After arriving in a new town with his mother and sister, 18-year-old Daniel finds a mysterious corridor under his new house, and beyond it, a mysterious old man who traps him on the other side. There, Daniel finds another dimension filled with nothi...
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The truck moved among the trees of the hollow forest. A desolate landscape of dead white trees. Daniel and Roth sat at the end of the truck talking.
-I'm clueless. Why did The Prophet go outside? Wherever that might be.
-You never were on the outside?
-Never. But that's why I'm happy we saved you. You can help us get there.
-It's not like I want to shatter your dream, but trust me, you won't find happiness even there.
-It's that bad?
-It's horrible. At least here, it's quiet in the open. In my reality, every place is dense enough to make you suffocate.
-But is it green at least? - Roth asked as if Daniel's opinion didn't matter to him.
-It is green.
-You know, that makes me happy enough, so while you enjoy the lack of water, hot air, and emptiness, I will enjoy the greenery of your world when I get there. - Roth said irreverently.
-The future comes faster than you think, Daniel. So fast that I can't always be prepared for it. For years, I saw my future on the other side. I cannot stop now, so the only thing left for me to do is figure it out as I go. That's what I do now, that's what I'll do in the future, and that's what I advise you to do as well. Just a minute ago you spoke to me that you need to go back to that corridor and that says something.
Roth's enthusiasm was strange to Daniel, yet at the same time it felt invasive, going through Daniel's mind like an illness he didn't know if he wanted to welcome or not.
Suddenly Roth's idea was clear.
-If we want to reach the corridor, we must deal with Raven's people first. If The Prophet really left the wasteland, there are fewer things for us to worry about. We will attack The Raven before she attacks us.
-We're here! - Katherine, the truck driver, shouted.
Far beyond the western wall of the hollow forest, the truck stopped by a little town hidden among the trees. There was no base or fortifications. A weak sight in comparison to what he has seen on the Lake. The houses were made out of wood. Most of their widows: broken or nonexistent. As they entered the town Daniel struggled not to visualize a tumbleweed rolling through the empty streets. Nothing added up in Daniel's head. They showed so much power attacking the convoy, yet their base was not protected.
-You're no big faction here, are you? - Daniel asked Roth.
-We're no faction. There are no factions - he sighed. - We escaped The Raven..
-Why?
-Because they're sick in the head. Controlling, egotistical...
-So if you want to attack them, why do you need me? If you lived there you know all you need.
-We don't. They're no town like us. What interests us is inside the main base, and we have never been there. We lived on the outside streets - The Out-Town. Far enough to find our own voices, and form our own thoughts, but at the same time, we were still under their ideological regime. We were their workforce. A little less than a year ago we escaped and found this town. The forest is the only thing protecting us. It's too vast and too deep for them to attack us right away. Now we're running out of time. Now that we have you, they'll probably risk everything they have to get you back.
Roth and Daniel sat in the bar that seemed to be the main building in the whole town.
-How would we do that?
-That's what I thought about earlier. I want us to make them think we took you hostage. We have a large number of people, so we'll arrive at their gates willing to negotiate. Once we're in, we'll attack.
-Aren't they more powerful?
-Maybe, but before we left we poisoned the only water reservoir. They lost a great number of people, I'm sure of that. That is probably the reason why they weren't risking the attack on us, and I believe they will be forced to cooperate with us so they can have you. You must be part of some of The Prophet's plan, therefore their only hope. He probably left them with the delusional hope of trusting him on that.
-That is radically suicidal. - Daniel said.
-I'm aware of that... but looking back, our escape from them was radically suicidal in the first place, so we have nothing else to lose.
-Besides, how are you planning on helping me escape?
-I'm still not sure, but we might find something useful in their base. The old man lived there so he might have left something that would help us. When the fighting begins, look for his house and try to find something.
-And what if we'll lose?
Roth looked at Daniel in doubt. It was clear to him they might be defeated, but he had to face that somehow.
-We won't. We can't. But if we were to retreat, I won't leave without you. I promise.
-You never told me why you want to attack their base?
-For most of us here, we just want to demolish their harmful ideology. I personally... - Roth sighed - When I was 18, The Raven took away my sister. She purposefully selected her to join their army. I know that if we get in I could find her and talk to her. I could take her back. That is all I care about.
-I'm sorry to hear that.
-How is your sister like? - Daniel asked.
-Her name is Rose, and she is the kindest person I ever knew. A few years older than me. She was the heart of the Out-Town. Keeping us all together and strong. It was really hard for her, but we always had her back, working together to ensure our survival. I believe that Raven must have seen a valuable asset in her, that's why she was taken, but if she wasn't you'd probably be speaking to her right now. - Roth stopped for a second, stepping on the uneasy quicksands of melancholy.
-I just... - he continued. - I will do anything to see her again.
-And you will. - said Daniel with an encouraging voice. - I have a sister, too. She is still on the outside, and as I think of it now, I want to come back, especially for her. I understand how you feel.
Roth looked at him with gratitude. Daniel was a simple bystander in this situation, a stranger even, and he's given him no more than understanding and acceptance.
-Is this what the outside world could be like? - he thought. - Kind... - the thought occupied him for a second, and as it left he spoke up to Daniel again, with nothing more than relief.
-It's getting late. We'd better go to sleep before tomorrow.
-You're right. - Daniel answered.
After leading Daniel to his room Roth went to his own and fell asleep right away from all that exhaustion.
END OF CHAPTER
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