Excerpt: In His Own Image

In His Own Image

Chapter 1

Captain David Grayson walked down the well-worn path he had traveled nearly every day for the last several months. He carried the same rucksack filled with the same tools and foodstuffs, and wore the same old leather boots and canvas jacket he had worn for the last fourteen years, doing exactly the same thing he had done on countless occasions before.
But today would be different.
He was an explorer for the Pine Ridge enclave, and his destination for this trip was a town two days out, north by northeast. David had only a vague indication that there would actually be a town there, beyond the hint that Hamm had dug up.
Hamm was an explorer, too, and on his last outing, while rummaging through refuse outside an abandoned outpost, he had found a part of a map, with some markings that looked to conform to elevations, and some handwriting on it.
David only had a few minutes to look at that map before Jeremiah found out and sent Fletcher to confiscate it. But the markings looked awful familiar to David. He told Hamm they might just be drawings of the foothills to the north, sort of outlines where things get higher up. They decided right then and there to go find out what that marking was. Hamm was itching to go immediately, but David had to keep him cool.
"You can't just go rushing off midday!" he had said to Hamm. "You'll look awful suspicious doing that, won't you?"
"You're right, David," Hamm had replied. "But tomorrow we'll go first thing, head for that mark. You know something's there, I'll be damned if that weren't a hand-written mark!"
"We'll do no such thing, Hamm! What'll Jeremiah think seeing the two of us going off together tomorrow, after looking at that map? No. I'll go myself, just like always. That's my territory. You follow routine, too, Hamm. If you really want to find this, we gotta play it cool. Understand?"
"Sure, David."
So David had set out the very next morning, just like he always had, only this time, he felt fairly positive about finding something big. No, he was sure of it.
He followed the trail north out of the settlement. He knew most of this area intimately, having traveled some part of it nearly every day since childhood. He was an explorer, after all, and that's what explorers do. It's all he had ever known, just like his father, and his father before that, and so on.
He knew there was a river that lead toward that marking on the map; he had traveled it in the past, only not quite far enough north. But the river lay far to the east, and David felt safer staying off the plain during the daytime. Besides that, there was the dead zone to the east he'd have to contend with. And if he learned nothing else from his father about exploration, he learned this: stay away from the dead zones.
"Son," his father would tell him, in a rare moment of sober elocution, "when you see these areas, these barren patches of desert, these stale, stinking, lifeless...well, you get my meaning. Remember the plague, David. Remember those we've lost. This is where it really comes from, boy."
Such advice ran counter to everything he heard at seance, all the warnings from Jeremiah about sin and retribution. His father did have a reputation for telling tall tales, but never with the calm, even, seriousness as he would display on these occasions.
So he avoided sin, and he avoided the dead zones, just to be safe.
He walked for the entire morning before breaking for lunch. He pulled some leaf-wrapped cakes from his pack, and sipped water from an old, worn canteen. Surveying the area around him, he found himself near the limits of his knowledge of the terrain. Soon he would be entering new territory, and he thrilled at the thought of it.
It was rare for an explorer to stay out overnight, and he certainly had never done so after travelling in this direction, or in this kind of landscape. The forest provided good cover during the day. It was familiar. It was comforting. The lush undergrowth, the high canopy, the silence. Despite all that, he feared what the forest had in store for him at night time.
Despite that fear, he was determined to press on, and the reason was this: there was so little left over from before the cataclysm. So few indications that anybody had ever lived any differently than the people of Pine Ridge. And when even the slightest clue was uncovered that there might be something out there to discover, he just had to follow that clue wherever it led him, no matter how much it sent Jeremiah into a fit, and no matter how much his instincts told him to stay put. He was an explorer, after all, and that's what explorers do. Or so he kept telling himself.
He was especially determined when there was a good chance that he'd find something useful to the enclave, like a foodstore, or a cropfield, or something for the enginers to muck about with. Although David had trouble remembering the last time an enginer did something useful, he suspected some of them had a similar feeling about the explorers.
So he pushed onward, eager to get clear of the forest and find some sort of shelter for the night. He would need it come dusk, and not just to keep the chill off him. He set out due east now, heading down toward the plain, and closer to the river that led north. He figured that if he didn't find a good place to make camp, at worst he could head back to pine ridge across the plain, double time, and make it back just after dusk. It would be risky, and he'd have to navigate the dead zone, but he liked his chances against the brutal vortch on an open plain better than the unknown of the forest at night.
He descended down toward the plain, the forest thinning into more of a grassland dotted with bare rocky patches covered with moss, occasionally jutting out of the verdure and blocking the horizon. It was along the top of one of these outcroppings that, far in the distance, David thought he spotted a human figure.
There it was, standing upright, just big enough for him to distinguish it as a human being. And judging from the subtle, almost unconscious cues and proportions, he would have sworn that it was a woman.
The curious thing was, none of the Pine Ridge explorers were women. There hadn't been any since, well, as long as David could remember, at the least. And of course he knew every woman in the enclave, for all he knew, every woman on the entire planet, so which one of them was she? And what could she possibly be doing out this far? His stomach sank as he realized that this situation could only end with trouble.
He quickly yet steadily moved closer, and the figure just stood there, without waving or yelling, but as if she were waiting for him. And then he heard a shrill screech pierce the silence far off behind him.
Vortch!
He turned to look for the source of that ominous sound, and saw nothing but green and rock. When he turned back toward the figure in the distance, it was gone.
And that's when he began to think he was going crazy.
He had had visions before. Not like Jeremiah's visions, of course. Just imaginings. Longings that seemed more real than they should be. Shortly after his wife died ten years ago -- has it been that long? -- he would see her image while exploring. She would be ahead in the distance, waiting on a rock or fallen tree. He would chase after it, only to see it disappear, and reappear further on. It nearly drove him mad, until one day it just stopped happening. His wife had finally left him for good.
He had since believed that she finally found her resting place, that her soul was finally at peace after such long suffering toward the end. Seeing her go through a living hell, being consumed visibly each day, only further fueled his fear of the dead zones, for his wife, Cely, had died of plague.
And now he feared she was back again, haunting him.
He remembered her all too well now, the blurred edges of a decade of forgetting coming sharply into focus. She was the only girl his age who would pay him any attention. Children of explorers make few friends. For all their usefulness to the enclave, daily, self-imposed exile leaves them with little time for forging close bonds. And it makes for a very unreliable husband. He was shocked when Cely chose him, and a little hesitant. But he couldn't refuse the insistence of a beautiful young woman, could he?
At the very least, he thought he would give her, and more importantly the enclave, healthy children, before he went the way of all flesh. Not once did he imagine that he would outlive his wife. They had four wonderful years together. She had been with child at the end. It was the death of two, and twice the funeral rites.
Another screech snapped him out of his daydream. This one seemed closer than the last, and more frightening. More urgent. He had never seen a vortch in the daytime, but he had heard them at twilight, and had seen their shadowy silhouettes in the dusky evening. They were not to be trifled with.
He scanned the area for cover. Nothing. Perhaps he could reach the rocky area ahead, where the figure had stood, and search for shelter there, some crevice in which to squeeze himself.
He set off at a quick pace, but careful not to draw attention to himself. He knew very little of the vortch. He didn't know how to avoid them, much less how to defend against one. He started regretting his decision to make an overnight trip.
And then a familiar rustling of air set his hair on end, and he froze in his tracks. A deafening noise nearly on top of him pierced his ears, and he instinctively turned and jumped, throwing his arms out and up. For a half a second, the longest half second of his life, he stared directly into the horrid face of a hungry vortch. Its long, thin tongue waggled out of a sharp beak, claws as big as his own hands protruding from massively muscled legs, and feathery patches around its large eyes and chest.
In the next half second, his vision went black, and he felt himself almost floating to the ground. He felt the wetness of blood running down his cheek just before becoming overwhelmed by pain. The vortch must have lashed out at him.
His final thought was of his dead wife, calling him home. And then he lost consciousness.

1861

Chapter 2

David awoke to light and pain.
His first thought upon waking was that he must be alive, because heaven would be far more pleasant, and hell would be unbearable.
His head throbbed, and even wincing hurt. Knife-like pain shot through his temple at the slightest movement. Opening his mouth, or simply smiling, triggered it too. Not that he had much to smile about right now.
He was afraid to open his eyes, but his survival instinct forced him to do so. He lay on his back in the grass, on a slight incline, in what would in any other circumstance be a relatively comfortable bed. He examined his body and found it to be in one piece, though it felt like his head had been cleft in two. He reluctantly examined his skull, feeling around for the wound that must be there. Delicately, slowly, his fingers explored his jaw and neck and hairline, trying not to trigger another wave of pain by touching the wrong thing. There was no blood, dried or fresh, and no wound.
And then his hand found the bandage.
It was from his own pack. Did he black out again, after bandaging himself? Had he suffered some memory loss? Then he thought of the woman. Had she done this? Had she bandaged him? It simply wasn't possible. No one could have fought off that beast, and survived. Perhaps she had some sort of weapon. But from where? Thinking was starting to hurt, and it only led him down frustrating, impossible paths.
He raised himself up to a sitting position, and his head felt like exploding. He fell back to the ground and lay still, waiting for the pain to subside.
And then she appeared.
She approached from the side, and stood about ten paces away. She just stood there, watching him. She was tall and strong, and beautiful. She was also a complete stranger to him.
Perhaps he was suffering from memory loss. After all, he knew every one of the 436 people at Pine Ridge. He also knew that there were no other enclaves left, at least, none that any explorer ever came across in their entire recorded history. The scripture tells of the cataclysm, and Pine Ridge is the only place left with human life. He had heard that tale countless times now from Jeremiah, as far back as he can remember.
And her clothes aren't even familiar. The zippered outfit, made all of one piece it seemed like. And her hair. It was thicker, fuller somehow. And her skin, the color, it had a pale, almost greyness to it. As if she were a...
It's the ghost!
She must have sensed his fear, for just then she took a half step back, and put her hands out, palms forward. Still, she said nothing.
David was afraid to speak himself. Not only for the physical pain it would surely cause him, but because he didn't rightly know what to say. If she was from the enclave, he didn't want to let on that he didn't know her. Better to not let them think him mad. If she wasn't from the enclave, then she could be an enemy, and he'd have to take care not to betray his weakness.
She finally broke the silence.
"How are you feeling?" Probably the most noncommittal thing she could have said. Friend or foe, it would be the logical first question. Assessing the damage, or looking for a weakness?
She moved toward him again, slowly, and he quickly slid himself backward in response. He winced in pain, and froze. She spoke again.
"I'm a friend." She moved moved more slowly, but still closer. "I bandaged your head. I cleaned your face and neck." Still she almost crept toward him.
He had betrayed himself now, showing his fear. He gave up. The pain was too much. She wasn't going to kill him, at least not any time soon. He would rest, and perhaps escape when he was fit for it.
"If I had wanted to harm you..." She stopped short of completing her thought.
And that's when he noticed something else odd about her: she didn't quite say the words the right way. As if someone had taught her wrong. Perhaps he was in heaven after all, or some sort of purgatory. Jeremiah had likened the enclave to a sort of purgatory, but never outright asserted it.
"Are you an angel or a devil?" He almost had to spit out the words, to keep his jaw from hurting. It made him sound angry. She didn't seem to take offense.
"I'm neither one," she replied, "but right about now I'm closer to one than the other, to your great fortune." She sort of half-smiled. She had come up to him and knelt beside him, before he even noticed she was that close to him.
"Let me check that wound." She reached over his head, and he tensed up, mostly from a fear of the pain an examination might bring. "Bleeding's stopped. The wound is not big, but they bleed quite a bit from the head, don't they? You're going to be bruised for awhile, and you might have a broken skull."
He was feeling more at ease now, so he risked another question.
"What happened here? I mean, how did I..."
"Vortch took you by surprise."
"I remember that much. I remember staring at him eye to eye. A man's not supposed to live to tell that tale..."
"But you did," she said. "You should feel lucky. God was looking out for you today." He thought he sensed a bit of sarcasm, but her face displayed nothing but sincerity.
"If that was divine intervention, then you _are_ an angel, because no earthly being could have stopped that vortch. And I can't see as there's any other way that I survived other than you having a hand in it somehow. But since you said you weren't an angel, that either makes you a liar, or a devil, or both." He didn't regret the meanness of his tone this time, but he still felt shame at having spoken harshly.
"It's not the first time I've been called a devil," she replied, "and I'm sure it won't be the last."
"Who are you then?" He looked her in the eye. She didn't blink.
"My name is Erin."
He took her pause to mean that she was ready for questions. "You aren't from Pine Ridge...at least, I can't remember you."
"I think your memory is fine." She turned to sit beside him, no longer facing him. "No, I'm not from your enclave. I live two days' journey from here."
"But...Pine Ridge...there are no other humans anywhere else on the face of the planet. And how do you survive traveling so far from home?" He was both curious and doubtful, but curiosity was winning out.
"I want to tell you, in fact, I want to show you. But first...well, you haven't even told me your name!"
David felt his cheeks flush, for reasons he didn't understand. When you know everyone on the planet, you have little chance to practice introductions.
"Captain David Grayson, Explorer, Pine Ridge enclave." He said it just as his father had taught him. He remembered how they had practiced it on their outings together, playfully pretending that they might find another human settlement someday. At which point, they would need to identify themselves, and show a sign of friendship.
"Captain?" she asked.
"Yes, it's a family name. You can call me David, like everyone else does."
"Well, David, I'm a sort of explorer, too."
"Really? I knew you had to be some such like. But still, how are you alive? Do you have an enclave?"
"I have what you might call an enclave, yes. There are others..." She stopped short again.
And that's when David noticed her sleeve.
It was torn roughly in three places. Beneath it, he could see her smooth grey flesh. But something wasn't quite right.
"Let me see your arm," he said.
"I cleaned it up, it will be fine." As she spoke, she pulled her arm tight to her body, and covered the wound with her other hand. David reached out and took her by the wrist, gently, but firmly.
"Let me see your arm."
She twisted her arm effortlessly free from his grip, leaving him with a sore wrist for his effort. David was more shocked at her strength than offended by the injury. And then he started to worry.
His head was filled with only the worst of thoughts now, and he felt trapped. Betrayed by a devil! The arm, the flesh, the strength. The vortch! Nobody survives the vortch. He was in a full panic now.
He stood up, perhaps too quickly, and stumbled away, only to go light-headed crash back to the ground, his body now shuddering violently with the ensuing pain.
"David!" she shouted. "It's not what you think. I am neither devil, nor angel. Look!"
She approached him cautiously, and he remained still. She tore open her sleeve, baring her entire arm.
"I didn't want to tell you this way. Not until you could trust me."
She was kneeling down beside him again. He reached out to touch the flesh of her arm. It was cold. It had three deep gashes from the shoulder down. They lay open, bloodless. The flesh beneath was the same greyish hue. It hung inhumanly from her bones. He looked closer, and saw that even her bones were an inhuman, metallic grey. How was she still alive?
"Yes, I fought the vortch. I did not kill it. But it got the worse end of the deal, I can assure you."
"No one can survive a vortch..."
She interrupted him. "No, David. No human can survive a vortch. At least not yet."
"Then you're..."
"Not human, no. David, I...we only get one chance to do this the right way..."
"You're a..."
"Yes, David, I'm a robot. And the future of the human race depends upon you trusting me."
He passed out again, and didn't awake till morning.

1695

Chapter 3

When David woke, Erin was nowhere in sight. His head felt better, and his strength had returned. Erin must have covered him, for he was wrapped in his own blanket, but his head was resting on a pillow that wasn't his. He was thankful for the pillow, and he was also thankful that Erin was gone. Or was she?
He stood up and scanned the area. He found no sign of his robot captor. And it was a good thing too, for she spooked him like nothing else. Even the vortch. Better the devil you know, than the devil you don't. He'd seen plenty of vortch, albeit at a safe distance. But Robots, well, they were something else entirely.
It was early morning, the sun just cresting the horizon to the east. Just early enough for him to get back home before dusk. Assuming she hadn't moved him very far. Robots can work all sorts of magic, and transporting a human was likely a very trivial task for her.
The terrain looked familiar. He was pretty confident that he was near to where the vortch attacked. He quickly found his pack, and inventoried it. Everything was accounted for. The sight of the cakes made him hungry, so he sat back down to get a quick breakfast before setting out on the long journey back home.
She appeared as if out of nowhere.
"How are you feeling today?" she said.
David jumped at the sight of her, and his cake went flying. He clutched at his bag, as if to run for it, and then found his composure.
"I was doing fine until you came back."
"I'm sorry, David. I was just scouting the area, and I wanted to see that you were ok before you went back to your enclave."
"You mean..." David was taken aback at her frankness. "You mean you're letting me go?"
"No, David, I can't do that."
"But..."
"I can't do that, because you aren't a prisoner. How can I let go something that I don't have? You've always been free to leave, David. And you will always be free to come back, too." She sat beside him again, talking in a lowered voice now. "And I hope you do come back, because we have much to discuss."
David grabbed his bag and moved away from her. "I know who you are, Erin. I know all about you."
"You do? Have you met other robots then?"
"I don't have to meet them. I know all about your kind, and your tricks, and your intentions. I know you could kill me right now if you wanted to. But I'm not going to make it any easier for you."
"Look, David. I know you're scared. And there isn't anything I can say right now to change your mind. But I will say this, because I know you will think about it: I didn't meet you by accident, David. You are different. There is a lot for you to learn about this world you live in, and I know you want to learn it. I'll be here when you are ready."
He looked at her suspiciously, shook his head, and hurried away to the west.

537

Chapter 4

He arrived back at the enclave well before dusk, making good time over the terrain. In the commons, most of the enclave had gathered. He was just in time for seance. Although the circle was already closed, he could still watch and listen from the outside. Besides, he just wasn't ready for much more activity right now. His head was starting to ache again, and he needed rest. He spotted Hamm off to the right, so he went to the left. He was in no mood for Hamm right now, after the trouble Hamm's hunch had landed him in. And Hamm would be full of questions, all of which could wait till he got another night's sleep.
He found Hawthorne and Sarah sitting high up on the makeshift bleachers, next to one of the giant torches that had been lit for the ceremony. They were alone together, but they always welcomed his company.
"David!" said Sarah, "I'm glad to see you in one piece. I was afraid the overnight trip would be the end of you!" She smiled and hugged him.
"Nonsense. I know my way around that forest, and I've done plenty of overnight trips in my time."
"That bandage on your head isn't any nonsense, David," said Hawthorne.
"Oh this? Some loose footing on the plains is all. Just a bump."
He knew that neither of them were convinced, but he also knew they'd leave it alone. For a time.
"Well take the day off tomorrow, and stay home with us. I'll bet you could use the rest. We miss you at the mill..." Sarah stopped short, and David saw the apologetic look on her face.
The ceremony was fully underway now. The torches had been lit, and the children started filing out, two by two, into the center of the circle. David was no heretic, but the symbolism of the whole show evaded him. He waited in silence for the sermon, which was usually a straightforward affair.
And then Tril spoke up. For a twelve-year-old, she sure had a powerful voice. There was something of Cely's voice in it, and for a moment, he was proud of her.
"The Seance has begun!" She held her lantern high over her head, and started circling the other children. They followed her as she walked, each taking their place, sitting down just inside the circle, forming one of their own. This complete, Tril walked into the center of the circle, a solemn look on her face. David knew better than to believe she was serious. He could see the smile ready to bubble up to the surface. All eyes were on her, and she loved it. But her performance was, as always, short-lived.
"It is time to hear the words of God, spoken to his true prophet, and given directly to us. Heed these words, and fear God's will!" She sat down in the circle, and opposite her position, the circle opened. From the darkness, the true prophet stepped into the center of the circle, and into the light of the lanterns, and into the gaze of all the people of the enclave.
"The word of God is with us," spoke Jeremiah. "He favors us with his divine wisdom! He has spoken once again, and I humbly offer his words to you!" David knew there was little humility in this presentation. But he came not for the messenger; he came for the message.
"Yea, he has come unto me again in the altar in the temple! His voice has filled me with wisdom and humility! I trembled such that I might die in his presence and join the spirits in the earth.
"But I refused to die! For I know you, my people, the people of the earth, have the will to reach the heavens, and I will lead you from this desert, into the sky, and through the gates to paradise! I sacrifice myself to do this for you. You have been faithful, and I will not cast off my responsibility to you!"
He was talking, of course, about the ship from the stars, as prophesied centuries ago after the cataclysm. During the course of his duties, David was always looking out for information about the coming of the ship: where it would arrive, how they would recognize it, how to communicate with it. There was a belief amongst the explorers that they would have to signal the ship to make it aware of their presence. Like sending a message to God.
Jeremiah frowned upon this view, asserting that God did not need any guidance. He did, however agree with the explorers that the ship would come to a pre-arranged location. Not only did it make sense, but it was also quite clear in the scripture.
"...and the ship shall come, when the signal is given, to the place of the gathering. And the people shall gather in this place, underground, and shall have all provisions for life and health for centuries, and shall shut off themselves from the outside world, so that they may be cleansed. And they shall not be tainted by the unclean, who shall roam the earth until the end of their days, never finding shelter or safety..."
David once joked as a child that the people of the enclave sounded more like the unclean, than the chosen. He was soundly scolded for it.
"...and the people shall repent of their sins, and be cleansed, and create a paradise on earth, that one day, the messengers of god shall come and see that it is good, and shall reward them all with the key to heaven."
This was all fairly repetitive, and most of the enclave had memorized this preamble as well as Jeremiah had. The children usually mouthed the words as he spoke them. On occasion, he would alter a passage here or there, but rarely would the meaning be changed more than subtlely.
But this is not why they came to seance.
David waited patiently, yet eagerly, for Jeremiah to continue. For at seance, he learned of new discoveries. He learned the new proclamations. He learned facts and lessons that were straight from God's mouth. And in as much as God had a mouth, it was the seance, or more specifically, Jeremiah.
And in as much as David sometimes resented Jeremiah, he knew that God would only talk to him, and that Jeremiah was the only one that could hear God's voice in the temple, a fact which had been proven time and again at seance.
And so David, and everyone else at seance, which on this night included all but a few too sick to leave their beds, listened to Jeremiah as he spoke in solemn, precise tones.
"There is," Jeremiah continued, "a spy among us!"
A murmur rose in the crowd. At first it was not so much that someone might be a traitor. But that people didn't realize for whom this traitor could be spying. There were no other enclaves. No other humans. Or were there? Did Jeremiah learn of a band of unclean? Did the explorers find something? Hawthorne turned to David, a questioning look on his face. David simply shrugged.
"I know what you are thinking," said Jeremiah. "No, I'm not talking about an ordinairy spy. We all know that there are no other humans left on earth. And besides, wouldn't we welcome them with open arms into our community? No, I'm talking about something more insidious.
"We have, in our midst, someone who is a spy...for Satan!"
Another murmur came from the crowd, and Jeremiah raised his arms to calm them. "Do not be afraid, my children. While this spy works for the devil, we still have power over him. Because we are strong in our faith! But there is a spy, some one here tonight that is in league with demons! Someone who has been sent to us from Satan to tempt us, to divert us from our path of righteousness and goodness. Someone to tempt us with sin. God has spoken these words to me, and I have given you the facts. Seance provides you with facts, and now you must act! Find this spy, and please God with your righteousness. Go!"

Chapter 5

Next morning, David rose early. The sun had not come up yet, but the blacks were quickly turning to greys. He knew the others hadn't left yet. They would typically gather every few days early in the morning for a discussion before leaving on their daily journeys out of the enclave. Today was one of those days.
He found Hamm, and they walked together to the mess hall where the others would be waiting.
"Good to see you back in one piece," said Hamm. "I saw you after seance last night. Did you miss any of it?"
"Not a word, unfortunately. I was hoping for something more substantial than a prod toward moral behavior. After all, when's the last time somebody really did anything offensive around here?"
"Not since I was a child, far as I can remember," said Hamm.
"I think seeing our numbers dwindle every year is a big enough prod toward cooperation and morality I can think of. For once I'd like to hear Jeremiah tell us how good we've been, rather than pointing out all our little faults, and telling us to find the 'spy of Satan' that is within us."
"I don't know," said Hamm, "he sounded awful serious. I don't think he was using metaphor last night."
"He always sounds serious at seance," said David. "But a spy? An actual spy? I'm just not seeing it."
"Look, he's nearly always right about these things. And I think what he means to say is that someone has turned to Satan for comfort. I don't know how we're supposed to tell, though. I don't see anybody acting different or crazy or something."
"If you're right, Hamm, then I imagine after last night's show, their guilty conscience will betray them soon enough."
They arrived at the mess hall, and walked inside. It wasn't much of a hall, and it certainly wasn't a mess. Sarah was somewhere, prepping food with five or six others. Rune and Coss sat at one of the large, rectangular wooden tables, their junior counterparts having not arrived yet. There were only two others here this early, which was not unusual. In about a half hour, the place would be filled to capacity with the early risers.
"Nice to see you in one piece," said Rune as she spotted David and Hamm arrive.
"That's the third time I've heard that now," said David. "Have you guys been placing bets on how many pieces I'd come back in?"
"Of course not," said Coss. "That would be sinful. Besides, I had you at five pieces, not one."
"You devil!" said David.
"Hey now," said Coss, "after last night, you gotta be careful about that kinda language, or you're like to getting one of us tossed outta here and made vortch fodder!"
"True enough," said Hamm. "But any one of us is liable to be vortch food any night of the week. So it won't be much harm in tossing one of us out, would it?"
"Speaking of vortch food..." David stopped short.
"I knew I mighta won that bet," said Coss.
"C'mon now," said Rune, "what is it?"
"Well, let's just say, I was pretty close once or twice. But I found some solid protection amongst the rocks."
"Aw, David, we've all been there before. That's no story. Now, what about that bandage on your head?"
"Oh, well, I took a fall, is all. Some loose footing. It's not serious." It wasn't serious, anymore. The pain was gone. Near to complete. Erin had not told him everything.
"You sure went overboard, then. It's wrapped like half your head had fallen off!" said Coss.
"You try dressing a head wound with vortch coming after you," said Hamm. "It won't look half as good as that."
"So tell us, then," said Hamm. "Did you find it?"
"Find it? Oh. The mark." David had nearly forgotten all about why he had gone overnight in the first place. Hunting down a simple, hand-scrawled letter on an old, torn map seemed like child's play now. Being nearly killed put things in a better perspective for him. And encountering a robot up close and personal will make you forget your own name, let alone some silly, childish quest. Especially if that robot acted so...human.
"No. I didn't. But in all honesty, I don't know that I got far enough. The terrain was rough near the river. I shoulda stayed north."
"That's too bad," said Rune. "I was hoping it'd turn out to be the bunker. You know, the one Jeremiah was talkin' about a few days back at seance."
"The 'bunker'?" said David. "That sounds obscene. Where did you hear a word like that?"
"I heard it from my father, originally. If it were a dirty word, I'd more likely have heard it from yours!"
Coss laughed. "True enough. That's where I learned to swear: overhearing David's father at mess!"
"Let's get serious for a minute, guys. I've got a full day of exploring to get to. Rune's talking about the place underground, where God's chosen are supposed to be holed up. That's what the bunker is."
"But I thought that was us?" said Coss.
"You underground right now?" said Hamm. "Didn't think so. No, either there's a bunch of people right now in a hole in the ground somewhere, or there's a hole in the ground waiting for us to find it."
"There's a hole in the ground waiting for you, for sure," said Coss. "Just watch your back today, or the vortch'll take you too it right quick."
"Listen," continued Hamm, "if we are the chosen ones, then we are supposed to be looking for that bunker. Don't none of you pay attention at seance? There's enough provisions there for the whole enclave, for ten lifetimes. And when God does come for us, he's gonna be expecting us to be waiting for him in that bunker."
Everyone was quiet for a few moments, and Hamm took the chance to grab some food from the line. Rune and Coss finished their meal, and when Hamm returned, David broke the silence.
"So, has anyone seen a robot?"
"I saw a dead one once," said Coss.
"What'd it look like?"
"Well, it was south of here, a long time ago. Nasty creature. It was torn to bits, but I could just make out how it had arms and legs, and a head. Like a metallic human. Like some perverted, animated pile of scrap. It had some fleshy parts too, but no blood. What kind of creature doesn't bleed?"
"A demon, that's what kind," said Rune.
"Sure enough, a demon it was, too! Lucky for me it was dead. I wonder what killed it though. I'd thought demons would be tough. Only thing i reckon would kill a demon is a vortch!"
"Why do you ask, David? You see something like that last night? Is that why you're a bit spooked today?"
"I'm spooked for having to listen to you guys this early in the morning," said David. "No, I didn't see any demons yesterday. But you know, if I do, I wanna know how to tell 'em apart."
He knew he'd pay for the lie, at some point, but telling the truth right now was worse than the penance he'd do later.

Chapter 6

Hamm and Rune had left for the morning. David was staying in the enclave today, but he walked with Coss for a while to see him off.
"Tell me about that robot you saw, Coss."
"Well, it was some time ago. I was just about fifteen years old then, so I find it hard to really recall much more than what I said before." Coss fell silent, as if to recall the details. "Anyway, why are you so interested all a sudden? You saw something, didn't you?"
"I see lots of things, Coss. Mostly they are just mirages. Or daydreams." It was David's turn to be mysterious.
"But you saw something all the same, didn't you?"
"I saw something."
"Was it a robot?"
"I believe it was, but that's why I'm trying to ask you about it." David was frustrated. He almost dropped it right then, but Coss was the only one who he had ever heard claim to see a robot. He needed to know what he saw yesterday, and if it was a demon.
"Look," said Coss. "I'm not trying to be difficult, it's just, well, I was a kid then. And you know how we like to tell stories even now. But this thing was so badly wrecked. It coulda been anything, really. It coulda been something you'd find Hawthorne hammering on down in the junkyard. With some kinda muck from the swamp just hanging off it in places."
"And it was dead?"
"Sure enough. But...you aren't going to tell me you saw something alive? Something moving around?"
David hesitated. He didn't know how much to reveal to Coss, or to anybody. Would it scare them? Would Jeremiah find out? Would he tell them not to go out any more? Would the enclave panic? Even worse, how could he tell them he actually talked to the thing, much less, that it didn't kill him on sight, but let me walk away unharmed?
Or that, worst of all, it actually healed him with its magic?
But now he couldn't drop it. He had said too much. Coss was a joker, but he was sharp.
"I saw something move."
"Probably vortch then."
"It was up on the ridge, in full sun."
"Just a tree, I imagine."
"It looked like a human."
"It weren't a human. Not out that far."
"You're right. I wasn't a human. But it sure looked like one."
"Which is why you think it was a robot, then?"
"Yes. They took on the form of humans, right?"
"According to scripture, yes, they did. Right before the end. They took on our forms, and destroyed all but us. And now they wander the desolate land, looking for more souls to destroy. Their punishment is that they will wander endlessly, living with the destruction they caused for all eternity. They are earthly demons, and will not ascend in the ship when it comes. Besides," said Coss, "They're vicious creatures. Wouldn't want to sit in a ship with one for any length of time. They'd just tear you to pieces. And probably just crash the ship anyway."
"I think it was a robot then, Coss."
"Look, David, if you saw a robot, it would tear you apart. Robots could tear apart vortch if they got the inclination."
"Well, Coss. It's settled. It were a robot then."
"Why?"
"Because it did tear apart a vortch. And I was right there when it happened."

Chapter 7

David was in up to his eyelids now. He knew there was no going back. But he still didn't have to tell everything.
"You mean to tell me you saw a human-like creature fight a vortch and get the best of him?"
"That is what I'm saying, Coss. That vortch got beat so bad he ran off with barely his life left to him."
"I'll be damned." Coss was at a loss for anything besides curses.
"And that robot was in rough shape, too. Like to tore her arm nearly off."
"It was a female robot?"
"Well, it looked like a woman. But, Cobb, there was no blood. Not a drop! And the flesh on her arm just hanging there, metal underneath."
"And tell me," said Cobb, "what were you doing that you didn't get in the middle of this scrape? You're close enough to see the wounds, but neither demon nor foul beast pays you any attention?"
"At first I thought that vortch was after me," said David, "and he might have been, if the robot hadn't shown up. I think it was dumb luck, is all. You know, explorer's luck is mostly dumb luck."
"That's more than luck that the demon didn't just root you out, David. That's divine intervention!"
"I know, Coss. I know. But speaking of that. What should I do now? If all this is real, I mean, if I haven't been hallucinating, then we might be in for some trouble. Nobody's reported a robot sighting since before I was born, Coss. What if they're coming back? What if they're onto us? Onto the enclave?"
"We gotta play it smart, David. We gotta find out more about them, and then let Jeremiah know. He'll have a plan for us, I'm sure of it." They were approaching the treeline now. They stopped here, for David was going to head back to the enclave for the day.
"Listen," said Coss. "You said she was injured?"
"Yes, pretty bad I'd say, but still mobile."
"Well we gotta be on the lookout then. We gotta find some proof for Jeremiah. He's not one to believe stories, at least, not ones told by us mortals."
"I could go back," said David. He was simply looking for a reason to do so. "Maybe find some flesh, or metal, or something."
"Good idea. I'll see you later on, David. Wish me luck."
"Good luck, Coss. And...honestly, tell me, do you think I'm crazy?"
"Honestly, David, yes I do. I don't think you saw any robots. But before you get all mad at me, remember, I'm open to reason. But it don't matter what I think of you. If this is for real, all you got to do is convince Jeremiah."
And David knew that was no small task.

Back at the enclave, David sought out the mill, and the company of Sarah.
He used to spend a lot of time here, especially on his off days.
Back when Cely was still alive.
He hadn't spent much time here in years. The memory was too painful for him. But now he needed the comfort that it brought.
"David! So glad to see you today!" said Sarah, who was busily dumping grain into a huge metal hopper. She stopped her work and walked over to embrace him.
"It's good to be back," said David. "I sure miss this place." He walked over to the hopper, and handed sacks of grain up to Sarah, who untied them and dumped them in. Alta was arranging berries on screens for drying.
"I'm glad you've come to your senses and decided to do some useful work for a change, instead of running off into the forest and playing make believe," said Alta.
"It's good to see you too, Alta," said David. "But I'm only here for today. Tomorrow, it's back to make-believe for me, I'm afraid."
"Tril will be delighted to see you, when she gets back, and just as disappointed when you leave again," said Alta. "You should pay more attention to that girl."
Tril was an orphan, and also Cely's niece. Her only surviving relative. Either situation was not rare enough. David felt a bit paternal, but mostly felt like running away whenever he saw Tril. It was no reflection on her. She just reminded him too much of Cely.
"So, David, find anything interesting yesterday? I heard Rune found a new patch of corn, probably an acre, and not too far out. We're going out tomorrow to maybe harvest a bit, and mark the trail."
"That's great news, Sarah. But no, at this point I'd probably be more useful marking trees and hauling grain."
"After ten years, he's finally come round to his senses!" said Alta.
"No, I didn't find what I was looking for. Just a few things I most definitely wasn't looking for, like this head wound for one."
"And what other surprises did you come across?" said Sarah.
"I'll tell you more about that," said David, "after I find it again."
They worked for a hour or so, mostly in silence, David content to be working, and in the company of friends. The peaceful rythm they had developed was broken by the door slamming open, and a tired young girl dragging a noisy cart full berries and greens through to the massive table in the center of the room.
"David! You stayed home today!" It was Tril. She ran over to him and hugged him. "Look what I brought." She grabbed his hand and dragged him over to the cart. "Raspberries, blackberries, courants, and look at this! I think it's a lemon. It's not ripe, but a lemon! I found a whole tree full of them!"
She handed the weird fruit to David, who sniffed it, and set it down on the table.
"What's a lemon?" he asked.
"Didn't you learn anything as a kid?" said Tril. "Oh, look at this. I got some fresh greens. We can make salad for dinner tonight! I've got enough here for probably...a hundred people."
"I'll have to inspect those," said Alta. "Don't get too excited until I figure out if they're all right to eat."
Tril rolled her eyes, careful not to let Alta see the gesture. David smiled at her.
She walked over beside Sarah now, and stood right beside her. David thought she looked awful suspicious, just standing there. Not saying anything. He looked at Sarah, who shrugged her shoulders.
"Aren't you going to tell him?" Tril said to Sarah.
"I already told him about what Rune found."
"No, I mean..." Tril reached a nervous hand up to Sarah's belly, and meekly poked at it.
"Oh, yeah. All in good time, dear." She winked at David, who smiled. On the inside, though, he didn't feel very positive about much of anything.

Chapter 8

Just before supper time, David walked down to the shop to visit Hawthorne. He knew Thatch would be there too. The more minds, the better, for he had some questions that needed answering.
The shop was one of the largest buildings in the enclave. It had a high, arched roof, and huge doors on the front. Nobody ever opened these doors. There was no reason to. Hawthorned had explained to David that they likely used to house enormous equipment in this building, but what kind of equipment was anybody's guess. he liked to think there were flying machines of some sort.
But Hawthorne and Thatch had filled the place with found items. All kinds of metal bits, wheels, chassis, even broken down motors and contraptions. None of it worked. Well, none of it did anything useful. But he'd be hard pressed to convince Hawthorne of that notion.
Hawthorne was pounding on something with a large mallet. David thought he looked angry, and was taking out his frustrations on the poor broken device.
"Hello there!" shouted David, his voice competing with the metallic clanging. Thatch was too busy banging on something himself to notice.
Hawthorne stopped what he was doing, and turned around, taking off his goggles. His face was covered in greasy black streaks.
"So you really did take the day off, eh?"
"Sure did. And I've spent most of it with your wife."
"I'm glad to hear it. She needs the company. I don't know that I could stand a full day of listening to Alta."
"I don't want to speak too soon, but I hope everything works out for you two," said David. "I knew there was something different about her these last few days."
"Whatever are you talking about, David?" said Hawthorne.
"You're wife is pregnant, isn't she, Hawthorne?"
"If she is, it isn't mine! I can assure you of that."
"Well, she seems to disagree. I mean, on the part about being pregnant. Naturally, I assumed you were involved."
"Believe me, I'd like to be. But well, a man would know, wouldn't he?"
"I guess so. But I didn't come down here to ask about your love life, or lack thereof," said David.
"Good, because you'd be awful disappointed otherwise," said Hawthorne.
By now, Thatch had stopped making so much racket, and came over to where David was standing.
"I've got to ask you two a question. In all this junk you got here, you ever come across anything that looks like it fell off a robot?"
They both shuddered at the thought.
"What do you take us for, David? Some kind of demon worshippers? Thinking we got parts of robots laying around here. Sure! Maybe we'll just piece something together for ya! How about that? Make you up a graven image to worship. That'll suit you just fine!" They both laughed. David did not find it amusing.
"I'm serious. Thatch, I mean, robots are machines, after all, right?"
"Sure they are, David. But that's like saying humans are just plants, after all. I mean, we eat em, and we kinda grow like em. Why not?"
"Because," said David, "we got minds. You ever see a plant do any thinking?"
"You ever see a machine do any thinking?" asked Thatch. "No, robots are more than machines. They like to kill, they like to destroy. They'll like as not finish us all off one day. You gotta be able to think to do that. They are some kind of peversion of nature, that's what they are. A demonic half-breed doing the work of Satan."
"But you admit they are at least half-machine. I mean, they got metal underneath, right? That's what the scriptures say."
"Sure enough they do," said Hawthorne. "But I never saw one."
"But maybe you have some pieces of them around here. That's all I thought."
"You mean, like some robot bones? I can't imagine what would kill a robot, or convince it to give up one of its bones," said Thatch.
"Maybe a vortch could," said David. "Besides, there were good robots, right? Maybe you found some old parts of the angelic type around somewhere."
"Sorry, David. I don't know. But you're welcome to look," said Hawthorne, "if you are really that curious. By the way, why are you that curious?"
"Because," said David, "If I ever do come across a robot, I want to know for sure what it is."
Thatch laughed. "Sure David. Next time you see a robot, why don't you just ask him for one of his bones. Maybe he'll trade you, for your head!"

Chapter 9

Word got around during supper that Jeremiah was going to give a sermon. No seance tonight, but Jeremiah had some important things to say, and he wanted as many people who could come to be there. He wanted to address the council, as was his right, and he asked for the explorers by name.
They gathered outside, before dusk. Jeremiah wore more subdued attire, in contrast to his showy seance costume. He stood a little taller, but was still flanked by Fletcher and a few other of his usual companions. He stood on the raised platform this time, which had been dragged out to the center of the circle just for this occasion.
"My friends," he began, as he always did when addressing the enclave this way, "my people, my family! I bring to you tonight a few words on a very critical subject.
"As you all know, the oracle has told us that there is a spy in our midst. We don't know who it is yet, but this can only mean that the forces of Satan are getting closer to us. They are likely closing in on us right now. The world that we know is getting less safe every day.
"Now, we have always had to contend with evil forces. Plague, disease, vortch, demons. But we have always been able to remain relatively safe in our enclave. We have survived for centuries here.
"But where is our God? Where is our ship? When will we ascend into heaven, as promised by the scripture? I've tried to lead you all down a righteous path, toward enlightenment and purity. But we have not gotten there yet. Only when all of us has washed off our sins, will we be saved.
"So what is keeping us from achieving this? Who among us is still unclean? I implore you, look inside yourselves, and tell me what more we can do."
David felt the words cut to his very soul.
Whenever Jeremiah gave these lectures, he walked away feeling worse than when he came. Guilty. That somehow, he alone was keeping the ship from coming and saving these people. But today, he had a very good reason to feel this way. And while he had told others of having seen the robot, no one knew the whole truth.
No one else replied to Jeremiah. He waited a very long time in silence, the crowd stirring, but mostly silent. "Does no one else have anything to say on this matter?"
David knew what was coming. Nobody had the guts to stand up and say anything, for fear that it might contradict Jeremiah. But everyone knew that if nobody said anything, then Jeremiah could claim consensus with his own opinion.
Most of the time, things worked out all right. Sometimes, they didn't. David had a feeling that this would be one of those times.
A brave soul did speak up, but didn't rise to make himself known. "Find the underground bunker!" he shouted. David didn't quite place the voice. It was no matter; those around him would surely know, and word would spread by morning as to who said it.
Jeremiah lifted his head, and his eyes came alive. "Is that what you think we should do? Well, what makes you think we are not in it right now? That this is not the place chosen for our people? I'm very disappointed that you would suggest such a thing.
"On the contrary, I think we are in it. But there is something we have not done yet. We have not shut ourselves inside. We have not cut off our contact with the outside. We still put ourselves at risk from the evils of this world."
Another voice spoke up, this time with more authority. "But what about food? We can't stop foraging. There is no way we would survive more than a few days on our current stocks."
David thought that voice sounded a lot like Alta. And for change, he was glad to hear it.
"I think you misunderstand me, kind mother. The bunker is not an actual place, but rather a metaphor for how we should live. We need to close ourselves off from the outside world, spiritually, and intellectually. We need to finally give up on this earth, this planet, and look to a brighter future among the stars. The ship will not come until we are ready to do that."
"But what more can we do?"
"First, we must limit our contact with the outside world. Surely we have enough territory for foraging. Do we really need more grain fields or berry patches?
"Second, we must no longer hunt the beasts of this land..."
"No great loss there!" shouted another voice from the crowd.
Fletcher looked shocked, but said nothing.
"For in so doing, we promote a cultural link to this world that must be broken. Third..."
David's stomach sank. There was no denying where this was leading.
"There must be no further exploration outside well established foraging lands..."
David grew hot at the suggestion, but knew he would hold his tongue until the council meeting. He dared not start an argument in front of the entire enclave; he just wasn't prepared to debate Jeremiah right now.
"For this is most surely the easiest path toward spiritual decline that we can imagine. And if Satan is going to corrupt us from within, he will start with those who walk into his open arms."

Chapter 10

Next morning, David was up early. Too early for the mess, even. He put his pack together, and went over to the kitchen anyway, hoping to grab a few cakes from the store. He found Sarah there, already working. Like she knew he'd be there real early.
"I hope you aren't planning on doing anything rash, David," she said.
"I do something rash nearly every day of the year, Sarah. This job of mine. It's deadly business, every single day. If that's not rash, I don't know what is. And now, well, now it's sinful, too. Don't that just beat all?" He grabbed some cakes from the cabinet overhead, and started wrapping them and putting them in his pack. Sarah walked over and stood next to him.
"Now David, most of us know how important your work is. Granted, we've got more food now that ever before..."
"That's just it, Sarah. We've outlived our usefulness. Or should I say, We've outlived too many of our neighbors. Sure we got more food, but only because there's fewer mouths to feed."
"David, that is about the worst thing I've heard you say!"
"It's true, isn't it? Every year, more of us die, and not enough of us are born. Soon, there won't be any of us left for the blessed ship..." He was almost shouting now, and he stopped to lower his voice. "Soon we won't need any ship to rescue us, because we'll all be long gone. One way or another, we're gonna meet our maker, and it looks more like to be the unpleasant way."
"So what are you going to do?" said Sarah.
"I'm going to do what I always do. Look for something that can start saving people, healing people. And making this enclave safe. We need to grow, expand, I don't know what. Maybe we do need to find that bunker. Maybe Jeremiah is killing us all by keeping us in this godforsaken place, and keeping us from signaling the ship."
"You don't mean that," said Sarah.
"No, not like that, I don't. I know he means well. But sometimes...sometimes he just don't sit well with me. I don't know how to explain it. But there it is."
Sarah put her hand on his shoulder. David had cooled off a bit, but he kept the determined look on his face. "I'll say it again: don't do anything rash. There's people here that don't want to see one less mouth to feed."
"Don't worry," he said, "I'll be back before sundown. And if I'm not, say a prayer for me, and light a candle, so my soul can find its way back home."