex thought. "I'm surprised that the trees are still here." He spotted a small apple on the tip of a gnarled branch, and paused his march to pick it. After wiping away the dust, it was a shiny dark red. He took a bite, and it was sweet and crisp. It reminded him of long summer days spent roaming the orchard and the surrounding forests, playing among the bushes, stealing apples from the trees, and lying on the green grass. He smelled the scent of wildflowers, felt sunlight dancing on his face, and the cool breeze from the mountains. But most of all, he remembered his brother.

 

Then reality sank back down on him. His brother was gone, the summers were no longer warm, and the orchard was derelict. He went back to hiking and ate the rest of the apple in silence. Before they exited the orchards, Alex picked another apple. He again wiped the dust off and took a bite. It was sour.

 

The two travelers continued hiking for a few more hours. They made their way to a small river, where they refilled their canteens. Alex glanced at his surroundings before asking "How much more is there left to go?"

"A few miles. We're almost there."

"Ugh, I need to take a nap... could we take a break? What time is it, anyway?"

"It's about 3:00 AM, and no, you can't take a nap. It's not safe here. Wait until we get to the base."

"Fine....if you say so."

 

Alex got up and went to a quiet patch of bushes to do his business. The air was still, and he could hear the sounds of the creek and the birds. There was also a faint low growl. "Must be hearing things. I've never been so tired..."

 

He returned to the spot where he had rested, but the stranger was not there. "That's odd... I wonder where she is. Maybe-"

His thought was cut off. Invisible hands grabbed him from behind, and he was pulled into a bush. "Don't. move. There's a group of bandits on the other side of the river", the stranger whispered.

"Don't you have a gun?"

"I only have a bullet or two left. Do you really think I can take on a whole group with that?"

"Just a thought."

"Be quiet. Let's hope they don't see or hear us."

 

Bandits were a common sight out in the wilderness. They roamed in large groups, scavenging anything that they came across and often attacking travelers to steal their possessions. This particular group was wearing ragged clothes and using only axes and other melee weapons, but both Alex and the stranger knew better than to fight all of them at once.

 

From the hiding place, Alex's view was obscured, but he could see through a small gap in the brush. The bandits conversed in an unfamiliar tongue. One of them seemed to be the leader- he was using better equipment than the others and seemed to be giving orders. He motioned vaguely towards the bush where Alex and the stranger were hiding, and at one point looked at Alex almost in the eye. They seemed to come into agreement on what to do, and the whole group started slowly crossing the river.

 

"Shoot! They know where we are!", the stranger whispered.

"What do we do now?"

"Here, take my gun. Make your way through this valley until you reach a clearing. The base is there. Tell them that I sent you."

"I never did get your name."

"You're right. I don't go by any real name- it's a long story. Tell them...a friend sent you, hm?"

"Alright. What about you, though? Aren't you coming too?"

"No. You're more important than I am."

"What?! You can't fight all of them yourself!"

"I can. Whether I win or not is a different matter. There's no time. Now, go!"

 

He was shoved from the bush. The bandits saw the commotion and rushed at the stranger, yelling a battle cry. "Go, go! Run while there's still time! I'll give these bandits a heck of a fight!" She took out a knife and engaged them in combat.

 

Alex now found himself at a crossroads of decisions. He could run home, but he didn't know the way and would likely not make it back. He could help the stranger fight, but he would probably lose, and the bandits would have two people to loot rather than one. The last option was to run to the base- one that he was hesitant to act on. After all, he didn't know what would happen there. He stood in his tracks for what seemed like an eternity.

 

A final "Run! Run! Don't miss your chance!" from the stranger pierced his thoughts like a bullet. His legs started moving forward almost unconsciously. Alex was unaware of his fatigue, and ran faster than he had ever ran before. His mind was empty, and did not respond to either sight or sound. The sounds of the battle faded as he exited the area. Finally, he stopped. The lack of sleep and the tiredness of his muscles finally got to him. His body felt worn and broken, and he collapsed on the ground, falling swiftly into deep sleep.

 

---

 

[Superlative 500]

 

Just a suggestion, would you include the other parts of this story so it'd be easy for readers who haven't read the first part and it's successors. Thanks. :)

[deadtoyou 2,502]

Aww man.....great story, but I thought the two brothers would meet finally. :(

 

Gotta wait for next issue then.

[duje225_awesome 7]

Anyone know how to make a newspaper??

[Scribo 167]

This confused assortment of letters and punctuation is tedious, uninformed, and irrelevant; devoid of any moral or otherwise substantive content, it is an appalling travesty of a story and a paradigm of plebeian literature.

[Thekillerpenguin 1,731]

Anyone know how to make a newspaper??

The newspaper is published by the reporter team- applications are open right now if you want to apply. See the "Reporter Applications are Open!" thread in this section.

 

This confused assortment of letters and punctuation is tedious, uninformed, and irrelevant; devoid of any moral or otherwise substantive content, it is an appalling travesty of a story and a paradigm of plebeian literature.

OK. After carefully perusing your posts on this forum, it becomes apparent that you have a problem with people of "lesser intelligence", and those lesser people make up everyone in the forum that isn't you (you're the most exemplary person here, right?). Now, as my wits are obviously far lower than yours, I will not be able to improve my writing to a level that would remotely appease you. My literature will apparently never reach the patrician level that you demand. Therefore, I will not try, as in the larger scale of things any attempt to improve would be completely insignificant, like the difference between 1 million atoms and 999,999 atoms to the naked eye. :)

[greyat 2,972]

This confused assortment of letters and punctuation is tedious, uninformed, and irrelevant; devoid of any moral or otherwise substantive content, it is an appalling travesty of a story and a paradigm of plebeian literature.

Been traveling to Victorian England?

[greyat 2,972]

the difference between 1 million atoms and 999,999 atoms to the naked eye. :)

And while the difference between 1 atom and none, while the same, is entirely different.

Edited April 30, 2016 by greyat
xaxaxa how2doublepost

[Thekillerpenguin 1,731]

And while the difference between 1 atom and none, while the same, is entirely different.

Which is why I chose 1 million. :ph34r: