Chapter 4: Dry Bone Valley

Chapter Four: Dry Bone Valley

“What…fifty years ago? Wiped off the map? That’s…impossible,” Psi said, but it was more like he was thinking aloud rather than speaking to Alice. He was in complete shock. How could that be true? Psi was just in Balaal, wasn’t he? But then again, he couldn’t remember what had happened to him…

Think, Psi. Focus. He traced his memories back, step by step. If he calmed down and thought about this methodically, surely he would be able to remember something.

His most recent memory was of him lazing about in his room as usual. But what next? What happened at that time? Come on, focus. Focus… That’s right! I was watching the night sky. Looking at the shooting stars. Psi watched the shooting stars every night. But hadn’t  something been different about the sky that night? He tried to remember. There were…bursts of color in the sky that night, something Psi had never seen before. But what did that mean?

Wait a minute. That night, wasn’t everyone in a panic or something? Psi recalled people screaming and running around frantically, claiming it was the end of the world. Who had said that to him? Oh, that’s right, it had been his neighbor, Grantz. What had Grantz told him? To look at the sky. Yes, Psi could feel his train of thought progressing. After speaking to Grantz, Psi had returned to his window to see what the commotion was about. And when he looked up, he saw that�"

“The stars were falling. On Balaal,” the words escaped Psi’s lips on their own.

Alice raised an eyebrow in intrigue. “That’s right. So you do know about it. The Star Strike, I mean. Well of course, it’s basic history after all.”

“No. Not history. I don’t know what you’re talking about. You say that it happened fifty years ago?” Psi’s thoughts were racing all over the place. Something was very wrong here. He was starting to piece together what might be happening, but it was so ridiculous he didn’t want to believe it.

Alice seemed annoyed again, likely because they hadn’t moved for a while. “Yeah, it happened fifty years ago. How can you not know that? Everybody knows that. Look, whatever happened to you has obviously left you pretty confused, so let’s just get going, okay? I’m sick of being in this sweltering no-man’s land.”

Psi began walking again, still using Alice as his support.

“I’m not confused,” Psi said calmly but firmly. “I already told you; I live in Balaal. It’s impossible for it to have been fifty years since that ‘Star Strike’ thing.”

“And why is that?” she asked, obviously just humoring him, not believing a word of what he was saying.

“Because I was there when it happened.”

This time, Alice was the one who stopped walking.

“What the hell are you talking about? You’re crazy!” Alice looked positively disturbed by his claim. “That’s such an obvious lie, I can’t believe you’d even tell it!”

“I’m not lying. I was there!”

“No no no. Look, kid. That’s impossible for two reasons. First, even if you were around fifty years ago to see the Star Strike, you’d have to be way old right now. And clearly, you’re not. Second, if, as you claim, you were in Balaal when it happened, you’d be f*****g dead!”

“There…aren’t any survivors besides me?” Psi croaked.

“Take a look around, kiddo. There weren’t any survivors, period!”

The vast emptiness of the desert wasteland confirmed her point.

Alice sighed and said, “I don’t know what the hell’s got you so confused, but we’re gonna hafta get your head examined if you keep spoutin’ nonsense. Balaal was hit harder than any other city in the world. This wasteland, Dry Bone Valley, is all that’s left. I already told you that. Get it through your delusional head.”

And with that, Alice began walking again, pulling Psi along.

But something she said had caught Psi’s attention. “You mean other places were hit as well?”

“Yeah, well, of course. The country of Ban’nu certainly received the brunt of the Star Strike, but a few stars landed in other countries as well. There were tons of victims, but it mostly devastated the Ban’nuin population, which had previously been the largest in the world.”

Psi’s mind had been overloaded with too much information that didn’t make sense. His whole city, destroyed? And he was the only survivor? Furthermore, other places had also been struck? He wasn’t sure if the other places Alice mentioned had been wiped off the map like Balaal or not, but the fact that the Star Strike had hit multiple places in several countries was terrifying.  And the biggest problem: Alice claimed that this all happened fifty years in the past? Psi decided he didn’t want to think anymore for a while. He was tired, hungry and thirsty. At the very least, Alice seemed to be getting them out of this desert. Psi figured he should go along with her for now, at least until they left Dry Bone Valley. Then he would just take up residence in a surviving town and live out the rest of his days as he did before. He was sure he’d be able to find out what was really going on around here if he got to talk to someone other than this crazy girl.

After walking a bit more�"their progress was slow since Alice had to help Psi along�"they finally approached a strange looking machine that Psi had never seen before. It was metallic, and somewhat resembled a bicycle, except with pipes and massively thick wheels. There was metal plating covering several parts of the body of the vehicle. It also featured a long soft-looking seat on the top for the rider to sit. This vehicle was certainly knew to Psi, but it wasn’t as if he kept up with the goings-on of Arlian technology. Such things hadn’t mattered to him. Even assuming the vehicle was an Arlian invention, he wasn’t sure how this girl had brought something like this across the sea from Arlia to Ban’nu, though. Surely, a ship wouldn’t allow a passenger to bring such a thing onboard.

 Alice, making sure he could stand on his own first, left Psi’s side and moved toward the vehicle. After inserting a key the machine jumped to life. It seemed to be running on a motor. Psi was amazed that the Arlians had come up with something like this. The Ban’nuin had always been technologically superior to all others. The Arlians had gotten most of their technology from Ban’nu, but as for this? Psi had never even heard of it. That must have meant that the Arlians had secretly built it. But no, that didn’t make much sense either. If they wanted it to be a secret, Alice wouldn’t have brought the thing to Ban’nu in the first place. Psi decided to leave the issue alone for now.

 There was a leather bag with its strap hanging off one of the handlebars on the vehicle which Alice picked up and opened. After shuffling through its contents for bit, she pulled out a canteen.  Psi couldn’t help but stare at it longingly. He was so thirsty.

Luckily for Psi, Alice tossed the canteen to him.

          “You seem pretty dehydrated, kid. Go ahead and drink up. It would inconvenient if you dropped dead here.”

            Psi didn’t need to be told to drink. He twisted off the cap and greedily gulped down the elixir of life, careful not to allow any to spill. They were in a desert after all, and it would likely be a while before they could refill. He wanted to drink it all, but managed to restrain himself and pull the canteen from his lips. He replaced the cap and handed the canteen back to Alice.

 While admiring her motorized bicycle, Psi said, “What do you mean it would be ‘inconvenient’ if I die here? Does that mean someone is expecting me somewhere?”

Alice grinned, looking more like a hungry predator rather than a young woman. “Yeah, you could say that. At any rate, you’re gonna hafta come with me, kid.”

Psi didn’t like that she kept calling him a child. She couldn’t be more than a year or two older than him, anyway. But that wasn’t important right now. He had questions, and he needed them answered before he went anywhere.

“Where are you going to take me?” he asked first.

“Can’t tell you.”

“Why not?”

“That’s classified.”

“Classified? Why is that? The person who ordered you to come here won’t even allow you to tell me where you want me to go? And how did you even know I’d be out in this ‘Dry Bone Valley’ anyway? I doubt there is any kind of rescue service, especially if, as you claim, it has been fifty years since the incident and there were no survivors to begin with.”

“Sorry, can’t tell ya. You’ll just have to wait and see.” Alice was beaming; she seemed to derive pleasure in denying him information.

Psi decided to try a different angle. “If you will not answer my questions, then I won’t follow you.”

Alice burst out laughing uncontrollably.

“What is so funny?” Psi asked, annoyed at her reaction.

“Are you freakin’ stupid? ‘If you will not answer my questions, then I won’t follow you’. What a dumbass!” She continued laughing.

Psi gritted his teeth. “I do not see why you’re laughing.”

Alice gave him a look so condescending it made him feel like he was a bug for her to stomp on. “Why don’t you use that brain of yours, kid? If you don’t come with me, what’ll happen to you? Well, go on, tell me.”

Psi remained silent. If I don’t go with her, she’ll just leave me here to die of starvation or dehydration, whichever comes first. She had said that Psi’s death would be an inconvenience; that didn’t mean that she would prioritize his life or anything.

“That’s what I thought. Now get on my bike and let’s go. I’m totally sick of this freakin’ desert,” Alice said as she mounted her vehicle and revved the engine. Psi solemnly got on behind her.

She looked back at him. “You’d better hold on to me, kid. Unless you wanna fall off.”

Psi complied, feeling a bit confused about finding a way to place his hands without touching her in an inappropriate way. But then again, judging by Alice’s attitude and how little clothing she wore, perhaps a small thing like this didn’t even matter to her. He settled for wrapping  his arms around her waist from behind. Her skin was soft to the touch.

“Now, what do ya say we get the hell outta here?”

For once, Psi agreed with her.

And with that, they took off,  riding towards…somewhere.

Psi really hoped he would get a chance to escape soon. 

Author's Note

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