The Other Side

The foliage was thick, impossible to see through. These parts of the Old Country were overgrown, untamed, untouched. As long as the land had stood, civilization had never sullied it.

Oushiqae kept to the front, swinging her bludgeoning staff at the underbrush.

They had been walking a while, keeping off the path now run by Jatvsoe Asset Security and whatever other marauding bands of armed, violent people scoured this place where all authority was well blind.

But out here there were no landmarks, no guideposts.

They were getting lost.

A thick fog was beginning to roll over the forest, the morning sun was low. Salinae's lantern was on, illuminating the slowly abating darkness.

But just as the darkness began to give way to a bluish hue, Oushiqae's staff opened a wall of foliage.

Salinae and Oushiqae stepped out into a large cutoff where the forest gave way to a stretch of treeless land. No stumps as far as she could see, only knee-high grass stretched before the women.

The fog rolled silently across the small field.

"This doesn't look familiar." Oushiqae spoke quietly. The wind was quiet, the rustle of the grass low.

But under all that was something else.

Voices.

Salinae shone her light out into the fog, she and Oushqiae moving forward quietly. It sounded like a group, talking...casually.

Salinae confirmed the sound with Oushiqae. They both could hear it, wherever it was coming from.

The sound echoed across the fog, Salinae sweeping the lantern.

Oushqiae held her hand out to Salinae's chest, pointing.

Something in the fog moved. A person.

Two people.

The pair looked on, seeing two black figures standing near one another. They saw no features, only their relaxed poses.

The voices were louder.

"Hey!" Salinae called, making Oushiqae jump. "Can we get some directions?"

The voices silenced.

Salinae and Oushiqae stood on the other side of the fog, staring at the now silent figures. A beam of light shone from the group's own lantern.

Yet they said nothing.

"Hey, hello?" Salinae called, waving. "We're just looking for directions!"

Still the group remained silent. They only shut their lanterns off.

"Is there something wrong? You folks need help?" Salinae called

Wordlessly, the group ahead of them backed off, their visages disappearing into the silent fog.

Salinae and Oushiqae didn't move from their spot.

Salinae felt Oushiqae's hand on her shoulder, leading her back towards the forest. She followed, a quiet creaking echoing from the forest.

"Back the way we came, Salinae." Oushiqae said. "No need to their side."