Haven: Book Seven of "The Liminality"

Chapter 14 - Serendip

The farther they hiked, the clearer it became how much that little hamlet was an island in a sea of fiery destruction. For hours, Grehl and Lucinda encountered nothing but incinerated desert. The ground underfoot was no more life-giving than the sterile and desolate soils of Sheol. If not for the promise in the air, worth, as Erasmus had exclaimed: "the price of admission," Grehl would have already declared this excursion a failure and retreated back through the portal to seek a different seam.

She was already beginning to detect changes to her physiology. Simple exertion caused her body to ache in a way she never experienced on Sheol. Weariness and hunger were coming into play as well. Filling her stomach with inert substances would not be satisfying here. She would need calories and soon. As uncomfortable as these sensations were, they made her feel one step closer to being alive.

Lucinda pointed towards one of the higher hills looming behind those abutting the plains. Dark shapes dotted the open hillside, clustered more densely in the gulleys.

"What are they?" said Grehl. "Goats?"

"If my eyes don't deceive me, those are trees."

"Trees! Oh my," said Grehl. "It's been so long."

"We could have wooden houses with roofs and floors. Tables! Chairs! Beds!"

"We don't need wood if we have those worms."

"Not everyone has your gift, Grehl. Now wood, I can handle with the right tools."

"Are we sure those are trees?"

"I know my conifers. I'm pretty certain those are cedars we are looking at."

"We won't reach it before dark. It looks very far away."

"Have we seen enough?" asked Lucinda. "Should we simply go back and recommend an exodus?"

Grehl smiled. "You like this place."

"Very much so."

"Despite the cinders?"

"There are no cinders on that mountain."

"Still, I think we need to do our due diligence and confirm our sighting. We will need a place with water and flat ground. Room enough for all to settle. We can't just bring everyone to a wasteland to fend for themselves. And it wouldn't be fair to impinge on that little hamlet. If we do this, we will need to set some strict rules about passing through. God forbid any cannibals slip through."

"They will. Sneaky buggers."

"Then we'll need to assist them with our own security for them. Hopefully, Erasmus is establishing good relations."

"Can you imagine if we had brought Gijantus?"

"He would have had the whole town lashed to posts before the day was up."

"That would have been disastrous."

They chuckled.

"We should head for those trees, then. That will tell us what we need to know."

Grehl paused and looked behind her. The low butte that flanked the hamlet was still quite visible, but the wind was kicking up dust that might eliminate it from view if it persisted.

"Will we be able to find our way back?"

"I think so."

"If only we had stones for cairns. This fire seems to have pulverized the very bedrock."

"No worries," said Lucinda. "As long as we have sunlight, we'll be fine. I've been noting our bearings."

"We have another hour or two before twilight. Let's pick up the pace and see if we can reach those hills."