The Hollow

Farms

The Old Road south was kept up by the town for a short distance, but cinders and gravel soon gave way to disrepair, and mud pooling in old wheel ruts. Elocant was the end of the line for the Trade Consortium, so no official merchants took this route anymore. That's not to say it wasn't traveled at all. People still headed into the Hollow, and some even headed out, keeping at least a narrow trail from being overgrown.

They walked in near silence and hypervigilance for most of the day while the rain tapered off. Old farm fields increasingly turned wild, the route dotted with abandoned houses, sheds, and barns. Trees became more common, casting long shadows as the afternoon wore on. The trail continued, occasionally graveled, usually dirt, trending uphill.

"Does this road go all the way to Rabidi?" asked Dev.

"This one? No, it went to Endo."

"I've never heard of that."

"That's because at one time, north of Endo no one had heard of Rabidi. Once they did, Endo was no longer quite as notable, and other routes were faster to Rabidi. But Endo still remained an important sea port."

"Then we're headed to Endo?"

"We're headed this way. I'm not sure of the exact route."

Omega and Dev halted. Ahden was ranging far ahead of the group. "I thought you were guiding us," said Omega.

"I said the ways change. You've dipped your toes in the Hollow, but did you ever look back the way you came?"

Dev and Omega turned to look north. From their vantage on the hill they climbed, they saw their trail winding through the trees, then it quickly blended into a thick deciduous forest that grew all the way to the horizon.

Dev called "Ahden, stop!" Nom could see Ahden in the distance turn back, then stagger slightly, visibly startled. "Nōm, what happened to the farms?"

"My best guess is they're still there. If we walked back maybe we'd see them. Or if we waited here until a different time of day."

"Does the same thing happen the way we're going?" asked Omega incredulously. "No wonder we got lost so often, looking for Elocant. How are we supposed to get anywhere? I can't possibly manipulate the entire landscape to see its true path."

Nom said, "Of course you couldn't, but sticking to a road helps. Most of them go back decades if not centuries, so they are stable. More or less."

Ahden returned, overhearing the last part. "Then we consider the road, but tomorrow. Time to find shelter. We have our routine, Nōm, but what do you recommend?"

"There's likely a farmhouse up ahead. We're in an old orchard, it seems." Nom poked an apple with his staff and pointed to regularly spaced trees somewhat off the path near a brook. "I'll adapt to your routine, but we may as well follow that creek up a bit."

They picked their way through the roughage alongside the rippling water. Dev led their advance using a large knife that sliced through the brush like paper. Daylight waned, and Nom hoped Ahden would call a halt. He'd gladly look a fool for the sake of a decent camp setup. He jumped when a loud clang ran through the forest.

Dev gave a cheer and pulled the weeds back from his find. He had sliced into a wheelbarrow full of heavily rusted tools: pitchforks, scythes, sheers. They picked up their pace with renewed energy and soon found an old woodframe house in a level clearing, the lumber grayed with age, the stone chimney cracked, but all still intact. Ahden gave Nom a friendly slug on the shoulder, then he and Dev started through the grasses toward the front door.

"What's it look like?" Nom asked Omega, and made his own visual scan of the area. The knee-high grasses seemed undisturbed. The trees were close around the clearing. Here at dusk, the space between the trunks turned black only a few feet into the forest. Bird sounds blended with the rolling of the brook, and occasional miniscule rustling seemed to indicate only rodents or other wildlife.