Malcolm humbly descended to the
ground, in hope of directions. His associate, Zoe followed immediately
behind. They looked across the barren
land, spotting a few Native people close by.
“Hey!”
Malcolm called out to the arctic dwellers. “Come here!”
“You
could try being polite about it at least,” Zoe scolded. Turning to the now approaching
people, she said, “It’s okay, we’re only looking for directions.”
Shrugging
her off, Malcolm inquired, “Could you point us in the direction of Persephone?”
With full knowledge of the city this stranger spoke of, the Inuit-like person
examined Malcolm’s face before responding.
“May I
ask who you are?” The young woman asked. Her voice was soft and gentle, but had
a tone of slight reservation.
Zoe
stepped forward, without hostility.
“We are travelers. Currently we are taking a load of cargo to Persephone,” she said, gesturing to the giant, looming mech that sat like a dormant statue, waiting to be awoken.
“We are travelers. Currently we are taking a load of cargo to Persephone,” she said, gesturing to the giant, looming mech that sat like a dormant statue, waiting to be awoken.
Studying the giant machine, the parka-clad woman decided to herself that she didn't yet trust the strangers who came in the walking metal beast.
"Don't you have computers and compasses?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, well it seems they don't work in this wasteland." Malcolm shot back, getting annoyed. "Seems nothing around here does." He gazed across the tundra in distaste.
Taken aback by his sudden bluntness, Zoe shot him a look.
"Making a real good impression there, aren't ya?" Zoe hissed at him. "As if we need to raise more suspicion than we already have!" Shaking her head, she turned back to the snow-dweller. "I'm so sorry," she apologized. "It's been a long and tiring journey and we've run into a a lot of problems along the way. Can you please help us?"
"Yes," the small woman said, nearly whispering. "Come with me." She gestured towards Zoe to follow. She figured that the man was probably the leader, or the mech's captain, but she didn't trust him. She didn't like to judge people, but this man was impatient and came across as rude.
"What now?" Malcolm grumbled to Zoe as they trudged towards a nearby igloo. "We don't have time for this."
Zoe only shook her head at him as the woman disappeared into the igloo. Before long, she returned, to which Malcolm was thankful. The small lady held out a mitten-clad hand after standing up as if to hand something to the pair. Zoe instinctively reached out her hand to receive whatever it was that the stranger had to offer. Slowly opening her hand, a small compass dropped into Zoe's.
"This," the mysterious woman stated, "will not fail in the cold." She had a smile of understanding as if some unspoken connection had taken place between her and Zoe during the interaction. It was almost as if she knew what was really on board the mech and had decided to help and to protect the travelers.
"Thanks," Malcolm retorted without evident gratitude, "but which direction are we supposed to go from here? I mean, really, thank you for the little compass, but we are lost. Which way?" There was a hint of angst in his voice as this help was not the help he was looking for. He had asked a specific question and the woman seemed to avoiding answering the question straightforward.
"East." The small, blanketed woman responded with unexpected abruptness. "And eventually you will reach another village like this, but with a tower in the middle. There you will find fuel to continue on your way, and they will point you to Persephone from there." This was not at all the answer that Malcolm was looking for, but he was tired of trying to get a specific answer from this woman. He was tired, and assumed nothing more would become of the situation. Annoyed, he turned to walk back to his vehicle. As he turned, the woman discreetly handed Zoe a map.
"Good luck," she whispered with a forgiving smile and a wink. It was all she needed to say.
"Thank you." Zoe turned to follow Malcolm. Glancing back towards the igloo, the woman was already gone. But both the women knew what had just occurred, and they both knew why. Zoe smiled slyly as she climbed back into the machine.
"Don't you have computers and compasses?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, well it seems they don't work in this wasteland." Malcolm shot back, getting annoyed. "Seems nothing around here does." He gazed across the tundra in distaste.
Taken aback by his sudden bluntness, Zoe shot him a look.
"Making a real good impression there, aren't ya?" Zoe hissed at him. "As if we need to raise more suspicion than we already have!" Shaking her head, she turned back to the snow-dweller. "I'm so sorry," she apologized. "It's been a long and tiring journey and we've run into a a lot of problems along the way. Can you please help us?"
"Yes," the small woman said, nearly whispering. "Come with me." She gestured towards Zoe to follow. She figured that the man was probably the leader, or the mech's captain, but she didn't trust him. She didn't like to judge people, but this man was impatient and came across as rude.
"What now?" Malcolm grumbled to Zoe as they trudged towards a nearby igloo. "We don't have time for this."
Zoe only shook her head at him as the woman disappeared into the igloo. Before long, she returned, to which Malcolm was thankful. The small lady held out a mitten-clad hand after standing up as if to hand something to the pair. Zoe instinctively reached out her hand to receive whatever it was that the stranger had to offer. Slowly opening her hand, a small compass dropped into Zoe's.
"This," the mysterious woman stated, "will not fail in the cold." She had a smile of understanding as if some unspoken connection had taken place between her and Zoe during the interaction. It was almost as if she knew what was really on board the mech and had decided to help and to protect the travelers.
"Thanks," Malcolm retorted without evident gratitude, "but which direction are we supposed to go from here? I mean, really, thank you for the little compass, but we are lost. Which way?" There was a hint of angst in his voice as this help was not the help he was looking for. He had asked a specific question and the woman seemed to avoiding answering the question straightforward.
"East." The small, blanketed woman responded with unexpected abruptness. "And eventually you will reach another village like this, but with a tower in the middle. There you will find fuel to continue on your way, and they will point you to Persephone from there." This was not at all the answer that Malcolm was looking for, but he was tired of trying to get a specific answer from this woman. He was tired, and assumed nothing more would become of the situation. Annoyed, he turned to walk back to his vehicle. As he turned, the woman discreetly handed Zoe a map.
"Good luck," she whispered with a forgiving smile and a wink. It was all she needed to say.
"Thank you." Zoe turned to follow Malcolm. Glancing back towards the igloo, the woman was already gone. But both the women knew what had just occurred, and they both knew why. Zoe smiled slyly as she climbed back into the machine.
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