Elements of the Mountains

Outside the Wall

Marlow hurries out of the ship and we follow, he leads us to an one plane that has been turned into a boat. "We were this close to getting it working. Me and Gunpei were gonna take off for the open sea, try to get home. That's when one of them things got him."

James takes a deep breath, "well, that's lovely."

"You're damn right."

"Uh.." I sigh, "does it float?"

"Me and Gunpei spent six years of our lives building this thing. She's called the Grey Fox. And she floats." Marlow pats the side of the boat, "pulled the engine parts from my P-51 and his old Zero. Found a B-29 on the beach one day. That was something."

Nieves cringes, "you gotta be kidding me. That thing looks like it's made out of pure tetanus."

"I know she ain't pretty to look at, but it's nothing a couple of extra hands can't fix."

I shrug, "well, unless anyone has any better ideas, let's get going."

James nods, "alright."

"Is she always like this?" Slivko asks.

James shrugs, "why do you think I'm with her?"

After we work for a little while before I head back into the village. I see Weaver taking pictures of everyone. Having them hold up peace sighs as she takes a few pictures. "Amelia, my dear. Smile like you're on the cover of Seventeen."

I chuckle and pose a bet. "Why don't I get a few of you?"

"Me? Oh, no. there's a reason I'm behind the camera."

"Come on."

"Fine..." Weaver sighs. As I snap a few pictures of her, but soon I hear something crying out in pain. I stop and lower the camera. "What is it?"

"Listen," I hold up a finger.

"What is that?"

"I don't know. But I'm gonna find out."

"Amelia, you can't go out there alone." Weaver walks after me as I pass through the tall grass around the wall.

"I won't be alone, I'll have you. Plus, I have a gun and not to brag, but thanks to James I'm a pretty decent shot. So I think we'll be okay. Unless we see one of those skull things, in which case we run." I shrug. As I continue on Weaver follows. We follow the sound of the cries until we find a buffalo that is trapped under one of the crashed helicopters. I rush over and start trying to lift it off of the animal. "Mason, help me."

Mason rushes over and begins to help me try to lift the plane part of the animal. "Come on, stand up, please."

Mason and I grunt as we try to lift the piece and eventually it moves. Mason and I sigh, gasping when we turn and see Kong had lifted the piece himself. We stare up at the massive creature and hold our breath. Kong looks down to us for a moment, his eyes softening for a moment before turning and leaving. Once he walks away Weaver and I lean against each other, the adrenaline rushing out of our systems. "We should get back."

"Yeah," Weaver nods.

When we get back to the village James and the others come running up to us, worried. James hugs me tightly when he gets to me, "where were you two?"

"We heard something crying from outside the wall," I look up to James.

"And you followed it? What if something would have happened to you?"

I cross my arms and look up to James rather disappointed. "Something could happen to me when we get back to the world just as easily as it could here. There are just different dangers here." I scoff before James can say anything, "come on, we have 48 hours to make it to the north shore. Slivko."

"Yes, ma'am.," Slivko straightens up.

"Do you know how to get the engine on the ship running?"

"My pop's a mechanic. If I can't fix it, he'll disown me. If he ever sees me again."

"Ms. Freya," Marlow walks over to me. "Maybe you can explain what Churchill was telling me. Russia was our ally. Now, we're at war with them?"

I shrug, "it's more of a cold war."

"Cold war like... like they take the summers off?"

I chuckle, "not really."

"What about the Cubs? The Cubs win a World Series yet?"

"The Cubs?" Slivko chuckles as he climbs on board the ship, "man, not even close. Were they ever good?"

"Happens to be my team. Where are you from?"

"Detroit."

"Okay. Yeah, the Tigers. Did they win at all this year?"

"I don't know."

"I doubt it. Yeah. I'd pick the Cubbies over the Tigers any day."

"Who do you think would win in a fight? A tiger or a cub?"

"A tiger would win. Yeah, because a cub is a baby bear. A full-grown tiger can eat a baby bear. Gotta think it through."

I laugh at the conversation between Slivko and Marlow, "they also put a man on the moon."

"No kidding? What did they do? Just leave him up there? What's he eating?"

"Tang. Spam," Nieves shrugs.

James walks up to us, "come on, we're losing daylight."

I sigh, "James. Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Why? We have work to do."

"And I'm sure the brain trust will be able to operate without you for a few minutes." I step off of the boat and walk a few yards away from the boat, James follows.

"What is it?"

"You tell me. What is your problem?"

"My problem is you left the village, alone."

I shake my head, "I wasn't alone."

"You were with Weaver... I count that as alone." James sighs, "you can't just go off on your own, you don't have proper field training."

I scoff, "I do though, James. Remember I served in the same war you did. In the same teran you did and on the same battlefields you did." James crosses his arms, "whether you want to believe it or not, I am capable of defending myself out there just as much as you are."

"Yeah and that's what scares me." James shakes his head. "Because I can't protect myself out there, so how am I supposed to protect you?"

I drop my shoulders, finally understanding why James is so upset about me leaving. "James, you are the most capable person I know. If you couldn't defend yourself here, then the Iwis and Marlow wouldn't have made it this long."

"Really?"

"Yes." I nod. "James, I left because I wasn't worried about that. Because I've learned so much from you, I knew I would be okay for that short time I was out there." I take a deep breath, "I'm sorry I scared you."

James shakes his head, "no, I'm sorry for getting mad at you for leaving to help some poor creature." James hugs me tightly, "just, please do not leave these walls again without me"

"I promise." I nod, "useless you die. Because I'm sorry but then I'm out of here." James laughs, "like I may not even need that boat, there will just be a trail of smoke and a dust cloud in the shape of me."