“We’ve been walking across this wilderness for weeks!” Ben said, the dejection in his voice was palpable. “We’re never going to make it.” Kevin sat down next to him and put his arm around his shoulder. He was exhausted too - days of sleeping under the stars, foraging for food, wandering along trails, fire roads and dry creek beds. They had even seen a mushroom cloud off in the distance the morning after the asteroid. All of this had taken its toll on the weary band of survivors. Out of the original ten people who had fled the hotel in the back of the truck only seven were still alive. One had been bitten by a rattlesnake and died. The other two were killed by a raving lunatic. When they knocked on his door to ask for help. He answered holding a gun and then began screaming incoherently about a beast which had destroyed his barn and ate his livestock. Then he started shooting. By the fifth day, the rag tag group was desperate for civilization and to be rid of this post apocalyptic nightmare they were currently wandering through.   “It’s been a rough week Ben, but we have to keep pushing through. The others are counting on us to get them out of this mess.” “Why? Why us!?” Ben pleaded, as he held his head in his hands. “I don’t know… Maybe because we’re strong together and we got them out of the hotel…” Kevin muttered, as he picked a few twigs out of Ben’s hair. “You’re always so optimistic. I love that about you,” Ben whispered. Then he looked up and smiled weakly at Kevin. “Hey… what’s that up there?” he gasped pointing across the hillside they had been traversing. Kevin's eyes followed his extended arm. “It looks like a grove of fruit trees!” he exclaimed in excitement. “Hey everyone! Look what Ben found!” he continued as he stood and motioned wildly with his arms towards the grove. The other survivors, who were resting in the shade of a massive live oak tree, stood and when they spotted the grove, they broke into a run. “Be careful!” the retired day trader hissed. “Remember what happened last time we stumbled upon civilization.” The group slowed as they remembered the incident that claimed two of their group's lives. “It’s okay, it looks like it’s an old abandoned homestead.” Kevin said as he approached a tree and plucked a succulent avocado. The group approached cautiously but when there were no sign of angry people with guns they began to gorge themselves with gusto. “What is that hissing sound!?” exclaimed Ben, his mouth full of avocado. Kevin stopped chewing and motioned for the other to be quiet. “I don’t know - it sounds like it’s getting closer though.” In an instant on the ridge line above them a massive flaming tornado screeched into the sky. “Wildfire!” screamed one of the ladies in their group. “Run!” The survivors ripped a few avocados from their branches, turned, and ran pell-mell down the hillside. It was a blustery day and the fire was gaining on them at an incredible speed. “We’ll never make it!” yelled the day trader, his voice dripping with defeat. “Don’t say that,” Kevin cried. “Just keep running” The hillside was covered in thick grass and dotted with huge live oak trees. The grass was just starting to brown, which made it all the easier for the fire to spread quickly. “What is that down there!?” one of the ladies yelled then pointed down into a craggy valley. “It looks like a creek! If we can make it to the creek maybe we'll be safe from the fire.” Kevin announced as he turned to look back up the hillside they had just run down. The fire was still gaining on them. Behind them they could see the abandoned homestead was now completely engulfed in flames. “Let’s keep moving!” pleaded the lady who had spotted the creek. They didn’t need any further prodding and in an instant the group was running with all possible speed towards their salvation - the small creek at the bottom of the valley. Kevin, Ben, and the lady who they suspected had been a hotel housekeeper made it to a creek first. Together, they dove into a deep pool just as the wildfire roared over them and swept up the opposite hillside. They held their breath for as long as they could but when they had to resurface to breathe their lungs stung and burned from the acrid smoke. The smoke tasted bitter in the back of their throats and stung their eyes till they thought they’d go blind from the pain. After shivering in the cold stream for what felt like forever the fire died down enough for them to see and so they began making their way downstream. As they picked their way slowly down the cold creek they called out for the others. The only sound they heard in response was the flames lapping up the last of the bigger trees. “I don’t think they made it,” Kevin murmured with a shudder. “It’s just the three of us now…” his voice trailed off. Dejected and in shock the three survivors - Ben, Kevin, and the housekeeper continued their mournful trek careful to stay in the water and away from the smoldering ash and embers that were now lining the banks of the creek. --- The trio continued for what felt like eons, slipping on boulders and climbing up and over downed trees until they came to the edge of where the fire had burned. The dichotomy of a burned and decimated forest juxtaposed against a green and healthy forest was striking. “How did this part of the forest survive...?” Ben wondered out loud as he craned his neck to gaze at an enormous tree.  “I have no idea,” Kevin mused. “Hey, is that a Redwood?” “I think it is. Look how tall it is!” Ben gasped in awe as he stared at the huge life force stretching into the sky. The housekeeper, who was also looking up at the tree, said something that neither Ben or Kevin understood. “I’ve never seen a Redwood before.” Ben answered as he touched the trunk of the tree. “Me neither,“ Kevin replied. “We should keep going though.” Wordlessly the trio turned and continued their trek down stream. The air was cool and damp in this part of the valley and despite being soaked head to toe the three of them felt comfortable - as long as they kept moving. They were plodding along quietly, each lost in their own thoughts when without warning the floor of the valley suddenly and precipitously dropped away in front of them. “Looks like a large waterfall...” Ben said to no one in particular. <center style="font-size: x-large">“Ahhhhhhh!”</center> Ben and Kevin spun around in the direction the scream came from. It was the housekeeper. She had slipped and was being dragged downstream by the swift current towards the lip of the falls. Ben was closest and he lunged at her as she was swept by. He managed to catch her outstretched hand but her weight combined with the swift water was starting to drag him in too. Kevin grabbed him around his waist, to prevent him from also slipping into the creek. For a second, Ben and the woman’s hands were clasped; but the current was too strong and her hand was wrenched from his. A moment later she was swept over the edge of the waterfall. Kevin and Ben stood there staring at the edge of the waterfall in horror. “She didn’t cry out when she went over the edge.” Ben said, breaking the eerie silence. “It almost looked like she was smiling.” Kevin whispered in shock. “Maybe she survived. We should go look for her.” Ben suggested jumping up. Standing at the lip of the waterfall they could both see a long ways down the valley. “Look!” Kevin exclaimed, pointing down the river. “It looks like a town!” Ben cried out in excitement. ![[asi-ii-windowOfTime.jpg]] “I think she’s gone. We’ve been looking for hours and now it’s totally dark. We can’t see a thing.” Ben's voice was filled with defeat as he admitted the horrible truth.  Kevin’s answered back coldly. “I can’t believe a body - a person - can just disappear like that…” “If we survive this we should write a book about this week.” Ben offered sarcastically. “Yeah, surviving a massive tidal wave, an asteroid strike, and god knows how long we’ll have to survive out here before we get to civilization. It would be a real page turner...” “Do you think we’ll ever see mom and dad or Aarin again?” Kevin asked softly. “Of course,” Ben replied as he took Kevin’s hand. In the dark he could feel how rough his hands were - calloused, dirty, and bloody from days of eking out a living in the Ventana Wilderness. “They’re probably sitting at home at the dinner table worried sick about us right now.” “Funny how things can change so quickly huh?” Kevin muttered with a sniff. Ben could hear in his voice that he was crying, and scooted closer to him. “One morning we’re going on our first holiday together and by the evening we’re part of a rag tag group of survivors cut off from the world by a global catastrophe…. Now all that’s left of our original group is you and me. Everyone else is dead. What if mom and dad are dead too?” “Shhh. Don’t talk like that Kevin. I’m sure they’re fine.” “How do you know? We all saw that massive mushroom cloud in the sky the morning after the asteroid impact…” Kevin’s voice trailed off. “Yeah, that was scary for sure. It looked like the pictures we saw in history class of Nagasaki and Hiroshima,” Ben’s voice went hoarse and he cleared his throat before continuing. “Your family is far away from all this carnage though. Once we get across these mountains I’m sure we’ll be able to hitch a ride home. Perhaps when we get to the town we spotted earlier we can eat some real food and sleep in a real bed. Then we can figure out how to get home…” “Gosh, can you imagine? A real bed… I can’t wait.” “I couldn’t have done this without you my love.” Ben whispered as he stroked Kevin’s shoulder. “Me neither…” Kevin replied stroking his hands through Ben’s hair “I love you.” “I love you too.” They kissed there, in the soft sand as the moon slipped over the mountains and bathed the landscape in its cool white glow. “I don’t understand how the woman could have disappeared like that,” Ben exclaimed, breaking off their kiss. “It’s just so strange” “It is. We didn’t even know her name but we had grown quite close over the last few days.” Kevin answered as stooped and splashed his face with the cool water from the stream. “I still think we should search the depths of the pool.” “No, it’s too dangerous and what if she is down there what are we going to do with the body? Plus the pool gives me the creeps for some reason…” Kevin’s voice wandered off as he turned to look upstream at the pool again. “I know you’re right, I just don’t like feeling helpless,” Ben replied. “Maybe if I wasn’t so weak from hunger I could have pulled her to safety.” “You did the best you could with the cards you were dealt. I’m proud of you. Even when you were getting pulled into the creek you didn’t let go. You’re incredibly brave.” Kevin soothing voice offered Ben solace and he was grateful for it. “Thanks…” “Look, the moon is up. Let’s get out of here and get to the town.” As they walked down stream Kevin felt an eerie sense they were being watched and the hairs stood on the back of his neck. He spun around but did not see a thing. “What is it?” Ben asked with a whisper. “Oh nothing, I thought I heard something...” Kevin lied as he turned and began walking back down stream. --- “I’m so thirsty,” Kevin said, pointing towards the gas station. “Do you think there’s anything left in there?” “Where is everyone?” Ben murmured, spinning slowly to take in the deserted town. There was a stop-light in the center of town but it wasn’t working, all the windows were dark, and a few pieces of trash skittered in the wind across the empty streets. “They must have lost power here,” Ben murmured as he carefully stepped over a pile of broken glass. “Doesn’t surprise me with the fires, earthquakes, and the horrible tsunami.” Kevin said with a shudder as he tried to pull the door of the gas station. They peered through the gas station’s door. Inside they could see the interior was a mess. Food, which had been on the shelves, was now all over the floor. Much of the beer had fallen through the glass display windows and spilled all over the floor where it had festered for days in the heat. “It’s locked.” Kevin said matter-of-factly as he rattled the door. With a stern look Ben backed away from the door. “Well, we’re going to die if we don’t get inside,” then he picked up a rock from the planter next to the door. “Stand back - cover your eyes.” Before Kevin could reply Ben hurled the rock through the glass door; spraying shattered glass across the concrete. Kevin chocked and covered his mouth, “It smells awful in there!” “Grab what we can. Then let’s get out of here. I saw a small motel down the street. Perhaps we can sleep there tonight?” “Ahh - clean sheets and a hot shower!” Ben said wistfully as he rooted through a pile of cans on the floor. “Well I don’t think we have a snow ball’s chance in hell of getting hot water in this town tonight,” Kevin replied. “Clean sheets though may be possible.” “Well in that case I’ll grab a few of these,” Ben held up several large two gallon jugs of water. “I really need a shower and to wash my clothes…” “Good idea. Look what I found!" Kevin offered triumphantly as he held up three cans of mushroom barley soup and two cans of peaches. “A feast!” Ben exclaimed, licking his lips. “Let’s get out of here, this place reeks.” Kevin said, grabbing a bag of Funyuns that were miraculously still on the shelf. The office door of the motel was unlocked, and quietly Ben crept inside. “Anyone here?” he whispered. There was no reply. “I’m going to look for a room key.” he said, over his shoulder as he gently set down the heavy jugs of water. It only took a few moments of rummaging around behind the counter to find the room keys. “How about number twelve? That’s my lucky number.” Ben offered, holding up a key with a large twelve emblazoned on the fob. “Sounds good to me,” Kevin whispered from outside the office. “Hurry up and get out of there - this place is starting to creep me out.” --- “Remember when A/C was a thing?” Kevin murmured sleepily. “Yeah, those were the days.” Ben replied as he tossed the thin sheet off of them. The two of them were naked - in an effort to cool off and also because their freshly washed clothes were hanging over the motel tub drying. “God, what I wouldn’t give for a cup of ice right now.” exclaimed Kevin as he got up and walked over to the open window. In the past he would’ve never stood in front of an open window naked - but now what did it matter? The town was obviously deserted. Without warning the silence of the night was broken by the woeful chords of an electric guitar. “What is that?” Kevin said, spinning around. “None other than _Peter Frampton’s While My Guitar Gently Weeps._” Ben chuckled as he held up his iPhone. “But how? I thought the battery had died…” Kevin replied in shock as he ran his hand through his freshly shampooed long brown hair. “It was dead. But I found a phone recharging kit back there in the gas station and grabbed it on the way out.” “Clever… but wait! Do we have satellite reception? Maybe we can call mom and dad and let them know we are okay.” “Sorry, my love - no reception. Not even cell reception. I doubt this town even had that even when there were no fires, tsunamis, and other asteroid induced disasters.” “Yea we’re out in the middle of nowhere,” Kevin replied dejectedly and turned to look back out the window. “You remember that picture of me as a toddler hanging by the fireplace?” “Yeah,” Ben said, unsure where Kevin was going with this story. “I do…” “That was taken not too far from here. My parents loved coming to these mountains when I was a kid.” <center style="font-style: italic">I look at the floor and I see it needs sweeping…</center> Far away on the horizon he could see the red and orange glow of a wildfire. Occasionally he spotted a huge flame dance into the sky. “Gee what a spectacle that is,” Kevin's voice trembled as a tear rolled down his cheek, the horror of the past few weeks written across his face.“It’s so horrible - and yet I can’t look away.” Ben walked over and put his arms around him. “I’m so glad we met each other, I can’t imagine living through the end of the world with anyone else.” <center style="font-style: italic">With every mistake, we must surely be learning. Still, my guitar gently weeps…</center> Kevin turned and wrapped his arms around Ben. Their foreheads touched. Their bare bodies pressed close in a lover’s embrace. Quietly, under his breath, Kevin sang along. <center style="font-style: italic">I don’t know how you were diverted</center> <center style="font-style: italic">You were perverted, too</center> <center style="font-style: italic">I don’t know how you were inverted</center> <center style="font-style: italic">No one alerted you</center> <center style="font-style: italic">I look at you all, see the love</center> <center style="font-style: italic">There that’s sleeping</center> <center style="font-style: italic">While my guitar gently weeps.</center> “This is my favorite part,” Ben whispered. When the guitar solo dropped Kevin could feel the goosebumps flash up Ben’s back. Clutching one another they began to dance, slowly rocking back and forth. Suddenly, there was a piercing, awful howl followed by a guttural growl that rattled the windows. “What the fuck was that?” Ben screamed as he looked up with a jolt. A second later there was a screech of a jet flying impossibly low down the valley. A moment later the jet’s roar was drowned out by a massive explosion. The shock wave shattered their hotel window and peppered Ben’s naked body, which had mostly shielded Kevin’s, with glass. Kevin recoiled in horror as his lover’s blood sprayed across his face and chest. “Holy fuck! Ben!”   Ben writhed and shrieked in pain as Kevin scooped him into his arms. Then Kevin saw something move across the street. He froze. Through the shattered hotel window, he saw a hideous monster illuminated by the flames of the bombed library. The monster was looking right at him. He could feel its horrible piercing orange eyes burrow into his soul. Then in an instant it leapt across the street and landed on top of their hotel’s roof. Ben, whose body was wracked with pain, looked up at Kevin and as he choked on his own blood he managed to utter three words. “I love you.” Then the roof buckled under the weight of the monster and collapsed with a terrible roar. In an instant Ben and Kevin were crushed beneath a mass of splintered 2x4s and plywood while Peter’s soulful guitar wailed, a solemn escort out of this realm. ### Next Chapter: [[10 - A Bountiful Land 🫎]] ### Previous Chapter: [[8 - Impact 🌊]]