Arc 3 - Chapter 7: To The Country Riddled With Sand

(Octavian 28, 59 / 10:23PM)

Somewhere in the Pollux Savanna…

The clouds above allowed no moonlight, as darkness stretched across the horizon. High beams penetrating through the dark, the only thing moving was the essence of a brown van.

Taking in the dead yellow grass, and even the obtuse looking trees, they looked to be arched at a 135 degree angle. Wielding the steering wheel with his left hand, Jack had his right carry a simple energy drink.

Going over a simple road bump, the motion of the jolt startled the passenger, who woke up with eye burgers.

“H-H-Huh?”

His eyes somewhat reddened, Luke looked at Jack with sluggish eyelids. Sweat drenching down his face, and his clothes disfigured and wrinkled, he had his head rest against the headrest. But most of all, he swiped away a bit of dry blood hovering below his lip.

“How long was I out?”

“For about twelve hours.”

“So then … Did Hope heal me?”

“She healed you first before anyone else. Because everyone had pretty bad injuries, the amount of healing she did knocked her out cold.”

Luke rotated his body, and opened the sliding panel that was between the passenger and driver seats. Having his eyes hover against the hole, he glanced at everyone who slept soundly.

Hope had her cheek rub against Benn, as a bit of drool rivered down her lip. And near the back, Luna snored loudly with an open mouth. Along with seeing everyone else asleep, he let out a soft sigh, before returning back to view the road. Panning his eyes to his right, he noticed a car right behind them.

“That looks like Boris’s car.”

“Yeah. David and Boris are taking turns driving. They aren’t like me in terms of staying up late.”

“That’s because both of them are already old. Not everyone is like you…”

Now wide awake, Luke glanced around the landscape that shifted with the van. Seeing nothing but darkness, it was like he was on a never ending road.

Until both of them noticed a sign, one that had a green background and white letters. With the high-beams reflecting against it, it read—

{Fieldgreen - 20 Miles}

{El Niabea - 150 Miles}

{Haxouburg Border - 300 Miles}

—Are we going South?

Once they passed the green sign, Luke raised his right hand up to his chin. Tapping it slowly, but repeatedly, he looked straight at the road.

“Whatcha thinking about?”

“Drink water. Your voice is parched.”

“I can live off with energy drinks. That’s how I roll.”

“Until you roll down with a layer of kidney stones … anyway, aren’t we supposed to be in Lagefor?

Jack ceased his carefree demeanor, and raised his right hand onto the wheel.

Clearing his throat, a couple of dry coughs spewed from his parched lips. Feeling like he had swallowed sand, he straightened his neck along with his back.

“When you were out cold, all of us managed to escape that courthouse and the government’s hands. We were so close to being captured, it wasn’t even funny…”

He felt like the road darkened further, which allowed the known to be unknown. With the blinding lights unable to fully reflect the landscape, it allowed his mind to blur light itself.

“When we all reached the main building, we tried to get all that we thought were important. We got your boots, we got our weapons, we got every necessary gadget and ammo we needed … but we had to sacrifice some valuables…”

Inside the back of the van, numerous suitcases and boxes littered the floor. Ranging from miniature to massive, some of them grazed the tips of their boots. Recalling the jungle of stuff that they had, a patch of dry lightning lit up the darkened sky.

“The clothes that we’re wearing are the only ones we have. We didn’t bother to pack pajamas, so there goes hygiene…”

Sniffling two times, Luke noticed a hint of body odor coming from the back. It wasn’t pungent, but he knew that a day or two later would bring out the worst of them. And as the crackled thunder rumbled the van, the landscape around them felt the tremor.

“And oh yeah … we forgot to unlock the vault that Boris saved up. So … we’re pretty much broke.”

A heavy wind began to blow.

Barely seeing the dead grass sway, it was like seeing algae withstanding a current. Noticing a group of tumbleweeds prowl through, patches of sticks scratched along the brown paint. Hearing the nature growl in frustration, it left Luke’s lips to seal tight.

“But once we dipped, we hid in some abandoned industrial factory and waited till nightfall. Once it was safe to go, we just continued to drive South.”

Luke eyed the low-pressure system they were heading into, as batches of dry lightning lit up increasingly. Hearing the crackle, and hearing the roar, Luke darkened his eyes at the consequences that followed.

“So where are we heading?”

Jack had his grip on the wheel with both hands, as the leather shook back and forth. The wind going against them, he didn’t glance at Luke, as they ventured further and further into the Savanna.

“David recommended that we should drive South, toward Haxouburg. He knows a place where we would be free from the government’s hands.”

“So then, where is Haxouburg?”

The dust sizzling against the road, it traveled with the wind that blew from the North. And yet, Jack's eyes felt like he was lifting up anvils.

“It’s a town just eight hours south of here, a town called Dodgerock.”

________________________________________________________________________

(Octavian 29, 59 / 4:03AM)

The landscape changed. Escaping the pitch black darkness of the savanna, which nestled the South region of Kepputha, the van passed through a sign.

{Welcome to Haxouburg!}

All Jack could see was reddish-orange dirt. The arched trees being replaced by pentagroups of saguaros, it made Jack of all people furrow his brow. And glancing to his left, he saw a large stack of stone, dirt, and rock; a butte that reached the heavens.

‘So this is Haxouburg. From what I learned in geography, this region is the Shanta Desert, a high elevation desert.’

Being the driest region of the world in terms of precipitation, not even the lighting from above gave them tears. High beams continuing to plow the darkened night, reddish devil tumbleweeds rolled through the desolate dark. Slowing down on the gas, Jack felt his grip on the wheel tighten.

“Hey Luke. Luke…?”

Gripping the steering wheel with his left, he used his right to tug Luke’s shoulder. Receiving no response, Jack clicked his tongue.

And just feeling the shove, even from the dark, Luke jolted himself up. Eye burgers resting against his lower eyelids, Luke turned toward Jack, his irises strained red.

“W-What happened?”

“Just need some company. Someone to talk to.”

“sighs … alright.”

Pulling back his right hand, he rested it on the stickshift, while he viewed the altering landscape.

Meanwhile, Stan let out a quiet yawn, as his eyes were still clouded with burgers. Blinking three times, the crevices of his eyelids felt like they were stationed by water. But once he stretched, he allowed his sluggish irises to pinpoint on the shark-human.

Who looked to be awake.

‘I wonder what’s in his mind.’

Not just him, but Gary and Fred felt the motion of the van beginning to startle them. Without saying a word, they rubbed their eyes with their knuckles, as the van continued to rock back and forth.

‘Whatever it is, it seems to be really deep in it.’

Benn kept his eyes peeled at the wrappers, which used to hold protein bars. Having his back hunched, he had his elbows pinned on his knees, while he stared fully at the litter near his boots.

Rubbing his chin, Stan used his pointer finger and thumb to do so, as he titled his head to the right.

“You okay Benn?”

Benn wasn’t startled, but he did jerk his head up. Without smiling, without succumbing to nervousness, all he showed was a cold frown.

“What?”

“Just wanted to know if you were ok. Ever since we’ve been going South, you’ve been quiet.”

“I’ve always been quiet.”

“Yeah, but this time, it looks as if you’re trying to distance yourself from us.”

Benn glanced down toward the floor, and had his attention on the suitcase near his right foot. Having his hands cusped, he slightly dug his fingers into his knuckles, pushing his skin to churn.

As thunder roared yet again, their ears perceived the boom with silent ears. Letting go of his hands, he allowed his knuckles to rest upon his thighs.

“Have I ever told you about my parents?”

“No. Come to think of it, nobody knows anything about you really.”

“Well I was born in Haxouburg, but raised in Aizzonnia.”

“Ok…? So what’s the big deal on returning to your home country?”

The van somewhat jumped, but not enough for everyone to be startled by. Hearing the simplicity of luggages shift, it didn’t stop the conversation the two held.

Straightening his back, he had the back of his head brushing against the metallic wall. Having a cold glare bestowed on his face, he had his palms rest on his knees.

“During the beast-human skirmishes, all the battles were in two countries. Aizzonia and Haxouburg.”

“Does it look like I know that?”

“And did you know that Ticia and Kepputha were on serious curfews? Violent rioting?”

“Yep, that too.”

Benn softly inhaled through his nose, as it sped down his throat and into his lungs.

And pushing the chunk of air out, Benn still wore that cold frown that wrinkled his face. Feeling like he was judging him, Stan had his hands rest on the seat, as he couldn’t hold eye contact with him.

“Do you hold grudges, Stan?”

“I’m not religious, but holding grudges is tiring.”

“What if someone killed your friend?”

“Then I’ll … well … what’s your point?”

Silently, Luke slid down the window from the center, as both him and Jack listened to their convo. As the van’s tires crushed pebble after pebble, the van’s walls shook the longer the van drove.

Not bothered by the low pressure, not bothered by the body heat that turned the back into a sauna, even their body odor began to rise.

“Haxouburg was the start of it all. The start of the skirmishes.”

“So then … Do you hold a grudge against the country itself? Like, is it heavy on discrimination?”

“It’s a country that has the least amount of shark-humans.”

“Ok, then why—”

—“Before the skirmishes, almost all shark-humans called Haxouburg home.”—

Fred and Gary looked away to the floor. It didn’t take long before they all connected the pieces, leaving the silence to worsen. Except for Benn, who stared at Stan despite having an avoiding face.

“You understand why I argued with Boris?”

Stan widened his eyes.

“Damn … you should’ve told him about that fact.”

“Wait, hold on. Stan’s an elf. Wouldn’t he be discriminated against too?” Questioned Gary.

With no prior heed to others exhaustion, Gary spoke louder than anyone. Trying to maintain a somewhat confident facade, as soon as Benn turned to look at him, he felt his fingers fidget.

Feeling like he was shivering from the cold, all Benn did was give him a nod.

“The only country elves are discriminated against. Even Aizzonia allows elves to walk freely.”

“Guess it’s not sunshines and rainbows after all…” Muttered Fred.

“You thought it’d be a cool place?”

“I thought it’d be at least warm…”

Gary exhaled through harsh nostrils, as he shook his head softly before resting his head. Feeling his hair rub against the metal, he tried to close his eyes, as his exhausted state soon rushed back into him.

Fred felt the same way, but Stan and Benn were the only ones to not indulge in sleep. But because their conversation stopped, it led one man to voice out his concern …

“Can one of you give me a can of Vampire from the back? I need some energy.”

The four of them turned to the hole, as Stan of all people raised his pointer finger to his lips.

“Sssh! Quiet.”

“I don’t care who gives me it, but I need it now. Otherwise, I’ll go insane.”

“Just drive off the road and turn off—”

A tanned beauty ceased her snoring.

In that instance, silence fell for the men who were still awake. All of them sealing their lips, Fred and Gary went back to sleep, or at least tried to.

Stan and Benn rested their heads against the metal, as the two of them rested their eyes at the suitcases. Squinting his eyes on one of them, it sent Stan to wrinkle his face, as the thought of their conversation dawned. Like it was rising from the west, the words of it rather confused him.

As he spoke with silence.

“Do the people there … hold grudges?”

Hearing his question, Benn tilted his head up to look at the roof, as the exhaustion finally crept up to him.

“Ask any person about Kirk The Shark-Human. That’ll answer your question.”

________________________________________________________________________

(Octavian 29, 59 / 6:08AM)

Being awake for who knows how long, Jack changed his high beams to low beams. Tumbleweeds sitting on the shoulders of the road, Jack blinked twice at the rising sun.

Which began to unveil a collection of light.

The more the clouds pinken, the more he witnessed the birth of the large town. Wiping away a bit of sweat from his forehead, he felt his butt sore from the many hours he sat. Clicking his tongue, Jack opened the center hole, and all he had to do was unveil the lid.

“Hey! Everyone, wake up!”

Miles, Hope, and Diego all woke up in unison, as they slept all night with no distractions. Fred and Gary continued to sleep, but they were soon awakened by the tugging of Diego.

Hope and Miles woke up Benn and Stan, who were in the same position as Fred and Gary. As they all began to grog, or moan, or grumble; all of their shoulders slumped down. No one dared to wake up Luna.

“All in favor of Luke waking up Luna?”

“““““““I”””””””

Glancing at his left foot, a hill of Vampire cans littered the floor beneath him. Having his right hand on the wheel, he used his left to pick one up, and turned his eyes at Luke.

Throwing it like a mini frisbee, it smacked right onto Luke’s chee.

“W-What? What is happening?”

“Just woke you up, nothing too serious.”

“But this is the second time you woke me up!”

“Sorry sleeping beauty, but we’re actually getting near.”

With the two-lane road being expanded to four lanes, the big town in front of them grew ever more. Even when their faces were slugged, and their shoulders pressed, the country of the South…

Was now a place for our false sinners.