The man stood there waiting, staring at the kids for an answer. At the same time, a mountain of questions welled up in the kids. The most important one being, "Should we trust this man?" This could be a matter of life and death for them. They had no idea what the man is or what he's capable of. However, just staring at him and thinking wasn't going to provide answers. Jacob was the first to break the silence, his words filled with concern.
"How do we know ya won't harm us?"
"Oh come on now. I helped you back at the town, didn't I? I don't see why you won't trust me"
"Ain't it obvious? We don't want anymore trouble. So just skidaddle"
"Now now, calm down. He did help us and he seems to know more than us. We should at least hear him out. If he wanted to hurt us, he wouldn't be yelling from afar"
Randy's words were true. He had shown no intention to harm them whatsoever. Reluctantly, Jacob agreed while Jaiden and Drake stayed silent and just nodded. It was clear they were wary of the man.
The man started walking towards them slowly. His tall frame becoming more and more clear, his features more detailed. The man was wearing what looked like an office worker's suit. However, it was clearly small for him, tattered in places as of it had seen much use without any upkeep. He had a well-built body. It was what people would call a sleeper build. Well defined muscles and a sharp overall appearance. If not for his small suit, the muscles would not have been noticed. However, strength seemed to seep from them. It was clear this man had much experience in this apocalyptic landscape.
As soon as the man came into clear view, Jaiden yelled out "W-w-what's with your f-face? Why is it like that? You're not one of them, are you??"
"You are right, good friend. Something is clearly wrong with this man's face. But it is rude to yell at him like that. Let's go inside and ask him. I'm sure he won't refrain from answering us now, will you?"
"Of course not. I'm here to answer questions after all. Now let's go inside. This heat is killing me."
Randy was clearly confused by this whole face ordeal. "What did Jaiden and Drake see that I didn't?" he thought, but he decided not to say anything and lead the man in. The man and the boys sat in what used to be the living room. The man looked around as if he was almost surprised. Jaiden and Randy sat in front of the man while Drake stood behind them and Jacob sat near the window away from the man, clearly showing no trust.
"Well then, let's start with introductions. I am Randy, this is Jaiden and Drake and that one is Jacob. What's your name? And where are you from?"
"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint but I don't remember my name. As from where I am, I doubt that place still exists but I'm from the humble town of £&#+£-#"
"Oh come on!! He's clearly messin' with us. The hell's your problem? Ya think this's funny?"
"I must concur. It seems our friend here is hiding his identity from us. He is acting quite suspiciously."
Their words had weight. But not enough to stop Randy from talking. "I'm sorry but what do you mean you don't know your own name? And what is that town's name? Sounded like a bunch of gibberish."
"Oh but of course. It was a small town in east Germany, unheard of by many. It has a weird and difficult name but it's not my fault. As for my name, I can't remember because of the time I've spent here. I've been here for so long without anyone to call my name that I've simply forgotten. Maybe I'll remember it now that you guys are here."
"Uh-huh. Not suspicious at all. Anyway, wh-"
"What's up with yo face? Why's it like that??"
That question again. The man was clearly bothered by it. Randy stared back at Jacob, his eyes saying shut it. However, Jacob did not stop. "We all are curious. Why do you look like that? And why is it only your face? The rest of you seems fine. What're you hiding?"
"That is quite rude, little boy. As for your question, there is nothing wrong with my face. It is as beautiful as it was the last time I spoke to someone. Maybe its your eyes that are wrong. I'm sure you've noticed quite a few changes in yourself and your friends since you came here. Consider this also a change caused by the book"
"Wait what? You're saying that the book is causing these changes? The book is the reason why Drake talks like an old British guy and Jacob talks like he's from the hood?" Jaiden was clearly having a hard time processing this. Randy, on the other hand, kept calm and listened on.
"Oh no. Not just their speech patterns. I'm sure you've noticed their appearance change too. Its all the effect of the book. Even this destroyed town you see around you is because of the books influence"
"So you expect us to believe that a book is the reason we are in this unfamiliar world? No offence brother but it seems like a bunch of bollocks to me."
"But you saw what happened when we read the book. The walls glowing and those strange symbols...maybe he's right" Drake and Jaiden were making connections and assumptions while the man was clearly distraught. Only one sentence was enough to shake him.
"Wait what? You read from the book?? Did you not see my warnings on the cover? Did you not stop to wonder why the book was locked away in a safe labeled with radioactive symbols??"
"Man, tf is you talking about? It was just lyin' around in some sort of creepy old hut. There wasn't no radioactive symbols or whatever you're talking about. No warnings either"
"But that's just not possible... unless, fascinating. So the book can manifest the hut around it and travel somehow. Very fascinating"
"How exactly do you know about the book? You talk as if you were studying it"
"Oh but of course. I found the book in a hut too. Surrounded by darkness and weird candles and symbols. I took it home and began studying it. I did not recognize the language it was written in so I asked my friend for help. He was a great scholar. He assured me that he would have the book translated in a month, fast worker indeed. But he mysteriously disappeared along with the book in a week. His notes and family suggested that he was working in his study when he just disappeared. He was never seen again. I searched for any leads but no avail. After 7 years, I came across the hut again in the eastern parts of Russia. I thought that my friend had somehow fled here and built this hut which just happens to look like the hut I found the book in, just a coincidence. It was the exact same as before and inside I found the book again but no sign of my friend. However, something was different this time. I recognized the language of the book. It was French. I came to realize that the book changed language and location any time someone read it. So I engraved some warnings on its cover and started to translate it. But before I knew it, something had happened and I woke up in this strange world much like you."
The boys were listening to his story attentively and found it believable. Who wouldn't after experiencing the same thing themselves. However, there was still an air of caution between them. They couldn't just come to trust him because he told them a story and the man sensed this. He wanted to earn their trust somehow. Afterall two heads are better than one. And these boys are the first humans he had seen in a long time. The man spoke again, this time with a hint of desperation in his voice.
"You have to believe me. I am human, just like you guys. You need information to survive in this world and I need some friends so I don't go crazy. How about it? We both can help each other. I believe its what you would call a win-win situation."
The man's words made sense. They were unfamiliar with this strange world and needed his help to survive. The boys asked for some time to discuss and went in the other room. Jacob did not trust the man. He wanted to stay away from him but Randy convinced him otherwise. Drake and Jacob also conveyed their concerns but none of them could deny the fact that the man had saved them and now offered help again. After quite a while and a lot of shouting and convincing, the boys came back. Randy greeted the man with a smile while Jacob still kept his distance.
"We have thought very hard about your proposal and you did help us so let's get along. Hopefully, we can help each other survive"
"But don't think for a moment you're off the hook. I got an eye on you"
"Of course. Now about this place. I believe this is your hometown or at least a very desolate and destroyed version of it. The book pulls in anyone who reads it along with their surroundings. I believe that since it pulled in you four, instead of taking your house, it took your whole town. Not to worry, your real town should be pretty much the same. Well, you're missing and your family is probably in peril but nothing we can do about it. Also, as you have already seen yesterday, there are very strange creatures lurking around. Every time the book is opened, it summons a new creature. These creatures range from small harmless insects to what you saw yesterday. And I'm afraid that this place is no longer safe. Your friends, Candy and Drake already saw a very dangerous creature yesterday and it saw them too."
"My name is Randy and what do you mean? I didn't see anything yesterday other than the weird swarm thing"
"You did. Just didn't notice it. Tell me, the moon looked a bit off yesterday, didn't it?"
"The moon? I mean yeah it seemed a bit different than usual but I thought it was just what the moon looked like here."
"This place doesn't have a moon. What you saw was the eye of a Terror Bird. Very vicious creature. Half of this town will be gone come night. You don't want to be near this place when it happens."
"What are you even saying? There's no way something that big exists! Stop trying to scare us"
"I'm not trying to scare anyone here. You saw the swarm yesterday. If something like that can exist, then a Terror Bird can too. Anyway, this town isn't safe. Even if the bird doesn't attack, many other creatures will. You see, this is a new place and a new place means fresh prey for many. So we should leave before sundown if we want to survive. Its still noon. We have plenty of time to prepare. Grab any and all food along with whatever helps you sleep at night because we have a long journey ahead of us"
The boys seemed hesitant but decided to believe him anyway. They ran around the house grabbing their belongings and any food they could find. Then they set out for the town. The town was still empty and silent. Rows of desolate shops, filled with half-rotten items. They grabbed canned foods and pans and spoons, just enough to eat off of. Randy grabbed a first aid kit and Jaiden secured their water. It was now almost sunset. The boys gathered on the edge of town where the man was waiting for them. He waved at them from afar.
"HEY!! OVER HERE!!! Welcome back. I hope you have everything to survive for quite a while. Oh and don't worry about me, I always keep enough stuff with me. Now let's move. It's getting late and I don't want to stay here for too long"
"Well that's all fine and dandy but we need ta call ya something. Gotta think of a name for ya"
"I concur. A name would certainly be nice. How about Adolph, after the famous painter Adolph Schwarz? I think it's quite nice"
"Adolph huh… sounds nice. Ok then, call me Adolph from now. Anyways let's get moving. Night is upon us and the Terror Bird could attack at any moment"
Saying this the man started walking away from the town, towards the west. The area surrounding the town was amiss. The road and tress just suddenly stopped opening into a giant field of nothing. Far in the east Randy could see some sort of light but nothing in the direction they were going.
"Say Adolph, there seems to be some form of lights over in that direction. Should we not head over there first? Why are we going towards nothingness?"
"Oh those lights are not welcoming at all. That is the nearest are to your town. I was there when your town appeared. That place is filled with strange animal type creatures. They have no eyes and rely on their very keen sense of hearing. They have sharp claws and are extremely fast. Piles of bodies can be found there. Going there is nothing short of suicide. I only survived because the noise from your town appearing distracted them. Not much goes near them and not much comes out. But no need to worry, they are very territorial animals and don't leave their area so we're safe."
They walked for about an hour and then suddenly heard a loud screeching. It was so loud that anyone at the town would have been instantly deafened. Chills ran down their spines as the boys turned back to look at the town. A giant shadowy bird dived straight down from above the clouds and hit the ground like an asteroid.
"GET DOWN AND COVER YOUR EARS!!!"
Adolph yelled, his voice barely audible in the sheer loudness of the screeching but the boys listened and followed. A giant explosion was heard in the distance and a shockwave hit the boys. After a while, the screeching ended and the boys looked back at the town. Half of the town had turned into a giant crater, reduced to dust, while the other half looked as if it had been bulldozed. In the middle of the crater stood a black bird, its wings stretching across the town, its eyes glowing white like the moon and its long, almost mechanical looking beak, snapping shut and opening over and over. The boys instantly looked up and they saw no moon.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?? IS THAT A TERROR BIRD?? WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK!?!?!"
"Now now, stay calm. Yes, that is a terror bird but its going to sleep soon since its doing that thing with its beak. Since the bird has calmed down now, many other beasts will be heading that way, some to salvage whatever they can find in the rubble and the rest to nibble on the sleeping bird. However, we still need to get out of here"
The boys knew the best option was to leave but they were still curious about what they had just seen. Clearly sensing this, Randy started talking to the man, to get some answers and distract himself from the harsh reality of the situation. "What about that shriek? What was that? Don't tell me it was that thing"
"Oh no no. Terror birds are actually very silent. Only time they make noise is during takeoff and when they hit the ground. The screeching noise you heard is actually a sort of animal that lives on the bird. It is extremely resilient and can survive those hellish dives. It emits that sound in reaction to the bird's descent. It causes nearby animals to run away and hopefully not get crushed by the bird so the animal can then go and feast on their injured bodies."
"That's... uhhh useful I guess… but are we safe? Are we truly safe from that bird and whatever animal resides on it?"
"Yes of course. You have my word. If you weren't safe then I would also be in danger and I don't want any of us to be in danger. Let's continue our journey. We have a long way to go"
"But where exactly are we going?"
"To my house of course. We have to grab some supplies and maps if you ever want to get out of here"
"Get out? You mean we can go back?? How? Tell me now, HOW?"
"Calm down Jaiden, nothing can be achieved by yelling at the poor lad. But it is quiet intriguing. You say there's a way to go back to our world?"
"Yes there is. Took me quite a while to find out about it. You see this world is a creation of the book. And if the book is destroyed, so will this place and we can go back to our lives."
"And how do ya propose we find the damn book? It's in our world while we're stuck here with no way ta talk to em peeps outside. Unless you got something that can help." Adolph stared at Jacob for a while, thinking of a good answer.
"Oh no, the book is here too. It exists in here and out there simultaneously. However, since this is a large place, the book is very hard to find. Instead of a hut, the book exists within a library here. It blends in with the hundreds of other books and opening any other book leads to the destruction of the library. All we have to do is find that library, pick the right book and burn it. Easier said than done though"
"And I assume you have a way to locate the library back at your home?"
"I do have a way but not at home. You see, I went to check out the woods where u guys came out of and found the hidden underground room. There are tiny hints in those locations pointing to the next library. But enough talking. We need to get going. You don't want to stay in these open plains for too long, no place to hide from things."
They kept on walking for about 5 more hours. Then they stopped to rest, ate some food and went to sleep. Each one of them were on the edge, expecting something to jump out anytime. One by one, they drifted into sleep. Each of them had violent nightmares that night. Each of them except Randy. Adolph had grown accustomed to such nightmares however.
--Chapter 3 end--