Walkers Of The Waste: A Post Apocalyptic Story

Unknown Shores

I look out over the horizon, it had been weeks since we left the wastes, and still no sign of land. Nothing but the endless blue green of the ocean to greet our eyes. I spent the past few weeks, ever since my conversation with Russell, hiding away in the lower decks. That and avoiding Lucy, who managed to get sick about two weeks ago. Russell made the comment about it being a common thing, during one of the few times when I wasn't hiding from him. He made another comment about how he was shocked that I myself wasn't sick. A week passed with Lucy barely eating a thing, and what she did manage to eat never stayed down for long. I kept away from the two during that week. Russell stating that he didn't want me getting sick as well. Though, it's hard to keep away from Lucy, as she didn't want to stay in be like she was told. During my time in the lower decks, I managed to come across the Triraptor that Russell spoke about, the creature roaming the halls and rooms. When I found it, the great big beast of a thing, I was shocked by it's appearance. It's grey hide raised to reveal plates of bone underneath the thick skin. Horns adorning its head, three in all. I remember thinking that perhaps that was where Russell got it's name from. But the beast's jaws caused me to think differently, opening into three separate parts to reveal sharp fangs that looked to be able to tear through any prey it came across. I had gotten out of there as soon as I saw it open it's mouth, fearing what it might do if it saw me.

"We're nearly to shore." Russell's voice breaks me out of my memories. I look over to him, debating in my head if I should hide again. He doesn't give me a chance to move, the man moving to stand next to me, leaning against the railing himself to look out over the sea. "Asia, well what's left of it, that is. I thought it would be best to take a small stop before we continue onwards. I've been to a small village off the coast of old China, Dìmíng, they should let us dock there for a bit."

"Why?" I ask my question simply. My voice slightly hoarse from underuse, having spoken even less than I normally do, over a week of complete silence does that apparently. My one word answer seems to shock Russell, he probably thought I'd talk more after the last time. But I don't, knowing that it was a time of weakness, and he needs to know that too.

"I helped them out about twenty years or so ago, I sold them the planes and an unmutated fruit plant I found in South America, they repaid me with safe harbour and supplies. They're a fishing village primarily, but their agriculture is also advanced for the world we live in." Russell explains, waving his hands around as he speaks, nearly hitting me at one point. "I wish there were more people around who still remember the old world." His tone changes slightly, almost sounding remorseful, like it was a great burden to remember a world long lost. He straightens up, no longer leaning against the railing, still looking out over the water. I look to where his eyes are trained, a small boat coming over the horizon. "That'll be Lǐngdǎo, the Dìmíng's elder. I'll need to get on the radio and try and contact her to tell her I'm coming." With his final statement Russell walks off back towards the door to the control tower, a far distance that takes a couple of minutes to do when walking. I turn away from the retreating man and look back out towards the distant vessel. It's slightly larger now, us moving closer and closer towards it, it appearing to do the same. Although, that's probably only a trick of the light, I think to myself. A large burst of water nearby makes me jump. I look over to the source of it, out in the water is another group of those large creatures starts to surface, the same familiar wines echoing around. Whales. That's what Russell called them, or at least an offshoot of what they used to be. Creatures that breathed air, but lived in the water. It's an amazement, the many wonders of the world beneath the waves, what strange creatures dwell in its depths, what has changed from before the war, what has stayed the same. The whales start to dive again with one final spray of water, before disappearing from my sight altogether. I smile, something that seems to happen more and more these days. Despite losing so much to the wastes, the waters seem to be the exact opposite, giving rather than taking. The sparkling of sunlight against its surface, creatures both small and large appearing and disappearing amongst its waves. A bird catches my eye, larger than the ones I saw at the beach when we left, entirely white as it flies with its massive wings, not even flapping them, only gliding on the wind before it closes them and plummets to the water. I watch, waiting for it to resurface. After what feels like an eternity has passed it launches itself out of the water, a fish in it's mouth about half the size of the bird. It flies back towards where I suspect shore is, it disappears from sight when it becomes too small to see. But the foreign boat seems bigger. As we approach it I manage to spot two figures on the deck, both looking out towards us and waving. At least, I think they're waving. I hear footsteps behind me, slightly drowned out by the sounds of the rushing waters, but footsteps none the less, light and fast. Lucy.

"People." She says with a happy tone once she's closer to me, stopping to stand to my left. I nod my head in response, still looking out over the waters. I step away, making my way back towards the hull. I want, no need, to be armed for when we meet them. What happened at Chiron still fresh in my memory. Foreign languages, foreign peoples, foreign culture, all of which could spell destruction if things go sideways. A mistake here could mean death. It doesn't take long for me to grab my bow and pistol, deciding against raiding the armoury for more weapons. I make my way back up the the deck by the time the other ship is within throwing distance. Russell must've cut the engines as we drift closer to the other vessel, and the two figures appear more clearly on the boat. A man and a woman. The man, a boy really, is young, very young. The woman is the exact opposite, ancient in appearance. Much similar to the grand elder of Havenstone. She stands tall and proud, despite her features sagging, and wrinkles covering her face, she waves with such enthusiasm that even the young boy can't keep up. The engines cut, and our approach starts to slow. Russell seems to appear at our side, a large coil of rope over one shoulder as he watches us drift towards the smaller ship. Soon their boat comes side to side with ours and Russell throws them the rope, and the boy quickly ties it to the front of their vessel. The Old woman practically jumps overboard as she clambers across a ladder that Russell puts down for them.

"Nǐ hǎo, hěn gāoxìng jiàn dào nǐ de lǎo péngyǒu." The woman speaks in a foreign tongue, but her happiness and joy coming across clearly. I manage to get a quick glance at her before she pulls Russell into a bone crushing hug, the other man laughing at her. Her short grey hair is pulled up out of her eyes, a decorative headpiece keeping it in place. Green eyes with vast golden swirls shining bright with joy. "Zhè shì shéi? Wǒ bù zhīdào nǐ yǒu péngyǒu." She lets Russell go and moves instantly to hug me, I tense up as she draws closer, before she wraps her arms around me and starts to squeeze with strength that doesn't match her stature. When she lets go of me, she moves to hug Lucy in the same way.

"Lǐngdǎo, ràng wǒ xiàng nǐ jièshào wǒ de lǚbàn. Zhè shì, Phil. Zhè shì, Lucy." Russell responds in the same language as the woman. "Phil, Lucy, this is Lǐngdǎo, elder and leader of Dìmíng."

"Hello." Lǐngdǎo offers, her word sounding broken, unfamiliar with the language. "It good met you." I smile and nod my head, Lǐngdǎo turns back to Russell and the two continue to talk in the foreign tongue, walking off along the deck. I spy over the edge of the deck, the young boy still working at tying the rope to the vessel before our own ship's engines start up again. Jumping overboard I land on my feet on the deck of the other ship. The boy looks up and smiles as I help him tie the rope to the ship's hull. He nods his thanks before moving to climb the ladder also, as I hold the end of it for him. When it comes to my turn to climb I watch Lucy grab hold do the end for me, keeping it steady as I climb. Once we pull the ladder up, Lucy waves her arms above her head to signal Russell. Soon the ship jolts forward as the engines start up, and we continue to move towards the approaching shores. I stay at the front of the boat whilst Lucy and the boy walk back to Russell and Lǐngdǎo. I watch as more boats start to come into view, and behind them, land. Large hills, and beaches spreading back as far as the eye can see. Some tall building visible, and I assume that there are smaller ones there as well. We pass by several of the boats, the people smiling and waving as we pass. Till Russell stops our ship and lowers the anchor. The four walk back towards Lǐngdǎo's boat, and I do the same. Russell lays a hand on my shoulder when I reach them.

"You ready?" He asks like he's worried that I may react badly. I just nod, gripping my weapon tighter.