Dark Fall

Chapter 34 - Road Trip

Early the next morning, Will and Terra set off for their Blue Uprising Council engagement, planning a less-traveled route to avoid security checkpoints. Will drove while Terra lay across the seat with her head in his lap, trying to snooze.

He poked her in the arm. "Look behind us, Terra. See? It's a sunrise."

She stirred, but did not open her eyes, grumbling, "I can see the sun later. It will be with us all day."

Once risen mid-morning, Terra noted the extreme poverty along the way. While prevalent everywhere, here it seemed much worse. Families lived in makeshift structures, tents, or abandoned vehicles. Listless people sat or milled aimlessly, wearing tattered clothes and sometimes no shoes. Blank expressions on so many faces and the sad hopeless stares tore at her heart.

Will stopped to help a family of four in a stalled truck along the road. Their truck's power cells were completely depleted, and they had no money to pay for a recharge. Will swapped out one of his charged cells for one of their empty ones, enough at least to get them back home. While sharing lunch, the family described the dire situation in the area — high taxes, high prices for basic commodities, and lack of jobs. Recent military conflicts ruined the infrastructure and chased away employment. The father's face took on an angry distortion as he told of those deemed upper class and how they lived in luxury. But he spoke almost in a whisper, as if afraid that the authorities might hear them. As they parted, Will gave the father some money. Reluctant at first, the father pushed aside his pride and accepted it for his family.

Will and Terra drove on, each troubled by the experience, but unsure what to say.

Terra broke the silence. "I am glad we helped them, but it is only temporary. And there are so many more."

"And the feeling of helplessness..." Will shook his head. "But there is very little we can do now except continue on. Maybe when we get back to Freehold, we can see if the Library would help these people."

Sadness, laced with anger, twisted at Terra's gut, and fingernails indented her palms. Remembering Joseph's suggestion, Terra closed her eyes and meditated, trying to clear her mind of the persistent swirling thoughts. Her heart remained troubled, but she found some calm with acceptance of her limitations.

I will do what I can. No more is expected of me.

*****

Once over the mountain passes, the landscape became drier, transitioning from spruce forests to the high desert, marked by sparse brush, rocky hills, and parched washes.

On the morning of the second day, they approached the unofficial border between Dynasty and Blue Uprising controlled land. Terra took the wheel, detouring through a seldom-used dusty side-road she knew that avoided roadblocks, and the questions that would be asked there. Later, they came to an Uprising checkpoint, but with fake IDs she had and Will's ability to mask her aura, they passed by the disinterested guards easily.

As the sun disappeared over the horizon, they stopped at an inn at a larger city outskirts. Further down a road, rows of seedy rundown bars, gambling houses, and strip clubs stood, each embellished with flashing lights and suggestive signs. Nearby unmarked buildings with blackened windows suggested sordid things happened within. Many people meandered about, some staggering. Burly bouncers stood watch in front of the gaudy entrances.

Terra shook her head. "A sleazy area, but I have seen worse."

"You have?" Will asked.

"One time, a mission took Anna and me to a place like that." She pointed to a strip club. "We went undercover as dancers, or perhaps I should say uncovered?"