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Ghost Town
The town was not dead. But it certainly seemed that way. The streets were empty and most of the Windows were boarded up. All the shops were closed before sundown.
Only the most savage and brutal roamed the streets. They came on bikes and looted whatever they could lay their hands on. What they could not carry with them they destroyed, killing anyone who got in their way. No lone traveler would even dare stay there for a night if he were so unfortunates as to pass through.
As a child I remember my mother telling me tales of an old world before the ravages of tyranny set in. of a time when people wandered freely through the streets even at night. food was plenty and people lived peacefully. before the tide came. the tide was a war fought between mighty nations. she said nobody won but ended up destroying themselves for no reasons.
Most of the earths resources were destroyed and billions of people died. This town was one of the few places that survived. Everyday people crowded into shops that had barely enough food for them to scrape along. but when sundown came all the shops were closed and the food was buried in the deepest of cellars. Or else they would fall into the hands of the marauders.
I used to watch from a hole in the window. They came in screaming and shouting to get anything they could lay their hands on and disappeared with the twilight.
During the day people would talk and plan of going away from the town. Away to a place where there would be plenty of food and water. they had bleak chances with the marauders coming in.
But they were not the only trouble. remnants of the nuclear fallout from the war used come out at night and scavenge. even some creatures from myths and stories of the long forgotten past which nobody believed in until then, seemed to emerge. they were not even human. my mother said they were mutants. I had seen them. Remnants of Experiments conducted just before the war.
And so everyone lived in fear. But one day it all changed thanks to a stranger who is a legend now. I have seen the legend. her name was Cydonia.
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It was a hot scorching day as usual with not a cloud in the sky. Me and a couple of other kids were playing in the outskirts of town. I was ten then. I had climbed on a high rock atop a hill. all were resting after having tired out. we sat here looking at the desert. far in the distance we heard the roar of a motorbike. Then we could see a tiny speck in the distance followed by cloud of dust.
We all moved curiously towards the edge to see what was coming. As the dust cleared I saw a figure clad in black leather riding the bike. the figure was riding a huge powerful bike which in the old world they called Harleys. the Bike roared into the town as we went running after it curious as to its occupant. It wasn’t everyday that a stranger came to the town.
it stopped in front of my fathers store. now we could see the rider more closely. The figure was tall & wiry, eyes hidden behind visored sunglasses. she entered the store and I ran in after her to get a look at her face. A new face always aroused curiosity.
spiky black hair ran down her shoulders. Her skin was unnaturally pale, but some how too smooth for a desert biker. My mother had taught me to observe people for trouble and so I did. She didn’t remove her visor or her gloves. Her finger pointed to some food and a can of fuel, all the while taking in the surroundings. She didn't say anything. Others in the shop stared at her.
“Anything else?"
my father asked. she shook her head so he put the items in a bag.
“12 karnets"
She handed him the money and walked out with the bag. I followed her noticing that my parents were curiously staring at her. My dad nodded at me. This was a sign like -follow her and tell us later- . she took her bike to a clearing among the rocks.
I watched as she put aside her gains and kneeled before her bike and took the fuel can. after filling the bike she tossed the can aside and took off her duster. Now I could see her thin arms which were as pale and smooth as her face. - had she never been in a fight before?- I thought. nearly impossible for a desert biker.
As i watched her cleaning and repairing her bike I came to the conclusion that I was right. I was dead wrong. At last she finished and sat down to eat part of the food she bought. that’s when I saw something which I wish I didn’t. She opened her mouth whose canines were long & sharp like fangs and were almost luminescent. it was hard to tell with the scorching sunlight. sensing someone else she quickly closed her mouth.
I felt my skin crawl as she turned towards me. for the first time the stranger removed her visor. it had another shock in store for me. glowing blue eyes. at that moment I wanted to run but couldn't. her eyes had somehow hypnotized me. so i couldn't move when she got up and approached me. it easy only when she stood towering above me did i snap out of it. sensing what i was about to do she caught me by the shoulder and bent down until she was eye level with me.
"you wont tell anybody, of what you saw"
she didn't move her lips, yet her words were clear as crystal. i found myself complying. i was not supposed to tell anyone about this. i could not refuse. i did not want to refuse.
"now go home"
i ran home as fast as i could.
when i reached home my father was already waiting.
"well?"
"Nothing different" I replied.
"nothing?"
"Nothing!"
"Are you sure?"
"uh-huh"
My father narrowed his eyes at me for a second, then turned back to his work. he was busy recounting the food supply because it was a gathering night to discuss another futile attempt at escape. they would be hungry.
as i walked away i had a sure feeling that the new stranger would be a part of the discussion. no stranger would stay if they caught wind of the plan because they did not want to get in trouble with the marauders. i was curious what this one would do? I was about to find out.
It was well after dark when the townspeople gathering started. children were not allowed to attend for fear that the marauders might make an unexpected attack on them. But some of us did watch anyway. I was particularly curious to hear their plans and formed ideas in my own mind about what they said hidden behind alcoves of the place.
Tonight was no different except that instead of plans for escape they were talking about the stranger. the campfire around which they'd gathered threw back strange shadows accentuating each ones stories.
"the stranger isn’t normal, she isn’t even human" one said
"what do you mean she isn’t human? what did you see?" replied my father who was the town chief.
"i was coming over to the meeting with food as we had agreed. it was twilight when i crossed the bridge. halfway through my foot got caught in an old board. brother Arami saw this and came over to help me but even he got caught in the bridge. there was no one else around and we would have been skewered by the sharp rocks below any instant. But out of nowhere came that stranger and pulled us both out at once, food, supplies and all without the slightest effort. when we turned to thank her she was gone."
"Is this true Arami?" asked my father turning towards him.
"Yes, what brother Philato said is true every word of it. "
loud murmurs of shock & surprise erupted from the gathering in response to the account. It surprised me too but not much since I already had a taste of her power. The only thing that was strange was that she had actually helped someone in town.
My father motioned for silence. They watched him waiting for reaction, as he stood with my brows knitted. after a long silence he spoke.
"We do not know who this stranger is or what she wants. we do not even know what she is. our trustworthy brothers have told us that much. There is only one way to find out. one of us must go and talk to her. as the town chief i will take this duty upon myself. "
"Lo-mer you must not do this alone. what if she is dangerous?" blurted philato.
"An acceptable risk. if the town people's rumors are to be believed she may be our only hope." my father replied calmly.
"alright. But you must let me accompany you."
"Agreed. Two witnesses are better than one."
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It was agreed on the night that that my father and his friend philato meet her with food packets as a peace offering. as i knew the outskirts pretty well, it was no trouble following them. from what i had seen of her eyes neither did she.
none of us saw her coming. she just appeared beside them out of the dark, as quiet as a cat. Both of them started. the stranger watched both of them in silence as they calmed down enough to talk.
"uhm.." my father began uncertainly, "I am Lo-mer chief of the town which you visited. this here is brother philato who you may remember from today evening. We would like to thank you for saving his life. But that is not all. the reason we came here is.."
She cut them off with a raised hand, "I know why you are here." She spoke each syllable in a voice barely above a whisper. But it had an intensity in it that carried across the valley, and I had no trouble hearing her. "The answer is no."
" But you haven't heard our offer yet." protested my father. Both held up the packets of food & other supplies.
"You need food & fuel"
"I have enough. I don't need more." Her voice didn't rise or fall. But somehow left no room for arguement.
Hearing the finality in her voice my father grew desperate. "B..But there must be something you wan't. We may not have it. But we can try and get it. Name it. Anything. Please." They were practically begging. But she remained unmoved.
"Your towns problems are no concern of mine". Their faces fell. Then she turned and stared directly at the place I was hiding, "But the marauders are my prey". Both their heads snapped up.
"Don't get in my way and perhaps your problems will solve themselves." She looked for a moment at their hopeful faces. "Now go. Go before the other creatures of this wasteland smell your blood". As if to emphasize the warning distant howls could be heard over the wind. They needed no further motivation.
I turned to go back to town when I saw my father & his companion leave. But I couldn’t resist looking back one last time, just to see empty air once the stranger had been. The howls returned much closer this time. I turned and ran back so fast, that by the time my father returned from the meeting I was already in my bed with the sheets pulled over my head.
The events of the day had unnerved me so much that my dreams that night vivid & unpleasant. But they ended with the appearance of the stranger in my dream. Perhaps they were visions of the future. I do not know even now. But my remaining nights rest was dreamless & peaceful.
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After the incident at the outskirts everyone waited with bated breaths for the inevitable clash between the stranger and the marauders. The first night nothing happened, nor did anything on the second. But on the third an event unfolded that passed into history. Or whatever in our town’s short existence can pass of as history. To this day no one exactly knows what happened on that fateful night. No one that is, except me.
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